Reflective Analysis of Portfolio Artifact Rationale/Reflection NAEYC Standard: STANDARD 2.

BUILDING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that successful early childhood education depends upon partnerships with childrens families and communities. They know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of childrens families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their childrens development and learning. Key elements of Standard 2 2a: Knowing about and understanding diverse family and community characteristics 2b: Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships 2c: Involving families and communities in young childrens development and learning Brief Description of Evidence: In my ECED 204 course in the fall of 2013 I worked collaboratively in group made of four other classmates to create a hypothetical family scenario project. The family scenarios project required us to find resources for a family in need. We found resources in the surrounding community for our hypothetical family to use. Once our family no longer needed help we implied that the family would then return the favor by helping the community however they could. Analysis of What I Learned: Through completion of this generated family assignment I was able to find positive ways for families to connect to their surrounding communities. I now know the importance of respectful, reciprocal relationships between children, families and their communities. Through this artifact I have learned how to involve all families in their childrens learning and development. Through the integration of subject areas, children are able to make real life connections between content and the real world. How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard: This project is just one of many projects in which I have worked collaboratively with peers to understand diverse families and community characteristics. In researching different resources and working through difficult scenarios with peers, I feel that I am competent and informed on how to provide families and communities with respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and the communities that surround them.