Scenario 8 (kee)


  To create an agenda for the first open house that outlines your  strategies for frequent informal communication between yourself and  families and to evaluate your agenda. 

Scenario:
One of your main goals as a first-year preschool  teacher is to keep the lines of communication open with parents in  several different ways. One of the methods you find to be effective is  to have brief check-ins during drop-off in the morning and/or pick-up  after school. However, you soon realize that some parents are not  available during these times. You watch the video Parent–Teacher  Communication: Two Informal Methods of Communication and are struck by  the way the teacher in the video stays in touch by sending text messages  to parents and calling them on the phone. You decide to begin the first  open house of the year by outlining the benefits of frequent informal  communication between home and school, drawing from the advice of the  teacher in the video. Next, you describe in detail the specific  communication options you would like to promote with families throughout  the school year as part of building a strong partnership (e.g., text  messages). Last, create an agenda item that invites families to give  feedback on the benefits of frequent communication and the styles that  would fit best with their daily routines (e.g., right after school).

Focus Assignment

1.  Create an agenda to outline the topics you plan to discuss at the first  open house of the school year. For item 1, include three to four key  points to summarize the benefits of frequent informal communication  between home and school. Next, for item 2, write three to four specific  informal communication options you would like families to engage in with  you. Last, for item 3, add a few sentences inviting families to offer  their views on the benefits of daily communication and the styles that  would work best for them (e.g., e-mail updates).

2. Be sure to  read the SELF-EVALUATION section below to guide your thinking. Write  your self-evaluation after you have completed your agenda.

Self-Evaluation

1. For each item on your agenda:
     a. Explain how this item addresses the issues in the scenario.