I guess you could call it nit-picky, or a pet-peeve and I'm wondering if I am the only one this bothers.....
Today in an SST meeting we were meeting with a parent who did not speak English, so we provided an interpreter. We had a table full of school personnel there to talk about the student which can be very overwhelming to a parent in the first place. What I noticed as we went around the table sharing our observations and data, were two things:
1. Some of the team members looked at one another when talking and did not make eye contact with the mom.
2. The flow of the conversation was a bit stilted because of the interpretation but facilitation to receive the parents feedback was not as present as it is in meeting which have native English speakers.
To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed but was sure to model the appropriate behavior on both a professional and human level. I was sure to look directly at the parent when speaking to her, not speaking directly to the interpreter or other staff and ensuring that the parent knew I was speaking to her and was interested in her opinion. I also asked the interpreter to please interpret what I was saying, and then ask the parent if she had any questions of me. I'm not sure if others did not do this because they were unsure of how to act during the meeting with an interpreter or if they were uncomfortable with the language barrier but it was noticeable to me, and I'm sure to the parent as well. I always brag about our staff and their ability to embrace cultural differences but I definitely see this as an area of growth for us. Communication with parents is crucial and in order for parents to feel accepted and welcomed into our school family, we need to ensure that they are treated and spoken to just as native English speakers. This may be merely something that we need to point out, as people may not even realize they are doing it but it sure did rub me the wrong way this afternoon......
What are your experiences with interpreters in meetings? How does your school staff and the culture of the school ensure that all parents are treated equitably through both oral and written communication? Have you had PD in this area or is it something that teachers are just supposed to know? Lastly, how can we, as future leaders, educate our staff to ensure that all are treated equitably, especially in meetings where interpreters are present?
I, too, make sure that I am speaking to the parent. I also make sure I am watching the parent as they are speaking back to the interpreter to respond. I find people that talk while the parent and interpreter are communicating, and that is one of my biggest pet peeves. We have not had PD on this, but I think this SHOULD be common knowledge. Maybe it isn't....
ReplyDelete