Abstract
In this chapter, the authors focus on research-based strategies that support teachers to learn about the assets and wealth that culturally and linguistically marginalized (CLM) families possess. The authors explore how to support CLM families' agency to engage with their children's schooling in ways that specifically reflect these families' needs and strengths. Across this chapter, the authors will respond to the following questions: (1) Who are CLM families? (2) What are issues in teacher-family collaboration? (3) What are concrete strategies for collaborating with CLM families at the transition to schooling? (4) How can researchers and practitioners empower teachers and support families to collaborate in service of children? (5) What do researchers and practitioners still need to learn about collaboration with CLM families, and how might they learn it? The authors offer specific recommendations for teachers working with CLM families, as well as insight into the challenges and possible future directions in this area of research.
TopIntroduction
The transition from home to school, when children begin formal schooling, can be challenging for children and families alike. While the transition to formal schooling presents challenges the world over, this chapter will focus in particular on the U.S. context. For children whose family cultures, ideologies, and practices are aligned with those of schools, the challenges are often focused on separation from the primary caregiver, building trust with the teachers, and getting accustomed to new routines. In contrast, for children whose family cultures, ideologies, and practices are different from those of schools, the challenges faced during the transition to formal schooling can be profound. For example, differences in the languages used at home and school, differences in values and beliefs about the roles and responsibilities of schools and families, and prior (sometimes negative) experiences with schooling can create barriers for culturally and linguistically marginalized (CLM) families. Furthermore, structural barriers such as laws mandating English instruction in schools, zoning that results in schools segregated by the socio-economic status of families, and school hours not aligning with work hours contribute to challenges for CLM families. To underscore the complexity of these challenges for CLM families, it is important to note that family-level factors and structural factors may interact in ways that further limit the opportunity for CLM families to establish support systems during this key transition period. Additionally, teachers’ lack of preparation for working with CLM families may exacerbate an already challenging situation. Teachers report a desire to support family engagement but a lack of knowledge of how to do so (Markow & Lee, 2012), particularly with CLM families. Yet, as children transition from preschool programs that are designed to promote frequent contact between family and teachers into kindergarten and elementary settings, these linkages between home and school are increasingly deemphasized (Pianta & Rimm-Kaufman, 2008). For all children and families, building support systems that create linkages between the home and teachers, classrooms, and schools is vital to children’s academic and social success during the transition to formal schooling (Mashburn, LoCasale-Crouch, & Pears, 2018). Building support systems may be especially critical for CLM children and families, whose cultures, experiences, and languages traditionally have not been meaningfully represented in classrooms.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Assets-Framed Teaching: This term encompasses the frameworks of Geneva Gay (Culturally Responsive Teaching, 2002 AU47: The in-text citation "Culturally Responsive Teaching, 2002" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ), Gloria Ladson-Billings (Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, 1995 AU48: The in-text citation "Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, 1995" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ), and Django Paris (Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, 2012 AU49: The in-text citation "Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, 2012" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). All of these frameworks view families and communities as spaces of wealth that can be used to inform classroom teaching in ways that center the ways of knowing and being of CLM children.
Funds of Knowledge: A framework conceptualized by Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez (1992) AU50: The in-text citation "Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez (1992)" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. that focuses on the assets traditionally marginalized (working-class) families possess and pass on to their children. Life experiences provide people with valuable knowledge, and it is teachers’ responsibility to understand those assets and use them to inform their teaching and community-building in their classrooms.
Cultural Competence: Encompasses the interpersonal, pedagogical, and academic skills that enable people to appreciate and begin to understand differences between and within different social identity groups. Cultural competence includes knowledge of one’s own culture, positionality, and biases.
Bias: Prejudice against or in favor of a particular social group, individual, or belief. While all humans exhibit biases, biases can lead to unjust actions. This is particularly problematic when those unjust actions are carried out by people in power.
Relationship-Building Home Visits: Relationship-building home visits are intended to build trust and rapport between families and teachers. The Teacher Home Visit Project, based in Sacramento, CA, provides a framework and resources for enacting relationship-building home visits ( http://www.pthvp.org ). Relationship-building home visits stand in contrast to compensatory or evaluative home visits often performed by social workers or public health officials.
Community Cultural Wealth: Tara Yosso (2005) describes community cultural wealth as the skills and strengths that are often present in families of color but are not accounted for by traditional theories of social capital. It is assets-focused and includes families’ hopes and dreams; linguistic resources, including multilingualism and bidialectism; relationship-building and relationship-sustaining skills and kin networks; the ability to maneuver in hostile environments, including within systemically racist societies; and skills in fighting for justice.
Culturally and Linguistically Marginalized (CLM) Families: CLM families are those whose voices, cultures, and experiences tend not to be represented—or are stereotyped—in mainstream media, culture, and classrooms.