Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am one of the managers at a child development center serving our military families. A new family has just arrived and is inquiring about putting their child into our program. However, they are from India. First I will give them a tour of our facility and tell them about what we do hear and what our goals and what our mission statement is.

I plan to be culturally responsive to them by using:

1.   I plan to first and foremost hear and listen to any concerns that they may have with their child in our program.
2.   I will be observant (but not judgmental) to their ways and behaviors.
3.  I will not judge and tell them what the dominant culture does as oppose to what I see them doing.
4. I will ask if there are any ways for us to incorporate their culture into our program to help with their child’s transition and for us to gain a better understanding of them. Our goal is to know them as a whole family better.
5. I will speak to them slowly and clearly, because I have a tendency to speak fast so many do not understand what I am saying.

By doing all these things I am hoping that our family feels welcomed. I want to take away the barriers as much as possible between the center/teachers and the family. I want the family at any time they have a problem, concerns, or even praise to come to any of staff or leadership. If the family wants to stop in and watch or participate, I want them to do so without any conflicts. I want them to feel as a integral part of their child’s learning and development. It is my goal that we do this as a team (the parents and program) when it comes to raising this/any child.