Programs organized and directed by schools do not always acknowledge or appreciate parent schedules and other demands on their time. Some areas of concern include parent meetings scheduled at times inconvenient for the parents.
Parents are often working two jobs. Childcare services need to be available for younger children of the family. Most significantly, when possible, meals, sandwiches, or light refreshments are important to include because hunger is often a real issue or they may have skipped a meal in order to make time to attend the meeting.
Prior to the 21st century, language and cultural barriers primarily focused on language, in terms of Spanish or English. Today, the focus is on “What is my child supposed to be learning?” and “What do the directions say for the child to do in order to complete the homework?” When teachers do not relay or explain this information clearly, it causes barriers between parents and school.
This post is excerpted from my book ¡Andamio!, where you can learn more about ELL success through brain-based learning. Get your copy here.
Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay