Pen Green Centre for children and their families

The aims of this module are to enable students to…

• Understand the role of parents as their child’s first educator.
• Share conceptual frameworks and principles to a child’s learning and development, with families and undertake a joint analysis of a child’s learning.

This module involves developing the practitioners’ skills to work collaboratively with families in an ethical way in order to recognise and extend children’s interests and learning. The module supports you to reflect on how you engage with parents and consider what can be learnt from parents about their children’s play and explorations.

The module will support you in developing a ‘knowledge-sharing approach’ and in understanding the idea and benefits of the developmental partnership between practitioners and families.

You will develop tools and skills to share theory and knowledge with parents and you will be encouraged to listen to the knowledge family members have of their own child.  This ‘shared knowledge’ will be used to consider plans and possible lines of direction for learning for the child in your study.

This module is assessed on coursework (pass/fail).

The expectation is that students attend all scheduled learning and teaching sessions.

If there are exceptional circumstances which result in a student being unable to fulfill this, the student should discuss these with the Course Lead.

Programme/module requirements, including those attendance, must be met and students are responsible for making good work missed through absence.

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Successful students will typically:
• Know and understand the significance of parental involvement in children’s learning.
• Know and understand the importance of equal and respectful partnership with parents.
• Know and understand how to articulate their values and beliefs with regards to working with parents.

Skills and Attributes:

Successful students will typically:

• Know and understand how to develop a plan to extend a child’s learning, based on the child’s interests in collaboration with the parents.
• Maintain an ethical stance within their study

Scheduled Teaching, campus−based activities in general teaching spaces (e.g.lectures, 20 seminars, tutorials) 22 hours

Scheduled campus−based activities in specialist teaching spaces (e.g practical classes, 25 workshops, demonstrations) 10 hours

Directed independent study 68 hours

Self-directed independent study 200 hours

Total hours 300

This module gives you the opportunity to identify whether your practice supports a ‘knowledge-sharing approach’ alongside parents. Using theory and real life examples from practice you are able to consider your values and beliefs in working with parents. 

Being ethical is crucial for this module, time will be spent ensuring all necessary permissions will be sought, and that any ethical contracts are being adhered to. Dialogue and debate is an important part of Early Years Practice; this module offers you the opportunity to practice this during the study week, and then use the skills back in your setting with colleagues.