Welcoming Families From Around the World

                                                By Lisa Martin

I am sure as a preschool teacher working with a very diverse population I will encounter families from countries I know nothing about. However, as a professional committed to learning all I can about the children and families I serve, this is not a deterrent or obstacle, but an opportunity and challenge. For example, if I were to have a new child whose family came from the Russian state of Chechnya recently I would take steps to learn about the country and its culture. Some of the steps I might take are:

1.   Go online and get a quick history lesson on Chechnya. I would learn they have experienced a great deal of violence in their quest for independence since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 2001, and the majority of the people are Muslim. (Lohr, 2013).

2.   I will engage in dialogue with the family aimed at demonstrating a genuine interest in their expectations and desires for their child, which will provide opportunity for the family to share with me information about their family culture and history.

3.   I will make sure the family feels welcomed in our classroom environment. I will work with the family and empower them so they fully understand their rights as parents and the importance of their involvement and contributions to their child’s education, so that we may collaborate in the best interest of the child. I will also support them in becoming acclimated to the American culture.

4.   I will promote equity through the curriculum and in all interactions with children, families, and colleagues. We must lead by example, and my behavior and actions will speak to my dedication to equity and justice for all. I will be an intentional listener and culturally responsive communicator, making sure the family understands our commitment to inclusion and equity. I want my words and actions to tell families that they and their culture are valued.

5.   I will find creative ways to introduce the new Chechen child’s culture to the other children and allow for open discussion of cultural differences. We can add a map of Russia to the other classroom maps if we do not have one already and mark the new child’s state on it. We can read books about children in Russia.

6.   I would also make a visit to the home. Basically, I will do everything in my power to make them feel comfortable and included in the early education environment.

I hope that if I do these things the child will develop a positive self-image and learn to appreciate difference. More importantly, I want them to value their own social identities, acknowledge their privilege, and not internalize oppression. Children shape their self-identity based on how others perceive them. “Unless the larger society values ad includes a child’s home culture, children as young as 3 and 4 may internalize a sense of not belonging and of themselves and their family as somehow being wrong” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 58). I want each of the families I serve to know I respect them and their culture, and I empathize with their struggles, and will make every attempt to understand their issues. I believe that if I make every effort to learn about my families’ cultures and support my immigrant families as they adjust to life in a new country, I will forge the type of relationships based on mutual trust and respect that lead to powerful partnerships and success for the child.

References:

Derma-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010).  Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Lohr, E. (2013, April). What we know about Chechnya? CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/20/opinion/lohr-chechnya-dagestan/index.html.