Welcoming Families from Around the World

As President Obama stated in a recent speech, "we are and always will be a nation of immigrants." Families from all corners of the globe have long traveled to the United States in search of the jobs, safety, and a brighter future for their families.  Today, this remains true as larger numbers of immigrant populations effect our demographics, fuel a political debate, and influence change in our culture that requires a new degree of response from the American people.  As early childhood professionals, we are often among the welcoming committee, as it were, and hold a unique opportunity to help immigrant families integrate into the community, educational system, and social resources while preserving their own unique identity, culture and pride.  While this is a noble goal, questions regarding best practices in doing so must be addressed.

As an exercise in my Master's program on Teaching and Diversity, we were challenged to imagine five ways we would prepare ourselves to be culturally responsive to a young child and their family from a country we knew nothing about.  In truth, not being familiar with the country of origin can be beneficial as it may often eliminate assumptions and stereotypes that might be misrepresentative of the child's actual culture.  The following are five actions I would choose to take with a family from United Arab Immigrants (which is a area I do not fully understand geographically, ethnically or culturally).

1.  Do my research.  I would learn as much as I could about the region and culture of the immigrant family entering my program.  Doing so helps me increase my own cultural interest and awareness, offers some starting points for conversation, and is a show of honor and respect.

2.  Investigate the languages spoken by the family in order to find the best possible means of communication including involving a translator.

3.  Make no assumptions about the family.  Instead I would want to ask questions about their particular family culture, story, challenges, and dreams through informal conversation.  In particular, I would want to learn more about the individual family dynamic, who should be addressed in regard to the child's education, ethnic or religious attitudes and observances, as well as what I could do for them to answer any questions or alleviate any fears about entering into the educational system with their child.  In this way, I would hope to establish rapport and respect with the family as well as understanding of the child and any challenges they may face in my classroom.

4.  Make a home visit.  This gives me an opportunity to observe many nuances of the family that may not easily translate in conversation.  It also helps to establish trust and security for the child during a transition and adjustment period between home and school.

5.  I would work to incorporate aspects of the immigrant family's culture into my classroom and curriculum.  By inviting and engaging the family in various ways in my classroom, I also invite them to become teachers and a resource for a community to learn to about, respect and celebrate the unique differences and perspectives they bring.  Helping the family feel valued for their own culture helps the child to establish positive feelings of pride and aides in the integration process.