Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

Story One:

The Wrighten Family     

                This family was introduced to the Head Start program by two parental advocates that also had their children participate in this program. Once Mrs. Wrighten got involved with this program she them became an advocate and latter a policy maker and official over this program. She became active just as a parent and because of how she was pleased she obtained a place of leadership over this program.

Story Two:

Charmayne Thomas:

                Mrs. Thomas had three children that were initially apart of the Head Start family. Charmayne is currently working in the school district in Philadelphia. Mrs. Thomas started volunteering with this program and also grew to working with them in public policy. In conclusion, she has a 22 year old that is currently attending college at Penn State University.

The professional and personal significance you drew from these stories:

                In reading these stories I see how important parental involvement is the school is. In both of these stories these families were very active in their child’s academic journeys. I also see that when parent are pleased with the programs they then become advocates for you as a EC professioanal and also for the school.

Why involvement opportunities for parents and family members benefit young children, families, and the early childhood field

                I feel that involvement creates success opportunities just like these two families. One family stated that : their child never missed a day of school and also becoming a part of the school as a volunteer has provoke both of these families to work within this program as a policy changer. I feel that parental involvement is contagious. The parents with become advocates and tell others about what going on at the Head Start programs.

The value that hearing such stories has for early childhood professionals, for the public, and for policymakers and government officials

                Hearing this type of experiences within in the Head Start family creates a hope that this system has not been opened in vain. This system was created to help all families that desired to get better education but could not afford it to be able to receive the education for their children they wanted.

Your opinion regarding why or why not parent/family involvement is an essential system element for all strands of service in the early childhood field

                I feel that early childhood development is a critical parent of a children success in early childhood development because this is the initial transition that the child is having to a new learning environment. Since this is new to the child it is so important for the child’s family to be active in this environment so that it is easy for that child to feel comfortable to receive everything they need to move into academic success.