Observing and Interacting with Families

I interacted with Blue (used for confidentiality) and his family.    He is been raised by his grandmother and his parents are not close by.  The grandmother concern is about his behavior, and lack of concentration.  She went on to say that she is so glad that a Head Start program exist in her community.  She believes that getting  an early start in education is important,and will allow her grandson to grow and develop adequately.  She said she loves to tell others in the community about the positive impact of the Head Start setting.  Two insights I have gained from my observation, is how committed she is to the program and her grandson,  She wants to be involved every step of the way, and also plans to become an advocate for the program, by attending the parent meetings, policy council, and community events.  I also think that the early childhood professionals should support the families efforts in everyway and empower them to support themselves, by using the appropriate resources that are available for them in their community.    Early childhood professionals should stay up to date with family changes and commiunity events.  I enjoyed interacting and observing this family.

Observing and Interacting With Program Director(s) and Other Administrative Staff in Your Setting

I have been observing and interacting with the Family Advocate in my current Internship setting.  The Family Advocate has an important role in the Head Start setting.  She usually goes out in the community and recruit children for the upcoming school year.  She also help make sure the center stays properly enrolled during the year, by having engaging in ongoing communication with the parents.    Her main goal is to serve as the link between the Head Start setting and the home.  She tries to make the transition period hassle free.  She will also find resources and materials that may help the children and their families.    She also reports attendance, and health information to the mangers of the Head Start.    She also acts as a advocate for the children and family, by speaking on their behalf in the community.  She must also receive, obtain, and evaluate the program application materials.  She has to make sure the families that are been served are eligible for the services.  This may means that she has to review the family occupational, financial,education and health status information, on a regular basis.  I have truly enjoyed my observation and learning the role of the Family Advocate.  The Family Advocate  makes the program run smoothly.

Observing and Interacting With Professionals, Children, and Families in an Early Childhood Setting

I gained a lot of insights at the Head Start setting.  I learned the importance of making each child feel unique and special.  The person I spoke with encouraged me to always remember we are there to serve the children and the families members.  This setting is total committed to providing a comprehensive setting that fosters the well being of income eligible children, while supporting the growth of their social, health, physical abilities, emotional and cognitive development.   As I communicated with the educator, I asked her was she aware of the current issues with the CRCT testing that had occurred in the Atlanta Public School Setting.    I learned that this program believes in ongoing training, and as a result maybe they will not face any issues like the Atlanta Public School Setting.