Course Description
This course will provide an overview of techniques and materials for promoting effective family partnerships to foster positive child development and learning. will be examined. Family structures, systems and theories will be introduced as a basis for working with families. Emphasis is on availability and accessibility of community resources and on developing appropriate communication skills.
Prerequisite
- Acceptance into the program.
Competencies
- Candidate establishes and maintains positive relationships with families.
- Candidate identifies appropriate forms of support to families.
- Candidate incorporates family priorities and goals into educational services.
- Candidate includes families and communities in their children's development and learning.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Define three major theories for partnering families and communities with schools.
- Describe the role of families as primary teachers and partners.
- Describe barriers to parental involvement.
- Describe family structure and function in today's society.
- Define and discuss empowerment of families to include families and communities in their children's learning and development.
- Collaborate and consult with other professionals to identify family supports/resources to support children's development, learning and well-being
- Identify and reflect upon communication skills and active listening techniques to promote cultural competence and home-school communications.
- Identify ways to incorporate family priorities and goals unto educational services.
Course Activities and Grading
Assignments | Weight |
---|---|
Discussions | 35% |
Written Reflection (Families and Education) | 15% |
Family Interview | 20% |
Final Theories Paper | 15% |
Final Quiz | 15% |
Total | 100% |
Required Texts
From Parents to Partners, Keyser, Janis 2006 NAEYC Redleaf Press
- Parental Involvement in Childhood Education: Building Effective School-Family Partnerships, Hornby, Garry 2011
Additional Resources
Journal Articles, videos, PowerPoint, on-line materials (articles in pdf and other forms of written documents as well as web-video casts)
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignment(s) |
1 | 1 | Topics: A Theory-Based Approach to Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education and Understanding Family Diversity
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2 | 4 | Topics: Family Strengths, Family Functions and Family Structure
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3 | 2,7 | Topic: Communication
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4 | 2,6,7,8 | Topic: Involve families and community members in contributing to the learning environment.
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5 | 6,7 | Cultural Competence: Developing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum With Parents as Primary Teachers to Identify Family Interests
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6 | 2,3,6 | Barriers to Parental Involvement
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7 | 5,6,8 | Effective School-Family Partnerships
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8 | 1,4,5 | Applying knowledge of family theory and research to understand family and community characteristics including socioeconomic conditions; family structures, relationships, stressors, and supports (including the impact of having a child with diverse abilities), home language and ethnicity
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Current as of: October 27, 2017
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.