ECE 610 - Family, School & Community Partnerships (online)
This graduate level course examines the impact of partnerships among families, schools, and communities on the education of young children. Course will focus on three broad themes: needs of families including family systems theory; diversity of families, and models and methods of family-school partnerships.
Course Objectives: State of Michigan Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Early Childhood Education (ZS) are noted in parentheses.
The student will:
1. Articulate current demographic information about families in the U.S. today, and to be able to access current information about the families with whom they work. (1.2, 2.1)
2. Demonstrate understanding of the rationale for, challenges to, and types of family-school-community partnership programs. (2.2, 2.3)
3. Demonstrate respectful oral and written communication skills applicable to family-teacher conferences, parent meetings, and informal interactions that enhance relationships with families. (2.2)
4. Identify signs of distress in young children, demonstrate strategies for clarifying and communicating sensitive issues such as child abuse, neglect, hygiene, and nutrition, and articulate procedures to report suspected abuse and neglect. (2.6, 2.8)
5. Demonstrate awareness of the effects of culture on parents’ attitudes about their child’s education. (2.1, 2.2)
6. Evaluate how one’s own culture influences one’s work with children and families. (2.1)
7. Design an activity that parents and children can do at home to enhance student achievement and family-child interaction. (2.3)
8. Reflect on an experience partnering with families and analyze any legal and ethical issues involved. (5.2, 5.8, 6.3)
9. Articulate legal and ethical guidelines for partnering with families (5.2)
10. Identify steps and procedures for developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP), Individualized Education Plans (IEP), and a required transition plan for children with exceptional needs, assisting families as their children transition from one program to the next. (2.4, 2.5, 2.9)
11. Articulate how teachers can assist families in locating community resources and be an advocate for parents. (2.7)
12. Gain awareness of how community agencies and private businesses can collaborate with schools to enhance children’s achievement. (2.7)
13. Synthesize skills and knowledge gained from this class by creating a Family Involvement Plan that includes strategies for family-school partnership designed to accomplish clearly stated goals. (1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.7)