Handout 1: Understanding the Head Start Vision for Parent Involvement
Exercise A: Caring for ChildrenInstructions: Reflect for a minute on one of these two questions:
List your ideas. To get you started, here are some answers that Head Start staff has given to these questions:
- What did the caring adults in your childhood do to help you grow and develop? or
- What do adults in general who care for children do to help them grow and develop?
Reflect on your list. Look at those activities that happen at home and those that happen in the community. Put a check next to those activities that you think are most important, or that stand out for you.
Read me family stories Volunteered at my school Listened to me Helped run our local neighborhood center
Keep this list at hand and add other ideas as you think of them. In the next part of this activity, you will be asked to refer to this list.
Exercise B: Parent Involvement in Practice
Instructions: From reading "The Head Start Vision for Parent Involvement," you know that this vision includes opportunities for parents as educators, nurturers, advocates, and policy makers. These four terms are described below. Look back in Exercise A. Then write each item from your list under the heading where it fits best. Some examples from Exercise A are provided.
- Parents as Educators
Parents's are a child's first teacher. In every part of daily life, parents influence their children's growth and development. In Head Start, parents are partners in their children's education.
Read me family stories ____________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
- Parents as Nurturers
An important part of parent involvement is providing children with basic needs, such as food and clothing, and with a safe and caring home.
Listened to me __________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
- Parents as Advocates
Parents do most to defend the needs and rights of their children. They play an important role in making sure that needed supports are in place for their children.
Volunteered at my school __________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
- Parents as Policy Makers
Parents make important decisions everyday. For example, they decide what types of goals are important for their family. A cornerstone of Head Start is giving parents the right to help make program decisions.
Helped run our local neighborhood center ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ When you have completed both exercises, meet with your coach and discuss the following:
- What did you learn from this exercise about your own understanding of parent involvement?
- Why do you think Head Start places have such a high value on involving parents?