Home, School & Community Relations A Guide to Working with Families

by Gestwicki, Carol

• ISBN13: 9780766803565
• ISBN10: 0766803562
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-08-17
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Here's updated coverage of this best-selling comprehensive guide for working with families in early childhood education. Early childhood teachers will appreciate this combination of theory and practice. Case studies and actual program descriptions help you put the book's guidance to use in any teaching situation and with diverse family groups. Coverage includes working with families of various cultural and language backgrounds.

Table of Contents

Foreward	ix
Preface	xi
Section I Introduction to Families	1	(90)
Families Today	3	(34)
What Defines a Family?	3	(13)
Demographics of Modern Families	16	(16)
Why Study Sociological Trends?	32	(5)
Parenting	37	(39)
Roles Parents Play	39	(27)
Parenthood as an Emotional Experience	66	(10)
A Day with Two Families: Diversity of Experience	76	(15)
The Lawrence Family	77	(4)
The Ashley Family	81	(3)
Implications for Teachers	84	(1)
Diversity	84	(7)
Section II Teacher-Family Partnerships in Early Education	91	(90)
What is Parent Involvement?	93	(28)
Perspectives on Parent Involvement	93	(1)
Brief History of Parent Involvement	94	(105)
Research on Child Development as Motivation to Include Parents	199
Mandated Parent Involvement	104	(9)
Community Concern for Family Support	113	(8)
Benefits of Teacher-Family Partnerships for Children, Parents, and Teachers	121	(20)
Benefits for Children	125	(4)
Benefits for Parents	129	(6)
Benefits for Teachers	135	(6)
Potential Barriers to Teacher-Family Partnerships	141	(22)
Why are There Barriers?	142	(5)
Barriers Caused by Human Nature	147	(5)
Barriers Caused by the Communication Process	152	(5)
Barriers Caused by External Factors	157	(6)
Foundations of a Successful Partnership	163	(18)
Teacher Ideas and Attidues	164	(5)
External Factors	169	(12)
Section III Techniques for Developing Partnerships	181	(180)
At the Beginning with Parents and Children	183	(29)
Inital Contact Between Teacher, Parent, and Child	184	(14)
Dealing with Separation Experiences	198	(14)
Informal Communication with Parents	212	(25)
Communication Techniques	212	(25)
Parent-Teacher Conferences	237	(32)
Importance of Regular Conferences	237	(5)
Groundwork for a Successful Conference	242	(8)
Strategies for a Successful Conference	250	(6)
Pitfalls to Avoid for a Successful Conference	256	(8)
Conference Evaluation	264	(5)
Home Visits with Parents and Children	269	(18)
Purposes of a Home Visit	270	(4)
Undertaking Home Visits	274	(3)
Post-Visit Responsibilities	277	(2)
Advantages of Home Visits	279	(1)
Disadvantages of Home Visits	280	(1)
Home-Based Educational Programs	281	(6)
Parents in a Classroom	287	(25)
Advantages and Potential Problems	288	(5)
Getting Parents Involved	293	(15)
Teacher's Role	308	(4)
Parents in Meetings	312	(21)
What is Parent Education?	313	(9)
Implementing a Parent Education Program	322	(6)
Parents as Decision Makers	328	(5)
Teachers and Parents in the Community	333	(28)
Corporate Involvement	336	(2)
Legislative Initiatives	338	(2)
Linkings Within the Community	340	(6)
The Role of Advocate	346	(7)
Community as Educational Resource	353	(8)
Section IV Making a Partnership Work	361	(140)
Working with Families from Diverse Backgrounds	363	(35)
A Rationale for Teacher Attention to Diversity	364	(7)
Strategies for Teachers	371	(6)
Negotiating Cultural Conflict	377	(2)
Common Cultural Issues that Arise in Classrooms	379	(19)
Working with Parents in Particular Circumstances	398	(53)
Working with Families Undergoing Change Due to Divorce	399	(15)
Working with Parents of Children with Specil Needs	414	(11)
Working with Parents of Infants	425	(9)
Working with Families When Abuse Occurs	434	(7)
Working with Adoptive Families	441	(10)
Working to Resolve Troublesome Attitudes and Behaviors	451	(22)
Hostility	452	(8)
Indifference	460	(2)
Over-Involvement	462	(4)
Frequent Causes of Tension Between Parents and Teachers	466	(7)
Looking at Parent-Involvement Programs that Work	473	(28)
Lakewood Preschool Cooperative, Charlotte, North Carolina	473	(9)
Fair Meadows School, Converse, Texas	482	(6)
Ben and Jerry's Children's Center, Waterbury, Vermont	488	(6)
Auraria Campus Child Care Center, Denver, Colorado	494	(7)
Appendix	501	(2)
References	503	(12)
Index	515