It's very important to ensure parents of all students are receiving the same information to prevent favoritism, discrimination, and miscommunication. By providing the same information to parents in their preferred language shows parents how dedicated teachers are to serving their students and families. Family involvement is crucial for student success, and this is one of many ways to encourage parents to get involved. I never want a language barrier to be the only thing preventing parents from reaching out to me, and I never want them to be afraid to ask me questions. My Teaching Writing professor has recently taught me that if parents are afraid to ask teachers/school staff questions, then there is a serious problem. Communication is key!

Students desire to feel wanted and appreciated in their classroom. Celebrating students' cultures and traditions is crucial in achieving this. Additionally, inviting family members into the classroom to share their culture allows them to build rapport with the teacher and other students. I want to create a safe space similar to how my Classroom Management professor did in her 1st grade classroom. One of her students' family members came to class in traditional Native American tribal uniform and showed the students a traditional dance. My professor shared how much that meant to her student that her family member came to support her in school and how all of her classmates got to learn about and enjoy her and her family's history. There is nothing more that I want for my future students than to make them feel safe and valued.

strategies for developing and sustaining strong partnerships to help all children succeed in school" (p. 7).

Although it's (hopefully) assumed that teachers take the time to understand and value the backgrounds and experiences of their students, the same cannot always be said of the students' parents. Whether we like it or not, teachers need to communicate with their students' parents and family members. We also must educate ourselves on their backgrounds and experiences to gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the parents and their students. Doing so will allow teachers to use what they know about the parents to their advantage in teaching their students. I want to know who my students' parents are, where they come from, what they know, and what their strengths are so I can connect them with resources and opportunities to get involved in their child's education. As a teacher, I am signing up for making relationships with students and their families.

Stereotypes are never the way to go in life, but especially not in the classroom. Believing stereotypes and making assumptions based off of appearances and cultural characteristics places limits on students and their families. What it comes down to is a lack of communication. If I have a genuine concern, I need to make contact with parents rather than making assumptions and running with them. It is never my intention (nor will it ever be) to hurt students and families in this way, so I want to avoid assumptions at all cost.

Instead of assuming what will work best for students and their families, I want to ask for their preferences and what they actually need. Like students, parents desire to be heard and for their needs to be communicated, received, and met. One of my goals as a teacher is to prioritize relationships with my students' families. One of the ways I can achieve this is by asking parents how they want to be involved in the school and working with them to find a solution that works best for everyone.

There are many resources available to families and schools, but not all of them are known about or are being utilized. Spaces like public libraries, local churches, and businesses often offer vital resources such as food banks, school supply drives, clothing giveaways, free tutoring, and more. When I become a teacher, I want to direct my students and their families to places such as Central Church and Project 150, where they can get free food, clothing, hygiene products, and school supplies. I also want to partner with local businesses, organizations, and community centers for potential volunteer and/or field trip opportunities that would benefit our classroom community, as well as our overall community. My #1 goal as a teacher is to provide for the needs of my students, and that starts with making sure their basic needs (e.g. food and clothing) are met.

These resources are especially useful when looking to hire an interpreter/translator for your ELL students and/or their parents. I will consider utilizing these resources when I become a teacher to prevent miscommunication and language barriers from interfering with teacher-parent partnerships and student success. I found section B: The Difference Between an Interpreter and a Translator to be especially helpful because not every situation will need a translator, but they may require an interpreter, and vice versa.

In addition, there are resources for speech and language pathologists, refugee students, translators/interpreters, school staff, and more. I find this resource list to be extremely helpful because these are links to trusted websites and organizations that I can utilize for the benefit of my ELL students and their families. I can also point parents and colleagues to this list for additional support. I found the Colorín Colorado resource to be especially useful and interesting. It's a bilingual (English/Spanish) site that aims to help parents, families, and educators of ELLs. They have so many wonderful resources available to help students at all ages and stages. I definitely want to utilize this site when I am a teacher because there are articles, videos, and books available that all aim to support the education of ELLs. I already have some experience with using this site from previous courses, and I'm planning on using it again in the near future!

This quote really stuck out to me because of the words "free" and "effective." ELLs and their families are sometimes seen as an inconvenience to teachers because more effort and intention is required to teach them and communicate with their families. Regardless, teachers should not view ELLs and their families as inconvenient because they are a vital part of the classroom community. It is not their fault that the mainstream language in American classrooms is English, so teachers and schools should feel responsible and honored to give them the appropriate assistance that is effective and free of charge. Like I said earlier, I don't want there to be any favoritism in my classroom, so my ELL students will be getting the care and support they need.

This quote perfectly encapsulates the biggest takeaway I had from Chapter 10. As a pre-service teacher, I have been learning about how important it is for schools and families to work together. I believe this wholeheartedly and even more so for ELLs. I want to create a welcoming and diverse classroom where all students and their families feel welcome. At the end of the day, I want to do my very best to help all of my students succeed, which is why it is so important that I allow and encourage families to get involved in our classroom and school community. I am hoping to have parent/family member volunteers to help out around the classroom with special presentations, reading, small groups, and anything else we want to do!