Going from Family Engagement to Family Partnerships With Black Marginalized Families

Dr. Hope BarnesWhen I, Hope Barnes, started teaching at the age of 22 in Baltimore, Maryland, I was excited and eager to shape and mold the minds of the future. Without much context for this new city and community, it was a culture shock. Being African American in a predominantly African American community was not the issue.  This community in South Baltimore wasn’t the safest place to work or live. Our students faced poverty, gun violence, drug wars, and an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness. This was something I had never experienced, as my childhood was pleasant and consisted of a two-family household in a low- to middle-class community. I preface this because even though my students and I share an identity of being Black, our intersecting identities had implications on our lived experiences and how people perceived us. 

I had not experienced, as a child or an adult, the inequities that this community faced. I had parents who were involved in my education. They, for the most part, participated in school events and made sure that I prioritized my education.  As a result, I found myself as a new, inexperienced, Black teacher perpetuating deficit thinking about students and their families. It wasn’t until a mentor teacher who had direct ties and lived experiences with the community sat me down and explained to me how I was doing more harm than good to my students. She explained that as Black folks, we are not a monolith, and all come with different experiences of navigating our blackness. That resonated with me so much that I made it a conscious effort to invest in unlearning things. I had to unpack my own biases, misconceptions, and stereotypes about my students who looked like me. 

Fast forward 11 years. I am now a mother of a Black son.  

Dr. Donna Y. FordDuring an era of police brutality and the dehumanization of Black bodies, particularly young Black men, being captured on phones, I worried about my Black son. I worried about how he would be perceived and treated in school settings. I wondered how I would be treated as a parent of a Black boy with dyslexia. He faced barriers in school as not being challenged because of his learning disability, but also, my experiences as a Black parent were interesting as well.  By this time, I was 13 years into teaching, and too often my schedule would conflict with my son’s school events.  In particular, Back to School Night, Parent-Teacher conferences, and special days like Mother’s Day Breakfast were difficult to attend because I had similar events at my school.  One incident in particular that stands out for me is when I missed a Back to School Night. I had a conversation with the teacher about an assignment for my son. She responded, “You missed Back to School Night, you would have gotten that information then”. So many emotions were erupting all at once. The first feeling was being judged. Secondly, I had a flashback to a time, I said something similar to a parent in Baltimore.  My immediate response to the teacher was to let her know that I didn’t attend because I was a teacher and was attending the event at my school.  Additionally, I was appalled that the teacher never sent an email or correspondence on the best methods to get in contact with us. Had she done that, she would have known that I was an educator too.  The biggest takeaway for me in this encounter was that I, as a younger educator, had perpetuated deficit thinking about families and their involvement. To be on the receiving end as a parent was a reminder of the importance of how families should be valued and viewed as partners in their children’s academic journey.  

Family partnerships are the missing element to education reform.  Too often, the notion of families engaging in events and academic conferences is an indication that parents are “involved” in their child’s education. We would argue that the aforementioned are obligatory events that the school must host. It doesn’t allow teachers and families to fully engage in meaningful conversations and build trusting relationships.  Teachers who are charged with educating Black students must understand that culturally, there’s a uniqueness. They must understand the plight of the Black experience in this country, including the education system. Failure to engage leads to holding families to the fire when they don’t show up for events.  It leads to educators questioning whether families are invested in their child’s education. It opens the flood gates to deficit thinking and dominant narratives about Black families. This type of thinking defines groups of people by their cultural identities and attributes. 

Horsford & Holmes-Sutton (2012) define family engagement and family involvement as interchangeable terms.  The authors use this to describe collaboration between families and the school communities. Family engagement traditionally has been (a) attending parent/teacher conferences, (b) participating in parent association meetings, (c) Back to School Night, and (d) volunteering in the classroom and school.  This is not an exhaustive list, but it has been normalized as how families are mis-evaluated on their involvement.  

The problem with that ideology is that, in urban school districts and Black communities, cultural family engagement looks different because of circumstances. 

Reasons Marginalized Families May Not Engage with Their Child’s School Community 

• Distrust- Families may have had negative encounters with the school and felt unwelcome.
• Misunderstood- Parents may feel a lack of connection with teachers and staff, which can show up as feeling judged because of their demeanor, appearance, and disposition.
• Conflicting schedules- work schedules may not align with the times that events are taking place.
• Language barriers- Some families' first language is not English and communication may be challenging for them.
• Transportation- Not having a vehicle or having to rely on others or public transportation.
• Lack of Communication- In some cases, teachers do not communicate with families until something negative has occurred. 

Below, we give recommendations to improve family partnerships that will build rapport and strengthen relationships that leverage students' academic success and their learning experience. 

• Get to know the community you serve- You can’t be a culturally responsive educator if you don’t know the community you should support. Research the history and cultural values of the community. Get to know the community members and other stakeholders who live in the community.
• Get to know your families- Be intentional about the conversations you have with them to debunk biases, stereotypes, and deficit thinking. Ask questions like: What method of communication do you prefer? Do you have multiple children who attend the school? What has been your child’s experience at the school?
• Avoid Acronyms/Education Jargon-  Avoid using acronyms and education jargon. Making assumptions that families know the terminology is inappropriate and doesn’t give them a positive experience. Make things clear and concise so they understand the messaging and, thus, better advocate for their child(ren).
• Use Asset Framing- When communicating with families, use asset framing when discussing their child. No matter what, there is something positive to highlight about all children. When giving feedback to families, the feedback should be constructive. There are ways to frame difficult conversations without dehumanizing the family and students.
• Surveys- Quantitative and qualitative data are an excellent way to give families a voice and agency. It gives teachers an opportunity to know what families and students are experiencing. Additionally, it is a way for teachers to gauge what they can improve in their practices. 

Families are the most important stakeholders of their children, our students. Schools must create a culture of belonging and trust with families.  Families can’t be viewed as the problem; instead, find meaningful ways of building a partnership, instead of viewing engagement as obligatory events that schools schedule.  

Dr. Hope Barnes is an educator of 20 years and an adjunct professor at Rowan University. 

Dr. Donna Y. Ford is Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University.