Early Childhood Education: Family Systems Theory

Early Childhood Education
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Early Childhood Education
Theories
Family Systems Theory
The main concept in this theory is that the family is made up of members who are interrelated, and every member influences the other members in recurring and predictable ways (Christian, 2006). This theory is focused not on the behaviour of the individual, but rather on the behaviour of the family. The specific aspects of this theory that are connected to the visit experience are the family’s characteristics as a system. These characteristics are climate, rules, roles and boundaries.
Climate is about the physical and emotional environment that children grow up in (Ackerman, 2009). In relation to climate, I was able to observe staffs at Willowdale Ontario Early Year Centre, or simply Centre, work with families during the program by providing opportunities for families, especially the parents, to talk about their viewpoint regarding their youngsters including how they support their development and what they want for them. Through these discussions, the staffs learned how to support families in the best way possible as the families support their young ones. Moreover, the staffs created a classroom climate of healthy sensory experiences, constructive feedback and guidelines, as well as safety. This was important in making the children feel the school as a great place to be.
Rules refer to the sets of traditions, laws or standards which stipulate the way that people should live relative to one another. They might be unspoken or spoken (Christian, 2006). In relation to rules, staffs at the Centre were able to work with families by making distinctions between school rules and home rules, for example by allowing every child to serve themselves at mealtimes which was part of school rules, but not part of their home rules where meals are served by their parents. The staffs also watched for unspoken rules, particularly those that pertain to power, gender, and the way people treat one another. For example, while some activities such cooking and building structures were enjoyed by both boys and girls, it was important for the staffs to recognize that this might create a conflict in some traditional families. Furthermore, the staffs asked for assistance and input from families whenever disagreements over rules occurred. The parents shared information that was helpful in resolving some issues.
In every family, there are roles for the individual members, for example a victim, a rescuer, a clown, and a peacemaker. Every role has specific behavioural expectations (Christian, 2006). In relation to roles, I was able to observe staffs at the Centre work with families by giving the young ones opportunities to engage in role play in unstructured and structured situations. The staffs helped the children in experiencing new roles and working through their present roles. In the roles that they adopted, the staffs recognized the significance of the children’s cultural backgrounds. In addition, the staffs observed the children carefully and created situations that allowed each child to play different roles. The staffs also helped parents to identify the various strengths of their children by giving them a note that described the different strengths of the child.
Boundaries pertain to the limits, separateness and togetherness; that is, who or what is out of or in the family (Ackerman, 2009). In relation to boundaries, staffs at the Centre were able to work with families by avoiding stereotypes and familiarizing themselves with the cultural background of every individual student. They recognized different family boundaries and styles of parenting, and built on family strengths. They avoided labelling and did not allow personal bias to influence how they interacted with the families. They also respected families’ need for control by involving parents whenever they introduced new experiences, materials and/or ideas to their young ones. Equally important, staffs the Centre helped in balancing the curriculum and activities of the children to include both group and individual identity. This was important because whether their families are enmeshed or disengaged, the young ones needed opportunities of experiencing who they are not just as a part of a grouping, but also individually (Christian, 2006).
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Child Development
This model is also called the Ecological Systems Theory. It explains the way that the development of a child is affected by the world around them as well as by their social relationships. Conceptualized by Urie Bronfenbrenner, who is Russian American, the Ecological Model of Child Development states that the development of a child occurs through processes of increasingly intricate interactions between a child, and the symbols, individuals, and/or objects in his or her immediate surroundings (Bronfenbrenner, 2004). According to the model, the child is affected by and affects the environment wherein he/she spends time. He/she is at the centre of the model. The family is the most significant setting for the child given that the family is where the child spends a large portion of his/her time. The family also has the most emotional influence on her/him (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998).
In addition, the development of a child is contingent on what the child experiences in all the locations and surroundings that he/she spends his/her time in, for instance healthcare settings; early care and education programs; extended family; in addition to other community learning sites like playgrounds, libraries and neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the qua...