My observation took
place within a classroom of 3 – 5 year old students. I have the pleasure of observing Ms. N. who
is a bilingual teacher. Each morning begins
with her greeting the families by name. Her
soft spoken demeanor helps to create a personable atmosphere. I asked Ms. N. if she is comfortable speaking
with the parents and does she feel she is has done a good job with establishing
their trust? Ms. N. told me that gaining
the family’s trust takes time. To help
her gain the family’s trust she welcomes the parents to volunteer within the
classroom to give them the opportunity to see firsthand their kids are in a
safe environment. Also, Ms. N. feels
that parent conferences are an excellent way to spend individual time
discussing child development and voicing concerns. She said it is challenging for her to be able
to accommodate all the family’s needs. I
asked her what she felt is the best method of communication with working
parents. She told me that you have to be
flexible and be able to offer different forms of keeping in touch. For instance, emails, phone calls and
handouts are just a few strategies that she uses.
I also spoke with a few
parents. I asked them if they felt
comfortable speaking with their child’s teacher. The parents told me that they are very
content with the lines of communication.
They stated that one reason the parents are able to share ideas and
concerns is because they can express themselves in their native language. In addition, there was Headstart Program
scheduled meeting with the parents. I
spoke to one parent that said she liked attending these meetings because they
keep her well informed.
Finally, I was able to
speak to the Director of the site. She
explained how their program honors the families by having a parent recognition
luncheon. The Director also shared how
parents are selected to delegate information from the administrators to the
families. This encourages parent to parent partnerships. The setting I have
observed throughout this module has been a very good experience in learning how
to interact with families and building strong professional relationships.
Eva Speaks
Eva I think there are some great things going on at this center and parents do need positive ways of being able to gain and give trust to those who are taking care of their children. As caregivers we know how difficult it is to do home visits, conferences and or to have a casual conversation recognizing them through appreciation benefits says a lot it says that getting to know the parents is a form of caring and being there for them if needed, keep up the great work Eva I always enjoy reading your blogs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Erika :)
DeleteHello Eva.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this center is especially skilled at fostering strong relationships and communication with all families. It is so important for the families of our students to feel comfortable and be able to communicate in ways that work for them. I love the varied means of communication and the fact that the families are communicated with in their home language. This will only serve to strengthen the relationships between home and school.
Eva,
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice program. If you can gain the trust of parents you have the kids. What a great idea to include parents in a recognition luncheon and also get parents to volunteer.