Communicating, Engaging and Encouraging Family Partnerships

Children, Families, and Communities Guidebook: Communicating, Engaging, and Encouraging Family Partnerships [CLOs: 1, 3, 4] This week you will continue to develop your Children, Families, and Communities Guidebook by completing the Communicating, Engaging, and Encouraging Family Partnerships section. This week’s readings included Chapters 8-10 of the Gestwicki text, which focuses on building family partnerships through effective communication. For this assignment, you will develop a section of your guidebook that includes a plan for a Family Night. This plan will allow you to share with your families examples of your curriculum, examples of instruction, your learning environment, and diversity considerations that you foster in your classroom. An example of this section and requirements can be found in the Instructor Guidance.  Guidebook Setup: This week, you will continue to develop your existing work by adding a new section titled, “Communicating, Engaging, and Encouraging Family Partnerships.” You will continue to build your Guidebook, using your chosen format from last week.  Guidebook: Communicating, Engaging and Encouraging Family Partnerships Section. For this section, you are going develop a plan for a Family Night in your classroom. You will create several communication examples to share with families during this night. They will include:  An invitation that encourages them to come to this event. Try to get them excited about it and explain the importance of their attendance. A written transcript for an introductory welcome speech for the event A plan for children and families to explore the curriculum centers or activities in your learning environment. For this plan, explain four specific activities that families and children could do together during this event. For example, you might plan for children to read a short book with their families in the library area of your classroom and then draw their favorite character on a classroom bulletin board. A description or visual layout of how the learning environment will be set up for this event. Be sure to specifically describe how the learning environment will incorporate your teaching philosophy and cultural competence. A transcript for a closing speech that explains the importance of maintaining a close partnership throughout the year. Content Expectations:  Children, Families, and Communities Guidebook: Communicating, Engaging, and Encouraging Family Partnerships Introduction: Set up your Children, Families, and Communities Guidebook with a section titled, “Communicating, Engaging, and Encouraging Family Partnerships.” For this section, include an introduction that explains what is included and why close partnerships are important for families. Developing a plan for a Family Night: Develop a plan for a Family Night, where families come into your learning environment. Include the following: Invitation: Create an invitation for families to attend this event. Be sure it looks professional, while also getting families excited about it and explaining the importance of their presence at this event. Script for Welcoming Families: Develop a written transcript for an introductory welcome speech for this event. Be sure to explain the purpose of Family Night and discuss why family partnerships are important. Family Participation Activities: Develop a plan for children and families to explore the curriculum centers or activities in your learning environment. For this plan, explain four specific activities that families and children could do together in your learning environment. Learning Environment Description/Visual: Create a description or visual layout of how the learning environment will be set up for this event. Be sure to specifically describe how the learning environment will incorporate your teaching philosophy and cultural competence. Transcript for Closing: Develop a written transcript for a closing speech, thanking families for coming to this event and reviewing the importance of maintaining these partnerships throughout the year. Writing and Formatting Expectations:  Resource Support: Writing is substantiated by at least three supporting resources. Organization: Demonstrates logical progression of ideas within the writing. Syntax and Mechanics: Writing displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. APA Formatting: Writing includes citations and references in APA format, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Suggested Assignment Length: In general, your assignment should be approximately three to four pages in length.  Next Steps: Review and Submit the Assignment:  Review your assignment, referencing the Grading Rubric, to ensure you have achieved the “Distinguished” levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit your Children, Families, and Communities Guidebook to Waypoint for evaluation no later than Day 7.  Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

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