Building Culturally Responsive Family Paradigms

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“Paradigms create worldviews on which future comparisons can be drawn. They provide concrete representations of what something could look like” (Holland, 2017). In the classroom, paradigms determine how teachers interact with the families of their students. Ellen S. Ametea’s, Building Culturally Responsive Family-School Relationships, describes each of the three paradigms that teachers tend to fit under when it comes to relationships with the families of students in their classroom. These paradigms include the separation paradigm, the remediation paradigm, and the collaboration paradigm. Each of the three differ, increasing parent involvement in the classroom as they shift from separation to collaboration. Building Culturally Responsive Family-School …show more content…

Those who advocate for the separation paradigm believe that communication between teachers and parents of students must be restricted as much as possible. This view understands parent-teacher interaction as simply means for conflict. Ametea’s, Building Culturally Responsive Family-School Relationships, explains the view of teachers who fall under this paradigm, "Educators who embrace the separation mindset consider this ideal for minimizing conflict and maintaining their professional autonomy” (Ametea, 2013). These educators believe that the only role parents should have involving their children’s education is to enforce the demands of the school. The paradigm consists of one way communication from educators to parents where input and contribution from parents is unfavorable and inconvenient for the teacher. The paradigm places the parents at fault for a child’s setbacks, and believes that the poor and working-class families are unable to contribute positively to the classroom. This paradigm fails to communicate with the families of students, likely resulting in a lack of knowledge of each students’ background. With that being said, I strongly disagree with the separation paradigm. I do not think that the paradigm puts students first. Rather, I believe that the lack of communication with families is a result of negligent teachers. A major issue arises when parent-teacher communication is cut off: teachers do not know …show more content…

The definition defines the paradigm as the “usual or accepted way.” Therefore, a change to a paradigm goes against what we know as normal and acceptable. Thwink.org (2014) explains the resistance, “if a person or system is biased toward its present paradigm, then a new paradigm is seen as inferior, even though it may be better.” As explained in Building Culturally Responsive Family-School Relationships however, recall that Thomas Kuhn found that every significant breakthrough in science begins with a break in tradition, or a shift of paradigms. With that being said, the shift from separation, to remediation, to collaboration, each made advancements that improved the quality of education provided to children. In my ideal classroom, parents will be welcome to visit and volunteer, and communication between myself as the teacher and the parents will be my pleasure. I recognize that when parents feel involved in the classroom, they are more likely to provide additional support at home. I know that communication between myself and my students’ parents will help me to understand each student’s unique background, allowing the best possible support to each students’ needs. I hope that my future classroom will reflect the collaboration

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