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Running head: OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK

Education Strengthens Families Public Charter School Georgia Avenue Preschool

FAMILY HANDBOOK

compiled by Kate Olden Fall 2012

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS A Note on Translation Introduction & Literature Review Section I The Learning Context Neighborhood Petworth School ESF Classroom Preschool Section II Family Diversity Family Questionnaire Childrens Literature & Music Family Diversity Parent Interviews Section III Family Involvement & Communication Family Involvement Web Families in the Support Role Families in the Teacher Role Family Developmental Calendar Interactive Bulletin Board Family Newsletter Section IV The Family Handbook Letter of Welcome School Information Family Involvement Philosophy Daily Schedule Behavior Management Philosophy Classroom Center Description Parent Resources References Appendices Parent Interview Guiding Questions & Transcripts Alternative Family Developmental Calendar 49 57 37 38 39 40 41 42 45 47 29 30 31 32 34 36 18 21 24 26 8 11 15 3 4

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A Note on Translation: Because ESF is a bilingual preschool program, our family materials are always provided in both English and Spanish, and often also in Amharic and French. However, for the purposes of this project, only those materials that are to have both English and Spanish on the same page are translated. Other materials, which would be handed out in either of the two languages, appear here only in English. Thank you. Kate Olden

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Involving immigrant families in the education of their children is a vital area of knowledge and

development for teachers in todays United States. There are now more immigrants in the United States than at any time in our history (Batalova & Lee, 2012). Sixty-two percent of non-native households include children under the age of 18 (US Census Bureau, 2012). In the last twenty years, the number of children with immigrant parents has more than doubled. The current 17 million children of immigrant parents make up 24% of the overall population of children in the United States (http://www.gcir.org/immigration/facts/statistics). Despite these numbers, working with immigrant families is an area that needs more research and attention in order to really begin to serve the children and their families in appropriate ways. We do know some information about immigrant families use of educational supports and systems via studies such as Brandon (2004), Lahiae, (2008). Understanding and addressing the educational needs of immigrant families is nonetheless complicated by several factors, including the complex dynamics of such a culturally diverse group, the constantly shifting demographics of the group in question, and the ensuing difficulty in finding distillable generalities that will address diverse educational situations. Goodwin (2002) pointed out many reasons that we continue to lack information regarding the education of children of immigrants, starting with the fact that it has not been a priority for schools to collect data on childrens and parents birth places. According to Goodwin, this is compounded by cultural reasons, such as the history of trying to be color-blind and the fact that there are few teachers who have adequate life experiences to be able to instinctually consider and empathize with the experiences of their immigrant students. Indeed, as we move towards being a nation of many minorities, our teaching profession remains 84% white (Feistritzer, 2011).

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Takanishi (2004) also highlighted a number of gaps in the currently available data and research on the education of children of immigrants, especially young children. One of these gaps in the research is how best to train teachers or support current teachers in their work with

these children. What does a teacher of such a diverse, at-risk, and underserved population need to know and be able to do in order to promote all students best chances at academic success in kindergarten and beyond? Goodwin (2002) addressed the fact that immigrant children are often left out of teacher preparation programs. She found that immigrant children were rarely treated as a group separate from native children of color (p. 160) and that the information available to teachers and teacher candidates was almost solely focused on language issues, especially secondlanguage acquisition. In light of the need for cultural relevance of programming in order to maintain important ethnic and lingual identities in young children (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009; Couchenor & Crisman, 2011) it is important to make sure that teachers are ready to work with children in the wide variety of educational settings that exist in this country, but especially in early childhood and elementary settings, both public and private. Broader consideration and asset-based thinking is necessary to discover the strengths brought to the table by the immigrant families themselves. Takanishis (2004) found several important cultural and familial strengths that could be built upon by public programs, such as immigrant parents higher involvement in and motivation of their childrens education. When Lahaie (2008) expanded the concept of parents role in their childrens education to include factors like parental involvement via school choice (public vs. private), cognitive learning activities in the home (library visits, available media) as well as outside of the home (child care arrangements, preschool), and parents visits with the teachers, her study found that immigrant parents involvement in childrens learning in the home, out of the home, and at the school all

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figured prominently in childrens early kindergarten academic abilities. Data from Lahaie (2008) and Brandon (2004) both showed that while immigrant families have less access to many resources, they are more likely than native born populations to make use of the resources they do have available. For example, Lahaie (2008) found that immigrant families only had half as many books in the home as the native population but were more likely to have their children watch Sesame Street. Optimizing family involvement is critical to developmentally appropriate practice (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009; Couchenor & Crisman, 2011) but can be difficult to undertake across broad cultural divides. Gonzalez-Mena (2010) highlighted the issues of language, cultural practices of respecting authority, cultural differences in terms of childcare (see also Brandon, 2004), and fears about identity and the upsetting of family roles. While teachers must navigate these choppy waters on an individual level, much can also be done at the program and policy level to reach immigrant parents and their children. Lahiae (2008) found that center-based programs were significantly helpful in preparing young children of immigrants for public school, but Brandon (2004) found that immigrant use of such programs is significantly lower than that of the native population. Takanishi (2004) recommended that a wide range of programming structures be considered, including home visits, parent support groups, and childrens play groups. She also recommended the extension of support programs such as afterschool care into the elementary school years. Doing right by immigrant families is not only a matter of import for their own personal outcomes, but for our society as a whole. Takanishi (2004) takes a clearly progressive view on the subject, referring repeatedly to the American value of equality of opportunity (p. 62) and putting the issue of access to public services such as healthcare and education within the realm of

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justice, in addition to being social and economic issues. While those of a more conservative bent may find this difficult to consider, it is in line with the standards of practice for education young children as espoused by NAEYC. After all, we know that children do not do well unless families do well, and that families do not do well unless communities do well (Besaw et al, 2004, as cited by Couchenor & Chrisman, 2011).

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The Georgia Avenue site of Education Strengthens Families Public Charter School is located in the Petworth neighborbood of northwest DC, part of Ward 4. It is a neighborhood currently experiencing a great deal of transition as new architectural development takes place and services for the community are introduced or improved.

Marys Center and ESF are located on the ground floor and basement levels. The upper floors contain a mix of incomecontrolled and luxury apartments.

AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT Petworth is a very urban area. ESF is located right on Georgia Avenue, the main thoroughfare through the area. Public transportation is available, in the form of the green line Metro train (the Petworth/Georgia Avenue station is two blocks from the school) and several Metro bus routes, including the number 70 which runs from downtown DC out to Silver Spring. Almost all of the public transportation is focused on north-south routes. If residents want to travel east or west, they must often transfer lines or routes to do so. Housing is fairly plentiful but often prohibitively expensive in the Petworth area. The predominant building styles are rowhouses with small front and back yards, some of which shelter multiple families, and apartment buildings, many of them new or newly renovated and containing a percentage of apartments for which application is income dependent (in order to assure affordable housing in the area.) Several large buildings along Georgia Avenue are currently abandoned or in the process of renovation or rebuilding. Slightly to the north, rowhouses begin to give way to stand-alone homes with slightly larger yards.

Row houses, construction, & apartment buildings in the Petworth area

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As might be expected in a diverse working and middle-class urban neighborhood, there is a spectrum of levels of house maintenance, maintenance of public areas, and a fair amount of crime in the area, particularly at night. Minor graffiti, mostly tagging, is commonplace, especially on currently unused buildings. Since the building where ESF is located opened in May 2011, I have been aware of 1 murder, 1 sexual assault, 2 large brawls, and several cases of theft and/or vandalism in the immediately surrounding area. Police are a regular presence in the area. CULTURAL PETWORTH There are a number of public areas in the community that provide positive support. The recently renovated Petworth Neighborhood Library is a branch of the DC Public Library. Located four blocks from ESF, it has an expanding collection of Spanish language books for both children and adults. The library hosts regular events in both languages that are inclusive of all languages, including small concerts and readings. Unfortunately, there is nothing available in the other languages spoken by area residents, such as the Amharic spoken by many Ethiopian immigrants. There is also a newly renovated public park, with basketball courts, two playgrounds (one for older and one for younger children), a recreation center building, an open green, and a sprinkler park (which runs from late morning to evening when the weather is warm).

Children and their families participate in regular school sponsored library visits for story times and other events.

There are several murals and artwork installations in the area, most of them focused on the African heritage of many of the neighborhoods inhabitants.

Preschoolers pass this beautiful mural on the building next door each day as they go the Petworth Recreational Park.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK PRACTICAL PETWORTH

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While there are many small restaurants, varying from Jamaican to Soul Food to Thai to Fast Food, there are not a lot of options for groceries. The largest grocery store, a Safeway, recently closed for renovation. The only other sizeable grocery store is a Yes! Organic, where the selection is limited to more high-end and healthy items. The only other options for food purchases are from the plentiful small pharmacy/convenience stores, such as CVS and 7-Eleven, and the several liquor stores along Georgia Avenue. From May to October there is a small farmers market open for 4 hours on Friday afternoons. The options for eating in the area are definitely limited, especially if income is limited.

YES! ORGANIC MARKET is the largest grocery retailer now that SAFEWAY has closed

There are several options for educating ones children in the neighborhood. There are three public elementary schools, at least one of which has been restructured after not meeting goals for adequate yearly progress. There is also one public middle school and one public high school. Charter schools are also present, with one going into middle school and soon expanding to include highs chool, another expanding from early childhood to include elementary school (and specializing in inclusive classrooms), and ESF serving young language learners and their parents.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK ABOUT ESFs SPECIAL MISSION Education Strengthens Families (ESF) Public Charter School has as its mission to provide a high quality education for adults and children that empowers families through a culturally sensitive family literacy model. (2011 ESF Annual Report to the DC Public Charter School Board)

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Family literacy is very specifically defined by the federal government. In the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, family literacy was defined as services that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family and that integrate all of the following activities: Interactive literacy activities between parents and their children. Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children. Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency. An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences. ESF follows an intense model meant to help parents learn English while also gaining skills for parenting and the workplace. ESF students must be involved in their childrens educations, including attending parent-teacher conferences, reading regularly to their children, increasing the number of books in their homes, and participating actively in the ESF program. For those ESF students whose children also attend ESF, the parenting portion of the classes is expanded upon during regular Parent and Child Together (PACT) times, which expand upon and put into practice the skills discussed in class.

Preschool parents engaging in Academic Parent-Teacher Team Meeting, held three times a year

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK OUR STUDENTS

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from www.localschooldirectory.com

Ethnic and Regional Diversity The ways that race and ethnicity are measured in the US (such as the ESF data above, from 2010, taken from localschooldirectory.com) fail to indicate the true diversity of ESFs student body and staff memberships. After all, over 80% of our students come from the culturally, ethnically, and economically diverse region of Latin America. Even when broken down to the greater detail required for our annual report to the DC Public Charter School Board (as below), the variety represented within the category Latin American Indigenous is lost. The staff of ESF is a notably diverse group. As of 2011, sixty percent of the early childhood staff had previously been students of ESF. Languages spoken fluently by faculty and staff include Spanish, French, Amharic, Tigrinya, Arabic, and Nepalese (2011 Marys Center Annual report).

ESF Student Diversity 2010-2011


Latin American Indigenous Asian African Latin American White Mixed

created by author using data from 2011 ESF Annual Report

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Socio-economic Status There are no income requirements to participate in ESF programs, and all services (excluding extras such as some field trips and summer programs) are free. As of 2010-2011 school year, 90% of students qualified for free or reduced meal programs. (2011 ESF Annual Report) Special Considerations Education Level

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Many of the parents enrolling in the ESL classes at ESF have not completed the basic education requirements of their home countries, which for most Latin American countries is through either the 6th or 9th grades. Three quarters of parents do not have their high school diplomas. Because of these realities, children who attend ESF often have had limited parent-child verbal stimulation, higher than average risk of developmental delay, limited access to reading materials, in addition to beginning to learn English. (www.dcpubliccharter.com) Legal Status All students served by ESF programs are residents of DC and can prove their residency with appropriate documentation. This does not, however, mean that all students are legal immigrants, and the school does not ask students to prove their legal status to enroll or attend classes and events. SPECIAL PROGRAMS Special Education ESF practices inclusive education. While only 2% of the overall student population has an IEP, 20% of preschoolers had an IEP in the 2010-2011 school year. (2011 ESF Annual Report) The large majority of those receiving special education services were receiving speech and language therapy. Other IEP considerations include developmental delays, motor delays, and mild autistic spectrum disorders. Special education services are coordinated by an in-house staff of special education instructors but include outside specialists for speech and language pathology and occupational therapy, as well as psychological diagnoses. Special education staff also assist teachers with instructional challenges, such as behavior. Nutrition as a Priority Due to poverty, geographic circumstances, and poor parental education, many ESF students do not have access to a wide variety of healthy and nutritional foods. Many families rely on the DC WIC program to supplement their food stores. ESF takes nutrition as a mandatory factor in promoting childrens optimal development. Food donations are regularly distributed to interested parents, and preschoolers receive healthy, balanced breakfast, lunch, and afternoon stack as part of the program.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Summer Programs and Family Field Trips

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ESF is aware that not all of its adult students children attend ESFs early childhood program. During the summer session, a school-age class is opened up for children 5 to 10. And, in addition to field trips for preschoolers, field trips are also planned around the DCPS schedule in order to facilitate the participation of those students whose children attend other public or charter programs. Wrap-around Services through Marys Center Because ESF works within Marys Center, we have access to a host of medical, dental, nutritional, and social services and specialists. Student support workers and adult education teachers also regularly help students connect to services offered by outside organizations, including housing assistance and educational advocacy groups. Continuing Education for Adults ESF does not believe that education for its participating families should stop at family literacy. In addition to its literacy program, ESF has Spanish and English language classes for adults interested in obtaining their CDA (Child Development Associate Degree). For those parents who do not have a high school diploma, there is also the opportunity to participate in the National Diploma Equivalency Program.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK A BIT ABOUT OUR PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM Age limits

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Children entering preschool in the fall must be 3 years old on or before December 31st of that year. Children may not enroll in preschool if they are eligible for kindergarten in DCPS (turning 5 years old on or before September 30th of that year.) Our current group of 14 preschoolers is evenly divided, with 7 children who will have turned three by December 31st and 7 children who will have turned four by that date. Curriculum and Instruction The preschool classroom and teaching is based on the Creative Curriculum for Preschool and assessment is done using Teaching Strategies GOLD system. Teachers follow an inquiry model of learning, leading the children through studies, the themes of which are chosen based on childrens perceived interests. In the last year, themes have included the human body, feelings and friendships, bugs, building, clothes, wheels, water, and balls. There are two lead teachers in the classroom one a native Spanish speaker and the other a native English speaker. There is also at least one volunteer or assistant in the room, which maintains a student teacher ratio of a little under 1:5. The classroom is set up in 7 interest areas (computer/library, sand table, discovery, art, blocks, dramatic play, toys and games) with a large group meeting area in the center. The goal is to have a 50/50 bilingual model, although this is somewhat flexible in the beginning of the year as children become accustomed to the school setting and spoken English.

Preschool 4 year olds engaging in drawing a neighborhood building, Preschool 3 year olds engaged in dramatic play during same study of building

Language Children in the preschool class predominantly speak Spanish in the home, a few with some English. One child speaks Amharic in the home, with some English. All communications and classroom displays are done in English and Spanish. Books are read in both languages, usually by reading professional translations but sometimes translations are done by the teachers. There

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK are samples of writing in English, Spanish, and Amharic available at childrens eye level. Teachers regularly work to build their knowledge of Amharic vocabulary in order to communicate important facts clearly to the parents and children from Ethiopia. Gender

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The preschool is currently split evenly by gender, with 7 girls and 7 boys. This is, of course, by pure accident. As a publicly funded program, registration is taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. The only reason a child might be encouraged not to attend ESF preschool would be due to developmental delay or emotional difficulty so severe as to make the preschool environment traumatic for him or her. In those very rare instances space is made in the toddler class to ensure that the child is receiving the education and services he or she needs.

FAMILY BACKGROUNDS Countries of Origin As mentioned in the previous section on the general school makeup, it is difficult to show the diversity of the student population using standard measures. At a class level, and when considering the diversity of culture between countries, there is a great deal of diversity in terms of families countries of origin. Even within countries there can be a great deal of difference. Our Salvadoran families, for instance, hail from three different regions of that nation and sometimes use very different vocabulary to refer to the same things.

ESF Preschool Georgia Ave Oct. 2012

El Salvador Honduras Guatemala Mexico Ethiopia

created by author

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Diverse Religious Beliefs and Practices

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ESF respects all faiths and is very flexible with regards to attendance around important religious dates and events. Due to the wide diversity of student faiths, ESF does not celebrate any religious holidays but does engage in events or class discussions to mark civic holidays such as Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and July 4th. Preschool teachers are allowed to engage children in a discussion of the cultural elements of other holidays that are personally important, such as Halloween, in order to help children understand the images and practices they may be seeing outside of school. Current preschool families religious beliefs include Catholicism, Jehovahs Witness, Protestant Christian, and Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Types of Families There is a lot of diversity amongst preschool families in terms of family structure. Many families are two-parent households, but some are single-parent households headed by a mother. There are also a few multi-generational households with grandparents in residence. Nuclear family living is just as common and living with a more extended family, usually including aunts and uncles and cousins. Effects of Poverty and Bias There are a number of facets that are somewhat particular to our student populations immigrant and low socio-economic status. A few families left their home countries for stressful reasons, including violence, which continues to put stress on them here in terms of mental anxiety, especially for their family back home. Several families are also separated by immigration, when parents left children in their home countries. Children regularly talk about their older siblings back in their parents home country. One family was recently able to reunite with their 7 year old son who could not immigrate with them 5 years ago. Poverty also causes a number of stressors on the families and preschool students. Due to high housing prices, many families share bedrooms in units not originally meant for so many people. Cramped quarters such as these can make regular eating and sleeping routines difficult for young children. Parents also often work non-standard schedules, especially night shifts, in order to care for their children and attend English classes during the day. This leads to organizational, physical, and emotional stressors on children and adults.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK ABOUT OUR FAMILY QUESTIONNAIRE

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This family questionnaire is intended to be distributed and filled out with the help of teachers and school staff, due to many of our parents low language and literacy skills. Spanish speakers would receive this form in Spanish. This form is usually filled out during the parent orientation just before the school year begins, when basic daily procedures and expectations are discussed. Families who start mid-year would fill this form out when they come to visit the school prior to finalizing their enrollment. Because at least one parent is always attending the program, as well as the child, we begin by identifying that parent and then providing space for an alternative contact, be that another parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or family friend with whom the child is familiar. We also want to ease communication as much as possible, knowing that many of our families have strange work hours. As children often talk extensively about their siblings, family members who live with them, and those items that are of particular interest to them, we want to have this basic information available to us to help get to know children and feel at home in the classroom as quickly as possible. This is also why we ask for information about daily procedures the children go through, such as toileting and sleeping. We always end with upbeat questions that give parents the opportunity to advocate for their child and their family. This is a special feature of ESFthat we intend to always partner with families in their childrens education.

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ESF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL Preschool Family Questionnaire Childs Name Attending Parents Name Relationship Other Contact Name Relationship What is the best method to contact you? What is the best time to contact you? Siblings NAME PHONE MORNING DOB: Phone Email Phone Email TEXT MESSAGE AFTERNOON EMAIL EVENING

AGE

LIVES AT HOME?

Who else lives in the childs home? Has child attended school before? If yes, school name If yes, teacher name Does your child need help to - use the toilet YES SOMETIMES NO

If yes or sometimes, please describe - dress him/herself YES SOMETIMES NO

If yes or sometimes, please describe - recognize his/her name YES SOMETIMES NO

If yes or sometimes, please describe - go to sleep YES SOMETIMES NO

If yes or sometimes, please describe

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ESF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL Preschool Family Questionnaire - continued What are your childs interests?

What upsets your child? What calms your child? What countries/ethnicities is your childs family from?

What languages do you speak to your child? What languages does your child speak? In what ways would you like to be involved in our classroom? Collecting/Preparing materials Reading/Telling stories Chaperoning field trips Classroom maintenance/repair Classroom decoration Preparing snack Classroom celebrations Communication (newsletters, emails, phone calls) Sharing a special skill Other: What are your hopes and dreams for your child?

What do you hope your child will achieve this school year?

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A DIVERSE WORLD OF MUSIC


At ESF Public Charter School, we try to bring as much of our childrens home cultures into the classroom as we possibly can. Below are a few of the books your children will read and the CDs your children will hear in the classroom, while playing, while dancing, and while eating. Because most of our childrens families have roots in Latin America, we play a lot of music that is in Spanish and/or uses rhythms from Latin America and the Caribbean. One of our classroom favorites is Putumayo Kids Latin Playground.

We know that some of our students are of African heritage, particularly Ethiopia, so we want to make sure it is also included in our music library. And, we know that all of our students will interact with people from all over the world, so we also use music that may be less familiar to our students to help them enjoy new rhythms and sounds. A classroom favorite is World Playground from Putumayo. We also want our children to learn to enjoy sharing in new languages, cultures, and group experiences. One of our favorite CDs is Ella Jenkins Multi-Cultural Childrens Songs, some of which we have adapted to include verses in Spanish, Amharic, and English if the versions Jenkins sings do not include those languages.

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A DIVERSE WORLD OF LITERATURE


Houses and Homes (Around the World Series) by Ann Morris This is a great non-fiction volume, part of an entire series that also includes transportation, food, and clothing. It helps children develop a sense for how people live around the world. This is a great book for helping children understand how their lives here are like those of all people and also how their lives are very different. It is also a wonderful lead-in to many dramatic play activities around housekeeping and building. Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni and Slade Morrison Our students come from diverse backgrounds, but they are will find that elementary school is even more diverse than our classrooms at ESF. To help children prepare for some of the cultures they are likely to encounter (but do not encounter very often at ESF), We include books that show the faces and experiences of other cultural groups. One group not well represented at ESF is African-Americans, so using stories such as Morrisons help children counter stereotyping they might be exposed to outside of school. This book is a mischevious story of how much fun children can have cooking with Grandma while Mom is at work! Quinito Day and Night by Ina Cumpiano This is a classroom favorite, a sweet retelling of the daily routine of Quinito and his family, filled with predictable opposites. It is also bilingual, written in both Spanish and English within the same volume, which makes it a treasure in any classroom, but especially in our diverse setting. We like to provide lots of chances for children to see themselves in the literature we offer in our classroom.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

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This is the fanciful, poetic story about how we are all essentially the same on the inside, including our feelings, our bodies, and our experiences. The drawings are simple and clear and present a diverse range of faces and languages. The volume is also readily available in Spanish, so our children enjoy it in both languages.

Carry Me (Bilingual in Spanish & Amharic) This sweet board book is perfect for our youngest students and those who struggle with the fine motor skills necessary to turn pages. Many young children are fascinated with babies, and have experience with their younger siblings, so the pictures of diverse children being carried all over the world really lend themselves to independent reading and book discussions throughout the school year.

FULL BOOK CITATIONS: Cumpiano, I. (2008). Quinito, day and night. Quinito, dia y noche. New York, NY: Childrens Book Press. Fox, M. (2006). Whoever you are. San Anselmo, CA: Sandpiper Press. Morris, A. (1995). Houses and homes. New York, NY: Harper Collins. Morrison, T. & S. Morrison. (2009). Peeny butter fudge. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. Star Bright Books. (2009). Carry me. Cambridge, MA: Star Bright Books.

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Family Diversity Checklist ESF Georgia Avenue Preschool


Characteristic TOTAL FAMILIES TOTAL PS/PK STUDENTS FAMILY STRUCTURE Two-Parent Single Parent Extended Family STUDENT GENDER Male Female RACE & ETHNICITY African - Ethiopian* Latin American - Salvadoran* - Guatamalan* - Honduran* - Mexican* RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY Roman Catholic Orthodox Christian Protestant Christian Evangelical Christian Receiving Food Assistance* Lower Income Middle and Upper Income LEARNING DIVERSITY Speech/Language Delay Developmental Delay* Physical Disability 4 2 0 4 1 6 2 12 13 0 1 1 12 8 1 2 1 7 7 9 2 1 Quant. 13 14

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

*occurs concurrently with other characteristics

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK DISCUSSING OUR FAMILY DIVERSITY

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Our preschool families are an interesting sample of the immigrant population here in DC. The families are, in many ways, representative of what is widely known about immigrants here in the US. Most families are two-parent households, but there are some that single-mother households or extended family structures. The ethnic make-up of the class is predominantly Central American. Similar results came from the 2010 US Census (US Census Bureau, 2012) and studies (Brandon, 2004). Unfortunately, the class checklist also bears out the generalizations that immigrant families often live in poverty and that children of at-risk cultural and economic groups are more likely to qualify for special education services. Something that is not usually discussed in research on immigrants and education is religion, and the demographics of our preschool classroom bear out the differences that exist between stereotypes of immigrants and the diversity that actually exists. While Latin America is traditionally recognized as a bastion of Roman Catholicism, in fact there is a growing number of evangelical Christians and other Protestant denominations. Honoring the many belief systems of my students families becomes important in the face of such numbers.

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There is a great deal to learn from immigrant families, especially when conversations are scheduled in advance so that families have time to sit with you and there is not a stressful agenda for the conversation. Speaking with three1 families from my preschool class highlighted several of the challenges, as well as several of the often unplumbed wells of internal resources, that are realities in working with immigrant parents. All conversations took place in the weekday afternoon hours in the families homes. The first thing that I noticed during each conversation was how much different it was to speak with families in the relative calm of their homes rather than the busy classroom. As Gonzalez-Mena (2010) put it, If you could see them operate in their own language and familiar surroundings, they arent the same people! (p. 3). Usually reticent, all three parents opened up more to me than they ever had previously. And, in return, I opened up with them, letting them know more detail about my upbringing and my experiences. Seble, who often scurries out of the classroom (maybe to avoid conversing in English), took time to try to find the words to express concerns about her youngest daughters language development and behavior. Rafael explained how he and his wife met through a church study group. He excitedly recounted all the educational programs his church has enabled him to take part in, like history and literature classes. Estela explained more about her life, and revealed that she has older children from a previous marriage that cant live with her. If it were not for the comfortable settings of these interviews, I would never has suspected that Seble was worried, that Rafael was an ardent reader, or that Estelas daughter is not an only child and that the frequent trips to New York were about visiting the son who lives there.

Transcripts of two of these conversations are included in the Appendices. During the third conversation the recording device failed. Quotes from that conversation are taken from notes written right after the conversation was finished.

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Much about our conversations did not surprise me. The challenges were not new but were rather highlighted and made personal by these conversations. These included: isolation, educational background, and traumatic pasts due to poverty and violence. Immigrants can feel very isolated. As Goodwin (2002) found, immigrants are all too often rendered marginal or invisible, or paradoxically, too visiblethey find that they simultaneously stand out and are overlooked by U.S. society (p. 165). Seble told me, I no friends. My husband yes. He have friends. Me no. My husband my friend. Both Rafael and Estela told me that they cannot visit their home countries (and their families there) because they lack the legal immigration status that would let them come and go freely. Estela is separated from her two older children, one being raised by her father in New Jersey, where he has access to better schools, and one being raised by her mother in El Salvador, whom she has not seen in seven years. Seble was only recently reunited with her 7-year old son; they had left him behind in Ethiopia five years ago, waiting to send for him when they were more settled here. Yet they all believed that they were in the right place and had made the right decision by coming here. The poverty of their backgrounds, and their current economic struggles, was brought home to me, too. Two of the families lived in studio apartments. One lived in a two bedroom apartment with 3 children sharing a single room. In two families, only one parent is working. In the third family both parents work, but opposite schedules. Both Estela and Rafaels wife talked about how they were kept home from school due to civil strike making it unsafe to venture out, as well as there being siblings to care for. Rafael talked about growing up in the very different borderland region of southern Mexico, including walking five hours just to visit his grandmother. Life here, he said, is fast. Always going. Rafael only completed sixth grade, his wife and Estela less than a full year of school. Even Seble, with a 10th grade education, talked about how

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK bewildering life here can be without the background knowledge to comprehend it easily. Yet, every single one of them brought up how wonderful it was to have access to the ESF program, and not just for their children but also for themselves. I could see that education was, for all of them, a key step toward the economic and cultural stability they at times currently lack.

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What moved me most of all was being able to bear witness to the great efforts they are all putting forth on behalf of their children. Being able to notice and praise what they are doing right was a gratifying exercise and a wonderful way to connect with these otherwise distant families. Seble was delighted to hear more about Emandas progress, her passion for singing songs and teaching them to the class. Estela, who can barely write her own name, was genuinely surprised when I praised her use of coloring books with her child as a way to help her form the ability to maintain attention to a task and the controlled fine motor skills necessary for reading and writing later on. Moreover, Estela was stunned when I suggested that her husband could help us teach the class by coming in to talk to us about construction work hes done. Rafael laughed bashfully when I told him that I knew someone in the house had to be a pretty avid reader, given the passion his three year old son has for the activity. Perhaps some changes happen through formulaic applications, but the gentle, meandering, and positive nature of these conversations proved that in possibly tense situations, slowly bringing parents into the process can help a teacher to know more. While I did not gain knowledge that necessarily changes how I approach their children, it certainly changes how I approach the parents. I can now do so with less worry that I will make them uncomfortable, because I am aware of some of their stressors and many of their strengths.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK


Family Nights Help with local "Wow!" experiences P-T Conferences APTT

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Formal
Meetings

Transporting children

Clothing Swaps

Field Trips
Attend, & help with snacks

How can families help in our classroom?


Large Group Activities Small Group Activities
Perform a song or story with your child

Supporting Other Families

Weekend Play Dates

Read or tell a story

Classroom Mealtimes

Breakfast

Teach a new song

Lunch Snack Show a talent or skill Play active game at the park

Cooking or Art

October 24, 2012 Hello, ESF Preschool Families! We are starting a new study in our classroom next week! We are going to study BUILDINGS for the next several weeks, probably until early December. How can preschoolers study BUILDINGS? We will start by examining what the children already know about buildings by doing activities that will get them building and talking about building. With this information, and thinking about what we want them to learn to be ready for their next year of school, we will create activities, classroom environments, and field trips that will help them expand their skills in all developmental domains. [Remember, those include socio-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, and mathematics.] How can families help the class during our BUILDINGS study? 1. Materials We want to provide lots of fun building experiences to our children during this study. We already have lots of building toys in the classroom, but we would like to expand our collection with found objects. If you have any fabric (like an extra sheet or curtain), any boxes (cardboard or shoe boxes are perfect), or any actual building materials (simple tools like hammers and nails that we can supervise the children using) please bring them in. 2. Demonstration We know that at least some of our parents work in buildings in different ways, such as construction, maintenance, and custodial services. If you feel comfortable, wed like to set up a morning or afternoon when parents who do work involving building could come show children what they do and how they do it. 3. Field Trip We will have a field trip in early December, and at least one parent of every child needs to attend. We will be visiting the Building Museum in the morning, which has some very kid-friendly exhibits. We will provide a lunch and some other building related activities for the afternoon. If you have any other ideas, pictures of family members in building activities, or questions, please feel free to share them! Thank you! Kate, Lorena, and Priscilla 202-545-2020

Using Scissors Correctly


Learning to use scissors is important for your childs hand strength and fine motor control, which supports their emergent writing. You can help your child practice using scissors at home.

Pictures from yousaytoo.com

In this packet are two pairs of child-size scissors and several stiff papers for your child to work with at home. There is also a glue stick, to let your child turn her work into a beautiful mosaic. But, my child will cut something other than the paper. Remind them each time that scissors are only for paper right now. Only give your child scissors when you can watch them closely. Hold the paper for them until they are able to do it themselves. Remind them to go slowly. But, my child holds the scissors incorrectly. Gently encourage them into a proper grip, and model it for them with the extra pair of scissors. Dont be too strict. Let them have fun. They will figure it out. We also work on this at school. What if my child doesnt want to work with scissors? Try different times of day over the course of a few weeks. Talk to them while you use scissors around the house to cut out coupons, newspaper articles, or pictures. Once they start, dont push your child to continue. Scissors will tire their hands after 10 to 15 minutes. But, I dont know how to support my child using scissors. Do the above; also look at the stages of scissor development below. Remember it is a process. 1. Hold scissors, opens and closes them correctly. 2. Holds paper in other hand, snips at paper edges. 3. Cuts strips in random lengths. 4. Cuts straight across paper with some control 5. Cuts straight across paper with good control. Cuts around images with some control. 6. Cuts around images with control. (from GOLD, by Teaching Strategies, and otd20.pbworks.com, an occupational therapy group) Let us know when/if you need more materials and we will send them home with your child!

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Dear ESF Preschool Parents, Attached is our November family developmental calendar. This month we are studying buildings. The calendar is meant to help you connect with and share in what your child is learning in the classroom. We understand that you are busy. That is why we only suggest simple activities that will be easy to fit into your daily family routine. Please let us know if you have any questions or if you have ideas for future calendars.

Thank you! Kate, Lorena, & Priscilla 202.545.2020

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ESF FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 2012 BUILDINGS STUDY


4
Sort light and dark laundry

1
As you walk Notice windows

Count the letters in As you walk your childs name Notice doors

5
As you walk Notice Stairs

8
Point out things that come in twos (shoes, feet, hands, etc.)

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As you walk Notice Bricks

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Pair socks and shoes

Practice words that As you walk start with the same Notice Chimneys sound

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As you walk Notice Metal

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Let you child pick out his or her own clothes today

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As you walk Notice Wood

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15

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Talk about your childs growth

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As you walk Notice Concrete

Practice words that As you walk rhyme Notice Leaves

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Talk about staying safe

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As you walk Talk about uses for buildings (houses, stores, schools, etc.)

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Practice calling 911 for help

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School Thanksgiving Celebration at Bancroft

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Help your child to dry the dishes or put them away

Practice Please Count members of and Thank You your family HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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As you walk Notice Shapes

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Practice drawing circles

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As you walk Notice Construction Sites

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Sing a song (maybe a holiday song?)

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As you walk Notice Signs

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CLASS FIELD TRIP to Building Museum

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PARENT INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD


Tree changes throughout year as children bring in items to update it for the season Multi-language Greeting School Mission Statement

Daily Schedule (bilingual) Activity Plan and Food Menu for the Day (bilingual)

Amharic Greetings (least common classroom language)

Current Class Newsletter (bilingual)

Parenting Information (bilingual, rotated, also a take home item, right) Currently about dressing for the weather

Take Home Items (bilingual) Monthly School Schedule

Pen Holder from one of the common countries of origin

Daily Sign-In/Sign-Out Sheet Paper to leave notes for teachers

Reading Journal Forms This is a weekly parent-child activity

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK OUR INTERACTIVE PARENT BULLETIN BOARD

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Our bulletin board is a central point of contact for our students parents. It is one of the first items that greet their eyes as they enter the room, and it is the space where almost all of their questions can be answered. It is also a space for teachers and parents to communicate with each other through notes, despite the hectic mornings and teachers need to focus on the children. At different times throughout the year we encourage families to bring in items to decorate our boards tree. This helps keep the board something interesting and appealing to all involved. Because one of our foremost goals as a family literacy program is to promote community building and an appreciation for diversity, we greet families in all of the classroom languages English, Spanish, and Amharic. We also want to celebrate and extend knowledge of those cultures, from the most common culture to the least common ones, so we include images and opportunities to learn new bits of languages. Parents can see what kids will be doing and eating that particular day, and they can see what is coming up in the month. They have access to a copy of the class newsletter that was sent home as well as take home parenting items such as articles, pamphlets, and handouts, one of which is highlighted near the spot where parents must sign their children in and out.

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Welcome! Bienvenido!
Welcome to the 2012-13 preschool/pre-K class at ESFs Georgia Avenue site. We are excited to see new and familiar faces and to get a new year started.

Our Parent Orientation and Back to School Event will be on Wednesday, August 22nd from 5-7pm.
The agenda for this Orientation and Back to School Event is: Welcome by Lisa, Preschool Director Introducing Preschool Teachers, Kate Lorena & Priscilla Getting to know you Daily Procedures Getting to know your child Program Expectations Questions & Refreshments

School will start at 9am and 12:30pm on Wednesday, August 29th. The first three days (through August 31st), children will attend for half a day, coming to school only at the time their parents have class.

We will be contacting you to set up a time to visit with you and your child in your home. Call us with any questions or concerns.

We look forward to seeing you! Kate, Lorena, and Priscilla 202-545-2020

Education Strengthens Families


Georgia Avenue Preschool 2012-13 Fact Sheet
Total Students - 14 Girls 7 Boys 7 Family Origins El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Teachers Languages Kate Olden English & Spanish Lorena Gomez Spanish, French, English Priscilla Megalaa English & Arabic Weekly Special Events Reading with Parents Every Tuesday Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time Most Thursdays Music with Lilo (Musician & Teacher) Every other Wednesday Petworth Neighborhood Park Taylor Street NW between Georgia Ave & 8th Street We always go to the park if the weather is clear, 35 to 90 degrees. Lunch and Afternoon Snack are provided by Revolution Foods, Inc. Home School Connections Home Visits Early August Early January Parent Meetings Late October Late February Early June Parent-Teacher Conference March
(also as requested)

Family Nights Mid-September Early December Mid-April

Whenever you and your child cannot attend, please call (202) 545-2020

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Just like my teaching, my philosophy concerning family involvement is founded in assetbased thinking, grounded in Developmentally Appropriate Practice [DAP], critical pedagogy, and constructivist learning theories. According to DAP as outlined by Copple and Bredekamp (2009) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC] (1995), family involvement is critical to the education of young children. For the optimal development and learning of all children, educators must accept the legitimacy of childrens home language, respect and value the home culture, and promote and encourage the active involvement and support of all families (NAEYC, 1995, p. 2). Failing to include all families would be failing to fully support my students optimum development. DAP assumes that children construct their learning through their experiences, based in the theories of learning by Piaget and Vygotsky. This informs my teaching style and planning at all times, including how I include families in the classroom and communicate with them outside of school. I have to make requests in ways that are aware of the parents diversity in terms of culture as well as language and educational background. For example, messages are usually verbal and always bilingual. Activities are taught and practiced before they are expected to be done with children in the home. In the spirit of progressive education in this country, founded by thinkers like Dewey, I cannot believe that working with immigrant families demands solely considering parents as caretakers of their children. Adding to that, critical pedagogy, first explained by Friere (1968), points out the important role of education as an empowering agent for all those it touches. Working with immigrant families and their young children, I feel it is important to help families not only become the best possible parents and first teachers for their children, but also help them gain the skills to be able to advocate for themselves and their children in wider society.

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EDUCATION STRENGTHENS FAMILIES GEORGIA AVE PRESCHOOL DAILY SCHEDULE 9:00am 9:15am 10:00am Arrival & Breakfast Choice Time Morning Circle

10:20am Small Group Activity 10:30am Outdoor Time at Park 11:40am Lunch 12:10pm Read-Aloud 12:30pm Rest Time 1:45pm 2:00pm 2:50pm 3:00pm Snack Choice Time Afternoon Circle Dismissal

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT We utilize a positive discipline approach, which focuses on making sure children know

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what is expected of them and that attention is given to positive behaviors or redirecting children away from negative behaviors and replacing those with positive ones. Classroom Expectations With young children, it is important to keep our rules concrete and simple. We spend a few minutes every morning repeating our classroom rules as a poem.

If a child hits another child, we say Your hands are for working. If students are running, we remind them We use our feet to walk. We model the correct behavior for the children. To help the children with transitions, we use visuals (pictures and a clock) as well as auditory signals (a chime, songs.) We have clean up songs and songs for coming to the carpet. Discipline If a child engages in repeated negative behavior and redirection is not working, he or she will be removed from the current play situation to sit quietly with a teacher. This is never for more than 1 minute per year of the childs age. Depending on the childs developmental level, we discuss the negative behavior, the consequences, and positive behaviors that we would prefer, as well as ways that they can rectify the situation. If they are not ready to take part in such discussions or to rectify their actions, we help them calm down and model positive alternatives.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK OUR CLASSROOM INTEREST AREAS At ESF, we use the Creative Curriculum for Preschool, which focuses on in-depth study of

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topics in which the children are interested. Our first study will be All About Me! We will learn about our bodies, our feelings, and how we use and manage these in school. A plan of the classroom areas is attached, but we would also like to highlight two interest areas that parents sometimes misunderstand.

Toys and Games This is an area where children can explore letters, reading, writing, counting, mathematics, and practice using their hands and fingers. The shelves are stocked with table and floor games the children can work on by themselves or in groups. Here you will find puzzles, table top blocks, lacing cards, and beading sets. There is a wall space where children can use magnetic letters, number, and shapes. We always have group games available, at least one of each that deals with matching, letters, and numbers. We also always have options available to encourage children to sort by color, size, and shape.

Dramatic Play This is an area where children can engage in pretend activities that let them explore the different activities they see around them every day. At the beginning of the school year, this area is always

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set up at a small kitchen and house, stocked with materials and toys representative of childrens home lives. This is the area of the classroom that changes the most with our study topics. It could be a construction zone, a greenhouse, an aquarium, a garage, a store, or many other things.. We always provide real-life options for children to extend their literacy and math abilities through dramatic play. For example, in this area you are likely to see children measuring, counting money, writing lists, or reading books to the baby dolls.

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OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK

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LOCAL AND ONLINE PARENT RESOURCES Early Learning Environment at the Fred Rogers Center ele.fredrogerscenter.org
This amazing site is a wonderful resource for parents of growing children. You can find activities, videos, and games to do with your child. These can be searched by age, developmental area (writing, talking, playing, etc.), and type of media (book, song, video, etc.) You will explore this website with your Adult Education instructor during your classrooms computer time. Many of the videos are available in English and Spanish. Type Spanish into the search terms to find these.

aje-dc.org
This is a local and national organization devoted to helping parents of children in special education speak up for their childrens rights and needs in public schools. They have online resources as well as local events to raise awareness about special education, inclusive education, and the processes by which children will special needs are identified and educated. AJE will be coming to provide seminars to the Adult Education students several times throughout the school year. Their offices are just up the street from us here, at 4201 Georgia Avenue NW. You can also call them at (202) 678 8060.

Asociacin Mundial de Educadores Infantiles World Association of Early Childhood Educators youtube.com/AMEIcuentosanimados
We know that not all our students are native Spanish speakers, but because most are, we provide a bilingual English/Spanish learning environment in our preschool classroom. We encourage all of our families to continue using their native languages at home, because we know that this will improve the childrens lives and relationships. It can be hard to find quality educational television and videos in Spanish, so we hope this website will be one you can visit with your children to watch and discuss interesting, age-appropriate stories and lessons.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK

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Circle of Parents Parenting Resources circleofparents.org/parent_resources/index.shtml


Parenting is difficult but very important. Circle of Parents is a national group of support networks for parents. They do not currently have a group in DC but this website offers excellent tip sheets in both English and Spanish for how to deal with challenging behaviors. You may print out any of these that you need on the computers in the Adult Education classrooms, free of charge.

PARENTING RESOURCES IN THE CLASSROOM


Please check your Adult Education classrooms lending library for parenting books in both English and Spanish. We also have materials available in the preschool classroom dealing with childrens development, academic learning, appropriate clothing and nutrition, and local events in both English and Spanish.

If there is ever a parenting topic about which you need more information, please let us know. We are happy to help you find the resources you need to be the best parent you can be!

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK References

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Batalova, J. & A. Lee. (2012). Frequently requested statistics on immigrants and immigration in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.migrationinformation.org/usfocus/display.cfm?ID=886#7 Brandon, P. D. (2004). The child-care arrangements of preschool-age children in immigrant families in the United States. International Migration 42(1), 65-87. Copple, C. & Bredekamp, S., Eds. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs: Serving children from birth through age 8. 3rd Edition. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Couchenor, D. & Crisman, K. (2011). Families, schools, and communities: Together for young children. (4th ed.). Australia: Wadworth/Cengage Learning. Friere, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (30th Anniversary ed.). New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.Feistritzer, C. E. (2011). Profile of teachers in the U.S. 2011. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Information. Goodwin, A. L. (2002). Teacher preparation and the education of immigrant children. Education and Urban Society, 34(2), 156-172. Lahaie, C. (2008). School readiness of children of immigrants: Does parental involvement play a role? Social Science Quarterly, 89(3), 684-705. National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC]. (1995). Responding to linguistic and cultural diversity: Recommendations for effective early childhood education. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Takanishi, R. (2004). Leveling the playing field: Supporting immigrant children from birth to eight. The Future of Children, 14(2), 61-80.

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US Census Bureau, (2012). American community survey report: The foreign-born population in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acs-19.pdf 12/2/12 Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub. L. No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 (1998).

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK PARENT INTERVIEW GUIDING QUESTIONS 1. How long have you been in the United States? Where else have you lived? 2. What do you like about living here in DC? 3. Who is in your childs life? (Siblings, Extended Family) 4. What ties are you able to maintain with your country of origin? 5. What kind of work do you do? 6. What was your educational experience like growing up? 7. How do you like to spend time with your children? 8. What are the things you like best about your childs school? 9. What are your worries for your child? 10. What are your hopes and dreams for your child?

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OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK TRANSCRIPT of conversation2 with Estela3 (Mother of girl, age 4) 9 November 2012 Kate: I wanted to talk with you because I dont really know that much about your family. How long have you been here? Estela: Twelve years. Yeah, about twelve years. Kate: Wow. Twelve years! Thats quite a bit of time. Estela: Yes. But the problem was that when I first came I had two small children. A girl of two years and boy of four. [indepcipherable] Kate: You have other children?

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Estela: Yes. The girl was three and the boy five. so, when I first came, I came to work. I worked and could not register in a school to learn English. I spent all my time working. Kate: You were here in Washington? Estela: No. I was in New Jersey. Kate: Oh! Thats right! You visit New York a lot, I remember now. Who in your family lives there? Estela: My sister. My dad My brother. Now my son is there and my daughter is in El Salvador. Kate: Oh. Who does she live with there? Estela: My mother. Kate: Where in El Salvador is she? Estela: San Miguel. Kate: Do you get to visit her at all? Estela: No. I dont have papers. Maybe if I can get status next year I can go visit her early the following year. Shes so big now. Kate: How old is she now? Estela: Shes 14.

Transcript is of first ten minutes of a 20 minute conversation. It took place in Spanish and is translated here. The mother does not always pronounce her words clearly. These portions are marked as [indecipherable]. 3 Pseudonyms are used. Anonymity was a condition of this conversation due to immigration legalities.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Kate: Ah. Shes a young woman! But thats not fair that you cant see you daughter. Estela: I know. Shes so much older now. Look. Thats her in the photo. Kate: Shes beautiful. What an outfit! Those are colors for El Salvador. Estela: She was dancing in a civic program. That was when she was 12. [indecipherable]

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Kate: I used to live in Honduras. I can understand how that event [in the picture] was a really big deal. I met several Salvadorans while I was in Honduras. Your husband is the father of all of your children or have you remarried? Estela: It was another man. He left when my son was small and I was pregnant with my little girl. Two months pregnant. [indecipherable] Kate: That sounds really difficult. How long have you been married to your husband? Estela: Its been five years. [indecipherable] I told my family I had to leave and thanks to God my son could stay to study there. Hes working hard and doing well. Kate: How old is he now? Estela: 16. Kate: Is he thinking about going to college? Estela: Yes. But sometimes he tells me he wants to work. Kate: I can understand that feeling. Its important to study but Estela: But he wants to go into medicine. Kate: Oh. Maybe he could get into being a paramedic in an ambulance to help him get ready. Estela: Hes smart. He knows so much. I wanted to have him here but it was dangerous [indecipherable]. Kate: Maybe with college he can thinking about coming some place closer to you. Maybe Maryland. Estela: He wants to work. Kate: I can understand that. Ive found myself in the middle of that decision. Is it better to get some life experience now or to study? Some people need to take a break before studying more. Im working on a degree right now, and I like that I am older and more mature, with more experience.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK Estela: Did you go to university here?

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Kate: No. I first went to university in Texas. I was born in Texas. My mother is still there. I got a degree in Texas and worked in theater for 10 years. I worked all over the place. Wisconisn. Utah. Vermont. After I ended up here I started looking for something different. Something that would use my Spanish. Estela: You are very intelligent. Kate: Thank you. Maybe. But I love my job with the kids. Estela: I can see that. You love to teach and play. Kate: Today I was playing with [your daughter] and her coat. I put it on backwards and ended up walking into a wall and hurting my nose a little bit. Estela: [laugh] Kate: Did you go to school in El Salvador? Estela: I started. I started first grade but my father told me to stop going and we didnt go again. Because sometimes it was dangerous. Kate: Oh, it was during the war? Estela: Yes. I was a little girl when the war started. There was a lot going on with the war at that time. But my cousin, who is the same age, went to school the whole time. [indecipherable] Kate: How wonderful that you can start going to school again now. Estela: I know! I give a big thanks to God that the school is here. There is so much I can learn. [indecipherable] I now have more patience with my daughter. Kate: Patience is important to enjoy time with children. What does your husband do? Estela: He works in construction. Kate: Oooh. Were studying building in the class. Maybe he could come visit one day to talk with the class. Ill have to think about when and talk with him. Estela: Yes. You know the mall on 14th Street? Kate: Yes. With the Target store? Estela: He worked on that.

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Kate: Oh. [Your daughter] can see his work! For him it is a lot of memories, not just a building. My father was an engineer and I loved to visit his work sites.

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TRANSCRIPT of conversation4 with Esperanza and Rafael5 (Mother & Father of boy, age 3) 9 November 2012 ESPERANZA: Ive seen some Americanwhitemothers and I was alarmed because they have their little girls out without adequate clothing. No socks or stockings. No gloves. Just their American clothing. I told them, you should put more clothing on your child! Shes cold! KATE: Really? ESPERANZA: They just say, Oh shes fine! KATE: Some dont feel the cold like others. ESPERANZA: I dont understand it. RAFAEL: Some people grow up in climates very different from here. KATE: Thats true. When I went to Bolivia, I think that was the worst cold Id ever experienced. It was 0 degrees centigrade every day for weeks. And there was no heat! I kept dog biscuits to lure the familys puppies into bed to help me stay warm at night. ESPERANZA: There was no heater? KATE: A small one. But energy cost so much. I didnt want to do that the family I lived with. I survived by wearing three layers of clothes all the time. RAFAEL: Three layers! KATE: Yeah. I can count on two hands how often I was willing to take a shower there. I didnt want to go anywhere near water, even if it was hot water. RAFAEL: Thats like where I grew up on the border. Its cold in the border region when you go out early. You put on a lot of clothing if you go outside. I would heat water to drink it and definitely to bathe. KATE: Yes. But so many places have only cold water. RAFAEL: Thats how it was. And it snows in the mountains. KATE: Are you both from the same region? RAFAEL: Im from the Mexican border, the border with Guatemala. KATE: And you are from the border with Guatemala?
4 5

Transcript is of ten minutes in the middle of a longer conversation. It took place in Spanish and is translated here. Pseudonyms are used. Anonymity was a condition of this conversation due to immigration legalities.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK ESPERANZA: No. Im from the department of Jalapa. KATE: Oh. You are from Guatemala itself. I misunderstood before. Im sorry. ESPERANZA: Thats okay! KATE: Did you all meet there? ESPERANZA: No. Here. He was studying the bible. RAFAEL: Yes. Theres an institute where one can study the bible and I went there for a few years. KATE: Its here in DC? RAFAEL: Yes. Its at Allison and 16th street. It is a school where you can study the bible closely. You can even get your PhD. But for that you have to study four years. I dont really study anymore. I go on Mondays and Wednesdays. Thats where I met her.

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KATE: So, once you got your woman, no more need for the bible, huh? Just kidding, of course! ESPERANZA: You are so funny! RAFAEL: A lot of people study there. ESPERANZA: Doctors. Youth. Women. Anyone can study there. RAFAEL: Its very friendly. KATE: Do they have classes in other languages or only Spanish? RAFAEL: Only Spanish. ESPERANZA: I took a class about the first book, Genesis. What it is. What it is about. KATE: Is it run by a particular church? ESPERANZA: its Christian. KATE: Is it Pentecostal? Evangelical? RAFAEL: Yes. Pentecostal. Its the same church that we attend. They have an institute and a church. But teachers come from other churches to work at the school. There are people there from many countries. KATE: How wonderful, though, that at the same time you are learning more about the bible and other cultures you also get to continue to use your Spanish literacy skills.

OLDEN FAMILY HANDBOOK RAFAEL: Yes, and there are classes about how people lived in Biblical times. ESPERANZA: Yes about customs. RAFAEL: And about how different life was. Communities. Travel. Food. KATE: A chance to see the world from a different perspective.

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RAFAEL: Yes. Some things were the same but much was different from now, like automobiles and electricity. Sometimes it reminds me of my life back home. KATE: I imagine. When I was in Honduras this past summer I re-learned how differently to think about time and travel. A place might not seem far but it Id spend half the day getting there because I didnt have my own car. ESPERANZA: Its different here. KATE: Yes. Our daily world is much bigger. RAFAEL: Much wider. Yes, for example, where I grew up, I walked five hours to visit my grandmother. I took food with me for the day.

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