Running Head A School'S Relationship With The Community 1

Running Head: A SCHOOL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY 1
A School's Relationship with the Community
Jennifer Sumner
EDU 647: Families, Communities & Diversity
Dr. Angela Coleman
July 1, 2016
Introduction
A SCHOOL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY 2
Success of the students does not only depend on the efforts of the teacher but also the
effort of the community at large. Because of these, it is important to ensure that there is good
relationship between the school and the community. Without these relationships, it may be
difficult for the students to get the required services that promote their educational success. The
support given to the students give them morale and good direction that they can follow in life to
attain their life goals.
Services Provided to the Students
Some of the services that are provided to the students include social support. Through
multicultural education, students and families get social support that allows them to develop
good relationships with people of different cultures. With this, when teachers work with the
community, students are in a position to be given education on how to live with people of
different cultural groups. The students are equipped with the skills that help them interact and
develop good relationships with others. Amatea (2013) argued that, “through cultural education,
students and families will become familiar with some of the causes of inequality in education, as
well as the sources of diversity in classrooms”. The other service is that is provided to the
students and families is the financial support. Students who come from poor families are given
financial support through payment of school fees. Through this, students are able to get
education and read like their peers who come from rich families. With the support given to the
students by the community members, all students are able to receive education despite their
family’s financial problems (Epstein, 2011).
Community Association
One of the community associations that operate within my community is the Illinois State
Bar Association. This is an association that was founded in the year 1877. This association
focuses on lawyers who are in the practice of law within the community. It also tries to improve
on the administration of justice to all citizens regardless of the cultural differences. Through this
association, students have been in a position to live with diverse groups of people within the
community. These association advocates for diversity and inclusion. The association values the
contributions wisdom, and creativity of people who comes from diverse cultural backgrounds
Cultural Event within the Community
One of the cultural events that occur in my community is the initiation ceremonies. In
these ceremonies, children who are teenagers are taken through some initiation ceremonies
where they are supposed to be educated on their roles based on their gender. The children are
taken to a particular place where they are supposed to be given education by community leaders.
During these times, they are educated on their roles as well as how to live with people of
different cultures. These initiation ceremonies are supposed to take place only once a year for a
period of one month.
In this cultural event, there are norms, values and assets that this cultural event creates
and perpetuates for the community. One of the norms that this culture creates is the division of
labor based on gender. Through the event, children are taught on their roles and responsibilities
and what the community expects from them. When the ceremony is done, every child is able to
know the expectations of the community as well as their responsibilities. The other norm is that,
the event creates a transition point when a person is considered to be an adult. When a child has
gone through initiation ceremony, one is therefore considered to have gone to a different stage in
life. Through this therefore, a transition point in life is created.
On the other hand, there are values that the cultural event creates and perpetuates for the
community. One of the values is children within the community. Since these event marks the
transition from one stage of life to the next, it makes children within the community to be valued
as adults of ‘tomorrow’. The reason is that, when children passes through this cultural event,
they become adults who are expected to take on various responsibilities within the community.
Through this, children are respected and valued regardless of their culture. The event also values
some months of the year. Through this event, some days of the year have been valued and taken
to be the most important period in life when many children are expected to transition from one
stage to the next. In this, the month of December have been considered to be the most important
time for the community at large because of the ceremony, therefore it is valued. The other value
is the cultural diversity. In this ceremony, children who belong to different cultural groups
undergo these ceremonies and given education regardless of their culture.
One of the assets that the event creates and perpetuates for the community is the young
adults who will become leaders of tomorrow. Through initiation ceremony, children are educated
on various roles that they are supposed to take in their life. After the ceremony, the children are
expected to have graduated to adulthood and therefore considered to be adults who will take on
adult roles in life. They are therefore considered to be assets within the community that will
teach all the coming generations. During cultural events, students are educated by community
leader who are expected to teach cultural roles and responsibilities to the students (Marshall &
Swan, 2010)
Impacts of the Event
There are many impacts that this event has on the students of the community. One of the
impacts of this event is that, it teaches the students to be responsible and respectful people within
the community. Through education that these students receive during this initiation ceremony,
they learn new roles and skills. After the ceremony, children become adults who are expected to
take on new responsibilities. In addition, since they are considered as adults, the community
expects them to show respect to all the people including adults and the children.
References
Amatea, E. S. (2013). Building culturally responsive family-school relationships. Upper Saddle
River, N.J: Merrill; London : Pearson Education.
Epstein, J. L. (2011). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and
improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Marshall, L. & Swan, P. (2010). Parents as Participating Partners. Australian Primary
Mathematics Classroom, 15(3), 25-32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

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Running Head: A SCHOOL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY 1

A School's Relationship with the Community

EDU 647: Families, Communities & Diversity

Dr. Angela Coleman

attain their life goals.

Services Provided to the Students

family’s financial problems (Epstein, 2011).

Cultural Event within the Community

period of one month.

life. Through this therefore, a transition point in life is created.

undergo these ceremonies and given education regardless of their culture.

Impacts of the Event

Amatea, E. S. (2013). Building culturally responsive family-school relationships. Upper Saddle

River, N.J: Merrill; London : Pearson Education.

improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Marshall, L. & Swan, P. (2010). Parents as Participating Partners. Australian Primary

Mathematics Classroom, 15(3), 25-32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

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