While some families may discuss with you their beliefs and the impact they have on their holiday practices, for example, others may not feel the need to share their religious views at all. Due in part to the legal aspects of the separation of church and state, much of education has been silenced about religion. But ignoring the importance of Faith that many families hold dear, and the impact it has on their values and practices, is to miss a significant factor that makes them who they are and contributes to their identity as a family (Couchenour & Chrisman, 2014). Be open to listening, without bias or judgement, to whatever aspects of their lives families choose to share with you.

Celebrate diversity. You can do this in your classroom by inviting your students and their families to share about …show more content…
When this happens, the most important things an effective early childhood teacher can do are collect information, ask for guidance, and make changes until the sense of inclusiveness prevails within his or her classroom

It is the responsibility of ECE teachers to foster a climate that encourages acceptance of ALL children and their families. We can do this in several ways: 1. Mutual respect, cooperation, shared responsibility, and negotiation of conflicts toward achievement of shared goals are requirements for effective family and school partnerships.
2. Collaborative partnerships require regular, frequent, two-way communication with the child’s family.
3. Roles for parents include decision making about children’s care and education as well as observation, participation, and decision making regarding the program.
4. The teacher's role includes sensitivity to families’ wishes and respect for their preferences while maintaining professional responsibility for