Standard 2

The purpose of this standard is to outline factors that help an early-childhood educator to foster positive relationships within and between families and communities

KEY ELEMENTS

There are three Key Elements of Standard 2:

(I and A): An early-childhood educator should have knowledge and appreciation of the many factors that contribute to family and community dynamics.

(I and A): An early-childhood educator should foster relationships of respect and mutuality within and between families and communities through support and active engagement.

(I): An early-childhood educator should foster the development and education of young children by promoting family and community involvement.

The importance of establishing and nurturing ties between and within the family and community is evident throughout the text. Specific examples include the following:

Chapter 1

  1. Discusses Bronfenbrenner’s ecological-systems approach, including insight that elements of overlapping systems affect development; especially how elements of the microsystem—family, peers, classrooms, neighborhoods, houses of worship, etc.—interact to influence an individual’s development (pp. 17–22).

Chapter 7

  1. Discusses the way early relationships help infants develop a working model, or set of assumptions about the world and how it works, that become a frame of reference for later life (p. 226).

Chapter 8

  1. Discusses prevention of avoidable injury, including measures communities may take to ensure child safety (pp. 264–266).

Chapter 9

  1. Discusses the importance of good communication between school and home (p. 298).

Chapter 10

  1. Discusses the role of communities in ensuring safe and adequate play spaces (p. 318).

Chapter 11

  1. Discusses physical, cognitive, and social impact of participation in neighborhood games, school exercise, and after-school sports programs (pp. 349–351).

  2. A-13

    Discusses the roles of state and local governments, teachers, and parents in identifying children with special needs and providing appropriate educational environments for them (pp. 369–371).

Chapter 12

  1. Discusses Vygotsky and the roles of social interaction and instruction in children’s cognitive development; the influence of culture and context on what, how, and when children learn; and the relative power of parents, educators, and political leaders in determining school curriculum (pp. 379–380).

  2. Discusses family and community influences on second-language learning and impact of children learning a second language on immigrant families (pp. 389–390).

Chapter 13

  1. Defines family function, discussing the five major functions families serve for children: (1) provide physical necessities, (2) support, encourage, and guide education; (3) provide opportunities for success that encourage children’s self-respect; (4) foster friendships; and (5) provide harmony and stability in the home (pp. 418–419).

  2. Discusses diversity of family structures, and the ability/challenge of different structures in meeting the five family functions (pp. 419–420).

  3. Includes an A View from Science feature on divorce and its potential effects on children (p. 421).

  4. Discusses the impact of poverty on the family, and explains the family stress model, reviewing stresses experienced by children in low- and high-SES families (pp. 427–428).

  5. Discusses the effects of family conflict, and the importance of networks of social support (including the efficacy of affiliation with religious institutions) (p. 428).