"This Was the First Time Anybody Had Ever Invited Me": The Power of School/Family Engagement

• In Event: 43.048 - Family and Community Engagement as the Work of Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This study documents paraeducators—journeying towards teaching degrees through an alternative route certification program—shifting from conventional to empowering teacher/family partnerships through activities grounded in culturally responsive/humanizing pedagogies. The study “pushes back” against a new post-truth paradigm by demonstrating the value of knowledge generated through our and teacher candidate research. The teacher/family engagements show real stories of families—many of whom are bilingual immigrants, like many of the paraeducators themselves. The documented stories and interactions counter media-portrayed “single-story” narratives with teachers and parents learning to navigate each other’s worlds, forging mutual understandings, trust, and respect, and ensuring that parents feel a part of their children’s school world thus contributing to sustaining and honoring students’ cultural and linguistic identities.

Authors

• Sarah Newcomer, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Steven Morrison, Washington State University

• Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Washington State University - Vancouver

• Judith A. Morrison, Washington State University

• Lindsay K Lightner, Washington State University

• Yuliya Ardasheva, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Kira Joy Carbonneau, Washington State University - Pullman