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. (NAEYC, 2010)

Brief Description of Evidence:

In my Early Childhood Education class 204 Families in Transition we did a Service Learning
Project. Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community
service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and
strengthen communities.

Analysis of What I Learned:

The Service Learning Project follows this foundation because you have to get involved with your
community, and develop respectful, reciprocal relationships with the people who are in need to complete
the assignment. When you start to help people that are in need you get attached and you develop
emotions that make you want to continue to help those in need. This assignment helps people understand
why we should get involved and why we should start doing these with our children and students so they
will want to be involved and help out as they get older.

How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:

I believe the Service Learning Project matches Urie Bronfenbrenner theory that everything in a
child and the child's environment affects how a child grows and develops. (Oswalt, 2008) He labeled
different levels of the environment that influence children's development. Everything effect how the child
grows; the more encouraging and nurturing these relationships and places are, the better the child will be
able to grow. This assignment helped me develop communication skills to help me help others. I would
like to use the skills I have grown while working with the community and bring them into the classroom
to help me communicate better with the families of the children in my care. This assignment also opened
my eyes to how something so simple and makes a big difference in someone elses life. I plan to always
encourage the families of my classroom to be involved in the classroom and care of their children.