“Imagine sitting at a table in a classroom with your child's teacher. He's talking to you while holding a report card and folder with your child's name on it, but you don't understand what he's saying. You're uncomfortable maintaining eye contact with him and want to say something, anything, but you don't know what. So you're silent and can only nod. About 15 minutes later, you walk away feeling confused and frustrated; the teacher, likewise.
One parent group at Hollifield Station Elementary PTA (the county's largest school population of nonnative English speakers) with the help of district coordinators, organized an event called American Culture Night. It was so successful that immigrant families are connecting with the school—and getting involved in the PTA.
By July, they had crafted a night of activities and presentations covering topics as varied as school policy, curriculum, holiday celebrations, the code of conduct, tardiness and attendance policies, and even bus procedures. Specifically, Dombrowski says, "The goal of the evening was to help parents feel connected, comfortable, and confident with the education their children were receiving."
Many parents took the first step toward greater involvement: They provided suggestions. Topic recommendations for future events included raising children to be independent, leadership in American society, and dealing with misbehavior driven by cultural differences.”
Source: http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/298-connect-with-immigrant-parents
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