Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Chapter 3
Collaborating with Parents and Families
Understanding Today’s Family
• Both Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model and Bandura’s social cognitive theory
Cultural Issues
o Teachers need to understand the cultural expectations of students’ families and how
to respond to the families in a culturally sensitive manner.
o Teachers need to remember that children acquire the values, beliefs, traditions, and
languages of their cultures through interactions with their environments.
Establishing Relationships with Families
• There are a number of different strategies teachers can use to establish positive
relationships with the families of their students.
• Teachers should establish relationships with their students’ parents from the beginning of
the school year, and when they need to contact the parents about academic or behavioral
concerns later during the school year, the parents are more likely to be receptive to the
communication.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
A Family Systems Model
• In the family systems model, the family is seen as an interrelated and interactive social
system in which the events and experiences of each member of the family unit affect
other members of the family.
Family Characteristics
o Each family member has a specific role and is expected behave in a certain manner.
o Family characteristics also include socioeconomic factors, cultural and linguistic
backgrounds, health of family members, family size, the presence of members with
substance abuse problems, and the presence of members with disabilities. All of these
factors can affect how a child interacts within the family, community, and school.
Family Interaction
o The family members’ reciprocal interactions contribute to the functioning level of the
family.
o Family cohesion is the emotional bonding or closeness that family members have
toward each other.
Family Functions
o Family functions are the routines, tasks, and activities individual family members
perform to meet the members’ diverse needs as well as those of the family as a unit.
o Family functions may be broken down into affection, self-esteem, spiritual,
economics, daily care, socialization, recreation, and education.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Family Life Cycle
o The family life cycle is composed of developmental stages that families pass through,
from childhood to retirement.
Family Involvement and Engagement
• Family involvement and family engagement are two different approaches.
Working with Diverse Families
• Currently, many of the teachers in the United States are European American females, and
many of these teachers have little understanding of the lives of families that are culturally
and linguistically different from themselves, or of the lives of families living in poverty.
Maintaining High Expectations
o If parents perceive that teachers do not think their children are capable of success in
school, this sets up a barrier that makes it very difficult for teachers to establish
collaborative relationships with the parents.
o Teachers need to understand the cultures of students and their families so that they
can avoid the misconceptions of stereotypes.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
A Family Affair
o The families of children from some cultures may view parent–teacher conferences,
school activities, and even special education conferences as invitations to
participation by all family members and friends.
Family Engagement
Family Involvement in Academic Optimism
• Family involvement and family engagement are two different approaches that teachers
can take in to working with students’ families.
• Family involvement is often not conducive to reciprocal communication between
teachers and families. Teachers inform parents about how they can contribute to fulfilling
Working with Diverse Families
• Efforts to address the academic and behavior concerns of diverse students are likely to be
ineffective unless teachers understand the lives of families that are culturally and
linguistically different from themselves, or of the lives of families living in poverty.
• Cultural self-awareness is a key element in a person’s consideration of the cultures of
other groups.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Family Involvement in Academic Optimism
• Academic optimism encompasses a teacher’s belief that he or she can make a difference
in the academic performance of students, academic emphasis, and trust between the
teacher and family.
• Teachers with a high sense of self-efficacy are more likely to continue to be effective
teachers despite minor setbacks.
Standards for Family Relationships
• Teachers should adhere to standards for developing relationships between teachers and
parents.