Reflective questions Evidence indicates that home literacy practices are more powerful than classroom literacy experiences What are the implications of this for early childhood professionals? – How does your current practice acknowledge the importance of home literacy practices? What could you do to improve connections between home literacy practices and literacy practices in your setting? BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES Partnerships with families have numerous benefits for families that in turn positively impact on and development. Partnerships with families leads to: children’s learning greater satisfaction with the service a stronger sense of self-efficacy and control more positive perceptions of their children more positive perceptions of their own competence. Case study As one educator said: benefits of partnership are that you end up building trust and a program that is far more “The responsive to a community of people who just think about themselves but rather about don’t how the group will benefit and gain from their collaboration. That collaboration is based on listening to other no distinction between the philosophy and people’s perspectives. There’s how it is enacted in the program for children and for families. We treat each other as citizens and believe that each person deserves respect.” (Educator and director in an education and care service) Case study A Preschool Field Officer explained that for her the best way to engage families was to take a very positive, respectful approach and to be accepting of differences: Just accepting or just being really positive ‘oh that’s great you’ve got kinder today’ even though they might be really fantastic really great to see your late. ‘It’s you’ve turned up, it’s about the interaction that you have with the family and the child. My personal child’. It’s feeling is the seen had a big success rate with these kindergarten teachers I’ve who’ve families just made a big good to see you, so glad you could come they’ve fuss ‘it’s so I’m today, anything we can do to help you with them a ring and see how things attendance’. Give are going, what can we do to help you out. So you put it back on them and ask how we can support you rather than being judgemental about them, which would be annoying. I think seriously about your relationship and people pick up pretty quick whether or not it’s you’re being judgemental and condescending and so on. Everyday experiences either contribute to or take away from sense of control over families’ major life events. Partnerships with families in early years services can make a significant contribution to feelings of empowerment. families’
Reflective questions Evidence indicates that home literacy practices are more powerful than classroom literacy experiences – What are the implications of this for early childhood professionals? How does your current practice acknowledge the importance of home literacy practices? What could you do to improve connections between home literacy practices and literacy practices in your setting? BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES Partnerships with families have numerous benefits for families that in turn positively impact on children’s learning and development. Partnerships with families leads to: greater satisfaction with the service a stronger sense of self-efficacy and control more positive perceptions of their children more positive perceptions of their own competence. Case study As one educator said: “The benefits of partnership are that you end up building trust and a program that is far more responsive to a community of people who don’t just think about themselves but rather about how the group will benefit and gain from their collaboration. That collaboration is based on listening to other people’s perspectives. There’s no distinction between the philosophy and how it is enacted in the program for children and for families. We treat each other as citizens and believe that each person deserves respect.” (Educator and director in an education and care service) Case study A Preschool Field Officer explained that for her the best way to engage families was to take a very positive, respectful approach and to be accepting of differences: Just accepting or just being really positive ‘oh that’s great you’ve got kinder today’ even though they might be really late. ‘It’s fantastic you’ve turned up, it’s really great to see your child’. It’s about the interaction that you have with the family and the child. My personal feeling is the kindergarten teachers I’ve seen who’ve had a big success rate with these families they’ve just made a big fuss ‘it’s so good to see you, I’m so glad you could come today, anything we can do to help you with attendance’. Give them a ring and see how things are going, what can we do to help you out. So you put it back on them and ask how we can support you rather than being judgemental about them, which would be annoying. I think seriously it’s about your relationship and people pick up pretty quick whether or not you’re being judgemental and condescending and so on. Everyday experiences either contribute to or take away from families’ sense of control over major life events. Partnerships with families in early years services can make a significant contribution to families’ feelings of empowerment.
pracguidepartnershipswfamilies2017.docx