Outcomes
Participants will…
Understand the
importance of familyschool partnerships in
student success
Understanding the role of
school staff in helping all
students and families feel
a sense of belonging and
connectedness to school
Examine barriers and
opportunities to promote
equity for all students
Learn about culturally
responsive strategies for
creating positive family
and community
connections
Agenda
Time
8:30
10:15
Break
11:20
Adjourn
Topic
Welcome and introductions
Session overview
What do equitable learning communities look and feel
like for staff, students and families?
Why is family-school partnerships important for student
success?
What is my role in creating an inclusive learning
community?
What are key practices for creating positive family and
community connections?
Wrap up and Adjourn
District Equity Goal
• Staff and students will respect and understand the
importance of diverse cultures by consciously creating
inclusive and equitable learning environments and systems
that value and engage all students and their families.
District Responsiveness Goal
• The District will provide a culture and processes that are
open, proactive, equitable and responsive to student needs
and interests, (and that acknowledge the) contributions
and concerns of families and the community.
Family-school connections and
partnerships are important
Education is at the core of all vital
communities.
Family-school partnerships are at
the heart of culturally responsive
schools.
Families often play a critical role in
student success.
What do equitable
learning communities
look and feel like?
Equity Alliance at ASU
7
Cultural Responsiveness
is…
the overall approach one takes when delivering instruction,
using curricular materials, making decisions, including student
discipline; and interacting with students and their families.
the lens through which educators and staff see students and
their families.
the filter through which educators and staff listen to how
students and families express their needs and desires.
Understanding Culture as the Dynamic
Ingredient in Human Interaction
Cultural Histories
What people bring
with them
What’s already
there
The work people
do together
The Institutional Culture
The Culture We Create
Equity Alliance at ASU
nccrest@asu.edu
Understanding Culture as the Dynamic
Ingredient in Human Interaction
Cultural Histories
What people bring
with them
Equity Alliance at ASU
11
What is Culture?
Learned
Social
Culture is:
Dynamic
Education
Equity Alliance at ASU
Exploring
personal
identities
Activity
13
Understanding Culture as the Dynamic
Ingredient in Human Interaction
What’s already
there
The Institutional Culture
Equity Alliance at ASU
nccrest@asu.edu
Power, Privilege and Difference
Person of
Color
White
Privilege
& Power
Power & Privilege Activity
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
• In small group:
– Discuss the article
• Key points
• Provocative statements
– Generate a list of conditions
of privilege that your
assigned group may
experience.
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Group Discussion
Groups
1.White
2.English Language
Proficiency
3.Middle Class SES
4.Male
Understanding Culture as the Dynamic
Ingredient in Human Interaction
The work people
do together
The Culture We Create
Equity Alliance at ASU
nccrest@asu.edu
An Appreciative Perspective of
Family Diversity
Home languages and
cultures are seen as
strengths and enrich the
entire school community
Recognize diverse family
structures
Family/community
involvement linked
to student success
Focus on building trust
Value all families lived
experiences
Safe
Welcomed
Valued
Equity Alliance at ASU
21
Socio-Historical Context
Culture is not inherited;
rather we are socialized
to behave according to
traditions established
over generations
The cultures of schools
may or may not be in
harmony with the
culture each student
brings to school
Schools greatly
influence how young
people see themselves
and therefore need to
understand and validate
their backgrounds
Challenges Facing
Schools and Families
Achievement Disparities
Opportunity Gaps
Meaningful Home/School Engagement
Societal Pressures
Diverse Perspectives About Parent – Teacher Role
Explanations for
Achievement Disparities
Rationales
for
Schooling
Linguistic
Differences
Inferior
Education
Cultural
Differences
Societal
Racism
Au, 1998
Gaps in opportunities present
challenges for students and families.
Lack of information
“The student’s parents
don’t speak English. I
can’t communicate with
them.”
School/District Policies
Identification procedures
for Gifted Programs that
include cut of scores on
standardized test.
School/District
Practices
Housing New Comers
Program in one school
in the district. Students
attend that school,
irrespective of their
neighborhood.
Educators’
Beliefs
Parents who
care about their
children’s
education attend
parent-teacher
conferences.
Access to
Resources
AP and IB Course
Fees.
Economic Constraints
Patterns and History
Educational Mandates
Societal
factors
Demographic Shifts
Political Climate
Diverse Perspectives About
Parent – Teacher Role
Family’s role is to raise
“respectful, well-behaved
children and academic
instruction is the
teacher’s responsibility
Family’s role is to help
students be successful in
school by supporting academic
instruction at home and
collaborating with teachers
Barriers to School-Family Partnerships
Families’ disconnection to the school
community
Communication differences
Lack of information about school
expectations, programs and resources
Family isolation
People: Students, faculty,
administrators, staff, etc.
Policy: Federal and state mandates,
university and college policies, etc.
Practice: Pedagogy, procedures,
curricula, etc.
Equity Alliance at ASU
31
Culturally responsive family engagement
includes three key qualities:
1. Focusing on building trusting, collaborative
relationships among teachers, families, and
community members
2. Recognizing, respecting, and addressing families'
strengths and needs, as well as class and cultural
differences
3. Embracing a philosophy of partnership where
power and responsibility are shared
Transcending Barriers
Establishing a welcoming and family friendly
school community
Creating opportunities for collaboration
Becoming skilled in intercultural communication
Increasing families’ accessibility to information
Establishing a welcoming
and family friendly school
community
•Inviting facilities
•Availability and Time
•Two-way communication with
Families
•Varied and frequent opportunities
for positive interactions
•Engaging families in their
students’ learning experiences
Collaborating with
community centers and
houses of worship to
create after-school
programs
Providing opportunities
beyond open house and
conference nights for
parents, community
members and teachers
to interact
Making connections
with families in your
community
Creating
Opportunities
for
Collaboration
Alternative scheduling
to accommodate
families with busy
schedules
To effectively partner with diverse
families, educators must become skilled
intercultural communicators
Understanding differences
in communication styles
High Context/Low
Context Continuum
Nonverbal
Communication
Family Communication
Norms
Capacity to address
language diversity
Speakers of language
other than
English/Standard
English
Print Literacy
Increasing families’
accessibility to information
Interpreters
Translated materials
Multiple means of presenting
information (e.g. print, audio)
Increasing families’
accessibility to
information
Multiple means of
delivering information
Consistent monitoring of
information flow
Known methods for families to talk
with someone to address questions
Culturally Responsive Strategies to
Increase Family-School Partnerships
How well does your
school address the
barriers to
meaningful familyschool partnership?
Tools for Learning
Equity exists, in part, to the degree
that all students feel they belong,
are included, and are empowered.