Welcoming Families Around the World

Most recently I have enrolled a few Nigerian families to my program.  I know very little about the people of Nigeria, just as I would imagine they are unfamiliar with some of our American nuances.  The children seem to have acclimated to the program rather well and their parents seem happy with the care and quality of education we are providing.  I have noticed both parents speak English with a heavy accent and an understanding of what is being said.  In addition to this language dynamic, I have also encountered one parent speaking English very well, while the other parent speaks some English but is fluent in another language.  This particular blog comes at a good time as I have just completed team meetings with my staff and have been discussing what holidays mean for culturally diverse families if anything.  The conversations have been challenging as my staff struggles with the question, “how can all the children be represented in the projects and activities we are doing?” It is certainly a discussion we will continue to probe and explore but I was surprised that they did not feel it necessary to seek out the parent’s ideas about their holiday celebrations.  Culturally diverse conversations are not as readily understood and more importantly I am finding that for individuals like my staff the idea of culture is a peripheral one represented through crayons, baby dolls and clothing.  I want to dig deeper and for that reason I did some research on the people of Nigeria to get a better sense of who they are so as to better promote an engaging program, inclusive program. 

I learned that although English is the official language of Nigeria and is used for education, business transactions and official purposes, there are 510-catalogued languages in the country.  The following are the major native languages, Yoruba, Ibo and Kanuri.  The country is composed of Christians, Muslims, and native religious in which people believe in deities and spirits.   Families are composed of extended family members, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers and in-laws working as a unit through life (www.kwintessential.co.uk).

In order to be culturally responsive towards a family of Nigerian decent I would do the following - 

I would ask how long they have been in this country and how they came to immigrate here; do they have family here (to determine support systems and family structure and dynamics). 

I would ask what part of Nigeria they were from as well as what primary language was spoken there. 

I would engage the family in a discussion about the education environment that their child last attended with follow up questions as to what they felt about the experience; how their child responded to the experience.

Discuss their expectations of the program and our education setting; what needs do they has as it pertains to their child; are then looking for social/emotional support, are they language development, are they focused on kindergarten preparedness.

Once a home language was identified I would provide them with Center materials and curriculum handout describing the program in their native language if possible.

I would host a cultural potluck, providing an environment of sharing and dialogue so as to engage the family in the program as well as help broaden their social network, allowing them to share who they are while networking with other parents.

The process would help build relationships with the family and the program as well as give the teaching teams insight into the family’s beliefs and values.  In addition, the exchange of information will equip the program with information that will help the teachers plan with intention so that the Nigerian family can feel represented, included and engaged. 

References

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/nigeria.html