The Early Childhood Personnel Center

The projects or assignments require learners to apply the practices/skills related to Standard 2: Partnering with Families.   Since these are application activities, they most align with the evidence-based practices for adult learners of authentic learning, reflection, guidance, performance feedback, and follow-up activities.  The sample learning activities are organized by the three components for Standard 2.

1. With the partner family complete an ecomap.
2. Interview a current Part C provider about how they involve families as partners and support family diversity.
3. Family Interview/Collaboration Project: The family interview is an assessment technique used collaboratively with the family to identify resources, priorities, and concerns of the family. The relationship between the educator and the family should be one of teamwork and collaboration. The preferred approach by many is to engage the family in conversation rather than conducting a formal interview. Before beginning the process, it is important that you have an established rapport with the family and communicate your respect for their time and effort. At the start of the interview clearly state its purpose and give them background information about yourself and the program. Use both open-ended and closed-ended questions to gather information and be sensitive when probing for further information. Use a “funnel approach” by starting with broad concerns and getting more specific. Using open-ended questions pertaining to the family’s daily activities is a very effective strategy for identifying the family’s resources, priorities, and concerns.

The interviewer should keep the following precautions in mind (Bagnato & Neisworth, 1991):

1. The identification of family resources, priorities, and concerns is not a mandatory component of the IFSP/IEP – it is voluntary. No child can be refused services because of the family’s refusal to be assessed.
2. Identification of family resources, priorities, and concerns should be planned individually with each family.
3. Identification of family resources, priorities, and concerns should be conducted in a non-intrusive manner.
4. The interview should be conducted in ways to respect the family’s home language, values, and culture.
5. The family’s right to only share what they wish to share should be respected.

Information obtained from the interview should be used to directly assist the family.  The educator should explain why the information is needed and how it will be used BEFORE the interview begins.

Possible Interview Techniques:

• Semi-structured questions to provide a sharing avenue but not a defined stopping point like closed-ended questions
• Closed-ended questions for specific information (birth weight of the child, etc.)
• Using family stories (experience stories)
• The use of a tape recorder (requires signed consent) can help capture every detail of the interview

Following the Family Interview, you will carry out approximately 10 hours of collaboration with the family to address the priority goals identified during the interview process. You will create a Collaboration Log to identify the hours and activities you engaged in with the family.  You will also create a Resource Guide to address the family’s concerns and to help them attain their goals.  The resource guide should include materials related to accessing services outside of special education such as Social Security benefits, health insurance, transportation, higher education, case management, social services, and informal family supports.  The guide must be organized in a way that facilitates the family’s learning of how to access resources outside special education.

To be submitted:  Family Interview and supporting interview documents (e.g., interview questions, ecomap, map of goals/outcomes aligned with everyday routines) and Collaboration Log, Resource Guide, and supporting collaboration documents.

Presentation/Training:  Develop a presentation or training materials on a critical issue related to early childhood intervention and family-centered practice.

Create one of the following:

(1) a 15-20 slide PowerPoint presentation that the candidate might present in the future, or

(2) training materials (e.g., pamphlet, insert to IFSP/IEP manual, handouts, portfolio materials).

Include resources or website links where individuals can obtain more information and be sure to include references for information candidates will obtain from websites or articles.

Then the candidate will write a 2-page reflection on why they chose the topic and how they will use the presentation and materials created.

Book Review and Book Talk: This assignment involves reading a book authored by a family member.  As our perspective expands, our new thinking may help us develop a broader and deeper understanding of families who have children with disabilities.  Select two books from the supplemental list.  For the first book, you will write a 3-5 page paper reflecting on the book’s impact on you as an educator, as a parent, or as a member of a family.

Include your reflections on the questions listed below:

What is the experience of the family?
How is it presented?
How is this a universal experience?
How does the child’s disability impact on the child’s experience with the education system?
What is the family's experience with the educational system?
What is the child’s experience?
How does the experience of the child or the family's impact on your experiences as a teacher or with education?
Other thoughts?

The Practicum Applications are examples of learning experiences designed to promote knowledge and skill development for each component of each standard. They are intended to be idea prompts for field-based assignments for preservice and professional development, and adapted as needed.

The Practicum Applications:

• Should be incorporated across the curriculum and within each standard,
• Represent the age range from birth through five,
• Are sequenced from observation and reflection to implementation of practices with supervision,
• Should be implemented across home, school, and community settings.  

Supporting Knowledge and Skill Development

Knowledge: Observe a home visit with a family whose child is in preschool and write a reflection of the communication strategies used, including active listening strategies, to involve the family in the discussion.

Knowledge: Observe an IFSP meeting and write a reflection of the strategies employed to engage the family in joint development of outcomes.

Knowledge: Observe an IEP meeting and write a reflection of the strategies employed to engage the family in joint development of goals and early childhood special education and related services to be provided.

Knowledge: Interview your own family members to learn more about your family’s culture, beliefs, and experiences across generations and reflect on how this may influence your relationship building with families with whom you will work.

Skill: Complete an eco-map with a family and write a summary of what you learned about their family system (i.e., family interactions, family functions, and family life cycle).

Skill: Develop a plan outlining the strategies to use in sharing information with a family in their home language.

Skill: Plan for and implement a coaching session during the family’s typical routines and with toys or other items in the home.

Supporting Knowledge and Skill Development

Knowledge: Visit different agencies in the community to determine what resources and supports are available to families, how families qualify for the services, and how families can access the services (e.g., health department, housing authority, unemployment agency, Habitat for Humanity).

Knowledge: Observe a parent-teacher conference and identify the communication strategies employed by the teacher to actively engage the parent (e.g., jargon-free language, attending, listening, clarifying questions, paraphrasing).

Knowledge: Observe a home visit and identify the communication strategies employed by the teacher or early interventionist to actively engage the family member (e.g., jargon-free language, attending, listening, clarifying questions, paraphrasing).

Knowledge: Observe an IFSP or IEP meeting and reflect on what is presented to the family about child and family rights, available services, and family participation in decision-making, as well as how the information is presented.

Skill: Conduct a Routines-Based Interview with a family to identify the resources and supports available to the family and what may be needed.

Skill: Share information about community resources related to prioritized needs with the family using communication strategies such as jargon-free language, attending, listening, clarifying questions, paraphrasing.

Skill: Share information with a family whose child is transitioning from early intervention to preschool (or preschool to kindergarten) regarding their role and things for them to consider in participating in the transition IEP meeting.