Thank you to all

I can't really only thank two colleagues because all of you have helped me throughout this course. We have all reached the end and I am grateful but I couldn't have accomplished all that I have without all of my colleagues in this course. Reading all of the blogs, discussions, and the advice, stories, and suggestions that all of us share and compare has been great to read and rely on. Thank you to all of you for all the feedback you have provided me. I wish all of you luck!

The Questions and the Resources

While working on my advocacy plan presentation on parental involvement, I have gained much information from various websites and blogs. Such as this website (http://www.education.com/reference/article/benefits-parent-involvement-research/)that has an article written by G. Olsen and M.L. Fuller . The article provides the benefits not only the students but for the parents, the educators, and for the school. It states that the benefits for parents are:

• Parents increase their interaction and discussion with their children and are more responsive and sensitive to their children's social, emotional, and intellectual developmental needs.
• Parents are more confident in their parenting and decision-making skills.
• As parents gain more knowledge of child development, there is more use of affection and positive reinforcement and less punishment on their children.
• Parents have a better understanding of the teacher's job and school curriculum.

(These benefits are only naming a few)

There are many websites that have helped me research about the benefits, the facts, and suggestions about how to increase parental involvement within schools. But working along side many teachers and directors of a center, provides me with the best resources and information. To hear and see the problems, the outcomes, the attempts, the challenges, and the successes daily with these teachers and families has given me more of my own personal challenge to address this issue/plan to more families around. Parental involvement is important, so how do you as an educator promote it within your own classroom or center?

I plan to present my plan to various teachers and the assistant director of the center I have been observing. From there I hope that the teachers can take some of the suggestions I have found and become more aware of the importance of inviting families in their classrooms. I also hope to gain more insight and suggestions from discussing within a group and gain information from one another. I may consider inviting a few parents as well but I'm not sure if I'm that confident yet. My question to others is, who are you presenting to and how to you plan to address your advocacy plan?

What inspires and excites me most about my advocacy plan regarding parental involvement and being an advocate?
* Parental involvement as we learn more and more each day about the benefits and importance of it inspires me to help teachers and parents become familiar with these benefits as well as promote more families to become involved. Being an advocate for parental involvement allows me to educate and share the knowledge and studies I have found about the benefits of parental involvement. The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child’s educational process, the more powerful the effects, so why not knowledge the families and teachers now?

What challenges do I feel related to engaging in the advocacy efforts that I have targeted?
* The challenges and worries that I feel related to engaging in the advocacy efforts are the parents reactions and lack of time. I currently work at a day care center, and many of the parents are physicians or going to medical and/or law school so you can imagine that they are quite busy; but what about involvement at home?? Parents may not know that even reading a book and helping with homework can still benefit the child's education. Teaching parents time management and offering other ideas and strategies that can be done even at home can be challenging for some families.

What do I believe will be most effective in helping me overcome any challenging emotions I may be feeling with regard to presenting and implementing my Advocacy Action Plan?
* I know if I have confidence and I believe in what I am addressing as well as offer a variety of ideas and strategies for families then everyone will be able to overcome any challenges. Letting families know that they are not alone and that the teachers are part of this process as well and offer assistance may help some families feel less overwhelmed. Team support will help overcome any challenges!

I can encourage others in their advocacy efforts by sticking to what they believe in and what they know is right. Fighting for what you know and believe in will bring anyone far in life. Others can encourage me by offering their own personal challenges and ways they overcame these challenges regarding parental involvement at their own centers/schools.

 

“Kids don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” -Jim Hensen