Lessons

• 1

  Families: An Introduction

  Children develop and learn within all types of families and family members are the most important people in young children’s lives. When teachers understand families as a system and the impact of parenting in early childhood, they are better able to develop partnerships with families and to help create an environment that meets the needs of each child. This lesson shares perspectives for understanding families and provides an introduction to family-centered practice.

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• 2

  Promoting Family Engagement

  Successful early childhood education depends on relationships and collaborations with children’s families and communities. For this reason, it is critical to establish positive partnerships with children’s families and to include families in the preschool setting. This lesson will help you identify ways to establish and maintain positive relationships with children’s families.

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• 3

  Promoting Family Engagement: Communicating with Families

  Strong partnerships with families are built on good communication. Families will communicate their needs to you, and in turn, you will communicate what resources are available. Generating family and child information is a critical piece of your work as a preschool teacher. In the same way, sharing information with families about their children and their development can make or break the partnership between home and preschool. This lesson will highlight appropriate ways to collect information from families, as well as the ways and opportunities to share information in a caring, easy-to-understand way.

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• 4

  Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

  This lesson will highlight the ways in which you can play a significant role in supporting families of preschool children with special needs. You will learn recommendations for effective collaboration with families and other professionals and begin to understand the additional roles and responsibilities placed on many families of children with special needs.

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• 5

  Strengthening and Supporting Military Families and Families Facing Challenges

  Families are many times faced with challenges that put them and their children at risk. Specifically, military families deal with unique circumstances that can affect their functioning and well-being. This lesson will help you become aware of factors that can affect families and children in your program and will highlight effective ways to support these families.

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