Welcoming Families from around the World

It is October 2012 and the school term is well under way. All the children in my class are settled and are familiarized with the routine at the child care centre.  Then one Friday afternoon, I receive a circular from the Principal in relation to a new student that will be enrolled in my class the following Monday.  Her name is Lydia and she is from Russia.  Her English is limited and this is her first time in Jamaica.  I start to ponder how she will integrate in my class and with the remainder of students who are all Jamaicans. 

Then, I recall the lessons that I have learnt in my recent diversity course.  How can I ensure that Lydia from Russia is integrated seamlessly into my classroom?  How will I prepare myself to ensure that I am culturally responsive towards Lydia and her family? 

Here are my ideas:

1. I go to the Principal’s office and request a copy of Lydia’s application file.  From this file, I obtain personal information regarding Lydia.
2. From the background information received, I then conduct specific research as follows:
1. Her age – 7 years old – what are the implications of being a 7 year old girl in Russia?
2. The particular city in Russia that she comes from – Nizhny Novgorod, the 5^th largest city in Russia with a population of approximately 1.25 million people.  The city is an important economic, transportation, and cultural centre of Russia and the vast Volga-Vyatka economic region.  Detailed research on the city’s history, government structure, economy, cultural activities and education system.
3. The composition of her family – nuclear family with father, mother, and 2 older brothers.   Lydia is the youngest and a girl, so I research further to see if this would have cultural significance.
4. Her educational background – comparable to the Jamaican educational system.
3. I liaise with my school administration to ascertain whether contact can be made with the Russian Embassy in Jamaica to obtain information that would not be revealed in my research and to discuss ways in which I can be responsive to Lydia and her family.   I also look into the possibility of having a translator present dependent on the extent of Lydia’s fluidity in English.
4. I also source books from the local library which are age appropriate to my class to use as teaching aids to learn about Russia.  In addition, I look out for books or audio CDs from which a few key words and phrases can be learnt in Russia.
5. I revise my lesson plans (with the approval of my supervisor) based on the information gleaned to make Lydia feel welcome during her first week.  A questionnaire and introductory package are also prepared for Lydia’s parents so that they also feel welcome and to facilitate the exchange of relevant information.   This package will be translated to Russian dependent on the ease with which the family can communicate in English.

From the foregoing preparations, I hope that Lydia and her family will feel welcomed both in my classroom and at the school. Also, I want my actions to demonstrate that I am willing to partner with the family in the continued education of their daughter whilst respectfully acknowledging and incorporating their home culture where possible.  By my lesson plans, I also want to build the awareness and sensitivity of the other children in the classroom and their parents to the experiences of Lydia and her family.