Funds Of Knowledge

Trevaun is an active African American boy. He is in 2nd grade and attends Williams Elementary School. He does not have a least favorite subject, but his favorite subject is math. He enjoys Physical Education too, for he gets to play basketball, which is his favorite sport. He loves to roller skate and play video games as well, which is why his favorite time of the day is nighttime. Trevaun’s mom allows him to play video games as late as he wants as long as he completed his homework first, and gets up on time for school the next morning. Therefore, he does not have a bedtime.

In the beginning of the interview I had believed that the Hernandez family was a middle-class family who had no great monetary issues, I also believed that the family needed more persuasion to be involved in school programs since in the past Janeth Hernandez the mother to the child Jenny Hernandez shared she had never participated in her child’s school as a volunteer, and I also believed that one involvement plan fit all families. However, after completing the interview on the Hernandez family my beliefs on this specific family where greatly influenced I realized that not all families will fit the same involvement plan because every family has different day to day activities, so it is important as a teacher to communicate with not only the children but the parents too. I also learned to be understanding that although a family might look like a family ignoring their child’s academic development what really might be happening is that they can’t afford or are having difficulties completing school requirement with no help. Finally, I learned through the interview that it is important as a future teacher that

The mindset towards students in "Funds of Knowledge for Teaching" is one where a teacher develops a deeper and realistic understanding of students beyond the classroom. Teachers are encouraged to conduct visits to students' household to see how students interact within their families, how parents and other family members contribute to the social and emotional development of students and how that qualitative information can be used to design instruction. The article stresses that teachers see the intelligence and cultural experiences of students outside the classroom by visiting their households and becoming learners themselves to gain valuable insight into their daily lives. By using the information gathered from the household to design instruction,

It is necessary for families to be closely involved in order for the students to achieve the highest level of education. Education should not only occur in school but also at home. Practice makes perfect. When parents and families get involved in education, their children do better in school and grow up to be more successful in life. I will make it a priority to involve families in fund raisers, bake sales, and bring a parent to school day and other appropriate school functions. As a teacher I will take it upon myself to keep in contact with every parent and encourage further

Parental involvement in a child’s education can be detrimental to the teaching process in more ways that someone might realize. The article by Ron Clark, “What teachers really want to tell parents” outlined the problems that can arise in the way parents perceive their child’s teacher, on the other end of the spectrum than the most commonly known problem, which is when parental involvement is lacking, it can cause a direct relation to inhibiting their child’s ability to learn, and do well in school. Clark discusses the problems that arise when a parent doesn’t appreciate the teacher’s involvement in their child’s life. He first acknowledges the fact that new teachers are only making it 4.5 years into the profession, which some of the reasons

A wide variety of tools and strategies were used to learn more about the students and families of the Marley Elementary community. The first tool is a Parent Questionnaire that was sent home with students. More than half of the students in most kindergarten classes returned these forms to school filled out with helpful information about their educational and family backgrounds including special holidays they celebrate, languages they speak at home, and responsibilities they have at home. The second strategy used to better know the students and families of the school community was the participation in several school fundraisers and events, such as Chick-fil-a night and Gino’s fundraiser nights where the student teaching

Using a funds of knowledge approach in school can positively affect the academic success of a student with limited access to classroom culture. Funds of knowledge, mentioned in the well-known article by Moll, Amanti, Neff, and Gonzalez, are referred to as “historically accumulated and culturally developed bodies of knowledge and skills essential for household or individual functioning and well-being” (133) learned by students within their home. This different approach can help teachers and students better understand one another and produce a more successful environment for learning for both. This form of knowledge is addressed in two articles read throughout the coursework this semester and I personally encountered it while mentoring my mentees at Mansfeld Middle School.

Due to the number of different ethnic origins, Burton has worked hard to get families involved. When the family resource center opened three years ago, no families would attend, after three years, 25 families turn up weekly for food and resources. “Many families are hesitant and intimidated to come to school”, stated Carrie Urban, Family Resource Center Coordinator. Research shows, “Families with linguistic and cultural backgrounds, different from that of the host culture are likely to be less actively involved in school activities compared to their mainstream counterparts. Even parents without language barriers reported challenges in understanding school culture and routines due to their lack of cultural knowledge and school-specific language” (Lim, 2016, pg. 92). Lack of knowledge of school routines, language barriers, and cultural differences continues to stop parents from attending school functions and limits communication with their child's school, and according to the Nine Characteristics of High-Performing Schools, communication is the number one way to create a meaningful two-way relationship between the school and the

It may come to no surprise to many families and educators in the United States that families actively participating in their children’s academic life (school, homework, extracurricular activities) is a key component in unlocking their children(s)’ success in school. The struggle that educators face is the lack of understanding or lack of knowledge about how families in other cultures view parental involvement. It is important for educators to understand that not all families will have the same viewpoints on parental involvement, and educators themselves may have different opinions about parental involvement that are not unanimously shared among colleagues. This research paper aims to provide an in depth review of how parental involvement is viewed in different cultures present in the United States. This paper will provide discussion regarding how differing culture views affect education in the classroom. Furthermore, this paper should provide educators with strategies on how to recognize, accept, and encourage family participation in all cultures present in the United States. This paper will focus on cultural views from European American Families, Hispanic/Latino Americans, and cultural views based on family dynamics (single parents, income-classes, same-sex parents).

In order for teachers to create a learning environment that is culturally responsive to each individual student, a teacher must learn the student’s funds of knowledge. The importance of learning the funds of knowledge of your students is crucial. A teacher can approach learning more about a student’s prior knowledge and culture in a variety of ways, including, instructing personal interviews with questions about their personal life such as what are the most important things in your life. Another way to discover your student’s funds of knowledge is by placing yourself in their shoes and doing a school and community walk through. You can also be provided with more insight into your student’s lives by conducting an adult interview from someone that also lives in the same community. In order for me to create lessons and classroom practices that are culturally responsive is by discovering my student’s funds of knowledge. I am at Blackwell Elementary School, which is located in Marietta and is apart of the Cobb County District. After having the students create heart maps and interviewing them, doing a school and community walkthrough, and talking with an adult, I was greatly impacted by all the new information and perspectives I learned. Without going through this process to obtain the information, I would have no knowledge on my students or the community surrounding Blackwell besides what meets the eye. This experience impacted my own thinking about the school I am working in for

All practitioners that come into contact with children and young people share a statutory responsibility of safeguarding also promoting welfare, regardless of the individual’s role. In order for practitioners and organisations to work together effectively, they should be aware of the role they play in the area of safeguarding children and young people. According to the Department of Education “safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility” Department of Education (2016)

As the subgroup for the economically disadvantaged student has risen, additional services have not been offered to the students’ families to engage them in their child’s education. “All families care deeply about their children’s education and hope that their progeny will be happier, more productive, and more successful than they have been in their lives,” (Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, & Davies, 2007, p. 28). Moreover, teacher parent contact time needs to be adjusted to engage families in strategies to assist their

Overall, coming from a family in poverty has a huge effect on a student’s ability to succeed in the classroom, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As a future educator, I can use what I have learned to benefit my students in the future. It is essential that I allow all of my students an equal opportunity to learn and grow in my classroom regardless of socioeconomic status. I can use this information to accommodate my students and help close the educational gap between social classes. All students deserve an equal education, regardless of who they are or where they came

The populations we serve are diverse and ever changing. It is imperative that we continue to raise our awareness to the changes that take place within our working communities and the societies that our clients are immersed in. In my four years of teaching, I have become accustom to the population that my school serves. Comparing the needs of the students at my current school; with the demographics of students at other schools; has illuminated the issue of very dissimilar populations. What works for one individual or one population is not always transferable to the next. Relating to the history, values, and traditions of various cultures, families, and communities has allowed me relate and interact with my students. If background knowledge

A direct correlation can be made between family involvement in a child’s school life and a child’s encouragement with maintaining their education. California State University author Susan Auerbach conducts a study which displays the correlation between the amounts of support that a student’s family provides, in comparison to their students’ performance. Auerbach implies racial privileges in which minorities like African Americans and Latinos are affected. She argues that because minorities do not get the luxury of time off work and their cultural history, they are less likely to get involved in their child’s school life. School teachers in an elementary school located in the foothills of Tucson, authors Leslie H. Kahn and Marta Civil,