For this week's scenario, I will use my current setting as a kindergarten teacher in a Christian school. I just found out that a child and her family from Iran will be joining my classroom in a few weeks.
The five ways I would prepare myself, my current students, and their families to be culturally responsive to this family would be:
1. To invite this family into my classroom for an observation day prior to the first day that she will be in our classroom. This will allow the child and her family to see what our school day is all about, the activities that we will be doing, what we believe in, and the culture of our classroom.
2. After their visit, I would take the opportunity to sit down with the family to gain specific information regarding their overall culture, family culture, what their expectations are from our classroom and school, and to answer any questions.
3. Knowing that their involvement in our school may be controversial with parents of children who are enrolled, I would try to plan a family culture night fairly close to the time that she starts to encourage the families to meet and greet each other and share a little more about what makes each family unique.
4. I would use the new student in the "Star of the Week" within the first two to three weeks of her arrival so that she would feel comfortable sharing more about herself and her family and to allow the other children to get to know her better.
5. I would address any insecurities or biases right away in order to ensure that misinformation is not passed on and so that our classroom culture of tolerance and acceptance is felt by her and her family.
My hope would be that using these preparations, the student and her family would feel a sense of welcoming and understanding within our classroom. Being prepared is one way that we can encourage the meshing of different cultures in our classroom and be sure that the uniqueness of each family is valued.
I really like your family culture night and the visit before the child starts school. Children benefit so much when their questions (who, what, where, when, how) are answered! I also agree that it is important to be aware of biases and prejudices that may occur- it shows that you understand the cultures of the families you already work with and make the effort to learn about the new ones.
ReplyDeleteStacy,
ReplyDeleteyou have some great ideas. I never thought about inviting the family into the classroom for an observation day prior to the first day. I also like the idea of you making the child the star student of the week.
I really enjoyed all of your steps to culturally responsive to the family from Iran. I really like the one about having a family culture night. Every month our school has a class meeting night. I am going to use this one as I first meeting night in September. What a great way to welcome families and for them to get to know each other in an informal setting.
ReplyDelete