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Research-based professional development to support positive, goal-oriented relationships between early childhood educators and families.

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Why ENGAGE?


Our Most Important Teachers

The Engage Continuum is a professional development series that helps educators tap into the power of parents.

Parents are the most influential teachers in children’s lives. When they embrace that role, children have better lifelong educational outcomes.

Your program may be a parent's first interaction with the “education system.” It's important to show them they are not only welcome but valued as vital partners. Give them inspiration, practice, and confidence to teach and advocate for their children from this moment on.

Mostimportantteachers

Professional Development to Make a Difference

Research shows that one-shot PD sessions are not as effective as PD that is relationship-based, reflective, and extended over a period of time. That’s why we have designed a full suite of services for your program:

  • Individualized coaching
  • Group training sessions that offer practical ways to start improving parent engagement TODAY
  • Helpful implementation tools

There is no cost to Arkansas licensed child care programs.

The series is paid for by the Arkansas Division of Child Care & Early Childhood Education.

Participants receive PDR credits.

Longtermbenefits

Long-Term Benefits

When we engage families now,
Our jobs get easier.
Families feel supported.
Children have better educational outcomes for THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!

Professional Development to Make a Difference

Research shows that one-shot PD sessions are not as effective as PD that is relationship-based, reflective, and extended over a period of time. That’s why we have designed a full suite of services for your program:

  • Individualized coaching
  • Group training sessions that offer practical ways to start improving parent engagement TODAY
  • Helpful implementation tools

There is no cost to Arkansas licensed child care programs.

The series is paid for by the Arkansas Division of Child Care & Early Childhood Education and the Arkansas Department of Education—Arkansas Better Chance Program.

Participants receive PDR credits.

ENGAGE Continuum Progression

Agencies and centers are invited to become Partner Programs that complete the full Engage Continuum over a period of 6-7 months. Engage partner programs are encouraged to complete 10 steps.

Click on a Step to Learn More About Them.

1

Onboarding with Director + Center Assessment Review

Our trainers meet one on one with the Center Director to explain all the elements of the Engage Continuum. We will also review the center’s current family engagement practices to assess what’s currently working and what goals the director would like to achieve in the future. These one-on-one coaching calls will continue throughout the center’s participation in the Engage Continuum.

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Engaging Teaching Important Parenting Skills (TIPS)

3

Family Engagement Foundation for Educators

Defines family engagement as "building relationships that promote family well-being, strong parent-child relationships, and ongoing learning." Participants discuss how family-centered beliefs affect daily practice.

They will learn the impact of family engagement on brain development and its benefits to educators, families, and children. Groups reflect on barriers to family engagement and talk about ways to remove or work around them.

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Family Engagement Foundations for Programs

Offers guidance for planning and implementing family engagement strategies at the program level. Facilitators introduce the Strengthening Families Framework and ways that it can guide early childhood education family engagement.

Participants practice using the Strengthening Family Self-Assessment Tool and learn phases of continuous improvement (assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation). Facilitators connect participants to supportive resources.

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Communication I

First, participants discuss educator and parent attitudes and preferences about communication. Then facilitators offer practical tips to open the lines of communication with families through everyday conversations.

Finally, participants learn and practice a three-step communication process -Acknowledge, Ask, Adapt- to build educator-family partnerships.

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Communication II

Builds on concepts discussed in Communication I. The session demonstrates how to use proactive communication to minimize misunderstandings with families.

Facilitators introduce strengths-based, collaborative strategies to navigate challenging conversations. Participants practice applying these strategies in scenarios that sometimes arise in early childhood settings. The group discusses the need to set boundaries with families and to practice self-care.

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Partnership I

Participants learn the characteristics and benefits of positive family-educator partnerships. The group discusses the power of empathy and how to use empathy to connect with families who have different experiences or beliefs.

The group will think about ways that Respectful, Reciprocal, and Responsive communication and actions will improve partnerships.

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Partnership II

Builds on the concepts introduced in Partnership I. This course identifies specific ways partnerships can promote child development and family well-being.

Participants practice ways to learn more about family home and needs, to set individual goals with families, and to mutually implement plans to meet those goals at home and at the program.

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Family Perspectives

Participants reflect on ways their own family experiences, and beliefs may influence partnerships with different families.

The group will learn how to partner with families in planning activities that respect and reflect families from various backgrounds and provide continuity for children across educational and home environments.

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10

Wrap Up and Closure Meeting

At this final meeting, trainers will answer any remaining questions and help connect directors to any resources they need to complete the family engagement plan for their center.

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Advanced Family Engagement

Groups that complete the 10-step Continuum may be ready to take family engagement to the next level through one or both of these trainings and their accompanying tools.

The Family Map

Family Map

UAMS RED offers training and access to the Family Map Inventories.

These are structured face-to-face interviews that staff conduct with families enrolled in your program.

The interviews identify strengths and risks at home in a respectful way and and help staff and parents partner to set concrete goals to support each child’s development.

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families is a research-informed approach to increase family strengths, enhance child development, and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. We offer two separate courses about the Strengthening Families initiative.

Introduction to Strengthening Families Protective Factors –

This 2 hour course introduces participants to the five key Protective Factors for families and teaches educators how their everyday actions can support families. This class meets the Level 2 requirement in Better Beginnings.

Directors Strengthening Families Self Assessment Tool –

This course helps Directors determine how well they implement strategies to strengthen families, identify areas that need improvement, and develop an improvement plan. Work done in this training helps programs meet Level 3 requirements in Arkansas Better Beginnings standards.

Alternative Approach

Note that UAMS RED is recruiting agencies or centers willing to participate in the full 10-Step Continuum. If you are a family child care home provider or an educator whose center is unable to participate in all 10 steps, we encourage you to participate in single Engage trainings offered by other PD partners. You will gain valuable knowledge about strengthening your family partnerships.

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