Description: Develop and embed a culture of family engagement in all aspects of your early childhood program, from curriculum planning to addressing children's individual needs.
Brief description:
Derry Koralek is president of DGK & Company, providing early childhood educational consulting to a variety of clients, including teachers and family child care providers. She is author of a number of early childhood resources, including two books cowritten with Laura J. Colker, High-Quality Early Childhood Programs: The What, Why, and How (2018), and Making Lemonade: Teaching Young Children to Think Optimistically (2019). Her other recent work includes developing training materials for staff in Early Head Start and revising the textbook, Essentials for Working with Young Children.
For 14 years, Derry wrote, edited, and managed publications for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). She joined NAEYC as editor in chief of Young Children, the association's award-winning, peer reviewed professional journal, and later also created and served as editor in chief of Teaching Young Children, NAEYC's magazine for preschool educators. During her time at NAEYC, Derry also became chief publishing officer, directing all print and digital publications. Before joining NAEYC, Koralek completed numerous projects through DGK & Company in support of early childhood teachers and family child care providers.
Review Quotes:
"The title says it all! For everyone who works with young children, this essential book is easy to read and well researched, and it includes many family engagement stories that connect that research to real-life experiences. The practical strategies emphasize how children's learning is enhanced when families are engaged and involved in the process."-Barbara Kaiser, Consultant, Trainer, and Co-author of Challenging Behavior in Young Children
"This is an important book for teachers, coaches, program leaders, family educators, and anyone who wants to build culturally responsive relationships with families. The strategies, resources, and examples of effective family engagement in this book are based on current research and theories on how to build mutual, respectful family partnerships." --Debbie LeeKeenan, Early Childhood Consultant and Co-author of From Survive to Thrive and Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs
"This valuable resource is a compelling call to action for a strengths-based approach to partnering with families. With examples of effective practice, reflection questions, family engagement stories, and other tools and information, this resource is useful for educators and teacher preparation programs to support a family-strengthening framework for partnering with families." --Jamilah R. Jor'dan, PhD, Interim Dean, College of Education and Professor, Department of Early Childhood and Bilingual Education, Chicago State University
"What is most useful about this book is its accessible blending of child development theory with practical, everyday examples of practice with children and families. It illustrates what respectful, reciprocal relationships between families and staff really look like when done well." --Valora Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Council for Professional Recognition
"This team of accomplished early childhood educators captures the true essence of family engagement, complete with strategies and tools to partner with families. The family engagement stories illustrate creative ways programs work with families and communities. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter propel educators deeper into each topic, making this book a rich resource." --Linda Gillespie, Family and Infant Development Specialist
"Throughout this insightful book, there is a continual thread of building on family strengths and understanding a family's needs and hopes for their child. It describes how respectful, reciprocal relationships can be established with families to positively impact the development of young children. The authors describe many meaningful and effective ways to engage new families, encourage multigenerational participation, and keep the relationship growing." --Rebecca Isbell, Early Childhood Consultant, Author, and Professor Emerita, Department of Early Childhood Education, East Tennessee State University