Chapter 13 Working with Families, Volunteers, and the Community ©2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved

Chapter 13

Working with Families, Working with Families,

Volunteers, and the CommunityVolunteers, and the Community

©2013 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Objectives

• Identify strategies for establishing reciprocal relationships with families.

• List items to be included in a handbook for families.

• Discuss contents and the value of center newsletters.

• Understand the process of recruiting and adding volunteers and becoming active in the community where services are provided.


Goals of Director

• Develop a first-class program for children and their families

• Work with parents and volunteers

• Create a positive program climate


Parent Program• Must contain:

– Positive attitudes toward families and what they can contribute to the center program

– A recognition of the changing complexion of center families

• Multicultural mindset• Valuing diversity (including language)

– Communicate trust• Parent receiving area• Resources for parents• Consistent staff


Parent Program

• Parent program can be divided into three major categories1. Parent contacts

2. Parent education

3. Parent involvement


1. If parents seem uncertain about becoming involved with the center, what ideas do you have to promote parent involvement?

Discussion Question


Parent Contacts

• Parent contacts range– Arrival or departure greetings– Formal interviews– Scheduled conferences– Parent meetings– Phone calls– Parent feedback


Parent Education

• Designed to improve – Parenting skills– Interpret the center program– Vocational education– Remedial classes (complete GED)– Information on consumerism, nutrition, stress or

time management


Parent Education

• Could be formal or informal– Workshops– Panels– Presentations– Seminars


Parent Involvement• Parent involvement is more than conferences and parent

education– Active in planning, implementing, and evaluating the total

program– Helping out in the classrooms– Working with children in a small, informal reading

experience– Doing clerical work, repairs, or making equipment– Donating materials– Serve on the board or advisory committee– Demonstrate a skill (weaving, pottery)


Parent Involvement

• Parents may feel– threatened by teacher knowledge – limited by their own school experiences– protective of a child with special needs


Parent Conferences

• Share positive child experiences

• Show child work, samples

• Develop plans to facilitate the child’s progress

• Give parents time to share


Discussion Question

1. Why is it important to allow time for parents to share information about their child?


Family Handbook

A handbook explaining basic center procedures, policies, and philosophy.

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EDU 262 14

Parent Handbooks

• Handbooks are a way to communicate basic information about the program

– Statement of center philosophy

– Outline of daily program

– Feeds and arrangements for payment

– Transportation policies

– Health and safety policies

– Snacks and meals ©2013 Cengage Learning.

All Rights Reserved.

Parent Handbooks

• Handbooks are a way to communicate basic information about the program– Services center staff will offer children and families

– Center discipline policy

– Requests for help from parents

– Summary of scheduled events

– Expectations about child’s use of transition objects

– Description of legal obligation of center staff to report any evidence of child abuse


Family Handbooks

Handbooks are a way to communicate basic information about the program

– Statement of center philosophy

– Outline of daily program

– Feeds and arrangements for payment

– Transportation policies

– Health and safety policies

– Snacks and meals

Parent Handbooks (Continued)

– Services center staff will offer children and families

– Center discipline policy

– Requests for help from parents

– Summary of scheduled events

– Expectations about child’s use of transition objects

– Description of legal obligation of center staff to report any evidence of child abuse

A basic tool of written communication to which families can refer.

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EDU 262 19

Among topics you might want to include are:Among topics you might want to include are: Program philosophyProgram philosophyProgram objectivesProgram objectivesAdmissions policies and proceduresAdmissions policies and proceduresFee policiesFee policies Arrival and departure policiesArrival and departure policiesHealth policies and concernsHealth policies and concernsGeneral procedural policiesGeneral procedural policiesCalendarCalendarServices the center may offerServices the center may offerCenter discipline policyCenter discipline policy

Style of Writing

• Scholarly or chatty?

• Formal or informal?

• General or detailed?

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EDU 262 20

Dear Family,We wish to extend a warm welcome to you and your child. We want to make this year a pleasant one for parents as well as children. You, as parents, will influence, to a large degree your child’s success in this venture.

04/19/2321EDU 262

I need to stay home if I have…

• fever over 101

• sore throat

• diarrhea

• vomiting

• rash

• red, crusty eyes04/19/23

EDU 262 22

I’ll keep you home when you have…

fever over 101 sore throat diarrhea vomiting rash red, crusty eyes

04/19/2323EDU 262

A child is eligible to enroll in the kindergarten class if he is five years old on September 1 of

the year he enters.

04/19/2324EDU 262

I can enter if…I have my birth certificate.

I have all my immunizations.P.S. to parents :

*If you do not have a birth certificate, write to:

Bureau of Vital Statistics

State Capitol Building

*All immunizations are available from your doctor or the Public Health Center.

04/19/2325EDU 262

Consider Costs

•Typesetting and printing

•Copier

•Computer word processing

04/19/2326EDU 262

Family Handbook

Information should be concise

useful tool to initially acquaint families with the center program and to help them understand what to expect

must be supplemented with other written and verbal communications to keep them abreast of center events and the progress of their children.

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EDU 262 27

Newsletters

Can keep parents informed about:

• the center’s progress,

• program philosophy,

• special programs,

• and future plans

Can include:

1. Monthly calendar2. Information about fund-raisers 3. Updates of staff changes4. Activities5. A profile of a staff person, another

parent, or a center volunteer6. News items from each classroom7. The “Director’s Message,” which is a

must for each issue

Ten Tips for a Great Parent Newsletter

Sylvia Reichel, author of The Parent Newsletter,

1. Make your newsletter attractive. • Pay attention to its appearance. • Will parents be enticed to pick it up and read it?

2. Be consistent. – Use the same color of paper, style of print,

nameplate (name of your school and date published), and publication schedule each issue so that it is readily identified as your school or center newsletter.

Ten Tips

3. Know your audience. – Use information written in an appropriate

style and at a reading level that will appeal to the parents in your setting.

4. Personalize it. – People like to see their names (or their

children's names) in print. Interview parents and children. The newsletter is also a great place publish thank-yous for contributions to your child care.

Ten Tips

5. Share what is going on in the classroom and how parents can reinforce and extend your classroom goals in specific ways. • Consider, for example, publishing the

words to songs and fingerplays your class is learning.

Ten Tips

6. Be sure that what you print is timely.

Do not print outdated information.

7. List Web sites, books, and magazine articles that relate to your newsletter article, so that interested parents can seek more information on the topic.

Ten Tips

8. Begin the habit of recording ideas for future newsletter columns. – Keep a small notebook in your pocket or

purse for jotting down your observations.

9. Look at other newsletters to see what their strengths and weaknesses are. – What makes them more attractive or less

attractive? – How would you improve them?

Ten Tips

10. Solicit feedback.

• What do your readers like?

• What would they like to see changed?

Chapter Summary

• The Director– is accountable for the parent program– helps staff establish parent relationships


Documents

Chapter 13 Working with Families, Volunteers, and the Community ©2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved