Deck 8: Family-Staff Relationships

Question 1

A sense of common purpose and mutuality are strengths in a (n) _____ perspective.

A)partnership
B)interpersonal
C)professional
D)hierarchical

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A trait characterized by extreme dependence on others, serving them, and sacrificing one's own needs is

A)low self-esteem.
B)codependency.
C)self-disclosing.
D)independence.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Hanna lists valuing mutual respect, honesty, flexibility, a sense of humor, and openness to lifelong learning as _____ that help to foster effective communication.

A)areas of knowledge
B)behaviors
C)attitudes
D)personality characteristics

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The U.S.Department of Education suggests some tips for building partnerships with families.Which of the following are included in their list?

A)assess needs, survey resources, set goals, decide on measures of success
B)assess needs, plan events, form committees, seek experienced collaborators
C)plan events, seek experienced collaborators, organize fund-raisers
D)plan events, survey resources, seek experienced collaborators, seek field-trip volunteers

Question 5

An open-door policy _____ family involvement in early education settings.

A)thwarts
B)is unethical for
C)is not equitable for
D)contributes to

Question 6

The main goal of a family newsletter is

A)to answer parents' questions before they ask them.
B)to direct parents' attention to the needs of the school or class.
C)to share biographical information about the staff.
D)to send a calendar of parent association activities.

Question 7

According to Swick, these communication behaviors are likely to increase trust between families and staff:

A)approachability, friendliness, empathy
B)approachability, sensitivity, flexibility, dependability
C)sensitivity, high expectations, dependability, high self-esteem
D)sensitivity, flexibility, clarity, approachability

Question 8

_____ is as vital to building relationships among professionals and families as it is in the establishment of healthy, functional families.

A)Tact
B)Attitude adjustment
C)Communication
D)Behavior

Question 9

When implementing conflict resolution, the first step is always

A)talk to someone else as a sounding board.
B)prepare to stand your ground.
C)take your concern to the person directly involved.
D)dependent on the written procedures.

Question 10

For effective phone conferences, teachers will

A)determine whether it is agreeable to call a work or other number for a conference.
B)plan the time for the conference in advance with the parent or other appropriate family member.
C)send information home about the matter before the conference call.
D)all of the above

Question 11

The interpersonal communication strategy that allows the teacher to repeat what she has heard the parent say and gives parents the opportunity to correct or modify the teacher's understanding is

A)reflection.
B)I-messages.
C)active listening.
D)echoing.

Question 12

Journaling can be an effective strategy for communicating about a child's progress when

A)the teacher needs to maintain documentation.
B)the families are not primarily English speaking.
C)both the teacher and family are seeking a flexible way to communicate.
D)both the teacher and the family commit to this type of communication.

Question 13

Eye contact that is effective for demonstrating active listening is

A)maintained 100 percent, throughout the conversation.
B)75 to 90 percent of the time.
C)50 to 75 percent of the time.
D)25 to 50 percent of the time.

Question 14

When a teacher receives criticism from a parent that she believes is inaccurate or unfair, it is important to

A)remain calm, share one's view, and suggest a follow-up discussion.
B)assertively state one's view.
C)state why the parent's comments are inaccurate.
D)suggest that the parent discuss it with the administrator.

Question 15

Notes can be used to communicate with families about children's academic or behavioral issues if

A)they are objective.
B)they are balanced, providing information not only about concerns but also about causes for celebration.
C)families are not primarily English speaking.
D)all of the above

Question 16

Richard Riley noted that if families teach _____, it can make all the difference in the world to their children.

A)study skills
B)a love of learning
C)compliance to directives
D)all of the above

Question 17

When creating a newsletter, one should consider that readers view a document

A)in an "s" shaped path.
B)in a "c" shaped path.
C)in a "z" shaped path.
D)in either a "z" or "s" shaped path.

Question 18

Which of the following can be barriers to effective communication?

A)Clarity may be lacking.
B)Emotions may be heated.
C)Vocabulary may differ.
D)all of the above

Question 19

Effective announcements to families should

A)be made only once so that families learn to attend to communications.
B)be made twice, once in a group setting and once to individual families.
C)be made in a variety of formats over different lengths of time.
D)be made according to school or center policy.

Question 20

Two-way communication between families and early childhood staff is especially important because

A)it requires families to come to the school.
B)teachers can practice their interpersonal skills.
C)both A and B
D)it offers the opportunity for both parties to act as equals, contributing valuable information to the discussion.

Question 21

"Let me restate what I heard you say" is an example of

A)reflection.
B)active listening.
C)echoing.
D)empathy.

Question 22

Teacher attitudes such as flexibility and willingness to problem solve

A)are part of each teacher's personality and cannot change.
B)influence behaviors and outcomes with family partnerships.
C)are personal attributes, not related to a teacher's professionalism.
D)are not reflected in behaviors or relationships.

Question 23

I-messages are effective in communication because

A)they relate to the speaker's perspective and the speaker takes responsibility.
B)they allow the speaker to vent about their own feelings.
C)they are always more relevant than we-messages.
D)they remind parents of their guilt in the situation.

Question 24

Which statement regarding assertiveness and aggression is most accurate?

A)Assertiveness enhances communication and aggression discourages communication.
B)Both assertiveness and aggression interfere with building partnerships.
C)Neither assertiveness nor aggression has a place in professional communication.
D)Assertiveness is other focused and aggression is self-focused.

Question 25

Effective conflict resolution or problem solving

A)is typically completed in one meeting.
B)should not be attempted with families since teachers hold all of the power.
C)is a process and involves multiple steps.
D)cannot be implemented in school systems.

Question 26

Cultural differences in communication that relate to the concept of disclosure

A)has a focus on viewing conflict as embarrassing.
B)has a focus on the amount of personal information that a person will easily share with others.
C)has a focus on how information is collected, such as through reading or interpersonal interactions and observation.
D)has a focus on the manner in which tasks are completed.

Question 27

Listeners can communicate to the speaker that they value what the speaker is saying by

A)implementing an active listening approach.
B)being open to the speaker and what they are saying.
C)not becoming defensive.
D)all of the above

Question 28

Non-verbal communication

A)is always less powerful than verbal communication.
B)includes a variety of practices including considerations of personal space, gesturing, facial expression and vocal cues.
C)has little influence over the message in any given communication.
D)is only perceived by those who are hypersensitive.

Question 29

When a family member offers criticism to a teacher, a teacher with skill in this area is likely to

A)admit the mistake if sheer he agrees with the comment and then indicate what will be done to effect a change.
B)indicate that he or she will check with the administrator in order to buy some time.
C)disagree with the family member to save face.
D)request to discuss the topic at a scheduled conference.

Question 30

When teachers find that some of the parents of children typically pose difficulties, methods for involvement in their children's education

A)should be limited.
B)can include invitations to all family events, providing concrete examples of child's work, and eliciting parents' ideas and putting them into effect as possible.
C)can include being defensive to protect the policies and reputation of the school or center.
D)none of the above

Question 31

Assertiveness and aggression

A)often look, feel, and sound the same.
B)both discourage communication.
C)often lead to blaming others.
D)none of the above

Question 32

Self-assessments of conferencing skills

A)help teachers to keep in mind the varied and complex elements of effective conferencing.
B)are not necessary for experienced professionals.
C)may be too time consuming to be worth the outcomes.
D)none of the above

Question 33

Family systems theory claims that effective interpersonal communication is necessary for

A)modeling appropriate grammar and vocabulary for children.
B)establishing healthy, functional families.
C)making good first impressions.
D)avoiding unnecessary conflict.

Question 34

Use of a compliment sandwich during parent or family conferences indicates that

A)teachers begin and end the conference with positive comments.
B)teachers provide snacks for busy families.
C)providing positive comments when concerns arise help to balance the content of the conference.
D)both A and C

Question 35

Documentation of planned conferences with family members

A)should include the topics discussed, teacher and parent comments, and actions to be taken.
B)is only necessary when topics that have been discussed have a legal basis.
C)should only include teacher notes that were prepared prior to the conference.
D)should be written during the teacher's next planning period.

Question 36

Open-door policies for families whose children are enrolled in an early childhood education program

A)lead to a bit of chaos in the classroom and should be avoided.
B)are consistent with developmentally appropriate practices.
C)work when class sizes are relatively small.
D)encourage families to criticize the curriculum and approaches to learning.

Question 37

The characteristic of warmth in communication is useful because it

A)adds a pleasant feel to the professional environment.
B)offers an element of surprise in interactions.
C)encourages the recipients to let down their guard.
D)can help to overcome judgmental stances between teachers and families.

Question 38

Criticism

A)can be communicated in positive ways.
B)must be sugar-coated so that the meaning is vague.
C)will hardly ever lead to positive outcomes.
D)is best avoided.

Question 39

An understanding that is necessary to developing empathy is that

A)observations and interactions with others will lead to a deep understanding of their perspective.
B)studying psychology is the best way to understand feelings and views of others.
C)consider how you would feel in a similar circumstance and generalize that to others.
D)one cannot be aware of others' experiences and how those experiences have been perceived.

Question 40

When creating newsletters, the most important information should be located

A)in the center of the first page.
B)in the bottom right quarter of the first page.
C)in the upper left and upper right quarters of the page.
D)on the bottom of the back page, so that it will be the last content that is read.

Question 41

What qualities make an effective family-staff conference? Teachers should assess their knowledge, skills, and attitudes following a conference with a family.Describe at least 10 characteristics that a teacher might include in such a self-assessment.How will you use this information when planning conferences?

Question 42

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
should be shared through a variety of formats over different lengths of time

Question 43

Consider a teacher's use of (a) nonverbal communication, (b) giving and receiving criticism, and (c) conflict resolution.Describe ways in which she can be most effective in all three areas.

Question 44

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
process that allows teachers to repeat what they heard the family member say

Question 45

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
essential to all forms of communication between staff and families

Question 46

What type of situation do you believe will be difficult when interacting with families? Consider techniques from Chapter 8 and describe how you might implement one or more of them.

Question 47

Explain the importance of two-way communication for building relationships and describe multiple ways that early childhood educators may implement two-way communication with families.

Question 48

Family-teacher conferences are complex.Describe interpersonal communication factors and developmentally appropriate practices that must be considered in planning and implementing such conferences.

Question 49

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
important for healthy, functioning families and school partnerships

Question 50

Explain attitudes that are related to effective communication.How do you see attitudes influencing your communication ability?

Question 51

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
procedure that begins and ends with a positive statement

Question 52

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
process whereby teachers indicate that they value what the speaker is saying

Question 53

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
characteristics include honesty, openness, authenticity

Question 54

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
process whereby teachers speak from their own perspective and avoid offense to parents

Question 55

Explain six patterns of communication, including those that are known to vary by culture, and how they are used to increase effective interpersonal communication.

Question 56

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
effort to understand others and the underlying meaning of their behavior

Question 57

Match the numbered questions with the corresponding letter answer.
a.communication
b.genuineness
c.empathy
d.announcements
e.daily information sheets
f.compliment sandwich
g.confidentiality
h.active listening
i.reflecting
j.I-messages
provide specifics about individual children, including daily schedule and accomplishments