Learning is an ongoing journey that does not stop regardless of age or experience. In early childhood, deliberately imparting crucial lessons significantly shapes a child’s educational path. Early childhood educators are pivotal in shaping a child’s initial learning experiences and fostering collaboration with families.
The Worcester State University online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Early Childhood Education program recognizes the importance of this collaboration and emphasizes the significance of inclusive practices to create family-centric learning environments. Through this engagement, teachers can make a considerable difference in a student’s life.
Innovative Activities for Family Involvement
To boost family participation, Brightwheel suggests innovative activities that bridge the gap between classroom learning and home environments. Activities such as conferences for mutual goal-setting, hosting fun sessions for learning and showcasing kids’ work facilitate a seamless connection between educators and families. These initiatives not only keep families informed about their child’s progress but also empower them to actively participate in their child’s learning journey.
Brightwheel also emphasizes the importance of explaining what learning does and does not look like. It notes that parents can often emphasize “academic content rather than developmental skills, and whether or not they realize it, they have expectations for what that will look like. […] Most adults just aren’t familiar with the foundational skills required for future activities like reading and writing.”
Instructional Resources for Home
Inside the classroom, it’s easier to oversee the development of children, but noticing changes at home may be more challenging. Offering instructional materials to send home with students reinforces classroom learning while providing parents with the tools to actively participate in their child’s education.
California State PTA Online Toolkit notes provides ways parents can encourage family-school partnerships. For example, parents can implement sleeping and eating routines, provide a space for doing homework, check on the student’s assignments, promote literacy by reading books, limit screen time and more. School Speciality also offers some examples of materials and resources that foster family-student collaboration at home.
Overcoming Barriers
Despite the importance of family engagement, common obstacles often hinder effective collaboration between schools and families. ParentSquare identifies some of these barriers, such as:
- Insufficient communication channels
- Ineffective methods of reaching out to families
- Time constraints
- Lack of resources and access to technology
- Language and cultural differences
ParentSquare provides valuable insight on how to overcome these barriers. It suggests utilizing newsletters with multilingual communication; creating volunteer programs and parent-teacher associations for optimal parent involvement; and building partnerships with community centers, libraries, museums, and local businesses. Breaking down school-community barriers ensures that families are well informed and feel a sense of belonging within the school community.
Especially in the case of students with disabilities or special needs, breaking barriers may seem like an extra hurdle. This is why Worcester State University’s online M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education program includes the course The Child, Family, Community, and Diversity in Education. In the course, students examine how differences in home experience, background knowledge, and language proficiency impact school experience. Further considerations include services provided by state and local agencies.
Additionally, the program encompasses inclusive approaches to curriculum and assessment, strategies for engaging families, the necessity of teamwork, and collaboration and techniques for effectively managing student development. The program’s well-rounded curriculum provides graduates with all the necessary skills to improve children and family bonds in the education setting.
Benefits of Parent Involvement
Student success does not only involve the teacher-student relationship. Engaging parents in their children’s education yields numerous benefits. Parent involvement is a holistic approach that not only contributes to a child’s cognitive growth but also fosters emotional well-being.
When parents actively participate in their child’s education, they create a support system that extends beyond the classroom and reinforces the value of learning in various aspects of a child’s life. As educators strive to create impactful early learning experiences, collaboration with families becomes a cornerstone of success. Graduates of Worcester State’s online M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education program become education professionals with the necessary skills to encourage and achieve effective collaboration between students and their families.
Learn more about Worcester State University’s online Master of Education in Early Childhood Education program.