“We Do It All”: Multilingual Family Liaisons as Caring Agents of Reception (Poster 36)

• In Event: AERA Promising Scholarship in Education Research: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research
  In Invited Poster Session: AERA Promising Scholarship in Education Research: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research Poster Session

Abstract

For immigrant-origin students and families, multicultural liaisons play an essential, caring role in bridging home and school, particularly in newly diversifying settings. In this embodied ethnography, I worked as a Spanish-speaking liaison in a district in Maine to understand how liaisons contribute to a caring context of reception for immigrant families. I found that liaisons are positioned to welcome newcomers to the district. This sets the stage for the student’s and family’s success, while also providing an opportunity to address concerns regarding the student’s placement or development. Liaisons facilitate transfers of knowledge between institutions (such as the school and community-based organizations) and families. Liaisons also connect families with resources, such as emergency financial assistance, that support students' and families' engagement.

Author

• Edom Tesfa, Brown University