Teacher perspectives on fostering collaborative relationships with families with refugee backgrounds

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to understand educators’ perspectives of the state of teacher-family relationships with refugee-background families resettled in the U.S. as well as factors that facilitated and impeded the formation of collaborative relationships. Drawing on data from interviews with 42 teachers across three school districts in a northeastern state, we found variance in the state of collaborative relationships between refugee-background families and their children’s teachers. Intersecting and overlapping barriers included bureaucracies lacking a systematic focus on relationships with refugee families and characterised by confusion about responsibilities and systems, unsustainable initiatives, and a lack of professional collaboration among teachers. Teachers expressed uncertainty about sharing honest, though potentially disheartening, data about students’ achievement and progress with their families for fear of deterring hope and motivation. Facilitating factors included systems that prioritised collaborative relationships with families and were characterised by student-centred interprofessional collaboration and engagement in innovative initiatives that were sustainable due to a culture of support. Implications for supporting teachers are discussed.