Communicating Effectively and Meaningfully with Diverse Families: An Action Oriented Approach for Early Childhood Educators provides readers with opportunities to critically reflect upon the impact of culturally responsive practices and intercultural communication when communicating and collaborating with families. With a special focus on inclusive practices and ways to effectively develop partnerships with families, pedagogical strategies are provided highlighting specific case studies. The impact of critical reflection is also explored in this valuable monograph.


Table of Contents:
Preface ix 1 Effective Communication Matters A Reflective Plan of Action 1 1 Introduction 1 2 Snapshot 7 3 Conclusion 8 4 Case Study: Families and Educators Creating Goals Together 9 2 What Does Your Curriculum Communicate? And What Do You Communicate about Your Curriculum? 12 1 Families, Teachers, and Students as Partners in Curriculum Planning 12 2 Snapshot 17 3 Conclusion 18 4 Case Study: Discussion Circles for Empowering Families – Ensuring that Everyone Has a Voice 18 5 Discussion Circles in Action 20 3 Community Assets as a Gateway for Teacher-Family Partnerships 24 1 Introduction 24 2 Snapshot 36 3 Conclusion 37 4 Case Study: Nature Walk Right in Our Own Backyard 38 4 Storytelling as a Form of Communication 42 1 Telling Stories: Its Impact on Early Childhood 42 2 Approaches to Storytelling 43 3 Storytelling to Foster Academic Skills in Children 45 4 Family Participation in Storytelling at Home: Teachers Providing Suggestion 46 5 Storytelling from Wordless Videos 47 6 Snapshot 47 7 Conclusion 48 8 Case Study: What Is in a Shoe? 48 5 The Joy of Books Communicating Ways to Select Culturally Responsive Readings 51 1 Ways to Select Books: Teachers and Families Working Together 52 2 Families and Children as Reading Partners 55 3 Snapshot 56 4 Conclusion 56 5 Case Study: Teacher Models Practice for Book Selection, Questioning, and Discussion 57 6 Communicating about Diversity Important Reflections 60 1 Meeting the Needs of Diverse Families in Schools 61 2 Snapshot 64 3 Conclusion 66 4 Case Study of Empowerment 66 7 Reflecting on Intercultural Communication and Cross-Cultural Partnerships 71 1 How Critical Reflection Helps When Working with Diverse Families 71 2 Frameworks for Reflection: Opportunities for Action 72 3 Snapshot 76 4 Conclusion 77 5 Case Study: Reflecting on Multiple Perspectives 77 Appendix Case Studies: Culturally Responsive Practices and Intentional Intercultural Connections/Exchanges 81 Index 113