Accountability: Testing and Assessment Parents are entitled to accurate reporting designed to help them understand how the curriculum is working on behalf of their children. Teachers and programs need to provide information to families to help them understand the accountability measures in use and how that information is specifically relevant to the curriculum and its […]
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Creative Curriculum Alignment (for 3-Year-Olds) Head Start Domain Element Examples of Objectives and Dimensions from the Creative Curriculum for Preschool Examples from the Creative Curriculum for Preschool Receptive language: the ability to comprehend or understand language 8. Listens to and understands increasingly complex language 8a. Comprehends language 8b. Follows directions Mighty minute 73 “Are You
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Aligning (Mapping) Curriculum with Standards Standards are written to allow educators to make decisions on behalf of each individual child. At the local/site/classroom level, teachers should share the ways in which they interpret the standards. Sometimes teachers do this by identifying how the curriculum connects with specific standards or desired learning and development outcomesa process
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Helping Families Understand Curriculum, Goals, and Expectations If we want families and the community to be more involved in our children’s early education, we need to help them understand the nature and purpose of learning standards and how they affect the curriculum as well as the systems in place for achieving accountability to the standards.
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Barriers and Challenges More From the Field Preschool director and teacher Donna Wilson discusses how educators must confront their biases and preconceived notions of what families should be in order to be comfortable working with all the children and families who enter their classroom. Critical Thinking Questions What are some of your preconceived notions about
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Examples of Family Involvement Models Program Description Even Start Federally funded Title I home-based program that promotes family literacy; GED programs, and workforce skills development (over 800 sites). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Among mandated activities are annual informative meetings for parents; involvement in planning, review, and improvement of schools; opportunities for parent input/suggestions. Head
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Grassroots Approach Frameworks for collaboration with families typically include some or all of the six types of parent involvement proposed by Joyce Epstein (2001) for the National Network of Partnership Schools initiative: Parent education: Providing information or training about topics important to parents in structured or informal ways. Communication: Understanding the ways in which parents
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How Ecological Theory Plays Out in Family Involvement Programs Sphere of Influence System Features Family Involvement Program Features Microsystem Home and immediate surroundings Develop family-focused services Tailor different kinds of support for moms vs. dads Provide teacher professional development focusing on family systems Mesosystem Relationships among immediate contexts Reduce barriers to family participation Cultivate welcoming
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Family Systems Theory Family systems theory describes family dynamics and provides insights about family structures. Teachers and programs can apply their understanding of family systems to develop productive and collaborative relationships. From a family systems perspective, educators recognize that while the families they serve today are increasingly diverse, all have elements in common that may
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Children with Special Needs While all children, families, and teachers benefit from high-quality, ongoing interactions, this dynamic might be considered absolutely essential for children with special needs. In a recent study of nine child-care centers that serve children with disabilities (Bradley & Kibera, 2007), the researchers learned that understanding and attention to family culture was
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