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Increasing Parent-Teacher Communication in Private Preschools
No full textParent-teacher communication is a first step in increasing family engagement. Private childcare centers have been found to report less frequent parent-child communication than publicly funded early childhood education programs such as Head Start. Using a matched comparison group design, we tested the impact of a two-pronged intervention, the Family Map Inventory for Early Childhood (Family Map; family assessment) and Teaching Important Parenting Skills (TIPS; brief parenting interventions on broad array of topics), on parent-teacher communication in private childcare centers serving low-income families. The intervention included a 4-hour Family Map training and a 6-hour TIPS training aimed at improving parent-teacher communication. Trained teachers conducted Family Map interviews and implemented TIPS for four months. Results indicated: (1) teachers were willing to implement the Family Map/ TIPS intervention in private child care settings; and (2) the parents and teachers in the intervention group reported higher levels of parent-teacher communication than those in the comparison group
Parenting Techniques as a Mediator between Female Caregivers’ Internalizing Symptoms and Externalizing Behaviors among Preschool-aged Children
No full textBehavior problems are commonly reported difficulties and one of the largest referral reasons parents seek therapeutic services for their child; thus, it is imperative to identify variables related to child behavior problems. The current study considered the mediating role of parenting techniques on the relation between primary female caregivers’ internalizing (i.e., anxiety and depression) symptoms and child externalizing behavior (i.e., hyperactivity, aggression, attention problems) among preschoolers. Participants included 153 parents with children enrolled in a Head Start program in small city/rural areas. Results suggested that inconsistent discipline partially mediated the relation between caregivers’ internalizing symptoms and child hyperactivity and aggression. Results also suggested that parental involvement partially mediated the relation between caregivers’ internalizing symptoms and child attention problems. These findings demonstrated a mediational role of inconsistent discipline and parental involvement between caregivers’ internalizing symptoms and child externalizing behavior and have implications for early intervention
Participation in Early Childhood Home Visiting: The Role of Family, Ethnic, and Community Factors
No full textParticipant ethnicity, family risks, resources, and community characteristics influence participation in many different types of early childhood home visiting programs. However, few studies have examined their influence on family participation in literacy-focused home visiting efforts. A sample of 539 families enrolled in one of 25 Parent Child Home Program (PCHP) sites in Massachusetts was tracked from program entry to exit. Families were less likely to complete programs if they were non-Latino and experienced more family educational risks; the ESL rate in their community of residence was predictive of program completion for Latino families. Length of participation was predicted by ethnicity, child age at entry, family involvement in formal school settings, and the graduation rate in the community where the family resides. Implications of study findings for decreasing barriers to program completion and developing long-term associations between home visiting programs and families are considered
Commentary on the Special Issue on Parent Involvement/Engagement in Early Childhood Education
No full textThe articles in this special issue of the NHSA Dialog contribute to the growing body of literature on the importance of engaging parents in early childhood education for children’s development, learning and achievement. They highlight cultural factors that programs should take into consideration in their outreach to parents, and address a number of potential barriers to their involvement parents may face. Findings reported in this issue also provide evidence-based, innovative strategies for engaging parents. Additionally, the set of articles presents a robust range of ways that parent involvement and engagement in early childhood education can be conceptualized and operationalized. Hopefully by highlighting a diverse set of factors pertaining to parents’ involvement and engagement in their young children’s education, publication of this special issue can spur integrative scholarship on how Head Start and other early childhood programs can best engage all the families they serve
What You Can Accomplish in a Year: Head Start Teachers\u27 Decisions about Teaching
No full textThis ethnographic study of teacher decision making in an Appalachian Head Start program suggests that teachers use personal and practical knowledge to inform their daily teaching while professional experiences appear less influential. Teachers are also influenced by their relationships in the community as they make use of community funds of knowledge to inform how and what they teach. Finally, external influences including administrative decisions and the social, economic and political circumstances in their community and in society influenced how they make instructional decisions. The importance of a deep understanding of how teachers make decisions about classroom practice is apparent. Findings from the study are discussed as they relate to Head Start policies and practice and how curriculum change may occur
The Effects of Asthma on Academic Achievement in a Sample of Former Head Start Children
No full textThe ways in which a diagnosis of asthma can affect the academic achievement of students were examined in a sample of 5,711 former Head Start children, 788 of which were identified as having asthma. Results indicated statistically significant group differences in standardized reading and mathematics scores, with students with asthma performing worse than students without this diagnosis in both academic areas. In reference to reading abilities among students with asthma, indicators of socioeconomic status, gender, and level of school absences were found to be predictive of reading scores. Regarding mathematics abilities, results indicated the significant contribution of both socioeconomic status and level of school absences in predicting the math scores of students with asthma. Variables regarding the family environment did not make a significant contribution to explaining the asthma-academic achievement relationship beyond the effects of these variables
