Are you a parent of a school-age child who is a member of a racial or ethnic minority; low SES; LBGTQ; immigrant; ELLfoster or kinship; divorced; non-custodial parent, single-parent; blended; adoptive?
And can you answer these questions (or some of these questions- even 1 would be super helpful for my qualitative research)?
What have been your experiences with your child's schools, teachers, etc.? Can you describe an encounter (or situation) with a teacher (or other staff member) that was especially positive (or negative)?
What are your family’s most important cultural practices or family traditions?
• Has your family shared your culture/traditions with the school? If yes, how?
• What are your hobbies, skills, interests, talents? Have you shared any of these with the school? If yes, how?
• What kinds of activities have you been a part of at your child's school? What kinds of activities would you like to be a part of at your child’s school?
• What kinds of things do you do at home to support your child's learning, or his/her success in school?
• Do you have scheduling issues, transportation needs, etc. that keep you from being involved at school, or with your child's learning at home?
• How does the child’s school/ teacher communicate with your family?
• Do you feel welcome at the school? What helps you feel welcome? What causes you to feel unwelcome?
• What would you like the school to know about you, your child?
• What is working well for you and your child in his/her class(es), or at school?
• What concerns do you have about your child’s academic progress, his/her class(es), or school?
• Would you like to know more about your child’s progress? His/her school? What would you like to know?
• In what ways does the school affirm your child’s/family’s culture?
• What are examples of ways your child’s culture has been ignored in school?
• What should the school be doing differently?