Our Classrooms, Our Turf

In the newest Exchange Essential, Communicating Effectively with Parents, Ann Pelo outlines a number of strategies for inviting parents into the work of the program.  She is concerned that too often we keep parents at a distance:

"For many of us who teach young children, abstract and well-intentioned discussions of 'parent involvement' and 'parent partnerships' have become commonplace. Yet many of us hold parents at a safe distance, not truly involving them in the life we share with the children in our programs; not building genuine partnerships with them.  Too often, we construct boundaries around our classrooms — literally and metaphorically — that keep parents out, at least in any meaningful way.

"As teachers we are protective of our classrooms; we claim them as 'our turf' and we have a lot of power there.  We establish the classroom aesthetic and the rituals and rhythms, which shape our days with children.  We create the culture of the classroom and set the tone for the relationships that grow in it.  We determine the curriculum, choose the books and toys, and lead the circle times.  And often, we expect children to leave their families at the door.

"We don't truly invite parents into our classrooms, for that would require us to share the power we have in the classroom.  Even in conversations about cultural relevance, many of us hold back from sharing the power in our classrooms; we limit ourselves to consideration of things like music, artifacts, and food as ways to bring the lives of families into the classroom, holding back from asking parents to collaborate with us as we arrange our classroom environments, establish daily rhythms, and make decisions about how we'll handle conflicts among children.  It is challenging to let go of the power we hold in the classroom, to embrace the work of true collaboration with parents. Collaboration promises disagreement, negotiation, and compromise, as well as new understandings, warm intimacy, and shared pride."

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