Welcoming Families from Around the World

 

The following is a scenario describing how a teaching team can support a 4-year-old girl, Laetitia, from the country of Belize in the Caribbean as she and her family transition to a Head Start classroom in the United States of America.  To support the success of Laetitia and her family I am recommending we take the following steps so Laetitia feels welcome, safe and nurtured in the classroom at all times and our family services personnel can support the family in meeting their identified goals as a new family in the United States.

·        A picture of Laetitia’s home land will be posted in the classroom on her first day of school.

·        The teaching team will learn a few words in the French language; a greeting and manners such as ‘thank you’ and ‘you’re welcome’.

·        By conducting a home visit before Laetitia’s first day of school will ease her stress as she will be meeting the teaching team in the comfort of her home instead of meeting us for the first time in a new environment.  During this home visit the following action steps will be completed:

o   Using a digital camera we will take a picture of Laetitia so we can take the photograph and put on her cubby next to her printed name;

o   Using a digital camera we will take a family picture so on the first day of school Laetitia can take the framed photograph and place it on our bookshelf with other family photographs.

o   We will record either Laetitia’s mom or dad pronouncing Laetitia’s name so all adults working with Laetitia’s at the Head Start center will listen to the recording in hopes we can all pronounce Laetitia’s name correctly before the first day of school.

o   During our interview with the family we will ask the family if they have a traditional meal that we could include in our breakfast or lunch menu.

o   A formal invitation written in French will be extended to the family inviting them to the classroom to share information about their culture with other children in the classroom.  This invitation will be extended several times throughout the school year.  (An interpreter will be available to translate from French to English)