Starting Small: Learning to Engage Parents and Families in Meaningful, Culturally Sustaining Ways

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Diverse Cultures Through Advocacy and Empowerment

Abstract

This qualitative case study draws from a federally funded, multi-year mixed-methods study focusing on an alternative route to teaching program designed to certify paraeducator teacher candidates with their ELL and/or bilingual endorsements. Using Faltis’ (2006) model of family engagement, informed by Gaitan’s (2012) taxonomy of parent involvement, and via the analysis of video-recorded classes, observations, and written artifacts, we explore how teacher candidates practiced engaging families in culturally sustaining ways. Our study suggests that family/community engagement is a fluid and dynamic process and points to the need for teacher educators to support teacher candidates within and across multiple courses in learning how to reflect upon and extend this engagement work to become more culturally sustaining and empowering.

Authors

• Sarah Newcomer, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Washington State University - Vancouver

• Steven Morrison, Washington State University

• Lindsay K Lightner, Washington State University

• Yuliya Ardasheva, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Judith A. Morrison, Washington State University

• Kira Joy Carbonneau, Washington State University - Pullman