Family & Community Engagement Flashcards

The concept of 'funds of knowledge,' developed by Moll and colleagues, refers to which of the following in family-community engagement?

Answer: The knowledge, skills, and cultural practices families accumulate through lived experience

'Funds of knowledge' describes the historically accumulated and culturally developed bodies of knowledge and skills essential for household functioning that families bring to the educational context.

What should teachers do BEFORE contacting a family about a student concern to ensure the interaction is productive?

Answer: Gather specific, documented observations and consider the family's cultural context and communication preferences

Effective family communication requires teachers to have concrete evidence documented and to consider cultural communication norms, which helps ensure the conversation is constructive rather than reactive or culturally insensitive.

What must Oregon schools provide to ensure equal access to information for families who are not proficient in English, per federal Title III and state requirements?

Answer: Translated documents and qualified interpreter services in the family's home language

Federal Title III and Oregon equity requirements mandate that schools provide qualified interpreters and translated materials — not machine translation or peer assistance — to ensure families with limited English proficiency have meaningful access.

Which approach to family engagement BEST reflects a strength-based rather than deficit-based perspective?

Answer: Inviting families to share their cultural expertise, occupational knowledge, and traditions as classroom resources

A strength-based approach recognizes and builds upon what families already bring — their cultural knowledge, lived experience, and expertise — rather than treating differences from school norms as deficits to correct.

What is the primary purpose of school-community partnerships, as defined in Oregon's educational framework?

Answer: To provide students and families with integrated social, health, and educational supports that schools alone cannot provide

School-community partnerships in Oregon's framework are designed to wrap services around students and families, connecting them to health, social-emotional, and academic supports that strengthen outcomes beyond what a school can provide alone.

How can teachers MOST effectively support families in reinforcing their child's learning at home?

Answer: Share simple, specific, culturally relevant strategies and activities that connect to family strengths

Providing culturally relevant, accessible strategies that connect to families' existing practices and strengths is more effective than expecting families to replicate classroom instruction or purchase supplemental resources.

In Oregon's educational context, which statement BEST describes the role of the teacher in family-community engagement?

Answer: Teachers serve as one node in a collaborative network that includes families, community members, and support staff

Oregon's professional standards recognize teachers as collaborative partners within a broader support network, sharing responsibility for family engagement with counselors, administrators, and community liaisons rather than working in isolation.