Welcoming Families From Around the World

• The name of “your” family’s country of origin

The family’s country of origin I chose is Cape Town, South Africa. To be honestly, I don’t know much about this country except for the name of the city and the country. And I start getting to know people from this country since I work with colleagues who are original from South Africa.

• At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family

The five ways I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family are:

(1) I will search for resources about South Africa’s culture. Nowadays, it is much easier for us to look for information in various ways, such as from the public library, internet, or personal social networking. My first idea is to go find the books introducing about South Africa in whole aspects, like <Lonely Planet>, or any tourism readings. Having some general impression of a country can help me to prepare some relaxing and interesting topics when I meet the family. And also I am able to be given some instructions about the highlight and taboo of the country’s culture.

(2) I will find information through internet and social network sites. I think there are more to know and watch online in various forms, such as video, photographs, news and movies. So I can understand the country’s culture from the context in people’s conversations or their social interactions. This helps me to know how to be respectful when I speak and interact with the family.

(3) I will find chances to speak to my colleagues who are from South Africa, and if possible I will try to learn some basic words and sentences in their language so that when I meet to the child and the family I could greet and communicate with them in their language which to make them to feel they are welcome.

(4) I will send the message or announce to the whole class parents about the new joining family, as well as ask the class representative(s) or any volunteer parents can connect to the new one. In this way, the new family will not feel being isolated, instead they are encouraged to connect to other families who might have the similar situation like them, so that they can share their experiences or information, and support each other.

(5) I will ask the new parents if they speak other languages or their other mother tongue other than English. If yes, then I will try to help find out or provide the translated school documents/ translation for the family.

• A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family

I think in the process of understanding and learning the aspects of the new family’s culture is also expending my knowledge of knowing the world outside my life circle. As for the preparation mentioned above, when I meet to new family I am confident and being able to give the impression of open-minded to the family, so that they can feel they are respected and connected. And this is the foundation of building cooperative partnership with the family that it will benefit both my teaching activities, the child’s learning development, and school-family rapport in the future.