9.2 Family Relationships with Programs, Schools, and Teachers
9.2 Family Relationships with Programs, Schools, and Teachers
Ardene Niemer, M.Ed.
“It’s our responsibility to design a system that helps all children and families to thrive.”
Ross Hunter, Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (2018, para. 3)
When families are actively engaged in their children’s education, it leads to positive outcomes for students (Durisic & Bunijevac, 2017). By strengthening communication between parents, teachers, and students, we can improve academic performance, promote good behavior, and create a welcoming school environment. Educators work together with families to ensure that every child has the support and resources they need to succeed.
Parents can provide invaluable insights to you as the child’s teacher, supporting the teacher to be more effective in their work. Parents are an indispensable asset to the instructional program, and their engagement can make all the difference in their child’s education.
Family Expectations and Culture
All families care about their children and their children’s success in school. However, there are often cultural differences and expectations at play. Families have shared that in many cultures around the world, teachers are held in high regard and respected as experts in their field (Walker, 2019). In some cultures, teachers have a higher status and are believed to always be right in what they say and how they teach. It is critical that we remember that for many families it would be seen as disrespectful to question a teacher or get involved in their classroom teaching in any way. Therefore, remember that for many families, it would be uncommon for the family to visit their children’s schools or talk with or ask questions of their teachers. This is a primary reason that immigrant families often find their new role as the teacher’s “partner” confusing (Breiseth et al., 2015).
The reasons why some families may not engage with a school or program in traditional involvement activities vary. Some families may feel teachers know better than the family about how to educate their children. Culturally defined roles of parenting and teaching may differ for families who were raised in other countries, or in various U.S. communities with more defined educational roles. Still other families may have work or family responsibilities that make engaging with volunteer or other family-teacher conferences difficult or impossible (IRIS Center, n.d.).
The connections and relationships that an ECE professional builds with families will support the children in understanding the importance of rapport, especially when it comes to interactions that could be tense or emotional. An example of a tool that can be used to enhance opportunities to build relationships with teachers is use of the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) to discuss child development and developmental milestones (Muthusamy et al., 2022). The way in which an ECE professional might interact with a family member in this shared