A Closer Look at the Head Start Multicultural Principles through Parent and Teacher Surveys

Abstract

The increasing diversity in our society is impossible to ignore. This increase naturally brings in more diversity in our early childhood centers across the nation. Working with families from many different backgrounds is not new to Head Start Centers. However there is a continual struggle for programs to tailor their policies and practices to the individual needs of the families that they serve. Parents of children that speak languages other than English in a Head Start program may feel less supported about their home culture compared to those parents that speak predominantly English. The revised version of the Multicultural Principles is one tool that can help guide programs to implement multicultural principles and monitor how well they are individualizing their program to the families they serve. These principles however, are only helpful if families and teachers believe in them and make efforts to ensure that they are being actualized through daily practice.