Discontinuity between the family, school, and community spheres of influence can easily create confusion and stress in young children. Ideally, a teacher is able to analyze family situations and identify internal and external environmental factors that may affect the learning outcomes. These spheres of influence can relate to family and cultural backgrounds, politics, economics, and social influences. Should these influences be found to be out of alignment or in disarray, the teacher can often be a conduit for sharing information and bridging the gaps between them.
After reading the "Case Study" about Joshua and Ben, identify resources such as community centers, local agencies, and national agencies that might help support the needs of these children and their families, as well as those that might help you, the teacher, learn more about the cultures of Ben and Joshua.
Based on your research, create a 250-500 word informative handout for each student’s family that includes the following:
A brief analysis of the misalignment between family, school, and community spheres of influence and the negative effect this misalignment can have on the student's learning outcomes. Support your analysis with at least two scholarly resources.
At least 3-5 resources that can assist you in learning more about the cultural backgrounds of Ben and Joshua’s families, and what you hope to learn from each of these resources.
Sample Solution
Misalignment between family, school, and community spheres of influence can have a negative impact on a student’s learning outcomes. When the three systems are out of sync, children may feel confused and stressed as they negotiate conflicting understandings of their world (Xu & Dong, 2020). In the case of Joshua and his family, this misalignment is evident in their different cultural backgrounds that might not be understood or respected at school. For instance, neglecting to provide Spanish language instruction leaves students from diverse backgrounds without access to essential resources for learning (Blomstedt & Villegas-Reimers, 2019). Furthermore, if parental involvement isn’t encouraged or welcomed by the school environment it can lead to disengagement with formal education (Spera et al., 2015). This disconnection has been linked to poorer academic performance for these students as well as lower self-confidence (Cepeda-Valdés et al., 2018).