I teach kindergarten and am getting a student from Germany in my room next week. I will do whatever I can to prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards the child and her family. - I will research Germany to find out how their schools are different and similar to ours, what the family structure is like, what traditions, holidays, customs, and food are significant.
- I will try to learn a few key words in German, example: bathroom, backpack, food, water; in order to help my new student adjust and become comfortable in her new learning environment.
- I will speak to the students in my class and teach them a little about Germany. I will also show them ways to communicate with her even if she does not understand English.
- I will try to find some children’s book in German to have them in the classroom to help her feel at home.
- I will speak to the family (if they do not speak English, I will have a questionnaire in their native language) and ask them about their child, her past school experience, interests, and any other information they can give me. I will also ask them to share what their hopes and dreams are for their daughter and what they hope she will get out of her school experience.
I hope by taking these steps it will make the transition for the little girl and her family a little easier. I hope it will show the parents that I want them to be an important part of their child’s education and that school is a warm, inviting place where parents and educators work together for the benefit of the child.
Leigh:
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have some great ideas of helping the child and family see themselves reflected in their new classroom. Are you part of a public school system? I am wondering if the high school teachers who teach German in your school system would be willing to be a resource for you?
This reads as if you really are getting this student in your class, instead of just a make-believe scenario for this class. If that is the case, how apropos and a great way to share a real life situation to help us all learn more.
LouAnn
Leigh,
ReplyDeleteI was so busy preparing myself and the family for the arrival of a student from another country that I totally forgot about my current students! It is definitely important to prepare one's class about the arrival of someone who may look, speak, and behave differently. Thank you for including that in your assignment as I clearly overlooked it.
Caitlyn