>> It's their environment.

It's their second home.

So, we really try to make it inviting and
welcoming for them and a part of them.

Our environment reflects
families and culture in the way

that we have a family tree in the classroom.

And so, at the beginning of the school year, we
ask parents, we encourage parents to provide us

with a picture or two of their family.

And then, we display that
picture on our family tree.

The children get very, very excited
to see their picture up on the tree.

They go show all the other teachers,
their friends, their peers their families.

And so, they might be talking
about their brother,

but we might not have ever seen their
brother, so they're able to show us

on their family picture who their brother is.

We also provide other opportunities for
the parents to describe their children,

so we have pictures of the children with
words that their parents have provided for us

and three words that describe them in
the way that the children feel special

because their parents were part of
putting those pictures together.

We printed the pictures.

The parents provided the words.

And so, they are able to see
themselves and those pictures

and the words that their parents provided.

We also provide opportunities for
the families to share special events

that they've been going to, special
activities that they've been doing at home,

and they provide the pictures and
then we display them in the classroom.

And the children get very, very excited
about showing their peers maybe a family trip

that they went on or a vacation
that they took or something special

that they might have done at home.

And so, we're able to showcase those pictures
for the children to feel apart of the classroom

by having those pictures here with them.