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FAIRFAX FUTURES' 3RD ANNUAL SCHOOL
READINESS SYMPOSIUM
Supporting School Readiness in a Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse Community
Fairfax Futures’ 3rd annual symposium, Supporting School Readiness in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Community, brought together more than 285 child care, preschool and Fairfax County Public School educators and administrators to hear from local and national early childhood experts. Held at the Fair Lakes Hyatt Hotel, the April 14, 2007 program was sponsored by Fairfax Futures through a generous grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation.
Symposium Highlights
The opening panel presentation addressed the role of culture and language in helping children learn. Moderated by Gail Bjorklund (Fairfax County Office for Children), speakers included Robert Stechuk (Academy for Educational Development), Monimalika Day (George Mason University) and Pilar Forte (Zero to Three). Panelists stressed the importance of encouraging children’s home language and culture to support their school readiness. Respecting the culture and language of children from diverse backgrounds helps them develop the confidence and self-esteem they need for academic success.
The symposium featured five breakout sessions:
- Supporting English-Language Learners
- Cultural Reciprocity: A Process for Developing Collaborative Relationships with Families
- Dual Language Acquisition in Children Birth through Age Five
- Cultural Responsiveness and Dual Education (CRADLE) Project
- Connecting Families with Community Resources
Participants took advantage of session breaks to network with colleagues and to visit the information resource tables of various School Readiness Network members including PNC Bank/Grow Up Great, Apple Federal Credit Union, Fairfax County Public Schools, Department of Family Services/Office for Children, Northern Virginia Literacy Council and many more.
Fairfax County Public School Board Member Jane Strauss listening to Dr. Eugene Garcia's keynote address
Dr. Eugene Garcia’s keynote remarks stressed the importance of tending to a child’s cultural and linguistic roots. As with a tree, no matter how strong the trunk and branches, it takes strong roots to thrive. In that context, he emphasized that we must take care not to yank children from their cultural and linguistic roots and try to “replant them, American style.” “If you yank a young tender plant and place it in different soil, the success rate for that plant is less than 10 percent.”
To support young children’s school readiness, Dr. Garcia encouraged early childhood educators to make sure that:
- children’s home language and culture are nurtured and supported
- children are respected and believe they are welcome and belong to the community
- parents are involved and engaged in what is going on in their children’s early care and education programs
A School Readiness Symposium Summary Report is now available (PDF).
See also New School Readiness Educator Award Recipients.
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