Identify how to develop and maintain reciprocal relationships with families and professionals to support children's holistic development directly and indirectly.  

Description of Professional Learning Experience

Throughout the year I decided to build relationships with families through creating confidential 2-way communication with a bi-weekly newsletter.  This allows me to reach out to families consistently and gives families opportunities to respond while opening up opportunities to communicate and build relationships that will support children's development and progress towards their goals.  

Description of Professional Learning

Next Steps

These newsletters acted as an avenue for families to communicate privately with me by opening the door to communication.  I am surpised by how well-received these newsletters were by families and I often received feedback on how much families enjoyed seeing pictures, further questions on what children were learning in their experiences, and how they could participate in their children's learning.  Most importantly, this communication made it comfortable for myself and families to bring up concerns through written communication and e-mails and this allowed me to address concerns and make clarifications rapidly and as necessary.  I am glad this step to creating communication and building relationships with families was successful and I will continue this practice.  In the future I would like to extend this idea of a newsletter by adding multimedia options such as voice memos.  

Description of Professional Learning

Throughout the year I had the opportunity to be mentored by several educators and I documented my final reflections as I have learned much from various different mentors with various different practices and philosophies that I have been able to incorporate in my own practice.  

Description of Professional Learning

Next Steps

I am glad I took part in the mentorship process because when I reflect on my notes  I see how my experience changed from the beginning to the end.  I have been able to incorporate things from all the educators I have met, although I reflect on how hard it has been to stay true to my roots in Child Development and best practices when so many different practices and resources were presented to me with such passion from my mentors.  Although it is great to have so many resources, I need to reflect on which resources are relevant to me and my goals in supporting the children's holistic development and I need to remember it is okay to not do EVERYTHING that all my mentors do.  

Reflection

Building relationships with families and colleagues requires a different approach because a lack of presence does not make it possible to participate in responsiveness and consistent serve and return interactions like we do with the children.  I have learned that written communication can be just as effective in updating families and creating 2-way communication and it is a practice I will continue, especially with the presence of e-mail and online platforms.  I think incorporating multimedia and including video documentation and voice notes will make my newsletters more similar to learning stories and will make children's learning in the environment more accessible to families.  When it comes to building relationships with colleagues I have been blessed to be able to participate in leadership by being a follower.  I have learned which leaders I would like to continue following by reflecting on my own philosophies and I recognize that every leader has something to share and something I can reflect on to enhance my personal practice as an educator.