Inclusive Classrooms for Infants and Toddlers

Creating a Culturally Inclusive

Infant and Toddler Classroom

2.0 hours

Working with young children – or on behalf of them – has increasingly meant taking into account the effect of caretakers and other family members on the development of the child. Adding families to the mix often calls us to step out of ourselves – our ways of thinking, our ways of doing – to better understand the people we serve. It has become clearer and clearer that when families interact with their children, they bring more to this interaction than their own personal way of doing things.  They bring the weight of their cultural beliefs, values, and behaviors. Building strong relationships with families requires that early care professionals recognize and understand their own beliefs, feelings, assumptions, and reactions – and how they can influence their interactions with families. This course will explore all of these areas and provide strategies for building inclusive partnerships with families.