Introduction

Overview

Purpose
Seek first to understand and then to be understood. These words of wisdom are at the heart of staff and parent communication in Head Start. Whether working together to meet the developmental needs of children or towards realizing personal and family goals, staff and parents seek to understand and be understood. They seek to form a partnership based on mutual trust and respect.

This guide assists staff in meeting their communication goals and enhancing their relationships with parents. It is based on three central ideas about communication in Head Start programs:

1. Effective communication is the cornerstone of the parent/staff part nership.
   
2. Whether formal or informal, effective communication is respectful and clear.
   
3. To communicate well, one-must consciously practice the skills in volved. Plus, One   must plan for it, at both the personal and program levels.

Organization of the Guide
Module 1: Communication in the Head Start Community helps participants focus on such keys to effective communication as using a positive approach, making sure to speak or write in a way that is clear and understandable, and appealing to the needs and interests of the listener. The module also emphasizes to staff that every communication with parents is an opportunity to reinforce the message that they are valued.

Module 2: Speaking and Listening Effectively builds on the first module by emphasizing another key to effective communication: respect. Participants will review the means by which one conveys respect to the other parties in a conversation. They also will practice techniques for moving conversations along successfully.

Module 3: Using Plain Language Writing offers participants practical skills for making written communication more successful. Participants will learn how to use a formula to gauge the reading level of a piece of writing. Participants will review the factors that can make a piece of writing difficult to read and, conversely, easier to read. With these factors in mind, participants will critique written materials for "readability" and will practice plain language writing. Finally, participants will obtain feedback from parents on how their program's print materials might be improved to communicate more successfully with them.

Module 4: Planning the Communication Process enables participants to take a "big picture" look at their program's communication efforts. The activities provide participants with opportunities to reflect upon such questions as: How does our environment support effective staff-parent communication? How can we facilitate one-on-one communication between individual staff and parents? Do the communication strategies we use reach all parents? What more can be done on a program level to strengthen staff-parent communication?

Continuing Professional Development lists ideas that supervisors can use to help staff apply new skills and extend their learning.

Resources lists additional sources of information on the topic of this guide.

Organization of the Modules
In order to accommodate the needs of different grantees, each module offers two different delivery strategies: workshop and coaching. Work shops are suitable for groups of 10 or more. Workshops can build strong site-based teams as well as help staff from multiple sites develop a program-wide identity. Coaching permits a smaller group of staff members to work together under the guidance of a coach, who could be a Head Start director, coordinator, or head teacher, or an outside consultant. Coaching provides individual flexibility and allows participants to work on actual issues and challenges in their own program. While activities vary according to the type of delivery strategy, the content and objectives are the same for each approach.

Each module is organized so that workshop leaders and coaches can easily implement the activities. All modules contain the following sections:

• Outcomes summarizes the skills participants will learn in the module.
• Key Concepts describes the critical issues addressed.
• Background Information provides a rationale for the module.
• Activities provides step-by-step instructions for workshop or coaching sessions.
• Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice includes strategies to help participants practice the skills learned in the module.

Handouts and transparencies appear at the end of each module.

Ideally, participants should complete all the workshops or all the coaching activities in each module sequentially. Similarly, the modules should be used sequentially since activities in each delivery strategy build on one another. If possible, allow participants to complete the modules over an extended period of time, perhaps a four- to six-month period. With Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice and Continuing Professional Development, training could extend into a year-long process.

Audience
Communicating with Parents is a functional guide, which provides staff with the technical skills for ensuring quality communication with parents.

• Managers will use the information in this guide to plan activities that require the joint participation of parents and staff.
• Teachers, parent involvement staff, and family service staff will use the information in this guide to plan a variety of formal and informal parent interactions.
• All staff can use the information in this guide to assist them in com municating their programs' goals and expectations to, and receiving feedback from, parents.

Performance Standards
This guide contains materials which help programs meet the Head Start Program performance standards which require them to:

• Provide effective two-way communication on program services, ac tivities, policies. and resources.
• Create methods for enhancing parents' knowledge and understanding of their children's needs in terms of education, development, nutri tion, health, and disabilities.
• Communicate with parents about community resources and other agencies that can better serve the needs of Head Start families.

Performance Standards
This guide contains materials which help programs meet the Head Start Program performance standards which require them to:

• Provide effective two-way communication on program services, activities, policies, and resources.
• Create methods for enhancing parents' knowledge and understanding of their-children's needs in terms of education, development, nutrition, health, and disabilities.
• Communicate with parents about community resources and other agencies that can better serve the needs of Head Start families.
• Include parents in the design and implementation of the communication process within the Head Start program in order to further their involvement in the program.

Work with other community agencies to develop strategies for improving services to Head Start families.

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Definition of Icons
 

Coaching

A training strategy that fosters the development of skills through tailored instruction, demonstrations, practice, and feedback. The activities are written for a coach to work closely with one to three participants.

 

Workshops

A facilitated group training strategy that fosters the development of skills through activities which build on learning through group interaction. These activities are written for up to 25 participants working in small or large groups with one or two trainers.

 

Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice

Activities assigned by the trainer immediately following the completion of the module to help participants review key information, practice skills, and examine their progress toward expected outcomes of the the module.

 

Continuing Professional Development

Follow-up activities for the program to support continued staff development in the regular use of the skills addressed in a particular training guide. It includes:  (1) Opportunities tailored to the participant to continue building on the skills learned in the training.  (2) Ways to identify new skills and knowledge needed to expand and/or complement these skills through opportunities in such areas as in higher education, credentialing, or community educational programs.