48 8.5: Summary

The race, ethnicity, national origin, language, and other cultural considerations are important aspects of diversity for early childhood educators to be aware of. Partnering with families will allow you to learn about the unique cultures of the families you serve. Families that are immigrants, refugees, and asylees should be recognized for their strengths and may need support as they navigate unfamiliar systems to access resources. It is important that programs promote bicultural identities. The home language of dual language learning children should be recognized and valued. Teachers should make sure that families understand the value of multilingualism.