Topic 3 Page 8

Sentry Page Protection

Student Login Unit 4

Unit 4 Student Login

Welcome, (First Name)!

Enter Member Area

My Profile Log Out

(Unit 4) Topic 3: Family and Community Partnerships

3 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Helping Families Feel Welcome

Topic 3 Page 8

Families and early childhood professionals ultimately have a common interest in children’s development.

It is crucial to establish and maintain collaborative relationships between home and school that will promote children’s learning and growth.

As an educator, you can do the following to support families:

Invite families to visit your program before their child’s start date.
Ask families about their child’s interests, favorite toys, nap routines, likes and dislikes.
For children whose first language is not English, ask families to provide a list of words or phrases in the child’s native language.
Ask the family to video or audio record a message to their child that you can share with their child during difficult times in the transition period.
Encourage families to bring a comfort item for their child from home, such as a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.
Ask families to share their hopes, goals, and priorities for their child.
Give families information about the different ways they can participate in your classroom.
When it comes to families of children with special learning needs who are transitioning from home-based early intervention services, provide information about the transition process, including a timeline of events.
Make sure you ask families about their preferred method of communication in case you need to reach them about their child.
Display photographs of children and their families in the classroom where children can easily see them.
Include books about families in your classroom library.
Invite families to participate in the assessment process.
Ask families of children with special learning needs to share input and preferences about their child’s placement and education.