Module 4
Planning the Communication ProcessOutcomes
As a result of completing this module, participants will be able to:Key Concepts
- Analyze their program's structures for communicating with parents,
- Assess one's preferred communication style and identify strategies for communicating successfully with those who may or may not share that preference, and
- Create a plan for improving communication processes that build on program strengths.
Background Information
- Effective communication with parents is a two-way process that is positive and appealing.
- Effective communication with parents requires that staff listen, speak, and write in a way that is respectful of person and culture.
- Effective communication requires conscious planning at both a personal and program level.
- Both the climate and the structure of a Head Start program are key to effective communication with parents.
Communication is something that can take place without conscious thought or planning. Effective communication, however, requires both. In the Head Start setting, staff and parents are constantly interacting with each other. Whether or not these interactions help to build partnerships depends on the degree to which the parties to the communication apply the listening, observation, speaking, and writing skills that communicate respect and create a positive space for sharing.There are two ways that programs can support effective communication between staff and parents. The first is by developing a climate for effective communication, and the second is by creating the structures that support information sharing.
"Climate" refers to the accepted ways of working and behaving that affect how communications are carried out. This can include such elements as the pace of the workday, the casualness or formality of the workplace, or the number of opportunities each day that staff and parents have for coming into contact with each other.
"Structures" include such things as bulletin boards, newsletters, calendars, phone trees, or logs - consistent and thoughtful methods of sharing basic information that enable both staff and parents to have access and give input.
Since family involvement is so crucial to all Head Start programs, it is to be expected that all programs will have some sort of climate and some structures in place that support staff-parent communication. However, all programs can benefit from occasional examination to determine whether any modifications or improvements to the overall communication environment can be made.