App. 1.
02C
Page 1
Tips for Talking with Parents
1. Always welcome parents
2. Talk with parents when they
deliver or pick up children
3. Share observations about their
child and your knowledge of
child development
4. Share examples of their childs
preferences and responses to
people and things
5. Point out the childs strengths
Tips for Using Class Videos
1. Allow parents to check out videos showing
children involved in activities
2. Tape birthdays and special holiday or theme
celebrations
3. Tape finger plays and special story times
4. Tape children in dramatic play, preparing
foods, or building with blocks
Tips for Planning Parent
Conferences
1. In advance, gather assessments and
work samples, including art work
2. Make sure all work samples show
the childs name and a date
3. Gather developmental checklists
and anecdotal records
4. Gather photos and tape recordings
5. Check parent availability in
advance
6. Attempt to accommodate parents
schedules
7. Allow 30 minutes per parent
conference with 10 minutes
between conferences
8. Consider holding conferences in the
childs home as a home visit
9. Find a conference area that is
private with adult-sized chairs and
a table
10. Arrange chairs in a grouping to
encourages a feeling of teamwork
11. Avoid sitting behind a desk
12. Place a sign on the door to prevent
interruptions
13. Take the telephone off the hook or
turn cell phone off
14. Be prepared when parents arrive
Tips for Written Communications
1. Use active, not passive, voice
2. Keep messages short, clear, and simple
3. Use blank sections for brief, personal notes about
individual children
4. Use these to introduce staff members to parents and
welcome parents visits
5. Include the current classroom theme and special
centers activities
6. Share words to songs and finger plays
7. Thank parents for specific favors they have done
8. Share home learning activities
9. Post announcements near the entrance
Tips for Involving Parents as Volunteers
1. Send a letter to recruit parent volunteers
2. Plan a volunteer orientation session
3. Welcome volunteers and make them feel
needed and at ease
4. Learn volunteers names and use them in
conversation
5. Share staff expectations of volunteers,
classroom limits, and licensing rules
Tips for Conferencing
1. Begin and end each conference with a positive comment
2. Be calm and relaxed
3. Be a good listener---listen rather than think of what to say next
4. Wait for parents to finish sharing; never interrupt them
5. Focus on areas of agreement; dont quibble over small differences
6. Share what children are like at the center/in class
7. Hear from parents what children are like at home
8. Talk about what is expected and how to help children succeed
9. Explain program goals, schedule, and competencies children gain
10. Hear from parents how their culture views the role of early
childhood education
11. Use notes during the conference
12. Ask open-ended questions
13. Avoid general statements; be specific
14. Think about how words sound from the parents point of view
15. Watch for signs of emotion; reassure about confidentiality
16. Model professional behavior
17. Summarize areas discussed and those needing attention
18. End on a positive note, thank parents for coming and sharing
Following up
1. Make sure actions agreed on in conference are done
2. Report the progress of the child since the conference
3. Continue to share information back and forth with parents
4. Record conference notes in the childs folder
App. 1.02D
Page 2

Discussion Groups
Home Visits
1. Use home visits to learn more
about the child and better
understand him/her
2. Use home visits to help build a
feeling of trust
Lending Library
1. Provide books and magazines related to
parenting for parents to check out
2. Mention available reading materials during
daily contacts and in newsletters and other
contact channels
1. Arrange so participants are seated in a circle or face
to face
2. Provide name tags with parents and childrens
names
3. Allow time for introductions
4. Begin with a short DVD or CD on the subject of the
session
5. Use questions to prompt parents to participate in
discussion
6. Build on previous comments to keep discussion
moving
7. If debates arise in small subgroups, redirect the
groups attention by asking them to share with the
whole group

Family Resource Center

1. Provide referrals for types of
information that parents
need---e.g., nutrition, health, Traveling Backpack
safety, child development, 1. Children choose favorite books,
and child guidance music, puzzles, or games
2. Provide information on 2. Items are carried home on a
community services---e.g., rotating basis and shared with
WIC, food stamps, income parents
taxes, service programs, help
for families in crisis,
emergency housing, etc.

Problem Bulletin Boards

Solving File 1. Use to Sunshine Calls
1. Reading communicate 1. Call parents to communicate praise for the child
materials on important 2. Ask if this is a convenient time to talk
problems information to 3. Quickly share something outstanding or
often faced parents interesting the child has done
by parents 2. Offer tips for
can be choosing toys,
checked out snacks, and books
2. Topics in 3. Attach pocket
files may be handouts on
publicized timely topics
through 4. Hang in the most
visible area
Theme Bags
newsletters 1. Include a letter of introduction to explain the
and parent 5. Change the
purpose of the backpack
meetings background often
2. Include specific suggestions for successfully
to alert parents
involving the child
that new
3. Include books, songs, puppets, and games that
information is
match the theme
posted