[Tawna]

WAC 110-300-0085 Family partnerships and communication.

The family engagement WAC describes to what extent a family should be involved in this:

(i) A child’s strength in areas of development, health issues,
special needs, and other concerns;
(ii) Family routines or events, approaches to parenting, family
beliefs, culture, language, and child rearing practices;
(iii) Internal transitions within the early learning program and
transitions to external services or programs, as necessary;
(iv) Collaboration between the provider and the parent or guardian in behavior management; and
(v) A child’s progress, at least two times per year.
(b) Communicate the importance of regular attendance for the
child;
(c) Give parents or guardians contact information for questions
or concerns;
(d) Give families opportunities to share their language and culture in the early learning program;
(e) Arrange a confidential time and space for individual conversations regarding children, as needed;
(f) Allow parents or guardians access to their child during normal hours of operation, except as excluded by a court order; and
(g) Communicate verbally or in writing:
(i) Changes in drop-off and pickup arrangements as needed; and
(ii) Daily activities.(i) A child’s strength in areas of development, health issues,
special needs, and other concerns;
(ii) Family routines or events, approaches to parenting, family
beliefs, culture, language, and child rearing practices;
(iii) Internal transitions within the early learning program and
transitions to external services or programs, as necessary;
(iv) Collaboration between the provider and the parent or guardian in behavior management; and
(v) A child’s progress, at least two times per year.
(b) Communicate the importance of regular attendance for the
child;
(c) Give parents or guardians contact information for questions
or concerns;
(d) Give families opportunities to share their language and culture in the early learning program;
(e) Arrange a confidential time and space for individual conversations regarding children, as needed;
(f) Allow parents or guardians access to their child during normal hours of operation, except as excluded by a court order; and
(g) Communicate verbally or in writing:
(i) Changes in drop-off and pickup arrangements as needed; and
(ii) Daily activities.

AND Diversity: AND 110-300-0160

An early learning provider must provide culturally and racially diverse
learning opportunities. Diverse learning opportunities must be demonstrated by the provider’s curriculum, activities, and materials that
represent all children, families, and staff. A provider must use
equipment and materials that include, but are not limited to:
(a) Diverse dolls, books, pictures, games, or materials that do
not reinforce stereotypes;
(b) Diverse music from many cultures in children’s primary languages; and
(c) A balance of different ethnic and cultural groups, ages,
abilities, family styles, and genders.
(2) An early learning provider must intervene appropriately to
stop biased behavior displayed by children or adults including, but
not limited to:
(a) Redirecting an inappropriate conversation or behavior;
(b) Being aware of situations that may involve bias and responding appropriately; and
(c) Refusing to ignore bias.) An early learning provider must provide culturally and racially diverse
learning opportunities. Diverse learning opportunities must be demonstrated by the provider’s curriculum, activities, and materials that
represent all children, families, and staff. A provider must use
equipment and materials that include,but are not limited to:
(a) Diverse dolls, books, pictures, games, or materials that do
not reinforce stereotypes;
(b) Diverse music from many cultures in children’s primary languages; and
(c) A balance of different ethnic and cultural groups, ages,
abilities, family styles, and genders.
(2) An early learning provider must intervene appropriately to
stop biased behavior displayed by children or adults including, but
not limited to:
(a) Redirecting an inappropriate conversation or behavior;
(b) Being aware of situations that may involve bias and responding appropriately; and
(c) Refusing to ignore bias.

My thoughts:

The WACS are much more involved with how we should be communicating professionally with families. I like how congruent each step is. I find that this WAC gives you exactly the concrete information they want us to be speaking about and including all families in. I feel like with this being a step by step process that they are pointing out I would be better equipped with communicating with families.

For the diversity I think they did a good job explaining what needs to be present in the curriculum. I think they did a good job citing the biased behavior and intervening when necessary because I can see how this is necessary when working with diverse families and kids.