Table of Contents
Portals of Promise:
Transforming Beliefs and Practices through a Curriculum of Parents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCE
ABOUT THE SCULPTURE
ABOUT THE ARTIST
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
ARTIST’S PAINTINGS
FOREWORD
SECTION 1:
A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
1. BRINGING INTO BEING
A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
“I’VE LOOKED AT LIFE FROM BOTH SIDES NOW …”
WHAT IS A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS?
Understanding Education and Schooling
Understanding Curriculum
Understanding Language Choice
WHY A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS AND NOT A CURRICULUM OF FAMILIES?
Who Is a Parent?
Where Do We Use the Language of Curriculum, and Why?
WHY IS A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS IMPORTANT IN TEACHER EDUCATION?
Undergraduate Teacher Education
Graduate Teacher Education
BRINGING INTO BEING A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
NOTE
REFERENCES
2. PLANNING AND LIVING
A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
SETTING THE CONTEXT
DETERMINING THE STRUCTURE
ENROLMENT
INTRODUCING RE/PRESENTING FAMILIES IN SCHOOLS
RE/PRESENTING FAMILIES IN SCHOOLS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE TEXTS
PROPOSED CLASS SCHEDULE
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Photovoice Project
Rethinking Curriculum-Making
Reading Responses
DETAILS OF THE SUMMER SWEATLODGE
Prior to the Sweatlodge
The Sweatlodge
After the Sweatlodge
INTRODUCING ENGAGING PARENTS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING
ENGAGING PARENTS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING
COURSE DESCRIPTION
COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE TEXTS
COURSE NOVELS
PROPOSED CLASS SCHEDULE
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Book Club Reflections
Rethinking Practice
Reading Responses (As detailed in Re/Presenting Families in Schools)
MOVING FROM PLANNING TO LIVING A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
Sustained Teaching and Learning
Experiencing Theory
Learning with Parents and Families
Investing Personally
Learning Along the Way
INTRODUCING THE PRACTICUM IN PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
TRENDS AND ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:
PRACTICUM IN PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
COURSE DESCRIPTION
COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE TEXTS
PROPOSED CLASS FORMAT
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Practicum in Parent and Family Engagement
Seeking Multiple Perspectives
A Narrative of Practice
PUTTING THE LEARNING INTO PRACTICE
MOVING FORWARD
NOTE
REFERENCES
3. IT IS ALL RELATIONAL
MY ROLE AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR
INTENTIONAL PARENT ENGAGEMENT
BUILDING UNDERSTANDING OF RELATIONSHIPS
LOOKING BACKWARD: EXPLORING MY BEGINNINGS IN ECE
MOVING TO PRESENT TIME: STORIES FROM THE CENTRE
INTENTIONAL PARENT ENGAGEMENT
ATTACHMENT THROUGH SEPARATION
SEEING PARENTS AND CHILDREN
CLOSING THOUGHTS: KEEPING RELATIONSHIPS CENTRAL
NOTE
REFERENCES
4. A PRACTICUM JOURNEY TO PARENT ENGAGEMENT: ARE ECE STUDENTS READY
FOR THE TRIP?
PREPARING FOR THE JOURNEY
APPRECIATING THE CONTEXT
REWORKING PROGRAM PRACTICES
Shifting the Focus
Testing the Practicum “Waters”
CONSIDERING THE QUESTIONS: “SO WHAT?” AND “NOW WHAT?”
REFERENCES
SECTION 2: FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTUALIZATIONS
UNDERPINNING A CURRICULUM OF PARENTS
5. WELCOMING FROM THE INSIDE
OUT – AUTHENTIC HOSPITALITY
NOTE
REFERENCE
6. BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WALLS
Registration Day
The Power of Hello
My Story of K
NOTES
REFERENCES
7. LOVE IS A BABE
THE COMPLEXITIES OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Love and Babies Grow
Taking Time to Know Families
CO-CONSTRUCTING DAYCARE CURRICULUM
WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Honouring Families
A Closing Thought: Familiar But Different
REFERENCES
8. PARENTS: TAKEN FOR GRANTED
IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
NARRATIVE BEGINNINGS
A STORY OF JUDGMENT
A Process of Unlearning and Relearning
BECOMING A GUEST HOST
Relationship Building
Meet the Teacher
BEING A TEACHER AND A PARENT ON A RURAL LANDSCAPE
Familiarity
Silencing My Voice
Advocating for My Son
Coming Full Circle
REFERENCES
SECTION 3: STORIES OF EXPERIENCE: KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS LIVING A NEW STORY
WITH PARENTS AND FAMILIES
9. INVITE, WONDER, AND CONNECT:
LEARNING LENSES FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT
MEET THE TEACHER
HOME LEARNING ALBUM
FAMILY INVITATIONS AND SHARING PROJECTS
SOCIAL JUSTICE LITERATURE
REFERENCES
10. A BOY, HIS SNAKE, AND THEIR STORY: BUILDING AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS
ON AND OFF THE SCHOOL LANDSCAPE
A BOY AND HIS SNAKE
Changes in Thought
Changes in Practice
Changes in Relationship
Activity Evenings
Building Authentic Relationships
THE BOY AND HIS SNAKE REVISITED
NOTE
REFERENCES
11. RETHINKING CURRICULUM,
RETHINKING PRACTICE
REFLECTING ON OLD PRACTICE
Revisiting My All About Me Unit
Explicit, Null, and Hidden Curriculum
RETHINKING PRACTICE
Inviting Families’ Funds of Knowledge
Engaging Parents and Families
Selecting Representative Literature
Examining Curricular Outcomes About Family
STARTING FRESH
Exchanging Letters with Families
Inviting Staff to Write Letters
Inviting Parents to Linger
Sharing Family Memories and Special Items
Engaging Parents in Teaching and Learning
Hosting a Family Night
Extending Personal and Multiple Invitations
Making Positive Connections
FINISHING THOUGHTS
REFERENCES
SECTION 4: ENGAGING WITH PARENTS AND FAMILIES OFF THE SCHOOL LANDSCAPE; BRINGING
THEIR LIVES ONTO THE SCHOOL LANDSCAPE
12. CHALLENGING HEGEMONIC NOTIONS
OF FAMILY: HOME VISITS AS ACTS OF CARING
MY STORY OF SARAH’S FAMILY
MY STORY OF MY FAMILY
FAMILY STORIES AND STORIES OF FAMILIES
AWAKENING TO THE POWER OF HOME VISITS
HOME VISITS AS A WAY OF LEARNING FROM FAMILY STORIES
Home Visit Vignettes
My First Home Visit
Learning Who I Want to be in a Home Visit
A Home Visit as an Act of Caring
Parents Value Home Visits
Students Value Home Visits
What I Have Learned About Doing Home Visits
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM DOING HOME VISITS
Stories Hold Power
The Importance of Sharing My Stories
Disrupting Middleclass Notions of Home Visits
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
CLOSING THOUGHTS
NOTE
REFERENCES
13. SEEING FAMILIES’ LIVES, HEARING FAMILIES’ STORIES: TRANSFORMING BELIEFS AND PRACTICE
THROUGH PHOTOVOICE
Photovoice
“World”-Travel
ARRIVING AS A STRANGER IN A NEW PLACE
A GROWING UNDERSTANDING
“World”-Traveling and Intentionality
“World”-Traveling and Receptivity
“World”-Traveling and Personal Learning
“World”-Traveling and Professional Learning
MAKING SENSE WITHIN A NEW LOGIC
NOTES
REFERENCES
14. RETHINKING PRACTICE: FAMILIES
REPRESENTING THEMSELVES
PHOTO VOICE PROJECT
INTEGRATING PHOTO VOICE IN OUR PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
FINAL THOUGHTS
NOTE
REFERENCES
SECTION 5:
WORKING SIDE BY SIDE
REFERENCE
15. LOOKING INWARD, LETTING GO
WHERE I’M FROM
A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
A JOURNEY BEGINS
THEORY INTO PRACTICE
PARENT TO PARENT
COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS
CREATING A FAMILY LOUNGE
HONOURING FUNDS OF KNOWLEDGE
HOME VISITS RE-VISITED
LETTING GO
REFERENCES
16. STORIES OF FAMILIES: A JOURNEY
TO PARENT ENGAGEMENT
WEEK ONE… THE FUN HAS BEGUN
September 2nd, 2010
MAKING CONTACT: STEP ONE IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
September 6th, 2010
OVERWHELMING RESULTS
September 12th, 2010
BREAKTHROUGH
September 20th, 2010
BCC: PARENT CONTACT LIST
October 3rd, 2010
RISKING, CREATING, AND SUSTAINING DIALOGUE
October 7th, 2010
THANKSGIVING!
October 10th, 2010
MI= MAJOR INITIATIVE AND NOT MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
October 12th, 2010
Stage One of Invite, Invite, Invite
October 14th, 2010
Stage Two of Invite, Invite, Invite
The Third (But Not Final) Stage of Invite, Invite, Invite
FAMILY BULLETIN BOARD PROJECT
October 19th, 2010
PARENT “PLAY-DATE”
October 27th, 2010
IF YOU BUILD IT… THEY WILL COME
October 28th, 2010
NEVER SAY NEVER: MY FIRST HOME VISIT
November 3rd, 2010
THREE-WAY CONFERENCES
November 18th
DECEMBER REFLECTIONS
Some “Could Have Done Better” Moments
Some “Really Good” Moments
NOTE
REFERENCES
17. FEELING IT IN OUR HEARTS
TAKING UP “A PEDAGOGY OF LISTENING”
THE OTHER WAY TO LISTEN
“It Takes a Lot of Practice”
“The Most Natural Thing in the World”
“Hard Questions That Take a While to Answer”
“Something That Is Important”
“Get To Know One Thing As Well As You Can”
“You Have to Respect [Who]ever It Is You’re With”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
REFERENCES
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
