Mutual ignorance and lack of understanding are the cause of many misunderstandings and blunders. These may hinder the successful integration of your child at school and may be an obstacle to your effective communication with the school about your child.
- Your culture and language matter. So do the culture and language of the host country. It is important for you and your child to be proud of your own culture and language and to be able to show it to others at school. So, accept invitations from the class teacher to talk about your culture or help your child share cultural artefacts from his/her own mother culture with others (food, objects, songs, instruments, festivals, etc.)
- Talk to your child about what you experience as different and as difficult in the host culture. You may encourage your child to write it in a diary or post it in a blog on line.
- Be curious about the host country and language; be respectful of that culture and show interest on different ways in doing things.
- Respect the religious festivals of the host country and also your own, by talking to the teacher and headteacher if necessary.
- Encourage your child to live with respect and in two cultures by looking at things from different perspectives. This will enable a trusting, respectful relationship to emerge between you and your child.
Publications From the School Safety Net Portal
Success Stories From the School Safety Net Portal
- Interest (Turkey)
A story told from the parent’s point of view on how difficult it was to deal with his son’s cultural identity crisis.
Online Manuals From the Routes Portal
Training Sources From the School Safety Net Portal
Interviews From the Routes Portal
- Interviews on migration issues
The interviews collected were made with Migrants and Natives who have been in contact with immigrants. The interviews focus on the experiences, points of view and attitudes of the two groups in order to identify similarities and differences among nationalities and throughout the years.