Welcoming a New Immigrant Family

   Our center has just been notified that we are going to get a new family in the community with a three year old little girl that will be attending our center. They are from Germany and they will arrive in a month. We like to create a welcoming environment so it’s time to do some research and homework to prepare for their arrival. We first start our research by reading learning key points about Germany. We do this buy reading books and research on the internet. What we would like to learn about is their belief system and culture. Also language and what type of foods are relevant in Germany. Sharing food is always a good way to get in touch with their interests. Language is also important and by learning key words in their language this will open the door for communication. We also will prepare the classroom to include many things on the wall and toys that represent Germany if we do not already have these items included in the classroom. We would also incorporate activities and lesson plans so we can all learn about Germany. All of these things would contribute awareness to the immigrant family that we do care about them and we want to make them feel welcome.

An Immigrant Family

My daughter attends high school with an immigrant girl from Russia. Her name is Tatiana and she and her family moved here, Western Kentucky, three years ago. The reason they moved her was because her father got a job with one of the local chemical companies. Tatiana’s family consists of a mother a father, and her. Tatiana and her father speak English, her mother does not. Tatiana states that her mother has a difficult time communicating in the community and stays home most of the time. Tatiana and her father speak English enough to communicate with others, but sometimes find it difficult when people use “slang” or certain phrases they are unaware of. They take everything literally, Tatiana said one of her friends said, “Let’s bounce”, and she thought why are we going to bounce? Her friend had to explain to her it meant something different, “let’s leave”. The two things mean totally different thins to Tatiana and this is hard for her to understand.

     Language can be a barrier and this is way I would like to learn how to communicate with people that do not speak the same language as I. I feel bad for Tatiana’s mother, who does not want to leave the house alone because she is not comfortable communicating in the community. I want to learn other ways to communicate, other than language to help everyone involved feel comfortable about the unknown. I don’t want anyone to feel like an outcast and become isolated.

     When people from other countries, or even our own, do not know how to speak the local language of where they chose to live, they can become frustrated and do not even want to try. Students can suffer when their parents do not speak the language of the school. This sometimes intimidates the parent and they are not involved in their child’s school experience. Without the skills to communicate with each other, understanding diminishes between the parent and the teacher. We as educators must create a welcoming environment for parents, students and accommodate the entire family. We should want all to be involved in the education process.

     The reality of Tatiana’s mother not being able to communicate with other people in the community has had many lasting effects on her. Tatiana stated that her mother does not like to leave the house because of the lack of understanding English and the communities’ lack of wanting to try and understand her. Sometimes we treat people different when they are not the same as us and we need to educate all families we come into contact with, not just the people who speak a language other than English, but teach everyone to embrace our differences. The community has let Tatiana’s mother down because of their lack of understanding culture, and differences. This can have lasting effects on Tatiana’s family because they cannot build a support group in the community. In Tatiana’s situation we have all failed her, the school and the community. This brings me to the reason why I need to learn ways to communicate with others that do not speak English. We do not necessarily need to learn the entire language, but find ways to communicate nonverbally too would be a start.

Practicing Awareness of Microagressions

     I have experienced microagressions on many occasions. One that stands out in my mind is when I was working for a paper company in California. I had fifteen years previous experience at another paper company so I knew what I was doing going into a new position for another paper company. I had been working at the new company for approximately two years and we just received a new district manager who was supposed to come in and “Clean house”. This man was the biggest male chauvinist I had ever encountered in my life and to this day, twenty-five years later, I have never met someone like him. He was very condescending when he talked down to me and one incident during a meeting, he patted the back of my hand as he told me everything would be okay. Not long after, I quit my job and it was an excellent career with excellent benefits. To this day I am mad at myself for letting him do that to me. I gave him the power over me because I did not stand up for myself. Life goes on and we all learn from situations and the experience has made me a better person.

    I let this man make me feel as if I were worth zero and had nothing to offer the company I was employee with at the time. Looking back at this situation I think he did this to me because I had more experience that he did. I really feel this man was threatened by experience and the only way he could deal with his emotions was to degrade me and make me feel bad. I look at all of these moments as a learning experience. I would never make a human feel bad because of what is lacking in my own life. This type of person who does this is called a bully, plain and simple.