Nawal Qarooni, an educator and founder of NQC Literacy, dives into the transformative power of family engagement in education. She discusses her book, which explores how to elevate caregiver collaborations to enrich classroom experiences. Nawal emphasizes understanding diverse family dynamics, celebrating their contributions, and challenging common misconceptions about parental involvement. She advocates for empathy in interactions between educators and families, encouraging a cultural shift that recognizes the vital role of caregiving in nurturing children's success.
Effective family collaboration enriches students' educational experiences by promoting understanding and building strong home-school partnerships.
Redefining family engagement involves co-creating experiences that foster open dialogue and genuine relationships between educators and families.
Deep dives
The Importance of Family Collaboration
Family collaboration is essential in education, as it provides a deeper understanding of students and their backgrounds. The podcast highlights the challenges educators face in effectively engaging families, emphasizing that many lack training or confidence in initiating these discussions. Nival Karuni’s book addresses this by offering reflective activities and methods for educators to celebrate and involve students' families in the learning process. This approach not only enriches the educational experience but also promotes strong partnerships between home and school.
Kaleem as a Metaphor for Education
Karuni introduces the metaphor of kileams to explain how education should be personal, flexible, and meaningful, much like the unique rugs her family treasures. Kileams tell stories through their imperfections, symbolizing the diverse narratives of students' families that educators must consider. This concept encourages educators to create a curriculum that reflects the individual experiences of students rather than adhering to a one-size-fits-all approach. By grounding education in these personal stories, educators can foster a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.
Redefining Family Engagement
The podcast addresses the misconceptions around family engagement, arguing that involvement should not be limited to attendance at school events or report card pickups. Many families face challenges that educators may overlook, such as demanding schedules or prior negative schooling experiences, leading to disengagement. Redefining what it means to be involved allows educators to recognize the various ways families contribute to their children's education, aligning the goals of both parties. This perspective shift can break the cycle of misunderstanding and promote genuine partnerships that support student learning.
Co-creating Meaningful Experiences
Karuni discusses the significance of co-creating experiences with families to enhance their engagement in the educational process. By inviting families into classrooms for collaborative activities, educators can create low-stake environments that foster open dialogue and build relationships. These family lab sites not only allow families to participate actively but also help educators gain insights into their students' backgrounds and values. This shared approach transcends transactional interactions and cultivates a supportive, enriching community around each learner.
Today we are joined by Nawal Qarooni. Nawal is an educator, writer, and adjunct professor based in Jersey City, who founded and operates NQC Literacy, a consultancy firm serving PreK-8 school leaders and teachers in holistic literacy instruction, equity-driven practice, and family engagement. She also serves on several committees, including the National Council for Teachers of English Committee Against Racism and Bias, evaluates manuscripts for Reese Witherspoon's LitUp program, and advises the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Advisory Board. Her recent book, Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Elevating Home Experiences and Classroom Practices for Collective Care is a deep dive into how educators can celebrate and elevate students’ families, while encouraging shared reflections and connections to what’s happening in schools.
We talk about building a collective culture of care that invites in families to build a better education system that supports all learners. We're combining the lens of progressive education lens of the classroom to the greater support structures that raise children toward a better future.