15 / 36
PROVIDE
parent learning
opportunities
USEVIDEO
ANDWEB
familyneeds
eyour decisions
K; LISTEN
provide services
STARTING
AT
BIRTH
student
FUN family
learning
activities
OFFER
Move from
ENGAGING
PARENTS
INFORMING
PARENTS
to
meet
families’
needs
basic
physiological
tobuild cultural
responsiveness
USE FOCUSGROUPS
Anyone
with the will to do so
can be an educator if we
tap into their strengths
EMPOWER
PARENTS
welcometoddlers
andpreschoolers
toevents
CULTIVATE:
being fearless
tryingout newthings
life-long learners
life-long readersandwriters
agrowthmindset
15
continued next page...
partnerships is our approach to gaining early
educational equity, not only in the area of literacy, but also
in social emotional learning and mathematics.
Social emotional learning
The Zero to Three Policy Center has worked for years to
build understanding of the skill development that occurs
during crucial early years. Contributing to loving relationships,
building independence and self-esteem, identifying feelings,
playing with others, communicating effectively, and showing
empathy are some of many areas of essential social-
emotional development that should grow quickly in early
years (Zero to Three, 2017). Parents are natural teachers
of these concepts. When parents have great resources and
models, they are empowered and that natural education
becomes even stronger. This is when parents engage in the
educational process. Through developing partnership
with parents, it is our hope that we will move from merely
informing
parents to
engaging
parents in learning.
Literacy
While partnerships between families and the school to
promote family literacy is not a new concept, they most
often occur after a child has officially entered school. As
literacy and language begins to develop at birth, waiting
until a child is school-aged to promote a passion for and
a skillset for reading and writing results in years of lost