As a teacher you need to be able to communicate with not only your students but your students’ parents or guardians as well. As I stated previously if I was the teacher of Mrs. Hopes first grade class I could have some major problems communicating to parents or guardians who do not speak English or do not know English well. If a parent or guardian does not understand English then they might not be able to help their child on homework. Also if I send letters home letting a parent or guardian know a student didn’t behave in class or has improved in class and they don’t understand what I am saying they will not be able to discipline their child or reward their child for doing a great job in school.
In order to better communicate with my students parents or guardians there are very simple steps that I could take to make both communication with the students parents easier for myself and the parents. For example if I need to have a parent teacher conference and I know the parents primary language is Spanish I can have a interpreter sit with me throughout the meeting. By having an Interpreter with me I would know that the parent is aware of what needed to be addressed in the meeting and would not be struggling to understand what I was saying. I would also be able to understand what the parent is saying. This would not only benefit the parents and me, but it would also benefit my students.
The second step I could take is have the homework instructions in English and Spanish, seeing as more than half of the students who attend Brown Long Elementary school are Spanish. Also, when writing notes home I can try to write the notes very simple using basic words. I can also put smiley faces or sad faces on the letters depending if the letters are about a student behaving badly or doing good in class. I know I am not going to be able to actively communicate 100% with all of my students parents but as long as I show the parents that I am trying, and try different methods to communicate with my students parents hopefully in the end my students will benefit from my efforts.
I immediately related this to Lisa Delpit. In Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other Peoples Children Delpit talks about how communication if very important not only for the teacher and his or her students, but communication is also very important between the teacher and the student’s parents. Without being able to communicate with your students parents may not give the parents the opportunity to communicate with their children on school related topics. Lisa Delpit believes there are rules for participating in power. In this case parents who speak Spanish are in power because more than half of the schools children are Spanish. Delpit explains that the “codes that relate to linguistic forms are communication strategies, and presentation of self; that is, ways of talking, ways of writing, ways of dressing, and ways of interacting”. Therefore as a teacher of a classroom where the majority of my students are Spanish if I present myself well to the parents, use different strategies to talk to them including an interpreter, use different writing techniques, and just show my students parents that I am a hard working teacher, dedicated to my students, I should be able to effectively communicate with my students parents.
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It is hard when it comes to communicating with an ELL's parents because most of the time they do not speak English. It is important for us to communicate with their parents so I'm glad you are not letting language become a barrier for you. It is a good idea to have an interpreter because this was done to me when i was younger since my parents do not speak English well. It is a difficult thing to go through but you have teachers that show that they care, it makes things a lot better. Lisa Delpit talks a lot about the importance their is when it comes to communicating and learning our students cultures at home.
ReplyDeleteHi Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI wonder about your conclusion that the Spanish-speaking parents are in power because the majority of students speak Spanish. Power or dominance does not always reside with the majority. Consider the apartheid of South Africa. English is the language of power in our society. You are correct, however, in your thinking that you will need to work hard at your communication with parents. Good ideas!
Keep me posted,
Dr. August