Families

Beliefs

• Changed from families as supporters to co-creators of the curriculum.

• Families are central to children’s identity and belonging.

• Developed stronger belief in the importance of communication and partnership

Ethical considerations

• I must respect family diversity and cultural backgrounds.

• Communicate sensitively and collaboratively.

• Confidentiality and professionalism guide my interactions with families.

• Value knowledge families have of their child.

Theory and approaches

• Bronfenbrenner → families are central to children’s development.

• Project Approach → the importance of family input in meaningful learning.

• Supports belief in strong family partnership.

Beliefs - planning decisions

• I shared personal cultural items to model respect for identity and family background.

• Safe space for children to connect home experiences to learning.

• Observed children’s responses to identify family influences.

• Activity supported belonging between home and kindergarten.

Reflection and improvement

• I would invite families to contribute objects/photos.

• Provide multilingual or visual communication options to include all families.

• Create a “community story bag” with family contributions.