Hidden Boundaries: A Case Study of Perspectives On Family-School Partnerships in a Multicultural Classroom

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores the hidden boundaries within family school partnerships in a multicultural early childhood classroom by examining the perspectives of two teachers and two parents from diverse cultural backgrounds. Conducted at a public preschool serving predominantly immigrant families, the study employed semi-structured interviews to investigate how cultural backgrounds shape understandings of family engagement. Findings reveal significant misalignments between participants' conceptualizations: while the White head teacher emphasized visible, school-based participation, immigrant parents and the Congolese teaching assistant valued trust-based relationships and home-based support that often remained invisible within traditional frameworks. While the study highlights the vital role of culturally aligned staff as intermediaries, it also reveals that such mediated communication often remains transactional rather than transformative. Drawing on Funds of Knowledge theory, the analysis demonstrates how deficit perspectives can undermine partnerships when families' culturally accumulated resources are not recognized. The findings underscore the need for systemic approaches to cultural competence in teacher preparation, moving beyond reliance on individual cultural insiders toward institution-wide practices that honor diverse forms of family engagement and foster genuine reciprocal partnerships.