ECE Virtual Classroom Social and Emotional Development
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    • ​Using Literature to Support Diverse Families
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​Using Literature to Support Diverse Families

2 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education
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Early Literacy and Learning about Families

Page 5

​The old saying “children are made readers on the laps of their parents” rings true but falls short of the reality. From the very beginning of life children can benefit from exposure to books in any person’s lap. According to KidsHealth.org there are many benefits that babies gain from being read to and being exposed to children’s literature.  
Some of these include:
  • Learning about their environment and world in a new way.
  • Having back and forth communication with a caring adult.
  • Familiarity of print concepts such as letters, numbers, symbols, colors, and shapes.
  • Supporting listening skills, memory building, and early vocabulary and language acquisition.  
​​While babies and toddlers get these incredibly important benefits from early exposure to books they become even more powerful when they are exposed to books about diverse families. Children do become readers on the laps of their parents but also caregivers, extended family members and other caring adults. Combine this with the ever important exposure to diversity and you begin to support a respectful, conscientious, and mindful member of society.  
Let’s consider the book Monday is One Day by Arthur A. Levine and illustrated by Julian Hector
​​This is a book that includes a mixture of diverse families and situations that children can identify with on many levels. The families represented in this book come from different settings (urban, rural, etc.), consist of different makeups (same-sex parents, grandparents as guardians, etc.), mixed families (single parent, part time parent, etc.) and much more. What is consistent throughout these family’s experiences however is the common thread that connects them all which is the need to work outside of the home. The children within the story struggle with authentic emotions of missing their caregivers who are at work during the week. It doesn’t matter if the primary caregiver is an uncle or a mother, they experience the same emotions and work through them realistically. The book culminates with the families spending weekends together bonding and having fun.   
​Monday is One Day is a book that represents diverse families in a subtle way, making it more of a subliminal message that families come in very unique forms. Children who are exposed to this type of information, from a very young age, begin to understand it and respect it. Early childhood professionals have the daily opportunity to support this concept.  
​​Older children will also benefit from these types of books in their ongoing support and identification with the world around them. Children of all ages are social creatures and the older they get, the more interactions they have with people from varying backgrounds. The social and emotional development of children is dependent upon positive interactions with people of all kinds and learning about diverse families will help them connect with their peers and caregivers further. Including literacy materials and activities to support diverse families also supports a child’s growing sense of self and their belonging in a community. 

Optional Resource for Further Study

  • ​Books for Teaching about Families by Steven Hicks for Scholastic
  • Families - Teacher Resources
  • Impact of Children's Literature on Family Structures and Children's Perceptions of Family by Lindsey M. White
  • Family Lesson Plans, Activities, Printables and Ideas by A to Z Teacher Stuff

More Books That Teach Kids about Diversity 

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Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. Pre-Assessment (1/6)​
3. Never too Early to Read
4. Family Literature
5. Early Literacy and Families 


6. Monday is One Day
7. Discussion: Sharing Books (2/6)
8. Valuing Diverse Families
9. Communicating with Families
10. Choosing Literature
11. Beyond Literature
12. My Family Tree (3/6)​
13. Family Mobiles (4/6)​​
14. The Name Quilt (5/6)​​
15. End of Course Quiz (6/6)
16. Course Evaluation Form​
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Successful Solutions Training in Child Development
Address: PO Box 727, Burley, WA 98322-0727  * www.myececlass.com
Copyright 2018.  Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC.  * All Rights Reserved. Updated May 1, 2018

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Registrations that are submitted after enrollment hours will be processed the next morning.  You will receive an email with your log-in information to access the course within an hour after we open the next business day.
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  • Child Care Courses
    • About ECE Virtual Classroom
    • ECE Virtual Facilitators
    • Course Requirements
    • Course Instructions
    • Certificates
    • ECE Virtual Classroom
  • Select Course
    • Relationships with Families
    • Social and Emotional Development
    • Sign Language Tools for the Classroom
    • Building Community Through Circle Time
    • Easing Separation Anxiety
    • Family Activity Nights
    • Interactions and Guidance
    • Mildred D. Taylor and Cultural Awareness
    • Operation Military Families
    • Reinforcement and Redirection
    • School age Play
    • Social and Emotional Development
    • Spanish in the Early Childhood Classroom
    • Supporting Families with Special Needs
    • Supporting Self-Esteem
    • Teaching Self Expression
    • The Anxious Child
    • ​Using Literature to Support Diverse Families
    • Yoga for Young Children
  • Contact
  • Enroll in Courses