Welcoming Families from Around the World

Besides knowing her name, five ways I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this child and her family is:

1.      create a profile sheet to ground myself in the life of this child and her family. On the profile, I want to know:

a.       how many children are in the family?                        

b.      What order is the child? 1^st, middle, baby?

c.       Does she and the family speak English?

d.      What was the last grade she attended?

e.       How old is she? Is she shy? talkative?

f.       Does she have a favorite food? color? shape? song? book?

g.      Does she have any family in the school? Neighbors?

h.      Does she have any allergies?

2.     During free play, I would also observe and ask her questions to see where she is academically?

3.      I would introduce her to the classroom children and invite them to play with her until she becomes comfortable and ventures out on her own

4.      Give her a disposable camera and teach her how to take pictures of her and her family then, help her paste her pictures inside so she can make a book of her family to share with the class

5.       I would find Jamaica on the map and place a small picture of her on it.

7.      I would find out how to say “good morning” and “good-bye, see you tomorrow” in her native language.

8.      I would also teach her to 'sign' some  words we are all all using in the classroom

9.      I would find out some important facts about Jamaica from a picture book and share it with the class 

My goal is to learn as much as I can about my new student; get to know her, her culture and her family so she will feel important to me; make new friends and feel comfortable.

Reference

Boutte, G. (2008). Beyond the illusion of diversity: How early childhood teachers can promote  

            social justice. Social Studies, 99(4), 165--173.