Conversation With Families  [WLOs: 1, 3] [CLO: 3]

Parents or caregivers are the most important people in a child’s life. Families can be an invaluable source of information about the child, and the educator must understand that families need to know that their knowledge and insights are important. When it comes to making educational decisions about a child, teachers will share important information about the child’s development. This conversation may not always be easy, especially if the educator is sharing information that the child is not reaching critical milestones.

To prepare for this discussion,

For your initial post, develop a script of what you would say to a family member or caregiver of that child based on your observation, addressing each of the following items:

• Discuss the developmental domain(s) that you felt the child was progressing nicely in. Provide a detailed rationale using examples from the observation (from watching the video).
• Discuss the developmental domain(s) that you have a concern about or feel the child could use more support in. Provide a detailed rationale using examples from the observation (from watching the video).
• Provide the parent or guardian with at least one activity or strategy they can use at home to support their child in the domain(s).
• Wrap up the conversation in a positive way.