Welcoming Families From Around the World

This week I was presented with the scenario of receiving an emigrating family from a foreign country as I worked in my setting of choice.  I was asked how I will prepare myself for their warm welcome and easy transition.  I have chosen to act as the director of intake for a local private elementary school.  The family I will be receiving will be from Japan.  This country, honestly, was chosen by my children and if I am to be honest, all I really know about Japan is related to sushi, earthquakes, wars, and animation.  I know very little about the “real” Japan.

Their will be many things that will need to be done in order to make this family feel welcome, comfortable, accepted, and then integrated into our current American culture.  The first step I would take would be to familiarize myself with as much of the Japanese language as I could along with asking around to determine whether or not anyone else in my professional circle had any experience with the language.  If I had no direct contact with a person familiar with the family’s particular dialect of Japanese I would arrange for a translator. 

I would then familiarize myself with the education system in Japan.  I would find as many similarities as I could and then determine how we can work through the elements that were distinctly different.  These factors could range from the position of the teacher versus the children, classroom structure and size, language and respect, and length and breadth of expected study.

Next, I would learn as much about the family’s attitudes toward education and our culture.  I would ask them directly (or through translation) about their hopes, fears, goals, and assumptions.  I would then ask them to describe their child/children and their opinions of the future they foresee. 

My fourth action would be to learn about the family’s culture.  I would like to learn about their past, present, and their anticipations for the future.  I would wish to learn about what they value, embrace, and would like to preserve.  I would also like to know if there were any cultural elements or American stereotypes that trouble them.  I would like to study their mannerisms, emotional reactions, and body language.  These factors will help me to understand the entire family better as we continue to bridge gaps and progress.

Finally, I would like to set up, by mutual agreement, an honest system by which we can communicate effectively.  I would like them to know that they can come to me with any issue and that I am willing to work with them regarding anything.  My heartfelt intention would be for their family to feel respected, welcomed, and appreciated into our academic environment.

I know that if I were put in the position of emigrating to another country and was faced with enrolling my children in a local school I would be incredibly apprehensive.  I know that I would question which parts of our culture would be understood and how my children would feel entering a world where they had to rely on the grace of others for true inclusion.  It would be my hope that my initial preparations, and those that would follow, would allow for the family to let their guard down enough to trust that I recognize their struggle and that my goal is for their success in our nation.  I would like them to know that we will have to work as a team, and that no matter how much I “study”, I will never understand fully without their input.  I hope that my excitement, and acceptance of the challenge will not intimidate or belittle them in any way and that their inclusion to our environment will be one to more effectively diversify our world.