Home » ExchangeEveryDay » Welcoming Families



ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues


<< Previous Issue | View Past Issues | | Next Issue >> ExchangeEveryDay
Welcoming Families
August 7, 2014
Don't worry that children never listen to you. Worry that they are always watching you.
-Robert Fulghum

Deb Curtis and Margie Carter offer these ideas on welcoming families into your program in their book, Learning Together with Young Children:

"When families first enroll their children in programs, they are usually handed a stack of forms to complete.  The provider or director goes over policies, business details, and perhaps a typical menu, curriculum plan, or assessment tool.  Teachers may, or may not, be part of this process.   In some programs, teachers do home visits, often with a questionnaire or more paperwork in hand.  But if you think of enrollment as the beginning of relationships and participation in a program culture, you might want to refocus these initial encounters.  Rather than treating them as service arrangements or business transactions, consider these first meetings with the care of welcoming someone into your home.  There are many stepping stones to consider: how to give a tour to a family, the mutuality you seek during the orientation process, the child's transition into the program, and initial family group meetings.  Making sure that each of these occasions provides listening ears, sensitive communications, and opportunities for making connections will offer more possibilities for children and their families to feel at home with you."






Many curriculum books treat teaching as something you do to or for children. Deb Curtis and Margie Carter, bestselling authors in the early learning field, believe teaching is a collaborative process in which you reexamine your own philosophy and practices while facilitating children's learning.

Each chapter in this curriculum framework includes a conceptual overview followed by classroom stories and vibrant photos to illustrate the concepts.

You will learn to create materials and a classroom culture reflecting your values; teach through observation, reflection, inquiry and action; and encourage children to represent their learning in multiple ways, including songs, stories, and drama.

View and Purchase

ExchangeEveryDay

Delivered five days a week containing news, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.

What is ExchangeEveryDay?

ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.

Scholastic Bid Day
Precious Status
Kohburg Early Childhood furniture makes Reggio Inspired preschool
furniture.  German quality, Green and safe for the environment. Designed and
built for the kids you love.  Visit us at www.kohburg.com




Post a Comment

Have an account? to submit your comment.


required

Your e-mail address will not be visible to other website visitors.
required
required
required

Check the box below, to help verify that you are not a bot. Doing so helps prevent automated programs from abusing this form.



Disclaimer: Exchange reserves the right to remove any comments at its discretion or reprint posted comments in other Exchange materials.