ECh 3104 Family Partnerships (1 credit)

Instructor:: Michael Sullivan, M.A.
Office:: 303 Bohannon Hall
Phone:: 218-726-6778
Email:: msulliv1@d.umn.edu
Michael's home page:: http://www.d.umn.edu/~msulliv1/

Course Description

This class is designed to prepare preservice learners in early childhood studies to work with young children and the context of the family. Through field-based experiences, course participants will practice and develop their abilities to engage in family sensitive practices. This course serves as the beginning of a series family partnership experiences that will be woven into future courses.

Course Objectives/Outcomes

Course objectives will address:

Integrate ECH theory and practice
Understand ECH issues through direct involvement with community families
Understand issues in Early Childhood Education from a family perspective
Develop interpersonal skills with young children and their families
Develop advocacy skills through the lens of children, parents and families

Conceptual Outline/Topics

The child in the context of the family
The child within the Special Education service model
The power of relationships
Family needs
Child needs
Setting goals for the child and family
The child as a community member

Additional Course Information

Students will have opportunities to build relationships with children and families
Students will learn through personal experience the needs of families with young children
Students will see how families support and advocate for their young children
Students will be expected to partner with a family, observing them in their home and possibly outside the home.

Candidate Responsibilities

As participants in the Family Partnership Experience, you are required to complete two to two and a half hours of field experience in a home or community-based setting. The goal of this course is to provide opportunities for you to engage with young children in the context of their family. You will be asked to keep an online journal, documenting your visits and detailing your observations.

Dispositions:: The following dispositions have been adopted by the Early Childhood Studies Program and are woven into expectations and decision points as candidates progress through the program.

Demonstrate respect for and positive relationships with children.
Recognize and acknowledge children by name.
Foster the development of positive self-esteem in children.
Establish rapport with colleagues.
Demonstrate positive response to professional responsibilities.
Accepts constructive supervision for professional responsibilities.
Grooming and dress indicate professional attitude.
Takes initiative in performing expected duties.
Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability.
Demonstrates poise and confidence in teaching environments.
Engages in self-reflection to improve teaching and learning.
Shows sensitivity to differing family structures and cultural backgrounds.
Communicates effectively with adults and children.

Diversity: Diversity will be addressed both through course content and methodologies. The c course content will guide the candidate toward an understanding of learner differences (e.g., cultural backgrounds and exceptionalities. The instructional methods will be designed to meet the needs of all learners.
Instructional Strategies: Your learning format will include: field based experiences and periodic face-to-face sessions that include panel presentations, problem solving discussions, and topical readings.

About the Family Partnership

It is hoped that the relationship you establish with the family your partner with during Block One will continue throughout your time in the blocks. There will be activities across the program that will allow you to focus on features of your family partnership. However, it is understood that "life happens" and events in the lives of the families and your own may prevent this from occurring.

Assignments

Partner with a family
Conduct an interview with partnership family members
Genogram
WebX Journal
Participate in WebX discussions

Assignment 1 – Definition of ´Family´ Due Febrary 14th

In Kim´s class you talked about interacting with diverse families. I see that a couple discussions focused on your family and and what makes a family, and all the different ways a family is defined.
For our first assignment, I would like you to come up with a working defintion of ´Family´ that you will use as your frame–of–reference when meeting and observing your partnership family. (For those who were with us last semester, you might want to revisit your posts about family from Interacting with Diverse Families.)
Then, with your definition in mind, how has that defintion changed over time? (e.g., when you had children, got married, left home, had parents/grandparents move in, kids moved out, divorce, remarriage... just to name a few.) Post a draft of your defintion and how it´s changed by February 14th. (Happy Valentines Day )!
Now, discuss in your small groups about why it may be important to have a defintion of ´family´ when working with children at your centers or schools.

Assignment 2 – My Partnership Family – Due February 19th

Please choose and invite a family to participate in this process by February 19th.
Please tell us about your partnership family... where they live, who they are (use first names only), how many are in the family, how old the children are, etc...
I recall several were wondering how they would get a family to participate... How did you end up choosing this family? Describe your decision making process, how did you approach them? How did it go? What was their response?

Assignment 3 - Genogram

Genogram:: A schematic diagram of a family's relationship system, in the form of a genetic tree, usually including at least three generationns...." (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, pg. 439 2000).

For your next (second) family visit, your task is to use the genogram template (40kb PDF) and create a genogram of your partnership family.

Genogram Resources

Course Readings

(available on electronic reserve under Marchel, Mary A.)

Lord Nelson, L., Summers, J. A., and Turnbull, A. P. (2004). Boundaries in family-professional relationships: Implications for special education (132kb PDF). Remedial and Special Education. 25 (3), 153-165.
Susman-Stillman, A., Appleyard, K., & Siebenbruner, J. (2003). For better or for worse: An ecological perspective on parents relationships and parent-infant interaction (404kb PDF). Zero-to-Three, January 2003.
Weatherston, D. (2001). Relationships for learning: Early Head Start infant mental health in Jackson, Michigan (104kb PDF). Zero-to-Three, August/September 2001.

Learner Sensitive Teacher Model Conceptual Framework

This course in UMD's Department of Education embeds principles of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice (SEP), the Council for Exceptional Children Teacher Competencies, and the Standards for Initial Licensure of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Additionally, course components are based on a Learner-Sensitive Teacher philosophy that encompasses the following five themes: Reflection (R), Empowerment (E), Collaboration (C), Diversity (D), and Technology (T).

Course Objectives

1. Integrate ECH theory and practice

INTASC: 7.11, 3.24
SEP: 7A, 3J
NAEYC: 1.1, 1.2
DEC: 1.1
Theme: R
Evidence of Knowledge: Topical responses

2.Understand ECH issues through direct involvement with community families

INTASC: 10.12, 10.22
SEP: 10B, 10D
NAEYC: 3.1,3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
DEC: 3.1, 5.3
Theme: E
Evidence of Knowledge: Topical responses, Family Interviews

Topical responses, Family Interviews

3. Understand issues in Early Childhood Education from a family perspective

INTASC: 10.12, 10.23
SEP: 10B, 10F
NAEYC: 5.2, 5.6
DEC: 3.1, 5.2
Theme: D, R
Evidence of Knowledge: Topical responses, Family Interviews, Action Plan

4. Develop interpersonal skills with young children and their families

INTASC: 6.23, 6.24, 6.33
SEP: 6F, 6G, 6J
NAEYC: 6.2
DEC: 3.1, 3.2
Theme: C
Evidence of Knowledge: Family Interviews, Topical responses

5. Develop advocacy skills through the lens ofchildren, parents and families

INTASC: 10.12, 10.32
SEP: 10B, 10I
NAEYC: 5.7, 3.4
DEC: 5.6
Theme: E, C
Evidence of Knowledge: Family Interviews, Action Plan

University of Minnesota Duluth

Maawanji´idiwag "They Come Together"

Eni–gikendaasoyang "Moving Towards Knowledge Together"

Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Language Revitalization

Department of Education – Collge of Education and Human Service Professions