Welcoming Families From Around the World

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Welcoming Families From Around the World

A scenario to demonstrate strategies and classroom practices that welcome diversity:

A new family is enrolling in the Early Learning Center. They have recently moved from Brazil to live in our community. The family moved because the father works for an international company that needs his expertise in the Brazilian business culture to have successful work connections in the United States. The company has contacted the center about the enrollment of the preschool child. To prepare to greet the family and welcome the child to our program, we first, review the books, dolls, posters and music for integration of a variety of cultures. Next we take advantage of the public library and check out a c.d. with survival words and phrases in the official language of Brazil, Portuguese. To get the children ready, the teachers are asking them to think about ways they could help a new student that may not understand the words others are saying. The children decide to make picture signs to post around the room that shows what happens in each area.

When the family comes for their first visit to our center, we learn that they are Japanese Brazilians, from Sao Paulo, a very large and rich city in southern Brazil that is very diverse with industry from many global companies, with a significant Japanese community. The company provided an interpreter to help us discuss the family’s expectation for childcare and their goals for their child. It was good to have the opportunity to share authentic information and learn the unique culture of the family. We learned that many of the same opportunities of activities were available in their city as in our city. The parents said they could bring pictures of family activities for their child to share with the other children on their next visit. As a teaching team, they decided to invite all the children to bring pictures of a family activity or a story about a favorite family experience to share. The children and staff learned they had many of the same types of family experiences but also that other families may do things very differently. The teachers made note of the activities the children were most curious about and brought materials into the dramatic play area so the children could role play the ideas they were trying to understand. The teachers and parents planned to talk daily the first few weeks to discuss adjustments as challenges became apparent through interactions.

The efforts to welcome a new family we knew would need additional support not only benefited the new family, but brought excitement into the classroom about how each family is unique. The teachers established strategies that engaged all the children in sharing the diversity of their family culture and also in recognizing characteristics that were similar. The children and teachers made new connections in their social identities increasing the sense of belonging and reducing their fear of differences.

1 comment:

Karen DavisFebruary 24, 2013 at 3:36 PM
I like the efforts that you brought it to welcome your new family. It takes a team of effort to produce a great education program. If you get all the children involve in you class it will help your new family feel more welcome.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Personal Childhood Web

Joanie Peterson, my mother, was very engaged in my life from birth. I was the oldest and the only child until I was five. I was loved,my mother spent time with me by including me in whatever activities needed to be done. I remember the old tile floor in the kitchen that had to be waxed regularly. When the wax dried, my mother would give me an old towel to stand on and she would put on music and we would dance the twist until the tiles were buffed. My mother was finishing her bachelor degree in psychology and English during my first three years. I had the opportunity to meet lots of people in a community of shared values. I had time to play uninterrupted and my play was very creative and complex, with hours outside. I was read to and the value of learning was instilled in me early, but not in a competitive way, to be recognized as the best, but in a very personal way. Was I giving the task or the skill my best effort? Her approach to parenting developed intrinsic motivation in me. I am a great team player, motivated and satisfied to make sure the team does well. The measure of achievement is the level to which I tried my best. I can take a risk to take on a new challenge, because I know my mother will always love me. I value personal responsibility.

Rev. Merton Peterson, my father, was finishing seminary and pastoring his first church when I was born. I remember sitting on his lap, watching him type, helping fold bulletins, turning the handle on the old mimeograph machine, and going on home visits with him, when he needed to visit families from the church. We did not have material wealth, but I never felt poor We had enough that we could share. My did believed in me, when there was something I needed to do or learn he always spoke as though I had already mastered the task. I believe he spoke with confidence, because he has prayed for me every day of my life. Being a pastor's child means you learn manners, expectations and hospitality very early. We had lots of company. I loved giving up my bedroom and sleeping in a sleeping bag so the missionaries could have my room when they visited. I would listen to stories of their experiences in different countries and how they would help build homes and schools and grow crops wile they shared that Jesus loved them. I share my family's faith in God and the value that people are more important than things.

My extended family did not live close to me as I was growing up. But my grandmothers and aunt were prolific letter writers. We visited family every holiday, making holidays feel very special. I would listen to the adults share stories about family and friends. I knew that family were there for each other. My great-great grandparents were homesteaders. There was a strong sense of work ethic practiced. There were ranchers and there were farmers. It takes commitment and self determination to make it work. The entire family has to help to get the cattle in or harvest the crops. I remember the first time I was allowed to go on a cattle drive. I was probably seven. The strong connection to aunts, uncles and cousins as we spent the day on horseback gathering the cattle that were scattered among the trees and meadows in the foothills was exhilarating—I belonged, I was given worthwhile work. The farming family was an even stronger influence on my work ethic. When we visited the farm there was always tasks I could participate in: picking fruits and vegetables to can or freeze for my families use and when I got older picking melons or driving a tractor. It was part of being a member of my family. My family values hard work and integrity.

The church community provided a foundation of belonging and strength in conviction. Looking back I can appreciate that those families made sacrifices to make I had what I needed. The children were my friends, we could discuss the roles we were in and decisions we faced from a shared set of values. I never felt alone. As a community we looked out for each other. The community demonstrated living the values they held.

School Environment, Most people cannot imagine going to a school that houses children from kindergarten through senior high in the same building. Still the school community had enough diversity of values that it was a great place to have my values challenged and for me to exercise the decisions to stand true to my values. With only thirteen in my graduate class, but still the roles and functions of any school, there was so much opportunity to try out many different tasks. There were sports, student council officers, music, drama and clubs. I tried it all, because in a school that small everyone needs to get involved to have enough participants. My work ethic and integrity rewarded me with responsibility and opportunities. The most unusual was a flight class to learn to be a pilot, which included flight hours in a small plane. In the state I was raised, schools were the hub of activity for rural communities. Everyone came to all the events. People valued being together.

Wendy Newby - Have I asked the right question?

Saturday, February 23, 2013