Our teachers at Momentous School love a great classroom display. They spend time and effort making beautiful bulletin boards and hallway collages. But there’s one thing that is found in every single classroom in our school, and it’s the most important display of all. It’s a collection of family photos. 

We know that education does not just happen between the hours of 8am and 3pm. We know that education does not just happen within the walls of our school. And we know that education does not just happen with the teachers in the classroom. No, we cannot ignore the role of the family in a child’s education. We are a team. Together, we are responsible for educating the child and raising her to be a good citizen of the world. 

When we display photos of our families in and around our classroom, we are making a public gesture that families matter. Our kids are reminded about their family each time they enter the classroom. They know that their parents are invested in their education just as much as their teachers are.

When our teachers go on home visits at the beginning of each school year, they learn about each family. Who lives in the home with the child? How many siblings does the child have? Does she share a room or have her own?

Our teachers take a photo of the family on these visits and display them in the classroom. When visitors walk through our school, they often comment on these photos. They notice how much of an impact it makes to bring the family right into the classroom. And it makes a difference for the students, too. Pre-K teacher Cristina Garcia shares that the students in her class sometimes have separation anxiety at the beginning of the year. But she has their family photos right outside the classroom, so they get to walk past them several times a day as they move through the building. She said her students love to look for the picture of their family, and that seeing their mom, dad and siblings helps those who are still transitioning into being apart from their family during the day.

If you don’t do home visits, you can ask each family to send a picture on the first day of school and make a family display. It is a wonderful and very simple way to strengthen the relationship between family and school.