Professional Portfolio Artifact(s) Reflections

Cover Sheet
PLO 4: Develop and implement strategies that promote partnerships between programs, teachers,
families, and their communities.
List of Artifacts to be addressed in this reflection:
CD! "#$ Child %amil& and Communit&: 'esearch Pro(ect on Communit& )ssues and
'esources* 'evised in CD! +"#
,amples of famil& communication:
Child Progress 'eport -D'DP.for parents/ -CD! "$#/
Parent Letter -CD! "0#, revised or rewritten in CD! +"#/
I. Explanation: What specific knowledge, skills, and belief systems
do I have that demonstrate my competence for this PL!
I am knowledgeable in understanding familys needs, and can effectively find the
resources they need to help them. I believe it is important to be non judgmental
towards families, so they can feel safe coming to you and talking to you. I feel that
by listening to them and giving them any information I can find to help them, shows
that I can for their well being.
I have gained the knowledge through my course work in Child Development, to put
together a progress report to share with the families about how their child is
developing. I understand the importance of sharing many of the positive attributes of
the child and not making negative comments, instead sharing ways the child is
improving in their development, and some areas they are still working on. It is
important to word it in this way, so the family does not feel I am putting their children
down.
I have gained the knowledge and skills required to communicate with families in the
classroom effectively. I believe it is important to share with the families regularly,
what their children are doing in the classroom, and to let families know, they are
welcome to volunteer or offer donations to the classroom.
II. "rowth: #ow do these artifacts demonstrate my growth in
knowledge and skill!
I have shown growth by adding additional resources for families that have a low
income. fter being in the classroom, I have seen a lot of families in need of e!tra
clothing and food a couple of children in this classroom have these needs. t
"hoeni! cademy, there is a family resource center but I still feel that it is important
for myself to know how to find resources for families in need.
In C#D$ %&' I wrote a parent letter for my thematic unit, but in C#D$ (%' I was able
to write a parent letter that I gave to the families in the classroom, telling them who I
was and that I would be the teacher for the week, and I discussed what the children
were going to be learning that week. It is much different to write a parent letter for
practice, and writing one that would be given out to the families. In my letter for
C#D$ %&', I asked for donations form the families for our classroom, however in
C#D$ (%', I did not, because I knew that a lot of the families were on very tight
budgets, so instead I borrowed and used what I could from my home, from other
teachers, and went to the )) cent stores.
III. $pplication: #ow am I going to b%ild on the knowledge and skills
that are demonstrated &In other words, what are yo%r next steps!' and
how will the knowledge, skills, or belief systems be integrated into my
f%t%re teaching practice.
In order to build on the knowledge and skills that I have, I plan on updating the
resources I have found and keeping them on hand to share with any families that
might be in need, either in the classroom, or just in our community. I want to be able
to help families in any way I can. I want them to know that I care about them and
they can trust me to come to me for someone to listen to them.
I will build on my knowledge of using a progress report to share a childs
development with the families, talking with other teachers in preschool classrooms to
ask for strategies they use when making a progress report. I will not be able to
practice doing conferences and progress reports right away in the classroom.
#owever, when I am in my own classroom, this is something I will be able to work at.
*hen I am in my own classroom, I will be able to get to know families on a deeper
level, and will know the best way to communicate with them. I will work on feeling
comfortable with asking families for donations they may be able to give to the
classroom for each thematic unit we do. If I know a family can not afford donations, I
will come up with other suggestions as to how they can be involved in the classroom
if they choose.