Lincoln Elementary

PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

KIMBERLY MILAN
ECE497: CHILD DEVELOPMENT CAPSTONE
COURSE
TRACY REED
MARCH 9, 2015

Table of Content
The Role of a Child

Communicating

Development Professional
Overview of presentation
Period of Middle Childhood
Development
Brofenbrenners Ecological
Model (Mesosystem)
Introduction to Epsteins 6
Types of Involvement
Parenting

Volunteering

Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory, 2001

Learning at Home
Decision Making
Collaborating with

Community
Conclusion
Reference

Child Development Professional

My role as a child development professional is to instill

knowledge, encouragement, and empowerment to the children

and family in the society. It is my responsibility to make sure the
children are growing in a positive environment and they are
reaching their developmental milestone accordingly. It is also
vital for me to keep the parents up to date with the responsibility
each one has on the developmental journey of a childs life.

Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory, 2001

Lincoln Elementary Overview

Lincoln Elementary consists of middle childhood students who are based in

the majority of Hispanic background.

The Socioeconomic status proves to be in the lower range for this area of
Gilbert Arizona.
Children in this area comes from a strong sense of family and community.
Having this understanding it is important to encourage family involvement
in order to steer positive development in the child.
According to Berk, 2013, high level of stress brought upon by economic
insecurity contribute to low interaction and activities as well as stronger
disciplinary action.
This general background brings forth the importance of community
resources, parent involvement, and open communication amongst parent
and school.

Berk, 2013

Middle Childhood Development

In Lincoln Elementary we are

Enter the stage of concrete

predominantly serving children

who are transitioning into the
middle childhood.
During the Middle Childhood
Stage children are able to
differentiate their perspective
from someone else perspective.
They are capable of forming
bonds with peers.

thinking.
They are able to use logic in
their thought process
This stage also develops the
childs way of thinking when it
comes in form of behavior.
The child is able to connect their
behavior to the action.
Begin to grow independence

Brofenbrenners Ecological Model (Mesosystem)

Bronfenbrenners theory defines

complex layers of environment, each

having an effect on a childs
development.
Each Layer identifies structure in which
the child has direct contact with.
Mesosystem consists of the home,
school, neighborhood, and religious
setting.
According to Berk,2013, Each
relationship supports development when
there are connections between home and
child care in open communication and
interconnection of information.
A close positive connection between
these environment can create a positive
development in a child.

Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory, 2001

Epsteins Types of Involvement

Purpose of Epstein's
Involvement

6 Types of Involvement

Epsteins Types of involvement

consists of 6 different ways that

participation can create a positive
development
The purpose of this types of
involvement is to show the various way
a parent can be supportive of a childs
development
Epsteins Types of involvement also
connects the community, school, and
parents, with resources that provide
encouragement and support for the
family and children
Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Parenting
Communicating
Volunteering
Learning at Home
Decision Making
Collaborating with Community

Parenting
Allows parents to be connected with the

childs academic and learning process

Provides information and open
communication between the school and
the parents allowing for resources to be
exchangeable
Provides support from the school as well
as other parents increasing self esteem
Brings awareness to the child that the
parent are behind them which brings up
confidence in child development.
Activity of open heritage and culture
during a month where parents and
children show and tell about their culture
bringing awareness the diversity within
the community and school

Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Communication
Open Communication allows

parents to be aware of the school

policies, rules, and regulation
Connects the parent with the
teacher keeping parents up to date
with the childs learning curriculum
Provides the parents support with
outside community resources
Provides a bridge to monitor a
childs progress and behavior
Open communication with the
parents though weekly newsletter
providing the latest update of the
school and classroom
Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Volunteering
Provides opportunity for parents to

support the learning environment with

their talent
Extra support for both the teachers
and students
Can provide one on one tutoring with
group of children increasing
academics
Builds confidence and social
development
Increases working skills and ability to
work with children
Open Door Policy where parents are
able to clock in volunteer hours to
help support the teachers and students

Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Learning at Home
Provides reinforcement on the

skills learned in school

Provides the parents the
opportunity to engage into the
childs learning
Brings awareness to what the
child is doing in school within
every academic subject
Encourages positive views of
school work
Fun Filled Activities that help
support the childs educational
goals in the classroom and
reinforces them at home
Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Decision Making
Allows the parents voice to be

heard within the school system

and community
Protects the childs best interest
Feeling part of the school based
decision and policy
Aware of the rules and regulation
Positive reinforcement of policies
Create various parent groups
where the parents are able to
make a difference in the school
policies, rules, and be part of the
childs journey (PTA or PTO)

Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Collaborating with the Community

Provides a connection between the

community, students, and parents, to bring

high skill experiences
Opens the resources of needed support for
the family whether education, financial, job
related, etc.
Provides interaction with other family and
peers
Openness to and skill in using mentors,
business partners, community volunteers,
and others to assist students and augment
teaching practices
Provide activities once every two months to
help connect the parents with the available
resources within the community. Job fair,
School Fairs, Training fairs, etc.

Epstein, J. (n.d.).

Overall
It is important for the school, parents, community to come together for the

positive development of a child. These positive connections creates an

environment that is suitable for a childs learning and development. Parents
getting involved in the childs academic journey provides the child with
support, confidence, and trust which allows the child to move forward. A
school that allows these connections to take place allows the seed of growth
to be planted in each child in order for it to blossom in the future. In the
end, through Brofenbrenners ecological system, we can all see the
importance of the mesosystem in connection to the development of a child.
If this system consists of a close knit then chances are the childs learning
and development can be a nurturing and positive one.