[sophie]

Prepare yourself by finding a respectful, caring and understanding way to break this information to then. Provide the family with documentation of your observations, and then with a referral to seek additional resources

[Robyn]

I would start off gently, stating what I have observed in the classroom, and ask if that is what they have observed at home. I would go over what is typical in a child their age and discuss the resources available to see if their child needs additional support. I would introduce what a screening is, and how it is beneficial. I would be sure to do all of this in private and take lots of time for them to process their feelings. And above all being respectful and kind.

[Sophia]

To give the parents accurate information in a calm way that does not convey any judgment.

[Sarah]

have subjective observations and resources ready for your conversation with the family. practice what you want to communicate with a co- worker before going to the family. be prepared for adverse reactions to the information. practice how to respond to those reactions with empathy

[AJ]

There are many steps you can take to make it easier. Make sure to keep all documentations organized and available. Make sure your observations are objective, not subjective to prevent confusion. Talk it through with a peer who is working with the same child. Write a script. Know your resources and provide the family with them. Let them know that even though their child may be behind in development in the general sense, that every child grows at a different rate and reaches the same points of development even if they need a little extra help.

[Ella Christiansen]

Tread lightly but be honest with them, even if it’s very difficult. I would approach them and ask if they have time for a meeting to discuss his/her progress. I would let them know how well they are doing in the areas they are doing well at, and then ask if they have noticed any differences on the subject in question. Have documentation to back up your observations, and have resources available.

[Alexis]

I would privately ask if they have a minute and very professionally akkniwlage how they might be feeling and help them understand what I have noticed during their child’s care then refer them to websites to do their own research

[Madison]

I think the most crucial steps are to prepare yourself for how the conversation could end up, it can be hard for someone to hear and some parents could be difficult or emotional. Make sure to have plenty of supporting evidence. Be very gentile and understanding. Then provide clear steps as to what they can now do to best help the child.

[Jiwan]

• Some good ways to approach a parent about developmental screening of their child could be a touchy subject so going into it having drafted and even practiced what you are going to say to a colleague is a good idea to help ensure that you are using objective words and not subjective. you’ll also want documentation of observation and formal assessments going into the conversation so you have evidence to back up what you are talking to them about. if it is something that their child might need outside help with having a list of resources readily available for them so they know their next steps and that you have connections with those resources can help ease their worry and know that they are in good hands. ultimately I think it is important to let the parent know that you and the parent both want the same thing and that you are working towards the same goal and by getting them help early they can help them achieve proper guidance for their development and growth.

[Marlana]

Have good documentation of your observations to share objectively and try going over what you have prepared to say with a co-worker. Then make sure to have some local resources to help assist the family in the right direction.

[Francisca]

I THINK PREPARING YOURSELF AHEAD OF TIMES ALLOWS YOU TO KNOW HOW TO RESPECTFULLY NOTIFY THE PARENT WHAT IS GOING ON. THINKING AHEAD OF TIME AND PREPARATION IS 2 KEY FACTORS TO SUCCEEDING IN A CONVERSATION

[Kaylea]

I think the best way is to document, document, document! With documentation throughout a long period of time would be best. If you can give details and resources for them to take a look at it may come easier. Don’t label the child, as that’s not your job but if there is something there that is a little concerning then it is your job to bring it up even if its uncomfortable.

[Krista]

The best way for me to approach a parent about the need for further evaluation of their child based on observation findings would be to first have a collaborative/cooperative relationship built with the parent. Practicing what you are going to discuss with an experienced coworker or supervisor could help to bring up sticky/difficult areas of conversation. I would also make sure that the parent isn’t rushed and we’re somewhere private where we won’t be overheard. I would end with reminding them that we all just want the best for their child and it’s better to check into any possible deficiencies early.

[Jamie]

The best policy is to have a program that uses assessments as a regular part of the curriculum. Assessments should be positive and note student accomplishments and strengths. It is common that assessments are used only for finding weaknesses and areas of improvement, which is a valid purpose, but the process has a negative connotation. All areas of growth and development can be evaluated, and the process will not be a difficult conversation with parents.

[yaqinxiang]

<b align=”center”>TS Gold, High Scope and Child Skills Checklist Teaching Strategies GOLD^®online

Sign up for a demo of Teaching Strategies GOLD online

Teaching Strategies GOLD online offers a revolutionary approach to early childhood assessment. It is an assessment tool available to teachers that is user-friendly and inclusive—one that enables them to increase the effectiveness of their assessments while having more time to spend with children. It’s easy to use, it’s effective, and it works—saving teachers’ time and helping them be confident in their assessment decisions.

Helps early educators focus on what matters most

Teaching Strategies GOLD can be used with any developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum and is based on 38 research-based objectives that include predictors of school success and are aligned with the Common Core State Standards, state early learning guidelines, and the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. These help teachers focus on what matters most for children’s success.

Supports all learners

Teaching Strategies GOLD can be used to support all types of learners, including children with special needs and children with advanced knowledge and skills.

Fully bilingual: English and Spanish

Because Teaching Strategies GOLD is a fully bilingual tool, it offers teachers support for assessing the dual-language learners in their classrooms who are learning English and Spanish.

User-friendly features

With user-friendly features such as research summaries, color-coded progressions of development and learning, online portfolios, and easy-to-generate, state-of-the-art reports, Teaching Strategies GOLD online saves teachers time and helps eliminate some of the common challenges associated with assessment. With Teaching Strategies GOLD online, teachers can:

§ Use a variety of online tools to gather and organize meaningful data quickly, including online portfolios where children’s work can be stored.

§ Create a developmental profile of each child to answer the questions, “What does this child know? What is he or she able to do?”

§ Understand how their observations relate to important objectives for development and learning and use that understanding to scaffold each child’s learning determine if a child is making progress and compare the child’s knowledge, skills, and behaviors to those of most children of his or her age or class/group.

§ Recognize children who might benefit from special help, screening, or further evaluation.

§ Generate comprehensive reports that can be customized easily and shared with family members and other stakeholders; to learn more about this stateof-the-art feature, download our Teaching Strategies GOLD online Reports Brochure (PDF).

Support for Head Start programs

Head Start programs use Child Management Systems (CMS) such as ChildPlus.net to manage program data including data specific to children, classrooms, sites, and programs. A bridge connecting ChildPlus.net and Teaching Strategies GOLD allows for seamless data exchange between both systems. Administrators enter data once into ChildPlus.net and see the same information imported into Teaching Strategies GOLD online. In addition, administrators can use ChildPlus.net to add, update and archive records for their programs, significantly reducing the data entry workload as well as increasing accuracy between both Child Plus and Teaching Strategies GOLD. Accuracy between both systems provides for more informative and precise Head Start reports that can be used to improve classroom planning and the overall quality of a p
TS Gold, High Scope and Child Skills Checklist

Teaching Strategies GOLD® online
Sign up for a demo of Teaching Strategies GOLD online
Teaching Strategies GOLD online offers a revolutionary approach to early childhood assessment. It is an assessment tool available to teachers that is user-friendly and inclusive—one that enables them to increase the effectiveness of their assessments while having more time to spend with children. It’s easy to use, it’s effective, and it works—saving teachers’ time and helping them be confident in their assessment decisions.
Helps early educators focus on what matters most
Teaching Strategies GOLD can be used with any developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum and is based on 38 research-based objectives that include predictors of school success and are aligned with the Common Core State Standards, state early learning guidelines, and the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. These help teachers focus on what matters most for children’s success.
Supports all learners
Teaching Strategies GOLD can be used to support all types of learners, including children with special needs and children with advanced knowledge and skills.
Fully bilingual: English and Spanish
Because Teaching Strategies GOLD is a fully bilingual tool, it offers teachers support for assessing the dual-language learners in their classrooms who are learning English and Spanish.
User-friendly features
With user-friendly features such as research summaries, color-coded progressions of development and learning, online portfolios, and easy-to-generate, state-of-the-art reports, Teaching Strategies GOLD online saves teachers time and helps eliminate some of the common challenges associated with assessment. With Teaching Strategies GOLD online, teachers can:
Use a variety of online tools to gather and organize meaningful data quickly, including online portfolios where children’s work can be stored.
Create a developmental profile of each child to answer the questions, “What does this child know? What is he or she able to do?”
Understand how their observations relate to important objectives for development and learning and use that understanding to scaffold each child’s learning determine if a child is making progress and compare the child’s knowledge, skills, and behaviors to those of most children of his or her age or class/group.
Recognize children who might benefit from special help, screening, or further evaluation.
Generate comprehensive reports that can be customized easily and shared with family members and other stakeholders; to learn more about this stateof-the-art feature, download our Teaching Strategies GOLD online Reports Brochure (PDF).
Support for Head Start programs
Head Start programs use Child Management Systems (CMS) such as ChildPlus.net to manage program data including data specific to children, classrooms, sites, and programs. A bridge connecting ChildPlus.net and Teaching Strategies GOLD allows for seamless data exchange between both systems. Administrators enter data once into ChildPlus.net and see the same information imported into Teaching Strategies GOLD online. In addition, administrators can use ChildPlus.net to add, update and archive records for their programs, significantly reducing the data entry workload as well as increasing accuracy between both Child Plus and Teaching Strategies GOLD. Accuracy between both systems provides for more informative and precise Head Start reports that can be used to improve classroom planning and the overall quality of a p

[Catlyn]

Our center has regular developmental screenings every quarter so parents are aware that it is happening. If I had to talk to a parent about their child’s development I would make sure to have everything scripted and planned out and especially explain that delays are the end of the world.