Goal #4: To establish positive and productive relationships with families. In my program we respect each family’s cultural background, childrearing techniques, and religious beliefs. I make sure that each child’s individual culture is represented in my classroom. We provide multicultural and non-stereotypical books for children and families to look at. We as families during enrollment if there are specific things they do/not participate in for cultural or religious reasons, but we encourage families to share their traditions with the other student if they would like. I respect childrearing techniques by trying to follow the rules and schedules the parents have in place. But also letting the parents know things could vary a little simply because the child is in a different setting. They will pick up new habits and disciplines being around their peers and wanting to share in those experiences. I also support children’s sense of belonging to their families. I do this by taking pictures of families and posting them on the wall. Children are encouraged to talk about their families during circle, and families are encouraged to visit the classroom often. Once a month, we have night where families come to the center after hours, and do an activity together. If we have families that speak more than one language we encourage them to bring in literature or write down words we could share with the class. We generally have at least two or three families that speak more than one language.
I tell parents about children’s achievements and share their pleasure when children learn new things. I do this by providing routine progress reports and parent conferences. Daily I have a short discussion with parents about their child’s day. I take lots of pictures of children doing their