FCSC 3220 Multicultural Influences on Children and Families

The student will examine diversity in families whose children are enrolled in early childhood education classrooms. The student will research cultural diversity in parenting and family communication, family stressors, risk and protective factors, and parenting styles. A variety of strategies for communicating and collaborating with families and involving them in the curriculum planning and assessment will be evaluated. Prerequisite: Completion of FCSC 2121FCSC 2131 or PSYC 2300. (3 lect.)

Credits

3 credits

Major Topics

  • Influence of culture, class and diversity on children’s development
  • Diversity in family structure, parenting and family life
  • Collaborative relationships
  • Risk factors
  • Attachment
  • Language diversity
  • Curriculum planning

Outcomes

In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:

Describe the influences of culture, class, and family life on children’s development, behavior, and learning.

Explain cultural, class, and gender diversity in family structure and dynamics and the historical, economic and political sources of those variations.

Apply research on family diversity to the resolution of problems of school-family discontinuity and the establishment of collaborative relationships with parents.

Examine the concepts of parental support in education.

Determine strategies for developing more culturally sensitive, collaborative relationships with families.

Compare the risk factors, protective factors, and multiple stressors influencing families and children, including poverty, substance abuse, community violence, and child abuse and neglect.

Describe the importance of attachment, its cultural and societal influences, and the ways it can be nurtured in the classroom.

Describe the influence of culture and bilingualism on language development, communication styles, and interpersonal interactions.

Demonstrate how cultural diversity in child development and family life influences the planning of instruction.