Introduction
We all know the saying, "Parents are their children's first and most important teachers." Children learn not only from the active instruction their parents give them but also from what they observe their parents doing, from the way their parents talk to them and behave toward them and from the home life their parents provide them.
But parents do more than simply teach their children. The greater truth is that "parents are a child's first and most important adult." Parents affect almost every aspect of a child's life: self-esteem, health, attitudes, values, behavior, readiness for school and success in life.
The reasons for this are obvious. Of any adults, the parents of a child (or the persons who perform the duties of parents) have the most responsibility for that child. Over the years they spend the greatest amount of time with that child. They have the most invested in that child and their feelings for the child are the strongest and most intense.
Because parents have so much at stake, they have a great deal to offer to the Head Start program serving their children. Head Start has long recognized this. Much of its success has been due to its commitment to parent involvement.
Parent involvement benefits children in several ways. There is the direct benefit from the parents working with the staff, so that more can be accomplished for the children. Children benefit when their parents know about and support what is happening in their education. Parents who develop a habit of involvement are more likely to continue that participation throughout a child's school career. Finally, parents who are involved gain skills in decision making, teaching, management, advocacy and other areas. They develop habits of learning that will continue throughout their lives. These gains can positively affect a parent's self-esteem, attitudes, behavior and employment. This In turn can lead to positive effects on the children.
Head Start programs often struggle to maintain high levels of parent involvement.
Traditional methods of involvement, such as having parents serve as classroom
volunteers or on the Policy Council, don't allow opportunities for all parents
to be involved. They also do not take advantage of the many different kinds
of contributions that parents can make.
In response to
this concern, Head Start has recently developed a new vision statement for parent
involvement. This vision statement maintains that some of the most important
goals for parent involvement in Head Start are to:
- Support parents as primary educators, nurturers and advocates for their children;
- Ensure that every parent has an opportunity for a significant experience in Head Start; and
- Ensure that parents are involved in making policy decisions for the program, which is the foundation of Head Start's unique success.
Specific goals for each module are described below.
Module 1: Defining Parent Involvement
As a result of completing this module, participants will:
- Apply a broader definition of parent involvement to their daily interactions with parents; and
- Define the goals of Head Start's renewed vision for parent involvement and be able to identify current program practices that support those goals.
As a result of completing this module, participants will:
- Interact with children and families using practices and behaviors that promote belonging and invite participation; and
- Practice adapting parent involvement activities to make them more inviting and accessible for individual parents.
As a result of completing this module, participants will:
- Use effective listening skills to identify how each staff member contributes to and supports parent involvement for the purpose of forming collaborative staff relationships; and
- Use consensus building as a strategy to create a common understanding of their own program's strengths in parent involvement.
The final sections of the guide, Continuing Professional Development and Resources, contain suggested activities and sources for supplemental information that can assist supervisors in extending the learning opportunities begun in this guide.
Engaging Parents is a foundation guide. All staff in Head Start, regard less of their roles or responsibilities, need to understand the information and demonstrate the skills presented in this guide. In particular:
- Managers will find the guide useful in planning and implementing parent involvement programs.
- Staff with the major responsibility for involving parents can use this guide to analyze the effectiveness of current practices.
- Policy council members can use this guide to engage staff and parents in a dialogue to create a profile of the program's parent involvement activities.
- Staff who are discouraged when parents don't come into the center for activities can use this guide to gain a fresh perspective on what involvement means.
- Staff who informally relate to families as they carry out their daily work can discover how each of their interactions with parents contribute to their engagement with the program.
- Provide experiences and activities which support and enhance parents as the principal influence in their children's education and development;
- Assist parents to increase their knowledge and understanding of, as well as their skills and experience in, child growth and development;
- Identify and reinforce experiences which occur in the home and community that parents can utilize as educational activities for their children;
- Provide opportunities for involving parents in health, mental health, dental and nutrition education; and
- Assist parents in understanding and using alternative ways to foster the learning and development of their children.
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 and can be used in place of a workshop where this is not possible. |
| 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 Extended 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 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. |
At a Glance
| Module 1: Defining Parent Involvement |
Activity 1: What is Parent Involvement (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, pens, overhead projector, Overhead 1 |
| Activity 2: Understanding the Head Start Vision (C) |
minutes |
Handout 1 | |
| Activity 3: The Head Start Vision for Parent Involvement (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, pens, overhead projector, Overhead 2, Handout 2 |
|
| Activity 4: The Staff Parent Connection (C) |
minutes/ interview |
Handout 3 | |
| Module 2: Individualizing Parent Involvement |
Activity 1: Why Become Involved? (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, pens, overhead projector, Overhead 3 |
| Activity 2: Working Effectively with Parents (C) |
minutes |
Handout 4 | |
| Activity 3: Analyzing Activities (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, markers, Handout 5 | |
| Activity 4: Strengthening Parent Involvement (C) |
minutes |
Handout 6 | |
| Module 3: Sharing Responsibility for Parent Involvement |
Activity 1: Paired Peers (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, pens |
| Activity 2: Reflecting on Parent Involvement through Journal Writing (C) |
|
Handout 7 | |
| Activity 3: Working Together (W) |
minutes |
Easel, chart paper, pens, Handout 8 | |
| Activity 4: Shadowing (C) | |
Handout 9 | |
| Activity 5: Peer Exchange (C) |
minutes |
Handout 10 |
(C)=Coaching