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Current Trends

Family Engagement

I was so happy with the turn out for our Back To School Night! My goal was to get families and teachers connected to begin the process of building a partnership which is essential for children’s success at school. This year we added the family wish jars, mystery reader sign up, and family directory all with the intention of building a stronger community within BBLC. Family engagement is a hot topic in early childhood education right now. Engaging parents and teachers in the child’s early development and education strengthens the parent/child bond and improves a child’s lifelong outcomes.

There is no one right answer on how to establish good family engagement within an early childhood center, however, within the field there are some guiding principles.

  • Principle 1: Programs invite families to participate in decision making and goal setting for their child

  • Principle 2: Teachers and programs engage families in two-way communication

  • Principle 3: Programs and teachers engage families in ways that are truly reciprocal

  • Principle 4: Programs provide learning activities for the home and in the community

  • Principle 5: Programs invite families to participate in program-level decisions and wider advocacy efforts

  • Principle 6: Programs implement a comprehensive program-level system of family engagement

As we continue on with the school year BBLC will be actively focused on increasing our family engagement. As of today here are some great ways to get involved in your child’s education at BBLC.

* Provide donations to the donation center

* Borrow and/or donate books to our reading tree

* Read your child’s classroom lesson plan and white board daily and ask them about what they did in school

* Pay attention to the “Family/Community Involvement” section of the lesson plan as this will often offer suggestions on how to extend what your child is learning at school at home

*Sign up to be a Mystery Reader at least once this school year

*Volunteer to chaperone a fieldtrip

*Share a special talent or hobby with your child’s classroom or the whole center!

*Share a favorite family recipe

*Take time at pick up and/or drop off to talk with your child’s teacher

*Participate in parent/teacher conferences and other family events


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