Welcoming Families From Around the World

My family’s country of origin is Puerto Rico.  The only thing I am familiar with is the name.  Doing this assignment, I learned that the people of Puerto Rico represent a cultural and racial mix. This cultural and racial mix includes Spaniards, Africans, Cubans, French, and Germans. Although English is taught from kindergarten through high school, Spanish is the dominant language. Only 20-percent of Puerto Ricans speak English fluently. Religion in Puerto Rico is predominantly Roman Catholic.  The sports played in Puerto Rico are baseball, basketball, and soccer.

Five ways in which I would prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family are:

1.      I would use the internet to do research the culture, religion, food, holidays, and the most popular language used.

2.      I find out information on the child which includes educational and family background.

3.      I would use an interpreter to help me establish good communication between the parents.

4.      I would create a learning environment in which all the children different cultures and pictures are presented and this will help the parents feel comfortable and feel welcome at all times.

5.      Hopefully, this will accommodate all the needs of the families and children that I will encounter on a daily basis.

A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both the family and me:

I hope these preparations will help establish a healthy relationship between the family and me in which the family will feel comfortable and at home while adjusting to life in another country. In addition, this will bring understanding between all cultures which will bring respect and acceptance throughout the learning environment. This will help me to be more responsive to the needs of individuals and their families as they plan and make choices based on their cultural background.