Working in a preschool I have encountered children whose families have emigrated from countries I knew nothing about. We did our best to make the families feel welcome, but I see now many more things we could have done to integrate their culture into our classrooms. We had a little boy from Kenya one year. I tried to learn a few phrases in Swahili from his mother. We both enjoyed the process and laughed at my attempts and she was very pleased when ever I tried to greet her in her home language. As Derman-Sparks & Edwards asserted: "Teachers who create learning environments that incorporate and build upon children's home cultures promote healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development and academic achievement" (2010, p. 61). If I could go back and prepare for the little boy from Kenya to join our school again or if we ever have the opportunity to have another Kenyan child with us I would do the following:
1. I would contact our local Social Service Agency to find our what kind of support services are available to immigrants from Kenya. I would make contact with someone from the Kenyan network who could interpret for me if the family does not know English.
2. Before meeting the family, I would ask the interpreter to educate me on Kenyan practices regarding child rearing, communication practices (personal space, eye contact), and family hierarchy. According to Vesely & Ginsberg, those who understand the culture can help build bridges of trust with immigrant families (2011). My attempts to bring Kenyan culture into our classroom may rely heavily on volunteers from the Kenyan community to bridge communication with the family as well as within the classroom. Child development classes would be provided and potentially lead to further education and employment if the volunteers show interest.
3. Equipped with some general knowledge of Kenyan culture and with someone to scaffold communication I would arrange for a home visit. I would use that initial visit to establish trust, try to answer any questions they may have about the program, and connect them with resources in the community.
4. Once an initial relationship is started I would make another visit to observe the child's role in the family and learn from the parents what their goals are for their child. I would express that information they can give me regarding their child helps me individualize my instruction and better meet his or her needs. If they are willing to share, I would like to learn about their life in Kenya and ask for something I might display in our classroom as a source of comfort and pride for their child.
5. Within the classroom I could display Kenya's flag, pictures of people in traditional Kenyan clothing, and have Kenyan musical instruments or toys available in centers (Vesely et al., 2011).
6. I would invite parents to volunteer in the classroom scaffolding language for their child or if they are not confident with their English, ask a volunteer from the Kenyan community to interpret. I would encourage them to teach basic words and phrases to the rest of the class. I would label toys and centers within the classroom in English and Swahili and have words of welcome written in English and Swahili at the entrance to the room. I would personally check to make sure written communication from preschool is being understood and if it is not, arrange for it to be interpreted.
Showing a genuine desire to learn a family's culture and to respect what is important to them is significant in building a mutual trust. As with any family, once they realize your main concern is the welfare of their child, they are willing to partner with you and support your efforts.
Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. New York, NY: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Vesely, C., & Ginsberg, M. (2011). Stategise and practices for working with imigrant families in early education programs. Young Children, 66(1), 84-89.
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteI think I know what you mean when sharing how the mother enjoyed when you greeted her in Swahili. I have seen and heard how some Latino families were pleased when my non-Spanish speaking co-workers greeted them or tried to establish communication with families in Spanish. The families really appreciated the efforts teachers made, and also commented they would make their extra efforts and learn more English. Comments like this one reminded me that teachers are always perceived as role models.
Thanks for sharing Suzanne!
I really enjoyed your post, you had a lot of great ideas! I never thought about contacting the social service agency to find out about supports they may have for people from different countries. I also liked your idea of having the parents come in and scaffold language and help teach the language to other kids. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteSuzanne,
ReplyDeleteYou have a strong strategy for researching the family. I also find that it is equally important to interview the family to learn more about their customs, beliefs, and values. I have learned that people from the same country do not always share the religious or traditional customs. Therefore, it is important to address the individual.
Hi Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteNice post. I liked all the possible approaches you shared to make a child confident and welcomed. “Families are a critical piece in shaping children's values” (Hyland, 2010). Involving them in their child’s learning can indeed foster positive development.
Hyland, N. E. (2010). Social justice in early childhood classrooms what the research tells us. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 82--87
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. You gave lots of great strategies to help be prepared for your new student and the family. I think all your strategies are going to demonstrate to the child and family that you value them and respect who they are. I agree with you - home visits are a great strategy because it allows teachers to see the child in his/her comfortable surroundings. Home visits allow the teacher a chance to learn more about the child and family just by seeing their home and observing how they interact. Meeting the family on their terms lets them know you want to get to know them better and you value their customs, culture, and beliefs.
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteYou were explicit and thorough in your intent to be culturally responsive.
I liked the part about meeting with the family and talking to them about the goals that they have for their child, that is key!
Millie