SL Post # 3 In response to Prompt # 5:

The classroom I am assigned to is an ESL classroom.  The teacher has told me about the communication barrier she faces with parents.  Not only does the language barrier pose a difficulty, but also, in some specific cases, the parents’ lack of interest and participation causes problems.    She has two children in her class with severe behavioral issues; in both cases, there is not only a language barrier with the parents, but unfortunately, even when interpreter services have been utilized, the parents are only concerned about whether or not a suspension is being handed down – corrective measures are not discussed because the parents stop the discussion. 

One of the other issues she has raised is the parents’ lack of knowledge regarding the services that are available to help their children…..these families are not part of the “culture of power” we have discussed in class, and do not possess the tools necessary to make informed decisions about their child’s education.  And, it appears that administrative school personnel are not always conveying information regarding available services to the parents.   Also, she has found that some of the recommendations that administration makes to parents are not always the best remedies or “fits” for the actual classroom.  It sounds as though there is a huge lack of communication between not only the parents and the school, but also the teachers and administration.   

One other comment that was made to me was that years of experience has shown that children and parents of certain cultures,  not all,  tend to display a level of disrespect to school personnel who are not bilingual and only speak English. 

These types of situations cause an underlying level of frustration for the educator which carries into the classroom environment.