ARC 003: Working with Families

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:

  1. Define three major theories for partnering families and communities with schools.
  2. Describe the role of families as primary teachers and partners.
  3. Describe barriers to parental involvement.
  4. Describe family structure and function in today's society.
  5. Define and discuss empowerment of families to include families and communities in their children's learning and development.
  6. Collaborate and consult with other professionals to identify family supports/resources to support children's development, learning and well-being
  7. Identify and reflect upon communication skills and active listening techniques to promote cultural competence and home-school communications.
  8. Identify ways to incorporate family priorities and goals unto educational services.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

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

  • Textbook - From Parents to Partners
    • Chapters 1 & 2
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Families and Education Paper

2

4

Topics: Family Strengths, Family Functions and Family Structure

  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
32,7

Topic: Communication

    • Developing communication skills and active listening techniques to promote cultural competence and home-school communications.

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Family Interview Written Assignment

4

2,6,7,8

Topic: Involve families and community members in contributing to the learning environment.

  • Discuss the contributions to the learning environment that can be made by families

  • Textbook -From Parents to Partners
    • Chapters 7 & 8
  • Textbook -Parental Involvement in Childhood Ed
    • Chapter 4
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions

5

6,7

Cultural Competence: Developing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum With Parents as Primary Teachers to Identify Family Interests

  • Textbook - From Parents to Partners
    • Chapters 9, 10, 11 & 12
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
62,3,6

Barriers to Parental Involvement

  • Textbook -Parental Involvement in Childhood Ed
    • Chapters 2 & 6
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
75,6,8

Effective School-Family Partnerships

  • Textbook -Parental Involvement in Childhood Ed
    • Chapter 3
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Final Paper due at the end of week 8
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
  • Textbook -Parental Involvement in Childhood Ed
    • Chapters 7 & 8
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material including the Notes and web links
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Final Paper
  • Complete Final Quiz

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.