Welcoming Families From Around the World
This family has emigrated from the country down under,
Australia. In describing ways to prepare myself to be culturally responsive for
this Australian family, first thing I will do is to learn their cultural
alikeness to our cultural. Then I will make sure that the staff and I respect
the child and family home language. I will also prepare myself through the
reading of books and even videos to help with the understanding of their
culture, and will encourage the family to come to school and to the parents and
teachers meeting. Help them to adapt to our school system and the months that
we are in school. Then I would also learn key terms as well as the other
teacher of the child’s home surrounding to help the child to feel comfortable
in a new school.
These ways will help the family and me to feel
comfortable with the differences of the family as well as the difference that
they will encounter in a different country. The child and family will have to
adapt to the school year, and how our system works, because our school academic
year starts in August and runs through May, whereas their academic years goes
from February to December. We as professionals have to try and make the
transition as easily as possible for children who are different than the
majority.
Gloria,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct when you state that it is our job as professionals to make the transition of new students into our settings as easy as possible. You have some great ideas in making the transition more successful for the child and the family. I especially like the suggestion of inviting the family in to meet with the teachers. This shows the family that their thoughts and opinions matter to us and our willingness to collaborate for the success of the child.
Gloria,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post for this week, and I think you provided some great ideas for the arrival of your new student and his or her family. I also like your ideas for incorporating this new information for the other children and families into the classroom. And I completing agree with you, in regards to encouraging the new family to attend the parent meetings, and other functions at school, I do think that will help break the ice with not only the teachers and staff, but also with the other parents as well. Great Job!
Sylvia
I agree, as professionals we need to make the transition from home to school as easy as possible. There is not worse then a child having a bad experience with school and not wanting to go anymore. If a child is comfortable in the school setting they will succeed with ease.
ReplyDelete