Scenario
My
name is Tracy Halverson and I am working as a preschool teacher in my community
of Salt Lake City, Utah. I have just
been informed that a young child who has emigrated from Sweden will be
enrolling into my classroom.
There
are many things to prepare for before the child enters the classroom.
I
think that I would do a little research about the culture of Sweden so that I
would know a little if and when this family decides to share information
I
need to create a relationship with the family so that they can trust me to
share information that is needed. This
doesn’t mean drilling a million questions.
I feel that treating these people how I would like to be treated would
be a great way to get to know the family
I
would need to find out if the child has sensitivity to any foods or medicines.
I
would need to find out how old and how many bothers and sisters if any. Who is the caretaker (s).
Does
the family have a home language or do they speak English
One
last thing to get started is to educated the family in what the culture is
where they are entering.
I
feel that exchanging this information will make for a smooth transition.
Tracy:
ReplyDeleteI so appreciated the fact that you said you would treat the family and new student as you would want to be treated. I think people really do forget that common courtesy and understanding really does go a long way. Being able to prepare for any child, especially one coming from another country to feel welcome and included is a fact of today's multicultural world.
Vernanna
Tracy, I agree that establishing relationships are so important in all aspects of a child's growth and development. A parent can sense the genuineness and acceptance the moment they meet someone. We want parents to trust that we will care for their children and protect them in the same manner they would. Sometimes that's hard to find these days. I enjoyed reading your post!
ReplyDeleteAlicia