KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY KUTZTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA COE Course Syllabus

DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

EEU 415 Family and Community Collaboration Partnerships

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the relationships of the diverse people, organizations, and societies responsible for the education of young children. Historical influences, effective teaching strategies and curriculum for working together with families, and successful partnership models are emphasized. Teacher candidates will gain knowledge and demonstrate an understanding of cultural and community diversity as a basis for instructional planning with ELL awareness and accommodations. Field experiences with parent programs and family agencies are required. 3 s.h. 3 c.h

II. COURSE RATIONALE

Undeniably, parents are a child’s first teacher. In the past, parenting strategies and skills were informally handed down through observation with extended families living in close proximity and sharing child raising responsibilities. Today, variations in mobility and family structure, due to many factors, have changed how information is learned. Families have begun to rely on other societal institutions like schools, child care centers, or government agencies for support services. A partnership between families, schools, and community begins at this initial level. Research states that parental involvement is a critical positive variable in a child’s education. Early childhood educators must develop skills to address the needs of all, including but not limited to: family culture, linguistic/language, structure and partnerships.

III. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course, the teacher candidate will be able to: 1. Describe how the three social settings, home, school, and community, affect children’s perceptions and attitudes about learning. 2. Compare and contrast commonalities and diversification of family parenting styles and types of families, identify needs and link to community resources. 3. Foster child to child, child to adult, and adult to adult relationships to build a community of learners, including interactions amongst diverse learners. 4. Give examples of how culture affects curriculum in the home and school such as family structure, family values, rituals, routines and parental interests. 5. Explain the home schooling movement in the United States as an alternative education option for families and identify community resources/organizations available for support. 6. Create a positive, inclusive learning environment for all learners, including age and

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 developmentally, culturally and linguistically, appropriate use of indoor and outdoor physical space, materials, and scheduling. 7. Organize physical and temporal environments to maximize opportunities for children to engage in content-rich activities that enhance the cognitive and socialization processes begun at home. 8. Design, implement and evaluate collaborative traditional and innovative strategies for developing partnerships with families, including ongoing, reciprocal communication, cultural sensitivity, and rapport with all students and their families. 9. Demonstrate knowledge of the process of language acquisition and recognize language/linguistic differences and difficulties specific to ELLs. 10. Recognize, design, and apply appropriate and effective differentiated instructional and assessment strategies that support success of ELLs in the classroom

IV. ASSESSMENT

Assessment of each teacher candidate’s level of accomplishment with reference to the course objectives will be based upon a subset of the following: 1. Current issue discussions 1. Development of parent questionnaire 2. Family interview using questionnaire 3. Children’s book critique reflecting family diversity 4. Research local agencies that support families 5. Design and presentation of parent communication 6. Field experience component with written summary 7. Design an early childhood environment that engages content rich learning opportunities for all learners all learners, including age and developmentally, culturally and linguistically 8. Content based assessment with ELL accommodations 9. Develop instructional strategies which include ELL accommodations. 10. Case studies

V. COURSE OUTLINE:

A. Course Content 1. Home, School, and Community Influences on Children’s Lives a. Child perceptions and attitudes b. Home values c. Age levels and influence d. Media influence e. Cultural f. Professional associations and special interest groups.

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 2. Historical Perspectives a. Family, school, and community as educational forces b. Children with special needs c. Multicultural emphasis d. Philosophical perspectives

3. Viewing Family Diversity a. Different types of family structure i. Nuclear families ii. Single parents iii. Blended families iv. Extended families v. Adoptive families vi. Foster families vii.Gay and lesbian families b. Social factors c. Socioeconomic status d. Changes in contemporary families

4. Parenting the Child a. Family roles b. Physical and physiological needs c. Limits, boundaries, beliefs and attitudes d. Interaction styles e. Cultural patterns

5. Responsibility for Educating Children a. Child care issues in the United States b. Families raising children with disabilities c. Children’s learning (home, school, community) d. Governance of education

6. Curriculum of the Home a. Roles and responsibilities i. Communication and cognitive skills ii. Knowledge of child development b. Environment i. Family practices ii. Distractions iii. Daily routines c. Home schooling i. History of home schooling ii. Motives for home schooling iii. Legal aspects of home schooling

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 7. Curriculum of the School a. Orientations b. Organization c. Environments d. Instructional Strategies e. Developmentally Appropriate Practice f. NAEYC Code of Ethics

8. Curriculum of the Community a. Effects from community structures (service agencies, business enterprises, political agencies, social and cultural agencies) b. Social and natural networks

9. Strategies of Working Together a. Communication with parents (conferences, home visits, written materials, others) b. Parents in the schools (visits, volunteers, resources, advocates, others) c. Parent education (meetings, materials, others)

10. Models for Partnerships a. Components of successful change b. Program models (Head Start, Comer’s School Development, Schools Reaching Out Project, others)

11. Effective Social Settings for Learning a. Competent families b. Effective partnerships

12. Working Together a. Levels of collaborations i. Associative ii. Decision making level iii. Participation in planning b. Achieving partnerships

13. How do Cultural Difference Affect Teaching and Learning? a. Becoming an effective participant observer in your own classroom. b. Sociolinguistic interaction in the classroom c. Literacy traditions from home and community

14. Current Policy Trends Affecting the Education of English Learners a. Academic standards and assessment b. High stakes testing c. Education policy specific to English learners. i. ESL (English as a Second Language) ii. Bilingual programs

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 iii. Accommodations for students

15. Classroom practices for English learner instruction a. Standards based instruction and assessment b. Differentiated instruction c. Content based instruction d. Specially designed academic instruction in English i. Group work ii. Thematic instruction iii. Scaffolding

16. Assessment of English Language Learners a. Definition and purposes b. Identification of Student needs c. Limitations of different assessments with ELL students d. Use of assessments to design programs and guide instruction

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Barbour, C. and Barbour, N.H. (2007). Families, Schools and Communities: Building Partnerships for Educating Children. 4rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Berger, E.H. (2007). Parents as Partners in Education: Families and Schools Working Together. 7th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Bigner, J. (2002). Parent-Child Relations: An Introduction to Parenting. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall. Borba, M. (2009). Caring Closes the Language-Learning Gap. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(9), 681- 685. Brodkin, A. (2002). From Mom’s House to Dad’s House. Parent and Child. 10(3) 36-37. Brooks, J.B. (1996). The Process of Parenting. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. Brooks, J.B. (2001). Parenting. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. Collins, M. (2010). ELL preschoolers’ English vocabulary acquisition from storybook reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(1), 84-97. Couchener, D. and K. Chrisman. (2007). Families, Schools and Communities: Together for Young Children. 3rd ed. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson. Davies, D., Burch, P., and Johnson, V.R. (1992). A Portrait of Schools Reaching Out. Report of a Survey of Practices and Policies of Family-Community-School Collaboration. Boston: Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and Children’s Learning. Diffily, D. (2004). Teachers and Families Working Together. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Durán, L., Roseth, C., & Hoffman, P. (2010). An experimental study comparing English-only and Transitional Bilingual Education on Spanish-speaking preschoolers’ early literacy development. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(2), 207-217. Estes, L. (2004). Essentials of Child Care and Early Education. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 Epstein, J., L. Coates, K. Salinas, M. Sanders, B. Simon. (1997). School, Family, and Community Partnerships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Cowin Press. Erikson, E. (1963). Childhood and Society. New York: Norton. Evitt, M. (2002). Raising a Caring and Compassionate Child. Parent and Child, 10(3) 38-42. Fagan, J. and G. Palm. (2004). Fathers and Early Childhood Programs. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson. Ference, R., & Bell, S. (2004). A Cross-Cultural Immersion in the U.S.: Changing Preservice Teacher Attitudes Toward Latino ESOL Students. Equity & Excellence in Education, 37(4), 343-350. Fuller, M.L. and Olsen, G. (2003). Home-School Relations: Working Successfully with Parents and Families. 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Gandini, L. (1993). Fundamentals of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education. Young Children, 49(1), 4-8. Gestwicki, C. (2006). Home, School, and Community Relations. 5th ed. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson. Goldberg, S. (2002). Constructive Parenting. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2005). The Child in the Family and the Community. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Griffel, G. (1991). Parent’s Shouldn’t Have to Walk it Alone. Young Children, 46(3), 40-42. Hamner, T.J. and Turner, P.H. (2001). Parenting in Contemporary Society. 4th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Han, W., & Bridglall, B. (2009). Assessing school supports for ELL students using the ECLS-K. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24(4), 445-462. Hardin, B., Mereoiu, M., Hung, H., & Roach-Scott, M. (2009). Investigating Parent and Professional Perspectives Concerning Special Education Services for Preschool Latino Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(2), 93-102. Hildebrand, V. Phenice, L.A., Gray, M.M., and Hines, R.P. (1996). Knowing and Serving Diverse Families. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Jaffe, M.L. (1997). Understanding Parenting. Needham Heights, CA: Allyn and Bacon. Kaiser, Baud Rasminsky, J. (2003). Opening the Culture Door. Young Children, 58 (4) 53-56. Lundgren, D. and Morrison, J. (2003). Involving Spanish Speaking Families in Early Education Programs. Young Children, 58(3) 88-95. Maag, J.W. (1996). Parenting Without Punishment. Philadelphia: Charles Press. Neuman, S.B., and Roskos, K. (1994). Bridging Home and School with a Culturally Responsive Approach. Childhood Education, 70(4), 210-214. Noddings, N. (1992). The Challenge to Care in Schools: An Alternative Approach to Education. New York: Teachers College Press. Pappamihiel, N. (2004). Hugs and smiles: demonstrating caring in a multicultural early childhood classroom. Early Child Development & Care, 174(6), 539-548. Paquette, K., & Rieg, S. (2008). Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 227-232. Perry, B. A Different World: How to Help Your Child Understand and Appreciate

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010 Diversity. Parent and Child. 10(3) 47-49. Ramirez, A., & Soto-Hinman, I. (2009). A Place for All Families. Educational Leadership, 66(7), 79-82. Ray, J. and Shelton, D. (2004). Connecting With Families Through Technology. Young Children, 59(3) 30-32. Rockwell, R.E., Andre, L.C., and Hawley, M.K. (1996). Parents and Teachers as Partners: Issues and Challenges. Orlando: Harcourt Brace. Sailn, D. (2004). Supporting Children in Their Home, School, and Community. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Shahenn, J and C. Spence. (2002). Take Charge! Advocating for Your Child’s Education. Albany, NY: Delmar. Silverman, R. (2007). Vocabulary Development of English-Language and English-Only Learners in Kindergarten. Elementary School Journal, 107(4), 365-383. Spewock, T.S. (1991). Teaching Parents of Young Children through Learning Packets. Young Children, 47(1), 28-30. Springate, S. (1999). Building School and Community Partnerships through Parent Involvement. Colombus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Swim, T. and Freeman, R. (2003). Parents and Teachers Working Together: Should Food Be Used as Learning Materials? Early Childhood News, 15(3) 40-46. Wright K. (2006). Building School and Community Partnership Through Parent Involvement 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

P B EEU 415 Family & Community Collaborations Pre-K-4 generic syllabus, 2010