Be explicit about the kind of involvement that you expect and welcome from families, but also honor the limits families may want to maintain. For example, in some cultures families believe that the most respectful way to treat an educator is not to question, suggest, or share information.
What parents and caregivers view as family engagement may differ from family to family. Understand each family’s expectations and views about their involvement.Engage with families in person at drop-off and pick-up, keep a journal for each child that families can read and contribute to, set up a Parent Information Board, write regular newsletters or blog posts, and send emails or text messages. Use multiple modes communication. Create a constant flow of communication.
Ask for feedback from families about the child’s academic and social development outside of the program. Share what children are learning and how parents and caregivers can offer support. It is as important for the educator to hear from the parent or caregiver what the child is doing at home as it is for the parent or caregiver to hear what the child is doing in the early learning program. Communicate the positive and the negative. Families will have a better sense of their child’s behaviors and accomplishments if all behaviors are reported (not only those that are negative or challenging).
When there is good communication between educators and families, learning is collaborative, accomplishments are acknowledged, problems are recognized, and solutions are provided. To foster family involvement, interactions between educators and families should be positive, purposeful, reciprocal, and consistent. This collaboration also provides a strong foundation for communication about children’s learning. When a child sees a positive relationship developing between educators and family, the child recognizes that the important people in his or her life are working together and trust each other, and he or she will do the same. A child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development is strengthened when educators and families work together.