Making Cultural Connections with Families

I have a student that is from the country of Chad, which is found in central Africa.  There are five big points that I need to know in order for me to be culturally responsive to this child and his family. These points are as follows:

1.)    Who or whom does the child live with and why do they live with these particular person(s) if it is not biological parents?

2.)    What is the educational background for this child?

3.)    Does this child have any particular special interest?

4.)    How do people in his home country work and live?

5.)    What main language does this child speak, and how much English does this child know, if any?

6.)    I would want to learn about the country Chad.  So,  I would do research on the internet, read books, and do research with DVD’s or CD’S on Chad.

Asking and looking for answers to these questions from the family or guardians would help gain insight to the child’s and child’s family background.  These are questions that reach beyond the surface of the child’s race, culture, and ethnicity.  It helps myself as a educator get to the heart of the matter with the child’s actions.  For instance, if the child is fearful, little education, and live with adoptive parents.  It could mean that the child has come from a poverty-stricken, war-torn country that has many refugees.  His parents were not able to give him the safe, caring environment he or she needed.  In return, the parents placed their child up for adoption  for a better life in America.