Preserving Family Culture and Language: A Parent Workshop in Irvington’s Early Childhood Department
By Veronica Murillo
As a Preschool Instructional Coach for the Irvington Early Childhood Department, I recently had the opportunity to present a parent workshop focused on maintaining family culture and language. With many of our families coming from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, this discussion was both timely and meaningful.
During the workshop, we explored:
- What family culture is and how it shapes identity.
- The challenges families face when moving to a different country and how cultural shifts impact children.
- Ways to preserve family culture, such as speaking, reading, and listening to the home language, teaching and enforcing cultural values, sharing traditional foods and music, and passing down customs to future generations.
To ensure accessibility, I presented in English and Spanish, while Dr. Ojentis, a Multilingual Specialist from the Bilingual Department, provided translation in Haitian Creole and shared their experiences, creating a rich and engaging dialogue about their traditions and the importance of keeping them alive. We also discussed how the Irvington School District promotes home language in Pre-K through the bridge technique, helping children make connections between their languages. Parents were encouraged to continue supporting bilingualism at home, as maintaining both languages can lead to earning the Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation.
In addition, we highlighted the many benefits of bilingualism and cultural preservation, including stronger family bonds, cognitive advantages, and expanded career opportunities. Parents left the workshop feeling inspired and proud of their heritage, empowered to instill these values in their children for generations to come.
Workshops like these reinforce the vital role families play in shaping their children’s linguistic and cultural identities. By working together, we can ensure that our students thrive in a multilingual world while remaining deeply connected to their roots.
Veronica Murillo, Preschool Instructional Coach, Early Childhood Department
Dr. Ojentis, Multilingual Learners Specialist, Multilingual Learners and World Languages Department; NJTESOL/NJBE Bilingual/ESL Early childhood / Pre-K – K Representative
They offer the following advice for connecting with students’ caregivers.
