Maya Angelou once wrote, “At our best level of existence, we are parts of a family, and at our highest level of achievement, we work to keep the family alive.”

What does this quote mean to you? How does it resonate with you?

In this quote, Angelou highlights the role that families play in an individual’s, in this case a child’s, development. As humans, we are born into families and are raised in family units, each with its own strengths, challenges, and characteristics.

Such specific characteristics, for instance socioeconomic status, influence how children learn and the learning experiences to which they are exposed. At every stage in our lives, we exist and conduct ourselves in relation to our family (either the one you are born into or the one you build as an adult).

Take a few moments to jot down some of your ideas about the messages you’ve received at any point in life regarding how to raise a child, especially a child who is a multilingual learner. These messages can be explicit or implicit. For instance, maybe your friend told you directly, or maybe it’s a common theme you have seen in movies.

It is very important that professionals reflect on their values about language and child-rearing to examine how it affects their work. It’s easy to be unintentionally prejudiced about raising and teaching young children. People can be very firm and rigid in their views and educators must be aware of how that influences their interactions and recommendations.

One example is breastfeeding. Opinions vary regarding how long a child should breastfeed, yet sometimes professionals react negatively when they learn that a toddler is still breastfeeding. Mothers and families can view this reaction as disrespectful.

One way for professionals to communicate with families is to talk with them openly about their feelings surrounding various topics. To continue with the breastfeeding example, sometimes mothers enjoy breastfeeding and find it to be a positive aspect of their relationship with their child, while others desperately want to wean their child but are unable to. Based on their feelings, professionals can support the family as needed without imposing their personal beliefs.

Foundations of Family-Centered Practice

Now we will dive into family-centered practice. Both historically and currently, the United States education system has not aligned with the goals and values of families and children who are multilingual learners. This is especially true for families of color. People in power who shape the education system have imposed their own ideas of “best practices” for years, contributing to the erasure of families’ cultures. To practice culturally sustaining pedagogy educators must recognize families as centers of children’s learning.

Engaging families is essential in educating young children who are multilingual learners because their families are experts on their child’s language, culture, interests, and abilities.

Educators develop collaborative relationships with families through mutual respect, trust, and open communication. They value cultural similarities and differences.

Educators team with families by listening to them and respecting what they know about their children and family culture. Educators also share information about supporting children to develop to their fullest potential and offer families suggestions they can use at home. This knowledge-sharing is essential when working with young children who are multilingual learners and their families. Educators can show families how their home language helps their children learn other oral and written languages, such as English.

Form mutually respectful partnerships that engage families in their child’s development. Find the resources to communicate effectively with family members who speak a different language and learn as much as possible about a family’s language and culture.

Respect different languages and cultures. Be aware of your facial expressions, body language, and time spent speaking versus listening in conversation. Allow families to speak completely and respect their boundaries (When they choose not to speak, when they seem uncomfortable about a certain topic, etc.)

Listen to listen, not to respond–avoid giving unsolicited advice.

References

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. (2018). Partnering with families of children who are dual language learners. [Website]

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start. National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement. (n.d.) Building partnerships: Guide to developing relationships with families. [PDF]