Parent Family Engagement

“Substantial research supports family involvement, and a growing body of intervention evaluations demonstrates that family involvement can be strengthened with positive results for young children and their school readiness.” (Harvard Family Research Project) Head Start addresses this issue by providing and encouraging several methods for families to be involved in the teaching of their children.
A main goal of Head Start is to break the cycle of poverty by providing families with comprehensive services from prenatal education to job training. Parents are encouraged to participate in the decision-making processes. This helps to empower parents by letting them know that they are capable of taking care of their children.

Through the Head Start program parents are encouraged to participate in support groups and daily events. Interacting with the caregivers and children leads to parents learning by doing. In the multimedia presentation provided by Head Start Lydia Villanueva stated “I felt I was learning as much as the kids were.” (Head Start: Leading the Way for Children, Families, and Communities)

This in depth research of Head Start was an eye opening experience. I had not realized the extensive programs that were available through Head Start. I am looking forward to networking with my local Head Start program. I also would like to incorporate many of their ideas into the program I am developing. The vision of Head Start is in line with my beliefs about the importance of involving families into the education of their children.



Resources:

Family Makes a Difference

(2012) Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project retrieved from

http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/family-involvement-in-early-childhood-education

Head Start: Leading the Way for Children, Families, and Communities

multimedia presentation retrieved from

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/resources/video/Head%20Start_%20Leading%20the%20Way%20for%20Children,%20Families,%20and%20Communities/Video1.htm