ECE 101 WEEK 4 DISCUSSION Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Introduction: The Adults in Children’s Lives

Introduction: The Adults in Children’s Lives

nteracting with young children in ways that are most beneficial is more than possessing good teaching techniques and affection for youngsters as individuals. It is important for teachers to realize that much of what children are comes from their family and cultural backgrounds, and that this fact determines, to great extent, their responses to what their teachers do and say.

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In the education field, it is often regarded as a truism that parents are children’s first teachers. The intent of this statement is to convey the point of the parents being first sequentially, but also as first in importance. This reminder is a good one for teachers and caregivers to keep in mind, but it needs to go further, given the many models of family in today’s world. In this chapter we will discuss some of these models and how they impact what children bring to a center or to school.

Also of importance is the cultural community and its influence on young children. As one writer has powerfully stated, educators “must view each child and family within a framework that encompasses the entire political, social, economic, cultural, and spiritual experience that shapes the identity and behavior of the families and children with whom they work. The one-size-fits-all approach is a gross oversight . . .”(Prater, 2002, p. 150). So then, not only must teachers remember to place their children in a large and complex cultural context, but their families as well, and this chapter will discuss these issues.

There is another community that teachers and caregivers must learn to be skillful partners of,

Artiga Photo/Corbis the workplace world.

The concept of an interdependency of home, school, center, school, community, and culture is a complex one that has been studied for more than half a century with a single figure at the forefront of emerging theory and research. In the next section we discuss the thought and influence of the Russian-American Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917–2005).

Section 8.1 The Bioecological Theory of Human Development

8.1 The Bioecological Theory of Human Development

t age six, Urie Bronfenbrenner moved with his family from Russia to New York where he eventually earned degrees in psychology and music. After serving as an

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Army psychologist during World War II, he became a member of the Cornell University faculty. There, he developed his ecological systems theory in which individuals were viewed as the center of ever-larger and more remote influences on their lives. Improving all these influences for the sake of children’s development was a key motivating factor in Bronfenbrenner’s life work, important in his earlier professional years as a contributor to the creation of Head Start and, in his last years to a final publication inspired by the events in New York city on September 11, 2001 (Lerner, 2005).

Figure 8.1 shows the basic ecological systems model as it graphically defines how each system nests within the next and how each one acts on children’s development. The microsystem at the center is “the setting within which the individual is behaving at a given moment in his or her life” (Lerner, 2005, p. xiii). For young children this will most often mean the family, home, center or school classroom, and possibly a religious setting. The mesosystem doesn’t exist on its own, but is “the set of Microsystems constituting the individual’s developmental niche within a given period of development” (p. xiii). The center or school, immediate community, television and other in-home media, and possibly health agencies would fit into the mesosystem. A more remote influence is the exosystem, which could include the parents’ workplace or caregivers’ own home lives as either of these influence the attitudes and behaviors of adults toward the children. Most remote is the macrosystem, which includes economic, cultural, political, and national influences, including public policies that bear on children’s lives.

Figure 8.1: The ecological systems model

Microsystem

Child

M

e

sosytem

Exosystem

M

a

crosystem

Bronfenbrenner’s original ecological systems model included increasingly distant influences on individual development. In recent years, the influences of biology and the passage of time were added.

Source: Adapted from Bronfenbrenner, U. (1975). Influences on human development. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.

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Eventually, Bronfenbrenner came to believe that this model was incomplete, that it needed to incorporate the child’s own biological development as well as the influence of time. Referring to time, Bronfenbrenner said that over a lifetime, individuals learn new skills and knowledge at increasing levels of complexity. In addition, at the outer levels of the system, historical periods and their changes needed to be taken into consideration. Important to parents especially was his contention that for a child to develop wholly, he or she requires “a strong, mutual emotional attachment” to one or more people “who are committed to the child’s well-being and development, preferably for life” (Bronfenbrenner, 2005, p. 9, emphasis his). To this requirement for optimum development, he added, “. . . and when available, staff members of family support and child care programs” (p. 11). The most recent versions of the ecological systems model incorporate an outer ring termed the chronosystem, which indicates the importance of the continuing, yet changing, nature of time and its effect on “the biopsychological characteristics of human beings both as individuals and as groups. The phenomenon extends over the life course across successive generations and through historical time, both past and present (Bronfenbrenner, 2005, p. 3, emphasis his). This more complex new model may now be termed bioecological systems model.

Bronfenbrenner has been credited with influencing much of today’s understanding of the complex interactions between child, home, center, school, community, and the larger society. Directly, or indirectly, his work has contributed to what you will read in the upcoming sections of this chapter.

8.2 Parents, and Other Significant Players, as Partners

Section 8.2 Parents, and Other Significant Players, as Partners CHAPTER 8

Section 8.2 Parents, and Other Significant Players, as Partners CHAPTER 8

Section 8.2 Parents, and Other Significant Players, as Partners CHAPTER 8

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t can be tempting to think that there is a “traditional” family model that includes two biological parents, two sets of biologi-

cal grandparents who live nearby, and perhaps assorted other relatives who will be responsible for stepping in if emergencies arise. Such a configuration of family may have been common at one time (or perhaps it has always only been in books or on TV), but the concept of family has greatly expanded. Some statistics tell the story of today’s family. In 2010, there were about 75 million children in the United States, ages 0 to 17 and:

· 66 percent of children lived with two parents (down from 77 percent in 1980). Of this group, 3 percent lived with unmarried parents.

· 23 percent of children lived only with their mothers; 3 percent only with their fathers.

· 4 percent of all children lived with neither parent. Of this group, 54 percent

With modern families consisting of a variety of diverse situations, teachers need to be both comfortable with and knowledgeable about each student’s situation. How would you prepare for diversity?

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lived with grandparents, 21 percent with other relatives, and 24 percent with non-relatives, including foster parents.

· Of all children in the United States, 2.5 per cent had been adopted (America’s Children, 2011).

Figure 8.2 provides an overall view of the United States for 2010.

Figure 8.2: Family living arrangements for children ages 0–17

100

80

60

40

20

0

Two parents

(69%)

One parent

(27%)

No parents (4%)

Two biological/adoptive

cohabiting parents

One biological/adoptive

parent and stepparent

Two biological/

adoptive married

parents

Single mother

Single mother with

cohabiting partner

Single father

Single father with

cohabiting partner

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rcent

Grandparent

Foster parent(s)

Other

Nonrelative

only

Other relative

only

There is no “typical” living arrangement for the approximately 75 million children living in the United States.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

These demographics, while current and informative, are themselves in flux. For example, in 2009, 41 percent of American births were to unmarried women, up from 18 percent in 1980 and 33 percent in 1994 (America’s Children, 2011). Field Notes 8.1 is a first-person report from a teen mother about her experiences as she balanced the demands of early motherhood with child care needs and efforts to return to school. Although Kristen recounts here her early struggles, she ultimately triumphed, earning a doctoral degree while raising a happy and academically successful young daughter. Readers should carefully note the ways in which Kristen found support and respect from the education community and the ways in which she didn’t.

As the statistics for 2011 suggest, Kristen’s single motherhood is, in many ways, not unusual. On a practical level, this means that your interactions with children’s families will have some complexity to them and require a good amount of diplomacy and communication skill. Skilled diplomacy will be especially important to avoid communicating negative attitudes, such as those suffered by Kristen. The potential results, however, will be well worth the effort.

The necessary skills are not generally acquired overnight, making patience with oneself an essential as well. One parent educator and program director (Keyser, 2006) has described the evolution of her attitude toward parents, one which she suspects she shares with many other teachers and caregivers. Her first stage, she says, could be titled “Save the Child” in which, as a new teacher, she wanted to convince parents to be more like her and, if that didn’t work, she would just take their children home with her. After some experience as a teacher, stage two, “Save the Parents” evolved. In this stage, she wanted to share with parents everything she knew about good child development practice so they could learn to care for their children as she did. While this second stage was more advanced, she believes it failed to “acknowledge the gifts, resources, goals, and culture that all parents hold for their children” (p. xi). Finally, she reached the third stage, “Partnership with Families” in which it was possible to “acknowledge that both teachers and parents have the knowledge, expertise, experience, and resources that are needed for the best education, care, and support for every child.” Families, and not just the children, she argues, “are in the center of care, and as children’s primary teachers and advocates, families are essential partners in the care and education of their children” (p. xi).

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is in complete agreement with this final statement, saying that, “Families matter, both in terms of their influence on their own child or children and as partners with administrative and teaching staff who are working to maximize the quality of children’s experiences” (NAEYC, n.d., p. 9). Given the importance of families as partners, we will discuss next the benefits to everyone of good parent–teacher interactions. For the purposes of our discussion, we will include in the definition of parent, a child’s primary home caregiver, whether biological parent or not.

Benefits to Children of Good Home–School Interaction

According to NAEYC, “Children are the ones who benefit most from healthy, reciprocal relationships between teachers and families” (NAEYC, n.d., p. 9). When young children know that their parents are actively and contentedly involved in their school or center experience, they are most likely to feel comfortable in their away-from-home environment. There are other benefits as well and the following research-based findings are adapted from several sources (Brown, Hemmeter, & Pretti-Frontczak, 2005; Kersey & Masterson, 2009; Keyser, 2006; Prior & Gerard, 2007; Spaggiari, 1998; Valverde, 2006; Willis, 2009).

One important result of parental involvement is that children know that they are supported and are more motivated to succeed. When family members are able to help in the classroom, young children feel secure with their presence and pride in their being there. One thing that family members can bring to class or center is information about their cultural traditions. When they do, their children feel they are better understood and that their cultures are respected. They have opportunities to learn about and appreciate other cultures as well. In addition, student achievement, including test performance, has been shown to increase when parents are involved in the school experience.

The team approach of teachers and parents working together provides further benefits. Research has shown that children’s social/emotional development is enhanced by the good social modeling of teachers and parents interacting well together. When teachers and parents help youngsters view any learning deficits as challenges rather than as weaknesses, they help the children feel encouraged to work harder rather than give up. If communication is difficult due to linguistic backgrounds, bringing translators to meetings makes children feel valued and better understood. When teachers and parents successfully team up, a culture of peace is promoted in children’s lives, both in the immediate sense and as a model to take into the future.

Benefits to Parents of Good Home–School Interaction

As teacher or caregiver, you will quickly learn that there are parents who check in with you daily and are interested in knowing about everything that is going on. There will also be parents who avoid coming in at all. And then, perhaps, the largest group will be those in the middle who check in on occasion, seem happy to hear classroom stories, especially those about their own children of course, and who are diligent about showing up for scheduled conferences. In an upcoming section we will discuss the seeming mysteries of these behaviors. At this point, let us describe the benefits for all three types of parents as they interact with teachers and caregivers. The following discussion, like the one before it, is also based on the work of several writers and researchers (Brown et al., 2005; Copple & Bredekamp, 2009; Keyser, 2006; Powers, 2005; Prior & Gerard, 2007; Swick, 2003).

Some parents have not forgotten their own negative school experiences, but being involved in the classroom can help them be more positive with their own children. If caregivers and teachers listen to and respect them, parents’ self-confidence and feelings of empowerment are enhanced, and they will tend to be more comfortable in the center or school setting. In turn, they will understand better the teaching and caring philosophy of their children’s programs, leading to more skillful participation and supportive attitudes at home. At home too, involved parents will likely have higher confidence in their own parenting and what the home environment should be to promote their children’s learning.

When parents and teachers engage in a team approach, a sense of mutual concern emerges. Parents who feel comfortable at school or center know they have an appreciative place to share stories of their children’s accomplishments and struggles. Also, when teachers respond sensitively to parents’ choices and goals for their children, harmonious conclusions to difficult issues are more likely. As teachers help parents differentiate issues that are developmental and those that are specific to their own children, parents can gain a

One way to promote good home–school interaction is to create opportunities where children can bring their parents to school. Here, parents take part in PE class with their youngsters.

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better understanding of their children’s development and capabilities. Perhaps most important, parents with good home–school relationships can leave their children each day with a feeling of confidence and security.

Benefits to Teachers and Caregivers of Good Home–School Interaction

Whatever your goals are, and have been, in the field of early education, they are most likely focused on a future with young children. Many teachers-to-be, and even practicing teachers, find it difficult to see the importance, even the necessity, of focusing also on the children’s families. As you have just seen, there are definite benefits for both parents and children for good home–school interactions. But there are, as well, benefits to teachers and caregivers. What follows are several, among many benefits, as observed by and discovered through the research of a number of writers (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009; Keyser, 2006; Prior & Gerard, 2007; Spaggiari, 1998).

Early educators who take time to learn about and work with families learn more about the children they are teaching. As well, teachers can gain valuable knowledge about the families’ cultures and

traditions. All this goes a long way toward planning curriculum that meets the needs of every child. It also helps to carry on successful dialoguing with parents in terms of learning much more about children’s interests and needs; and the parents can learn more about the teacher’s need for resources, materials, and time.

Teachers who devote time and energy to interactions with families are more likely to see families not as a threat, but as colleagues, appreciating the different wisdoms they provide. Parents who learn about what is happening in school or center are more likely to understand and appreciate the work that teachers do. Not surprisingly, teachers who interact well with family members tend to receive higher parent ratings and increased support from them.

Joyce Epstein at Johns Hopkins University has created a useful framework for school, family, and community partnerships. Although its focus is elementary and secondary school, much of it is helpful for early childhood professionals as well. See Table 8.1 for an abbreviated version of the framework (Epstein. Sanders, Simon, Salinas, Jansorn, & Voorhis, 2002).

Table 8.1: Framework for partnership involvement

Epstein and colleagues’ framework includes six types of involvement that educators use to design effective partnerships between schools, families, and communities.

Source: Adapted from Epstein et al., 2002

Section 8.3 Creating Successful Home–School Partnerships

8.3 Creating Successful Home–School Partnerships

he advantages to everyone of partnering should be apparent from the previous sections. This doesn’t, of course, mean that successful partnering is always easy, as we saw earlier in Keyser’s three-step evolution. The upcoming sections will offer spe-

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cific advice for your own steps toward success. We will begin with considerations based on differing ages, then discuss good relationships more generally, and finally focus on extra information you may find useful when children represent different languages and cultures.

Infants and Their Families

Infancy is, perhaps, the most difficult time for parents to leave children in the care of someone else; caregivers need to be sensitive to the different ways that parents cope with taking this step. Some parents find it easy to develop a good relationship with caregivers while others “are clearly sad and need more emotional support and reassurance”, while still others “may become competitive with the infant care teacher” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 59). Add to these differences the multitude of ways that families regard “correct” parenting. For example, they may believe that babies should always be in the presence of adults and that their needs be immediately met at all times; crying and fussiness are unacceptable. The caregiver, on the other hand, might well believe that waiting a short time to respond will provide babies with an opportunity to learn independence. At times like these, it is essential that caregivers cultivate their communication skills and find solutions that work for everyone. Establishing informal and ongoing methods of communicating will lay a foundation for dealing with the more sensitive issues. Ideas might include notes home, phone calls, e-mail, text messaging, photographs, and casual conversations, along with the more formal conferences.

Toddlers and Their Families

Toddlers and their families also benefit from ongoing efforts at good communication. The continuity between home and center provides the stability that youngsters need as they navigate between the highs and lows of their emerging, but still shaky, steps toward independence. The toddler’s conflicting emotions during this period can better be interpreted and dealt with when parents and caregivers share their observations and responses. Although toddlers need continuity between home and center expectations and responses to emotional needs, this is not, of course, always possible. As long as they see the adults in their lives working smoothly together to iron out the differences, however, toddlers can handle such minor difficulties. To the suggestions listed for families of infants, NAEYC adds others for toddler families such as “potluck suppers, special celebrations, parents’ nights out, and family reading parties” that “help build a community that enjoys their young children together and supports them as they grow” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 73).

Preschoolers and Their Families

Preschoolers act, at times, like the toddlers they have so recently been, making it imperative that teachers consider interactions much like those of the earlier years. At the same time, the first step toward many years of formal schooling often begins in preschool or child care programs, and parents begin to have a different view of their interactions with the other adults in their children’s lives. It becomes important for schools to ensure parents that they are always truly welcome, not just officially as licensing agencies often require, and not only during scheduled conferences and on specific visiting days. When their children first go off to preschool, parents may, for the first time, tune in to their own fuzzy memories from childhood. These memories may be positive, but the opposite may also be true. In addition, the understanding of “developmentally appropriate practices” may well have changed in the intervening years. Good communication is essential for teachers, and this includes respectful listening to parents’ opinions. Accordingly, teachers should “listen to parents, seek to understand their goals and expectations for their children, and respect the family’s personal and cultural preferences” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 182).

Kindergarteners and Their Families

Kindergarteners are embarking on their actual journey into formal schooling and “the quality of interaction between a child’s kindergarten teacher and family helps to form a family’s overall connection with school” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 253). In this way, the teacher is helping to establish a family’s relationship with school for many years to come. Parents may feel reluctant to come to school now, finding school policies intimidating or remembering—more clearly now—their own unpleasant experiences as children. (See Field Notes 8.2 for an example of this.) Thus, it is important for teachers to “solicit parents’ knowledge about their children and input about their goals and concerns” and then “use this information in ongoing assessment, evaluation, and planning” (p. 252).

Primary Grade Children and Their Families

Primary grade children are now well on their way into formal schooling and the advice for kindergarten teachers still holds true. Conferences are now more often scheduled rather than informal, and it is important to be sure that these are held when parents are able to participate. Scheduling around parents’ work schedules can sometimes be a challenge for teachers but it is a challenge that must be met if home–school communications are to be successful. In addition to conferences focused on children’s progress, there are expanding lists of programs and other events, and these too need to employ flexible scheduling to accommodate the diverse needs of families.

8.4 Tips, Strategies, and Plans for Caregivers and Teachers

s you gain experience in centers and classrooms, you will discover new and productive ways to be successful in your home–school interactions. Right now, it will be helpful to have some suggestions to think about, to discuss with others, and to

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collect as you get started.

General Strategies for Home–School Interactions

The following ideas come from your authors’ and other writers’ experiences as well as from actual research (Arndt & McGuire-Schwartz, 2008: Kersey & Masterson, 2009; Keyser, 2006; Powers, 2005; Souto-Manning, 2010).

In person (informal):

· Say at least one positive thing whenever you talk with a parent.

· Stay both professional and friendly by refusing, clearly but pleasantly, if parents ask you casually for information about other parents.

· Respect the privacy of family members by discussing sensitive issues in secure locations out of earshot of others. People who overhear only part of a conversation may misinterpret; parents may well wish to keep conversations private.

· Be sufficiently available for chatting so that parents find you an easy person to talk to. Then, when difficult situations arise, they will feel more comfortable discussing them.

· Let parents know when they can most easily reach you by phone, e-mail, or other method; then, because you need time for yourself and family, stick to this schedule.

In person (formal meetings and conferences):

· Before a school year begins, contact or visit children and their families to introduce yourself. Give each child something small to bring the first day; even a simple pencil provides a sense of belonging and knowing at least one thing to do and something to look forward to.

· When visiting a family in the home, avoid turning it into a parent-education experience. Go there to learn as well as to share.

· Several days before scheduled conferences, it is helpful to send home a note that asks parents to consider what they would like to discuss at the conference, including goals for their child for the year, questions they have about the program, and things they would like to share about

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Section 8.4 Tips, Strategies, and Plans for Caregivers and Teachers CHAPTER 8

Section 8.4 Tips, Strategies, and Plans for Caregivers and Teachers CHAPTER 8

their family.

· Remember to ask parents their perspectives on their children’s strengths or challenges; don’t just lecture to them.

· Begin and end every meeting with something positive (the “bread” in the communication “sandwich”).

Other types of communication:

Formal parent–teacher meetings should include both positive and constructive feedback. Why might this be important to home–school interactions?

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· Quick e-mail communications reporting on a day’s activities can help parents ask their children appropriate questions and feel a part of their lives.

· Make occasional phone calls of a positive nature so parents learn that hearing from you doesn’t mean something is wrong.

· If children have transferred from another school or district, seek permission to reach out to this prior place for information.

· Parents whose schedules don’t permit them to participate or volunteer when their children are on-site can contribute in creative ways such as recording books on tape, inviting the class to their workplace, or illustrating posters.

· Keep a family calendar on the classroom wall where children can write in special events they are looking forward to such as family birthdays and events.

When More Focused Strategies Might Help

The previous suggestions should see teachers and caregivers through a variety of general home–school interactions. There are, however, more specific situations to consider as well because, of course, children and their families do not fit into one general mold. We have already introduced statistics showing the great diversity of today’s families. This section will offer further ideas to think about.

Diversities of Cultures and Languages

Most likely you will have children from family models and cultures that are not the same as your own. It is also possible that they will come from countries with languages that are unfamiliar to you. Even if, on the surface, your community seems homogeneous, there will be economic and education differences, plus family structures that are diverse.

Here are ideas to take with you into your own center or school that can help with new situations such as these (Cheatham & Santos, 2011; Kirmani, 2007; Prior & Gerard, 2007; Valverde, 2006). To begin, be alert to the needs of recent arrivals. Moving to a new place and culture can be extraordinarily lonely and challenging. Be sure that families from other countries, and even from different parts of your own country, understand the local education system. Be sure that newcomers understand what is meant by parent involvement. The term is defined differently in different cultures, even within the United States. Learn from the families what they see as most important in their children’s development and education. For example, some cultures focus on academics, while others are most concerned about moral development and care for others. Learn too about the different cultures’ views on discipline, physical affection, appropriate rewards for good work, and other interactions common to your classroom. Receive families’ differing ideas respectfully and share your own with equal respect. Prepare to make minor compromises if appropriate. It will be worth your while to learn as much as you can about the different cultures in your classroom. Consider learning more about your own too.

The following tips are related specifically to conferences and language learning:

· Welcome everyone who comes to a conference. Some cultures expect, or at least hope, that their extended families will be included.

· Make yourself aware of body language, silences, and other subtle communication clues. People from some cultures are quite happy to let teachers know when they disagree, while others believe they must remain silent out of respect. Be sure to ask parents what their own feelings are about an issue or situation.

· Have patience if parents aren’t ready to make decisions immediately. Some parents will need to confer with extended family before making decisions that impact their children.

· Arrange to have translators for English language learners. Conferences will go much more smoothly. If using another parent from the school, be sure that he or she understands the necessity of confidentiality.

· Demonstrate respect for the home languages of children and their families. Children who learn multiple languages are at long-term advantage, even if it means picking up English more slowly at first.

· As possible, translate school–home written communications into the languages of people who are just learning English. Within any center or school, there are usually parents who can do this.

· Practice until you can say children’s and parents’ names correctly. They must learn an entire new language; just learning a name correctly shows at least a minimum of respect. Try learning a few words as well, especially essential ones such as potty, nap, and water.

As illustrated in Figure 8.3, the percentage of children in the United States who speak a language other than English at home has doubled since 1979. Hence, the tips provided regarding speakers of languages other than English will most likely be valuable to you throughout your career with young children and their families.

Figure 8.3: Children who speak a language other than English at home

1979

19891992

1995

19992001

2005

2007

2009

2003

100

50

40

30

20

10

0

Pe

rcent

Children who speak a language other than English at home

Children who speak a language other than English at home and have difficulty speaking English

Approximately 20 percent of children living in the United States do not speak English at home.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, October (1992, 1995, and 1999) and November (1979 and 1989) Current Population Surveys, and 2000–2009 American Community Survey.

Families of Children with Special Needs

In recent decades, families of children with special physical, social/emotional, and cognitive needs have become significantly more empowered by the passage of federal laws supporting them. Over time, these laws have come to include even the youngest children, as was explained in Chapter 2. In addition, research over the same decades has demonstrated that, rather than separating children from typically developing peers, it is most advantageous when they are included in the regular setting, “that is, places where they would be found if they did not have a disability” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 331). Such an approach is termed inclusion and its popularity signifies that you will more than likely have children with disabilities placed in your care. It is also likely that, due to the young age of these children, it will be during their time with you that their disabilities will be observed, documented, and assessed. If special needs are identified, a program of early interventions may be developed through collaboration with the family and early childhood special educators.

As you might expect, the chil-

Young learners with disabilities can benefit developmentally by dren’s families, at this challengbeing placed in regular classrooms. What can you do to help ing period, may well be under create an inclusive environment for all your early learners? unusual stress. Thus, the teach er’s or caregiver’s role is a sensiAssociated Press tive and important one.

Among the categories of special needs or exceptionalities are those children who are identified as gifted. Although giftedness is generally not a major consideration before kindergarten or the primary grades, you may be sure that parents are ever alert for this definition of specialness and will want to talk about it. For help with all these children, those who have difficulty keeping up and those who are ahead, here are some suggestions from professionals in the field (Parette, Meadan, & Doubet, 2010; Ray, Pewitt-Kinder, & George, 2009).

· Keep good notes, with dates, of observations and assessments as soon as you have questions about a child’s development and/or performance. These should be objective, nonjudgmental, and accurate regarding specific behaviors. Such matter-of-fact reporting will help parents appreciate your help and professionalism.

· Before talking with parents the first time about concerns or observations of possible giftedness, speak with your administrator for advice and information that he or she may already have.

· Be supportive of the family’s decisions for their child, whatever intervention or program they may choose or decide to reject.