Mana Families helps your family and your child's educators or teachers build a shared understanding of your child. You bring knowledge from family life. They bring what they notice at nursery, preschool, kindergarten or another early learning setting. Your child's interests, experiences and voice bring the conversation together.
What do we mean by a “two-player game”?
When we describe Mana as a two-player game, the two players are families and educators working together. Each brings knowledge the other may not have. Both take part in understanding and supporting your child.
Your family knows the people, routines, languages, interests and experiences that matter to your child. Educators may see another side of your child as they play, explore and spend time with others in their early learning setting.
We call this co-contribution: families and educators each adding their knowledge to the conversation about a child's learning. Your questions, ideas and observations all have a place. Your child is an active part of this, too: pay attention to what they choose, say, enjoy and want to explore.
What is different about Mana's approach?
Mana's approach makes room for a conversation that goes both ways. An educator shares what they are noticing in their early learning setting. Your family adds an observation, question or experience from home. Educators can consider that perspective as they think about what to explore with your child next.
In everyday life, that could mean telling an educator that your child has been fascinated by the insects you have seen together. The educator might connect that interest with something they have noticed outdoors in their early learning setting. Together, you have a starting point for deciding what to explore with your child next.
The purpose of a family contribution is to add something meaningful to that shared understanding. A useful contribution can be a small detail that helps an educator see an experience differently.
What developmental idea sits behind this?
Psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological approach looks at children's development through their relationships and everyday settings, including family life, early learning and the wider community. It also pays attention to the connections between those settings, known as the mesosystem. For Mana, the connection between home and early learning is the part we want to help families and educators strengthen. Read about Bronfenbrenner's ecological approach.
Bronfenbrenner's later work with Pamela Morris emphasises the ongoing interactions children have with people and their surroundings, in the context of their own lives and over time. Read about the bioecological model.
That helps explain Mana's focus on returning to an idea and noticing what happens. When your child is interested, revisiting an activity gives you another opportunity to play, respond and explore together. Follow their response and adapt the experience to your family. Sharing what you notice gives educators something to discuss and build on with you.
What can I contribute?
A useful family contribution can start with an ordinary moment. You might share:
Something your child said, tried or kept returning to.
A family tradition, home language or familiar routine that helps educators understand your child.
An interest or question you would like to explore together.
Something that felt different from what an educator noticed in their early learning setting.
Use your own words and focus on what you want the educator to understand. For example: “She has been sorting everyone's shoes into pairs this week. Have you noticed her grouping things too?”
What if we see things differently?
Different family and educator observations can be a useful reason to talk. Describe what you have noticed and the circumstances, then ask about the educator's experience. Together, you can explore what each perspective adds and what might be helpful for your child next.
Your family's language, culture, values and hopes for your child belong in that conversation. Share what matters to your family and ask how you and your child's educators can build on it together.