Diverse Family & Community Characteristics (Memo 1): Memo 1 should include the following four sections.
Rationale for Selecting Family: Candidates will describe the family they selected and will include responses to the following: (a) a rationale for why they chose this family, (b) an explanation of the ways they think the families’ experiences are different from their own, (c) what they have observed about how society views the child and family (either based on race, ethnicity, family structure, sexual orientation, religion, etc.), and (d) an honest attempt to identify and describe any assumptions they have about this family.
Introducing themselves: Candidates will find a way to determine and communicate the common ground between themselves and the family they selected (e.g., gender, work, education, experiences, etc.) as these help with initial introductions. They will describe the introduction and the process they will use to introduce themselves to the family.
Questions to assist in learning about the child: Candidates will develop a set of questions that they will use to help them learn more about the child in terms of the child’s likes, dislikes, interests, and experiences.
Questions to assist in learning about the parents and family: Candidates will develop a set of questions to ask during the home visit to begin to understand the parents’ goals for themselves as well as their children, including goals that reflect the linguistic and ability diversity of the child. They will use the following questions to guide them: How did this family come to be in this place where you have met them? What do you need to understand about their experiences in order to understand them? What is their perspective about their child or children, including the child’s or children’s linguistic and/or ability diversity? These questions should also help candidates begin to learn more about the family’s everyday experiences as well as prior experiences that might be insightful as they begin to work with them.
