The role of parents at early childhood centers is essential in supporting their child's development, fostering a positive learning environment, and establishing effective communication with educators and staff. Here are some key aspects of the parents' role, supported by research and references:
Building Partnerships with Educators: Parents are encouraged to develop strong partnerships with teachers and staff at early childhood centers. Research shows that collaborative relationships between parents and educators lead to better outcomes for children (Dunst, Trivette, & Hamby, 2007). These partnerships involve regular communication, sharing of information about the child's development and needs, and working together to support the child's learning and growth.
Supporting Early Learning at Home: Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's early learning at home. Engaging in activities that promote literacy, numeracy, and other developmental skills positively impacts a child's readiness for school (Sénéchal, 2006).
Creating a Positive Home-School Connection: Research suggests that a positive home-school connection contributes to children's academic and social success (Núñez, Rosário, Vallejo, González-Pienda, & Epstein, 2015). Parents can participate in school activities, attend parent-teacher conferences, and be actively involved in the child's education.
Advocating for Their Child: Parents have a crucial role in advocating for their child's needs and rights within the early childhood center. Effective advocacy helps ensure that the child receives appropriate support and resources (Hemmeter, Ostrosky, & Fox, 2006).
Promoting a Safe and Supportive Environment: Parents can contribute to creating a safe and supportive environment at the early childhood center by actively participating in discussions and decision-making related to policies, procedures, and curriculum planning.
Providing Feedback and Input: Parental feedback is valuable in shaping early childhood centers' practices and programs. By sharing their perspectives and insights, parents can contribute to continuous improvement (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2016).
Engaging in Parent Education: Early childhood centers often offer parent education programs to help parents better understand child development, effective parenting strategies, and ways to support their child's learning. Engaging in these programs can enhance parental skills and knowledge (Lingard & Ranson, 2015).
Promoting a Positive School Culture: When parents actively participate and engage with the early childhood center, it helps create a positive school culture that benefits not only their child but also the entire community (Epstein, 2009).
These roles are based on research and best practices in early childhood education. Collaborative efforts between parents and early childhood centers can lead to optimal outcomes for children's development and school readiness.
References:
Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D. W. (2007). Meta-analysis of family-centered helpgiving practices research. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 13(4), 370-378.
Sénéchal, M. (2006). Testing the Home Literacy Model: Parent Involvement in Kindergarten Is Differentially Related to Grade 4 Reading Comprehension, Fluency, Spelling, and Reading for Pleasure. Scientific Studies of Reading, 10(1), 59-87.
Núñez, J. C., Rosário, P., Vallejo, G., González-P