Parent Education Core Curriculum Framework

1 A Comprehensive Guide to Planning Curriculum for Parent Education ProgramsIn the domains DEVELOPMENTPARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPSEARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENTFAMILY DEVELOPMENTCULTURE & COMMUNITYP arent Education CoreCurriculum Framework2011 Parent Education core Curriculum Framework ABSTRACTThe Parent Education core Curriculum Framework : A Comprehensive Guide to Planning Curriculum for ParentEducation Programs in the Domains of Parent Development, Parent -Child Relationships, Early Childhood Development, Family Development, Culture and Communitydefines and places parameters around the corecontent what we teach in Parent Education . It is not intended to be a prescribed Curriculum . It is basedon the assumption that Parent educators should have autonomy and exercise creativity in assessing the specific and unique needs and expectations of each Parent and Parent group with whom they work and in designing Curriculum and selecting resources to best meet their needs and expectations.

2 The Framework provides a foundation and process for doing this specific goals of the Parent Education core Curriculum Frameworkare to provide a resource that:1. Frames or defines the body of knowledge in the field of Parent Is applicable across the field of Parent Education with any type of Parent Education program, population, setting, and delivery Is a planning tool for development and delivery of Parent Education Curriculum and lesson Identifies the intended content and objectives of Parent Education , originally designed for Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) and Even Start in Provides guidance for Parent goal setting in Parent Guides assessment of Parent Education outcomes and Promotes accountability in Parent Education programs and with individual Parent Informs practice in Parent impetus for developing the Parent Education core Curriculum Frameworkand the process for using itthat are described in this document were strongly influenced by the growing emphasis on accountability in Education promoted by public policymakers, other funders, and the general public.

3 It adds standardization tothe field and leads to a new level of clarity and professionalism in what should be taught in Parent is intended that the content of what is taught in Parent Education fits within this document is intended to enhance both the content and the process of delivering Parent Education . Inorder to have the highly skilled professionals needed to do this important work, resources such as this andthe educational preparation that supports their use by these professionals are AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Parent Education core Curriculum Framework : A Comprehensive Guide to Planning Curriculum for Parent EducationPrograms in the Domains of Parent Development, Parent -Child Relationships, Early Childhood Development, Family Development, Culture and Communityhas been developed over a period of several years by a group of Minnesota EarlyChildhood Family Education (ECFE) program coordinators and Parent educators, serving on the ECFE Curriculum Committee chaired by Sue Stoner.

4 This committee worked with Betty Cooke during the time she was with the MinnesotaDepartment of Education and in Family Education at the University of Minnesota. The procedures for using the frameworkand indicators built upon earlier work by Parent educators Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, Marietta Rice, and Mary Scott. Parenteducator Beth Yokom, with partial support from Federal Even Start Family Literacy funds, further developed the frame-work, indicators, and process and conducted several six-hour workshops about implementing the Framework . Feedbackfrom participants in these workshops, Parent Education students, and others in the field was gathered and incorporatedinto the 2008 working draft version of the document. Further feedback from these audiences since 2008 has been in-corporated into this 2011 edition.

5 The Minnesota Association for Family and Early Education (MNAFEE) has adoptedthe core Curriculum Framework as best practice for Parent Education and has provided training in use of the Frameworkfor Parent educators across Minnesota. MNAFEE has also assisted in the funding and dissemination of this Framework is designed specifically for Parent Education for parents of young children, but it can be adaptedfor Parent Education for parents of children of other ages. Indicators for school-age children or adolescentscan be used with the process described in this document for implementing the Framework (see referenceson page 45).Those involved in the development and/or revision of the Parent Education core Curriculum Frameworkinclude:n Ada Alden Educational Consultantn Betty Cooke Minnesota Department of Education & University of Minnesotan Beth Cutting St.

6 Paul Public Schoolsn Tammy Dunrud Forest Lake Public Schoolsn Sharon Gagner West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Public Schoolsn Janice Hofschulte St. Francis Public Schoolsn Kerry Froelich Robbinsdale Public Schoolsn Karen Kellar Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schoolsn Wayne Kuklinski Minnesota Department of Educationn Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Director Melanie Langenfeld Chisago Lakes Public Schoolsn Ann Lovrien St. Paul Public Schoolsn Kathy Mirocha Anoka-Hennepin Public Schoolsn Eileen Nelson Minnesota Department of Educationn Barbara O Sullivan Minnesota Department of Educationn Monica Potter Robbinsdale Area Schools & the Schools of Eastern Carver Countyn Marietta Rice Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schoolsn Jessica Rich Family Education , University of Minnesotan Cindy Saarela Forest Lake Public Schoolsn Mary Scott Infant-Toddler Consultantn Jane Scully South Washington County Public Schoolsn Sue Stoner Mounds View Public Schoolsn Betty Uehling New Ulm Public Schoolsn Susan Walker Family Education , University of Minnesotan Nancy Wallace St.

7 Francis Public Schoolsn Beth Yokom Mounds View & Anoka-Hennepin Public SchoolsThe support and contributions of these individuals and the many others who reviewed and provided feedback on this document are gratefully Education core Curriculum Framework INTRODUCTION .. 1 NATURE OF Parent Education .. 1 PURPOSE AND GOALS OF THE Parent Education core Curriculum Framework .. 2 ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE Parent Education core Curriculum Framework .. 2 LINK TO EARLY CHILDHOOD INDICATORS OF PROGRESS: MINNESOTA S EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS (FOR CHILDREN AGES THREE TO FIVE) AND EARLY CHILDHOOD INDICATORS OF PROGRESS: MINNESOTA S EARLY LEARNING GUIDELINES FOR BIRTH TO 3 .. 3 POTENTIAL USES .. 4 Parent Education core Curriculum Framework .

8 5 TABLE FORM: Parent Education core Curriculum Framework .. 6 CHART FORM: Parent Education core Curriculum Framework .. 7 Parent Education core Curriculum Framework AND INDICATORS .. 10 Parent Development.. 10 Parent -Child Relationships.. 11 Early Childhood Development .. 13 Family Development .. 17 Culture and Community.. 18 PROCEDURES FOR USING THE Parent Education core Curriculum Framework AND INDICATORS .. 21 PHASE I- REFLECTION AND PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF Parent NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS .. 21 Forms for Phase I, Step I Procedures .. 23 PHASE II- USING THE Parent Education core Curriculum Framework AND INDICATORS FOR INITIAL Curriculum PLANNING .. 25 Integrated Curriculum Planning Grid .. 27 Sample Integrated Curriculum Planning Grid.

9 28 PHASE III - USING THE INTEGRATED LESSON PLANNING PROCESS FOR PLANNING INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EVALUATION .. 32 Annotated Integrated Lesson Plan .. 32 Integrated Lesson Plan .. 34 Sample Integrated Lesson Plan.. 36 REFERENCES .. 38 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES .. 38 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION .. 45 TABLE OF CONTENTS1 INTRODUCTION A large and growing body of research supports the importance of the Parent -child relationship and its impact on thehealthy growth and development of the child (Bornstein, 2002a). In addition, evidence is growing that Parent educationcan impact parents interactions with their children in ways that lead to better child outcomes (Brooks-Gunn & Mark-man, 2005; Karoly, Kilburn, & Cannon, 2005; Knitzer & Lefkowitz, 2006; Powell, 2005; Thomas, 1996).

10 Given evidence that participation in Parent Education can enhance parents interactions with their children, which, inturn, supports the child s development in specific areas, a critical look needs to be given to the nature and quality ofthe way Parent Education is delivered including the content that is addressed in Parent Education delivery. If we are toexpand the delivery of Parent Education to reach more parents in our communities, we need to be certain that we aredoing so in the most effective ways possible based upon current impetus for developing the Parent Education core Curriculum Frameworkand the process for using it was stronglyinfluenced by this growing emphasis on accountability in Education promoted by public policymakers, other funders,and the general public.