WEBVTT

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>> It's their environment.

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It's their second home.

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

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Our environment reflects
families and culture in the way

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that we have a family tree in the classroom.

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

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with a picture or two of their family.

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

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

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

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And so, they might be talking
about their brother,

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

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on their family picture who their brother is.

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

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

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

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because their parents were part of
putting those pictures together.

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We printed the pictures.

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The parents provided the words.

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

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and the words that their parents provided.

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We also provide opportunities for
the families to share special events

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

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

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

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

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that they might have done at home.

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

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by having those pictures here with them.