“The culture of our school is very much “open door” from the office to the classrooms. Teachers are very accustomed to having other people come into the room ... that’s not always the case in every school. There are places where you are trespassing if you enter a teacher’s classroom. In our school, teachers see that culture as a place where we learn from one another, and how to improve the school is part of it.”
~Chelsea Family Literacy Program Participant, (Rivera & Lavan, 2012)
As educators become increasingly aware of the power of building positive relationships with their students, EAL educators have the unique opportunity to act as advocates for increasing the connection with parents as well.
Supporting the whole family’s involvement in school life should be viewed as essential practice for 21st century learning communities. Research tells us that by creating a ‘climate of care’, where all stakeholders feel welcomed and valued, we lay the groundwork for dynamic improvements in the effectiveness of our schools (Rivera & Lavan, 2012, pgs 256-257). This is particularly true for our multilingual learners who have historically experienced marginalization within English language academic settings. By strategically embracing the diversity within our communities, we:
Increase student achievement and sense of belonging
Increase parent satisfaction and self-efficacy
Develop greater cultural understanding and interaction for all stakeholders
Foster authentic partnership between home and school
“I have noticed...she’s a lot more comfortable in the school setting now, kind of jumps right in, obviously she knows our routine and that helps, but she seems to be more comfortable with the literacy activities that we are doing, and that’s great. The children seem to be doing better. Their achievement has improved.”
~Chelsea Family Literacy Program Participant, (Rivera & Lavan, 2012)
So, how do we transition to a model where every family, in large part because of their unique culture and language, feels welcomed and included in the fabric of our schools? How can we ensure that our diversity makes us stronger and that we avoid the mistake of dividing our community into those who have English proficiency and those who do not?
We must be strategic and intentional in the steps we take. We must look for ways to reshape our current school traditions to be more inclusive. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Six Tips for Creating a ‘Climate of Care’
Community Stories Publish a monthly newsletter profiling a different member of the parent community, highlighting their strengths, interests, and/or assets. Provide the resource in multiple formats and translated if possible.
Accessible Communication Share all important school information through a plethora of resources and ensure that the information is translated or disseminated in a way which enables easy translation (Zacharian & Silverstone, pg 14).
Survey Families At the beginning of the year, query parents to better understand their work schedules, cultural backgrounds, home languages, hopes for their children, and special skills. (Zacharian & Silverstone, pg 15)
School-Wide Potlucks Invite families to participate in a shared meal where the goal is to promote cultural understanding and build networks of open communication. Include school personnel who can act as translators (Zacharian & Silverstone, pg 14)
Curriculum Showcases Make student learning transparent and provide resources enabling parent support of student goals (Zacharian & Silverstone, pg 15)
Visiting Experts Invite every parent to visit the classroom throughout the year to share a skill or interest. Allow for multilingual participation and be prepared to support with translation services (Zacharian & Silverstone, pg 18)
Rivera, L., & Lavan, N. (2012). Family Literacy Practices and Parental Involvement of Latin American Immigrant Mothers. Journal of Latinos & Education, 11(4), 247. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2012.715500
Zacharian, D., & Silverstone, M. (2017). Building Partnerships: Through Classroom-Based Events.Educational Leadership,75(1), 12.