50 Strategies for Communicating and Working with Diverse Families

Janet Gonzalez-Mena is Retired Faculty in Child and Family Studies, Napa Valley College, Napa California, where for 15 years she was on the full-time faculty until her retirement in 1998. Not only has she taught in the California community college system for 36 years, but also Gonzalez-Mena's career includes being a preschool teacher in a bilingual program, child care director, and coordinator of a pilot program of therapeutic child care for abused and neglected children. A prolific author, her textbook achievements include: Child, Family, and Community, 6th ed. (Pearson, 2013); Infants, Toddlers and Caregivers, 9th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2012); Foundations of Early Childhood Education: Teaching Children in a Diverse Society, 6th ed., (McGraw-Hill, forthcoming); and Diversity in Early Care and Education: Honoring Differences, 4th ed. (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2008). Janet also co-authored Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction for Teachers of Infants and Toddlers (National Association for Education of Young Children, 2011). Currently self-employed as a consultant in early care and education, she also finds the time to write for Young Children and Exchange, and occasionally for publications in Canada and New Zealand.

Section 1: Welcoming Everybody

 Chapter 1: Appreciating All Kinds of Families

 Chapter 2: Working with Immigrant Families

 Chapter 3: Including Families of Children with Special Needs

 Chapter 4: Creating an Antibias Environment

 Chapter 5: Respecting All Families, Including Those with Same-Sex Parents

Section 2: Partnerships with Families

 Chapter 6: Building Partnerships

 Chapter 7: Removing Barriers to Partnerships

 Chapter 8: Minimizing Competition with Parents

 Chapter 9: Supporting Attachments

 Chapter 10: Considering Authority

 Chapter 11: Focusing on Family Strengths

 Chapter 12: Helping Parents to Be Advocates for Their Children

 Chapter 13: Encouraging Parents to Become Advocates for All Children

 Chapter 14: Creating a Sense of Community

Section 3: Honoring and Working with Diversity

 Chapter 15: Understanding and Appreciating Cultural Differences

 Chapter 16: Establishing Culturally Responsive Education and Care

 Chapter 17: Working with Conflicts Around Education and Care Practices

 Chapter 18: Considering Cultural Differences in Guidance and Discipline

 Chapter 19: Working with Families Around What You Believe Are Harmful Practices

 Chapter 20: Thinking about Differing Ideas Related to How Children Learn

 Chapter 21: Managing Conflicts 

Section 4: Family Participation and Education

 Chapter 22: Considering Family Participation

 Chapter 23: Including Families in the Classroom or Center

 Chapter 24: Focusing on Fathers and Grandfathers

 Chapter 25: Taking a Transformative Approach to Parent Education

 Chapter 26: Working With Families Around Holiday Issues

 Chapter 27: Exploring Parents' Role on Decision-Making Boards and Councils

Section 5: Communication

 Chapter 28: Creating Environments for Communication

 Chapter 29: Empowering Self and Others

 Chapter 30: Communicating Through Writing

 Chapter 31: Holding Ongoing Conversations with Families

 Chapter 32: Looking at Nonverbal Communication Across Cultures

Section 6: Meetings and Conferences

 Chapter 33: Meeting with Families for the First Time

 Chapter 34: Thinking About Meetings in General

 Chapter 35: Holding Conferences

 Chapter 36: Considering Cross-Cultural Conferences

 Chapter 37: Talking with Families when Concerns Arise

Section 7: Working with Parents around Specific Issues

 Chapter 38: Helping teh Child Enter the School or Program

 Chapter 39: Maintaining Home Languages

 Chapter 40: Easing Children Through Transitions

 Chapter 41: Brining Nat...