Home-to-School Connections

In early childhood education, home-to-school connections are essential for everyone: the child, the parents, and the teachers. Early in the school year, everyone can feel more at ease if the child, parent, and teacher see themselves as a team from the start. At this young age, children are beginning to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills, and the way these skills evolve is heavily influenced by the environment around them. This includes both the home and school settings, which ideally work together to support the child’s growth.

In the Spring Room, we wanted to strengthen the connection between home and school by asking our students to share their favorite places outside of school. We emailed families and encouraged them to discuss with their children and send in pictures of these favorite spots. Once we received the photos, we created a poster board showcasing the children's favorite places and included notes about what they love about each location. The children then took turns standing in front of the class to share their favorite places with their classmates, teachers, and visiting grandparents.

It was evident that the children felt proud to talk about where they enjoy spending time outside of school. One student shared, “My favorite place to visit outside of school is The Bell Museum because I got to see a woolly mammoth and got to go to the planetarium!” After the presentations, we displayed the posters outside the classroom so that families could talk at home about their child’s peers’ favorite places.

In preschool, home-to-school connections are not just beneficial, they are essential. A strong partnership between parents and teachers supports the child’s learning and emotional development, helping them feel secure, understood, and encouraged. By maintaining open communication, fostering trust, and aligning expectations, both parents and schools can ensure that children have the best possible start to their educational journey.