09 Nov A Letter to Parents
We have been discussing the best ways to communicate with families, and in Chapter 10 we discussed ways to have families visit the classroom. As you have read on page 267, it is very important for teachers to consider family structures, family cultures, and family lifestyles when providing opportunities for families to be involved in the classroom. In order to have all families feel accepted, included and appreciated, you want to considered who are the members of this family, what language do they speak, what are possible dietary needs, what religions do they represent, what is their socio-economic status, do they have transportation?
You will need to complete the Apply the Chapter Concepts: Case in Point on page 278 (see attached file). Read the letter sent to parents and then answer the questions. Be sure to answer the questions as if you were the parent and you are sharing your perspective. Think about the challenges and priorities of the single mother, the single father, the family of the Muslim faith, the family with English as a second language. You may want to do some additional research on these various family structures, such as dietary needs of the Muslim faith, and first language of those immigrating from the Middle East. Once you answer the questions, you will need to rewrite the letter considering the following:
Family Structureprimary caregivers? Divorced parents? Grandparents? Blended families? Foster parents? Same-sex parents? Family members with disabilities? Teenaged parents?
Family Cultureknow religious backgrounds, holiday celebrations, dietary restrictions, languages, spoken, and child rearing views and education
Family Lifestyle-daily challenges and routines effecting familiesjobs, transportation, disabilities, access to phone or computer, income, etc.
So, remember there are 2 parts to this Case Study: Read the letter, answer the questions thoroughly, and rewrite the letter in a more appropriate way.
