Module 6

The first article that I read was "Family Involvement Across Learning Settings." This article was of particular interest to me, because I have always been able to spot the children with involved parents, as well as their non-involved counterparts. The article highlighted the fact that families not only play a pivotal role in learning in school, but also learning that is in out-of-school contexts.

The following is the 3-part definition of family engagement that was proposed in the article:

1. Is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families in meaningful ways and in which families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development.
2. Is continuous across a child’s life and entails enduring commitment but changing parent roles as children mature into young adulthood.
3. Cuts across and reinforces learning in the multiple settings where children learn— at home, in prekindergarten programs, in school, in after school programs, in faith-based institutions, and in the community.

As I think about the role that teachers play in engaging in school and community resources, the aforementioned definitions maintain that family engagement is a shared responsibility between the teachers and the community in reaching out to engage families so they are committed to supporting their children's learning. In my opinion, the role of the teacher should be to serve as a bridge between the community  resources and the parents of the children. Maintaining a strong relationship with the community in which the family and students reside will ultimately promote school and learning within the family's home. 

The second article that stood out to me and struck a chord was the article-"Funds of Knowledge." Every family's household maintains "funds of knowledge" regardless of level of formal education or literacy. These "funds of knowledge" are different from mainstream families, but it is a powerful tool in the creation of lessons for math, science, reading, etc. However, these authentic, cultural activities rarely make their way into the school curriculum. At this point, it is the primary role of the teacher to interact with members of the families, as well as members of the community.

By interacting with the community and planning at-home visits with the families, the teacher will be able to tap into these "reserves of knowledge." In areas where their is a high achievement gap, the "funds of knowledge" can be of exponential help to teachers in motivating the students. In addition, teachers have the opportunity t enhance their professional development through ethnographic analysis.