Teacher-Family Cooperation to Improve Experience of Culturally Diverse Students

This article discussed the importance of working with families to understand and best work with each student in your classroom.  As I may work at a variety of age levels, I see this as very important at all grade levels.  The article talked about the importance of letting families serve as informants on their own culture and on their child to the educator, which could easily take place during home visits, such as those mentioned on page 169 of the Nieto and Bode text.  By allowing families and students to talk openly and educate others about their culture and what their culture means to them, culturally diverse students are empowered amongst some of their privileged classmates.  This can allow for diversities to be seen as differences, and maybe strengths, rather than weaknesses.

The article also discussed "diversity capital," which was the term coined by Sherick Hughes, the author.  Hughes described diversity capital as "the teaching skills that breed high educational performance by bridging the gaps that separate school and home."  The use of diversity capital can provide students with more continuity between school and home, which breeds success.  Hughes also talked about family pedagogy, which "is shaped by both spiritual faith narratives of hope and stories of struggle." Creating continuity between school and home would also involve the balance of hope and struggle.

http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/fine-family-involvement-network-of-educators/member-insights/how-can-we-prepare-teachers-to-work-with-culturally-diverse-students-and-their-families-what-skills-should-educators-develop-to-do-this-successfully