Contributed by Joy Hamm
What draws families and builds connections between home and school?
Our English Learners (ELs) are engaged in a complex set of relationships and cultural worlds that influence their school experience (Epstein, 1995). Factors outside of school walls affect the achievement taking place in the classroom, therefore our role as English language teachers includes fostering partnerships between our EL families and schools (Harris et al, 2009; Goodall, 2018).
The following suggestions may be useful as you contemplate how you can build bridges to connect EL families with your school.
1. Open House or Orientation meeting specifically tailored to EL families. Basic procedures such as dress code, school lunch program, what a typical student day looks like, how to set up a “homework zone” etc are helpful for families who may be unfamiliar with processes in the USA. Brochures sent home in the native language could be another idea to help families gain an awareness of school culture.
2. Call home. Parents may work late into the evening, making it difficult to participate in school events. They can still stay connected through a quick call or text home alerting them to positive feedback on their child’s progress. TalkingPoints.org (or app) is an excellent tool to communicate with parents as it translates your text into their native language and vice versa.
3. Visit families where they feel safe. Home visits take time, however the benefits of increased family trust and mutual understanding make it worthwhile. To be more efficient, find a public place where a majority of your EL families congregate. This may include a church, international grocery store, or restaurant. Not only are you connecting with multiple families at the same time, but you get to experience a taste of their culture as well!
4. Partner with the community. For example, Winston-Salem is home to the Hispanic League and the YMCA Latino Achievers programs, both of which provide extensive resources, scholarships, and aid for EL families. Many libraries and community colleges offer classes or family programs as well. Don’t recreate the wheel if there are already well-established community organizations that are eager to partner with you and your school.
5. Infuse cultural appreciation. An international night may seem too daunting or may not be feasible at this time. Start small. Ask for family permission and have your students video their parents either telling a story about their culture or filming 3 minutes of a typical evening at home. Most families have access to smartphones and are willing to capture who they are on film. Share with teachers at a staff meeting to deepen cultural competency and appreciation. This is a great way to learn about ELs’ personalities and strengths that may not be visible at school.
Hopefully this list sparks your own ideas to expand connections with EL families this school year. Please comment below to share other suggestions to build bridges with our families!
References
Epstein, J. 1995. “School/Family/Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share.” Phi Delta Kappan 76: 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009200326
Harris, A., K. Andrew- Power, and J. Goodall. 2009. Do Parents Know They Matter? Raising Achievement Through Parental Engagement. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Goodall, Janet. Guest Editor (2018) Leading for parental engagement: working towards partnership, School Leadership & Management, 38:2, 143-146, DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2018.1459022
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