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Understanding Diverse Families
Books and videos
- Ada, A. F. (1998). Home school interaction with cultural or language diverse
families. Westlake, OH: Del Sol Publishing.
This guide presents a transformative approach to home school interaction with
families from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds. In this approach,
teachers recognize the potential of every individual, regardless of age, gender,
and ethnicity, to contribute to the transformation of their own life, and the
lives of their family and community. Transformative education provides many opportunities
for reaching providing connections between the home and school. The last two
sections provide sample English and Spanish letters to parents on helping children
to succeed in school, helping children develop language skills, developing home
languages, preparing children to be good readers, home support for school success,
and health tips
- Edelman, L. (2001). Just Being Kids. JFK Partners and The University of
Colorado.
This video looks at the lives of six different children and their families
through six vignettes. Each story has its own unique issues and discussion
points. This
video demonstrates how to collaborate with families to achieve meaningful
goals for their child in everyday routines, activities, and places. This
video also
comes with a facilitator’s handbook.
- Gonzalez-Mena, J. (1996). Diversity: Contrasting Perspectives Magna Systems,
Inc.
This video shows how parent relations can deepen when childcare staff explore
contrasting perspectives and spark dialogue. This video depicts variations on
themes of independence, interdependence and individuality in the delicate issues
involved in day-to-day care giving
- Gonzelez-Mena, J., & Tobiassen, D.P. (1999). A Place to Begin: Working
with Parents on Issues of Diversity. Sacramento, CA: California Tomorrow.
A resource for raising children who feel good about who they are and who learn
to appreciate and respect people who are different.
- Hanson, M. J., & Lynch, E. W. (2003). Understanding Families: Approaches
to Diversity, Disability, and Risk. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Co.
This book combines research on families and family-centered services with practical
suggestions for working successfully with caregivers, especially those whose
young children are at risk or have disabilities. It provides readers with an
overview of demographics and family diversity, insight into how disability influences
family life, help with addressing specific risk factors that influence family
life, a guide to factors that contribute to resilience, and tips on communicating
effectively with families and understanding the challenges they face today.
- Harry, B. (1997). A Teacher’s Handbook for Cultural Diversity, Families,
and the Special Education System. Teacher’s College Press.
This text helps future teachers become aware of traditional cultural stereotypes
in special education and explains how to cast these stereotypes aside in order
to work more effectively with students' families.
- Lynch, E. W., & Hanson, M. J. (2004). Developing Cross-Cultural
Competence: A Guide for Working with Young Children and Their Families.
Baltimore:
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
This book provides the reader with an introduction to issues surrounding working
with families from diverse cultural, ethnic, and language groups. It describes
the history, values, and beliefs of a number of cultural and ethnic groups living
in the United States and provides recommendations for professionals providing
intervention services.
- Olsen, G. W., & Fuller, M. L. (2002). Home-School Relations: Working
Successfully With Parents and Families. Boston: Allyn & Bacon
This book examines the nature of the contemporary family and its relationship
to the school. It offers advice for educators on ways to develop strong home-school
relationships and the importance of working relationships with their students.
The book covers traditional family topics, as well as issues facing families
today, such as poverty and domestic violence. In addition, diversity (cultural,
racial, religious, and sexual orientation) is discussed throughout the entire
book and even in a separate chapter. It also describes the techniques educators
must use to understand the families from which their students come.
- Valdes, G. (1996). Con Respeto: Bridging the Distances Between Culturally
Diverse Families and Schools: An Ethnographic Portrait. New York: Teacher’s
College Press.
This book presents a study of ten Mexican immigrant families, describing how
such families go about the business of surviving and learning to succeed in a
new world.
- Zambrana, R. E. (1995). Understanding Latino Families: Scholarship,
Policy, and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
This book presents an approach that centers on the strengths of Latino/Hispanic
groups, the structural processes that impede their progress, and the cultural
and familial processes that enhance their intergenerational adaptation and resiliency.
The author discusses conceptual approaches to Latino families, program and practice,
and policy implications. Salient topics include the economic well-being of Latino
families, prospects for Latino children and adolescents, the adjustment of Central
American refugee families, and Latino child and family health concerns.
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