Transcript Slide 1
Outcomes Participants will… Family-school connections and partnerships are important Socio-Historical Context Culture is not inherited; rather we are socialized to behave according to traditions established over generations The cultures of schools may or may not be in harmony with the culture each student brings to school Schools greatly influence how young people see themselves and therefore need to understand and validate their backgrounds Challenges Facing Schools and Families Explanations for Achievement Disparities Rationales for Schooling Linguistic Differences Inferior Education Cultural Differences Societal Racism Au, 1998 Gaps in opportunities present challenges for students and families. Lack of information “The student’s parents don’t speak English. I can’t communicate with them.” School/District Policies Identification procedures for Gifted Programs that include cut of scores on standardized test. School/District Practices Housing New Comers Program in one school in the district. Students attend that school, irrespective of their neighborhood. Educators’ Beliefs Parents who care about their children’s education attend parent-teacher conferences. Access to Resources AP and IB Course Fees. Economic Constraints Patterns and History Educational Mandates Societal Pressures Demographic Shifts Current Political Climate Diverse Perspectives About Parent – Teacher Role Families’ role is to raise “respectful, well-behaved children and academic instruction is the teacher’s responsibility Families’ role is to help students be successful in school by supporting academic instruction at home and collaborating with teachers Barriers to School-Family Partnerships Families’ disconnection to the school community Communication differences Lack of information about school expectations, programs and resources Family Isolation Culturally responsive family engagement includes three key qualities: 1. Focusing on building trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members 2. Recognizing, respecting, and addressing families' strengths and needs, as well as class and cultural differences 3. Embracing a philosophy of partnership where power and responsibility are shared Appreciative Model of Diverse Families See home language and culture as strengths to be built upon Recognize diverse family structures Family/community involvement linked to student success Focus on building trust Values families lived experience Transcending Barriers Establishing a welcoming and family friendly school community Creating opportunities for collaboration Becoming skilled in intercultural communication Increasing families’ accessibility to information Establishing a welcoming and family friendly school community •Inviting facilities •Availability and Time •Two-way communication with Families •Varied and frequent opportunities for positive interactions •Engaging families in their students’ learning experiences Collaborating with community centers and houses of worship to create after-school programs Making connections with families in your community Providing opportunities beyond open house and conference nights for parents, community members and teachers to interact Creating Opportunities for Collaboration Alternative scheduling to accommodate families with busy schedules To effectively partner with diverse families, educators must become skilled intercultural communicators Understanding differences in communication styles High Context/Low Context Continuum Nonverbal Communication Family Communication Norms Capacity to address Language Diversity Speakers of language other than English/Standard English Print Literacy Interpreters Known methods for families to talk with someone to address questions Consistent monitoring of information flow Increasing families’ accessibility to information Multiple means of delivering information Translated materials Multiple means of presenting information (e.g. print, audio) Culturally Responsive Strategies to Increase Family-School Partnerships How well does your school transcend the barriers to meaningful familyschool partnership? Improving family and school partnerships require a shift in how schools think about family involvement. Tools for Learning Equity exists, in part, to the degree that all students feel they belong, are included, and are empowered.