Diverse Family Interview
Interview several parents about the types of family involvement they have experienced at their children's schools. What things made parents feel welcome, and what made them feel intimidated?
I had short interviews with 2 parents about family involvement and what has made them feel welcome at schools and what has not.
Tiashia is a mother of 3 small children, one girl and two boys. Her eldest is 8 years old and just started 3nd grade. There were many things that have made her feel welcome at her children’s school. One that she mentioned was that the school provided tours before the start of the school year and showed her around and how everything works. She also mentioned being very happy with A’derions current teacher. The teacher constantly calls her to lets her know what is going on with her son and give her good advice on how to help him. Tiashia also likes that the teacher provides extra tutoring after school and gives every child in her class special, individualize attention.
Grace is also a mother of three small children. Three girls named Elena, Asia, and Jaida. In the pass she was more involved with her child’s school, in helping out in the classroom mainly. But ever sense she has started nursing school, she has not visited the schools apart from the meet the teacher day. One experience that made her feel welcome and involved was last year, when Elena, her oldest, was in second grade. The second grade teacher of Elena would always email her to inform her of homework that was coming up and how Elena was doing in class. Grace could always email the teacher if she had any concerns. Grace liked that they had an open line of communication. One bad experience that Grace had that made her feel unwelcome was with Asia’s pre-kindergarten teacher. She felt that Asia’s teacher used a bad tone of voice with her child. It seemed that Asia felt like every time the teacher talked to her, she was being grounded. Grace had to go to the school and talk with Asia’s teacher about this for she was concern for her child and of what was going on in the classroom. In the end Grace and the teacher worked things out, but it left Grace with some distrust for said teacher.
After my interviews I felt that the key component to parent involvement with the school and the classroom was a good line of communication. Grace, for example had a great experience with Elena’s teacher because she was constantly being updates on what was going on. Same with Tiashia and her son A’derion. Grace’s bad experience with a teacher was mainly that she did not know what was happening with her younger child, Asia and felt upset that her child might be being picked on by her teacher. There was a big lack of communication in that situation.
I had short interviews with 2 parents about family involvement and what has made them feel welcome at schools and what has not.
Tiashia is a mother of 3 small children, one girl and two boys. Her eldest is 8 years old and just started 3nd grade. There were many things that have made her feel welcome at her children’s school. One that she mentioned was that the school provided tours before the start of the school year and showed her around and how everything works. She also mentioned being very happy with A’derions current teacher. The teacher constantly calls her to lets her know what is going on with her son and give her good advice on how to help him. Tiashia also likes that the teacher provides extra tutoring after school and gives every child in her class special, individualize attention.
Grace is also a mother of three small children. Three girls named Elena, Asia, and Jaida. In the pass she was more involved with her child’s school, in helping out in the classroom mainly. But ever sense she has started nursing school, she has not visited the schools apart from the meet the teacher day. One experience that made her feel welcome and involved was last year, when Elena, her oldest, was in second grade. The second grade teacher of Elena would always email her to inform her of homework that was coming up and how Elena was doing in class. Grace could always email the teacher if she had any concerns. Grace liked that they had an open line of communication. One bad experience that Grace had that made her feel unwelcome was with Asia’s pre-kindergarten teacher. She felt that Asia’s teacher used a bad tone of voice with her child. It seemed that Asia felt like every time the teacher talked to her, she was being grounded. Grace had to go to the school and talk with Asia’s teacher about this for she was concern for her child and of what was going on in the classroom. In the end Grace and the teacher worked things out, but it left Grace with some distrust for said teacher.
After my interviews I felt that the key component to parent involvement with the school and the classroom was a good line of communication. Grace, for example had a great experience with Elena’s teacher because she was constantly being updates on what was going on. Same with Tiashia and her son A’derion. Grace’s bad experience with a teacher was mainly that she did not know what was happening with her younger child, Asia and felt upset that her child might be being picked on by her teacher. There was a big lack of communication in that situation.