We welcome you back to Season 3 of Community Room after an unexpected pause to Season 2. Today we have a really special episode where we will look into the effect of community schools, or community-minded schools on newcomers to the country. We will look at what role the school plays in someone’s settling into a new home!

RESOURCES:

https://kappanonline.org/stages-of-immigrant-parent-involvement-survivors-to-leaders/

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/04/partnering-newcomer-families

QUOTE:

"...Educators should keep a positive outlook on families. “If you start out with a mindset that there’s going to be some sort of problem or challenge, or you view cultural diversity as a deficit versus an asset, then that will shape the way you approach families,” says Mapp. Teachers can ask how families support their children's learning at home, which can show families that teachers value their role. In surveys, phone calls, or conferences, they can even inquire about families’ cultural backgrounds: 'What are some of your wonderful cultural traditions that we should be celebrating or paying attention? Is there anything else that we should be aware of — holidays you don’t celebrate? We want to make sure we honor and value you." - Leah Shafer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

BIO:

Rajeeta Samala is: Positive. Empathetic. Hopeful. Most people that know her often shower her with these attributes. She is an adult educator that’s been working in the field of literacy & EAL for the past 10 years. She is also a certified Mindfulness Instructor and offers workshops for community members. Some of her interests include cooking, knitting, gardening, puzzles, reading as well as yoga. She enjoys being active in the community and doing her part to bring people together.

Branka Vlasic is currently a Community Development Coordinator for a Neighbourhood House in the lower mainland of BC. She says her time at the elementary Community School her children attended when she first arrived in the country, was an invaluable part of her life, of her sense of belonging, of finding a new home for herself and her kids, and of growing up as a parent and a person. Branka also says she is a good neighbour and a Salish Sea lover.