Article 2

  Home visits

Review 1

     Although home visits are considered an invasion of privacy for some, both parents, and educators can derive positive benefits from home visits. Home visits can encourage open lines of communications between the teacher(s) and parents which are beneficial for children, ensure their physical and mental welfare, and encourage family involvement

     Many schools and agencies use home visits as part of their parent-teacher conferences and education plans and policies. One of the largest agencies in the United States that uses home visits is Head Start. Head Start offers free comprehensive preschool and in-home educational and social services, to families that qualify based on their income, government assistance, and homelessness.  The most common practice is to have one home visit before a child starts into the program, and one at the end of the school year. This practice varies depending on which part of the United States they live in, the university or school district that funds the local Head Start and their individual policies.

     The article reviewed was from Clatsop County, Oregon, which is in the very northwest corner of Oregon. The county is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Columbia River as it flows into the ocean on the north, and old-growth rain forests on the south and east. The reason for giving some geological background is so the reader can understand how remote this area is and the sparse population of only 37,000.

     Depending on what part of the county a family is living in they, have the option of one of three different Head Start preschools. Each preschool consists of a three and a one half morning or afternoon session during which the children are provided with a structured atmosphere.  The atmosphere consists of greeting circles, academic lessons, such as math, science, geography, and literacy, and social skills, such as eating and brushing their teeth in groups. They are also free to socialize and explore during free time.

    

Review 2

     Each year the Clatsop County Head Start child advocate makes three home visits to the families of students enrolled in the program. These home visits help the families set goals, making sure the children are getting proper medical and dental examinations and help assess the child’s nutrition (Stratton, 2013).  

    The teachers and teaching assistants may do up to an additional nine yearly educational home visits.

These visits are an essential part of their curriculum and help keep the lines of communication open between the teacher and parent. Because the students go to preschool for four days of the week, Tuesday through Friday, Mondays are reserved for the teachers to do home visits.  On Mondays the teachers can go into the home for an hour and a half and work with parents and children. By going into the student’s home the staff can support learning on an individualized basis. “We believe very much that parents are the primary teachers of children” (Stratton, 2013).

     In a time when instant is the current and accepted mode of communication, it is crucial as educators that we do not lose sight of the perspective benefits of face-to-face contact. Although our current time allotment does not always make this feasible, the benefits that result from such meetings should not be overlooked.