Other than Self-Awareness (being able to separate, having knowledge of himself, feeling good about himself, learning to regulate his behavior, and developing a sense of humor) and Expression, the next biggest influence on a child’s building skills of the Spirit is his relationship with his Family. The triad partnership of child-parent-teacher is vital in the journey to educational success

Some suggestions for creating and maintaining this partnership using DAP are to:

• Make positive connections with each child’s family members by meeting family, making home visits or inviting families to school before program term begins or very close to program term beginning.
• Assure that families feel welcome to visit the classrooms at any time; that families are partners in every aspect of program curriculum from service on boards and committees, service as volunteers in classroom activities, or service as at-home volunteers; that every parent or guardian is treated as a partner in the learning process by informing them of program or classroom activity, issue, or concern; by the sharing of individual child information on learning progress or need; by offering each parent the opportunity to take part in child assessment procedures from observation through goal setting; that every family is represented in classroom display through photos or dictated family stories.
• Completely assure that every family is treated with the utmost respect and equality in matters of behavior, ethnicity, history, gender, or ability.
• Create learning experiences, including a weekly Home Connection, that call for family participation.
• Incorporate family facts and concepts into the educational process as an integral domain of learning.
• Offer learning experiences that give each child opportunities to feel love for his family and to proudly share information about his family’s daily life, celebrations, and history
  

We ARE Family – Teachers must partner with parents in all areas of the program in order for the children to gain the skills and concepts listed in your program’s educational objectives.  The brain works best when the child feels safe, and the child feels safest when parent and teacher are working together.  So:

• Make sure the classroom is representative of the ethnicity and culture of each child’s family. 
• Assure that each and every child’s family is respected and treasured, no matter what the makeup of that family may be or how you may feel about that family.
• Use family histories and events in the experiences offered so that the children will connect both intellectually and emotionally with their family facts, beliefs, and celebrations and will want to share these with the community of learners.

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.”                                     – Anthony Brandt

Next Blog: DAP for the Spirit – Humanity