Partnering with Diverse Families and Communities in Early Childhood

This course is designed to help early childhood educators establish effective partnerships and reciprocal relationships with diverse families and communities. First, students will learn about models of family involvement and important family developmental processes in early childhood such as attachment, maternal responsiveness, and parenting styles. Second, we discuss important social, cultural, and linguistic characteristics which shape the life of families and children and are relevant for understanding diverse families. Third, we present strategies for supporting and working with diverse families through family, school, and community partnerships. At the end of this course, students will have developed an action plan for working with diverse families in early childhood settings including activities for: collecting and providing information, planning for family involvement in the classroom, establishing reciprocal relationships with families, and collaborating with communities.