Reflective Analysis of Portfolio Artifact

Rationale/Reflection
NAEYC Standard:
STANDARD 2. BUI LDI NG FAMI LY AND COMMUNI TY RELATI ONSHI PS
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. (NAEYC, 2010)

Brief Description of Evidence:
During the fall semester of 2013 during my ECED 204- Families in Transition course, collaboratively I
worked with a small group of peers on a family scenarios project. The families scenarios project required us
to find community resources for our family in transition. Each week our family was given a new situation they
needed help to overcome and we had to find community resources that would be beneficial to them to help them
get through the family crisis.
Analysis of What I Learned:
Through completion of this family scenarios project I realized just how many community resources
there are to help out many different families. Many times, I myself didnt know that the resources were out
there, and some resources were hard to find. This project opened my eyes at how important it is to know your
community and make connections inside your community. I also realized that any type of family can be a
family in crisis. Many times people have an idea that only a certain type of family would be in a situation to
need help, but through the class I saw how at the drop of a hat any family could become that family in crisis.
How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:
By completing this assignment I was able to seek out resources for our family in need. Doing this
project allowed myself to be more aware of what resources are out there and in return will allow me to help
future families in need. I now know how to successfully search for resources that will help families in many
situations, whether it is fun community activities for the children, or financial help for families. This project
may have been just a simulated family in need, but I now realize that I will be more than just an educator but
also someone that families may reach out to for help, so it is important that I know my community and they
know me. This familys scenarios project ties into Bronfenbrenners idea of ecological system. The child is in
the center of the system, his/her family, peers, teachers, neighbors, etc. surrounds them, and then you have the
relationships between those in their life, i.e. parent/teacher relationships, then how his/her culture may affect
those relationships and interactions.