Welcoming Families From Around the World

      My family would be from Italy, a place I would love to visit.

1. I would prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family by learning about their customs, values, beliefs, and religion. 
2. I would invite the family/parents to come to the class and share their cultural traditions with the class.  For example, speak the alphabets in Italian and teach it to the students or sample a traditional food.
3. Interact with the parents and the children by learning about their family, their interests, and what they expect educationally by obtaining learning resources that reflect and support the cultural norms of the children.
4. Learn from people in the community who are different from me about their native country and experiences.
5. Try to develop a sense of communication with the children and their families in order to build a respect and valued relationship.

I hope that these preparations will benefit both myself and the family by giving us the opportunity to learn to live respectfully together by understanding and valuing the uniqueness in each of us no matter where we are from.  The sharing of knowledge makes us all more rounded individuals and much is to be learned.

Reference

Hyland, N. (Jan. 2010). Social Justice in Early Childhood Classrooms: What the Research Tells Us.  YC: Young Children, 65 (1), 82-87. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the ProQuest  Central   

 database.