Empathy is a trait and skill necessary for teachers working with children and for partnering with families. This qualitative study focused on how teachers expressed empathy in the context of early childhood education. Diversity has increased in the United States and as diversity increases, the need for teachers to be able to empathize with children and families who are different from themselves also increases. Empathy in early childhood education partnerships is valued; however, the role of empathy in parent–teacher partnerships in early childhood is not well understood. Eighteen inclusive preschool teachers participated in interviews to understand teachers’ values, beliefs, and language in relation to empathy and parent–teacher partnerships. Teachers whose statements conveyed empathy described their relationships with families in a positive way. One theme, expressing sincere empathy, and four sub-themes emerged that described how teachers express empathy with children and families in early childhood education. The sub-themes included (1) embrace inclusion as a philosophy, (2) be relaxed and balanced, (3) accept and respond to family culture, and (4) engage in meaningful communication with families. The interpretations of these themes provide an understanding of the complexities of empathy in parent and teacher partnerships. Implications for the development of empathy in preservice and in-service professional development are discussed.

This study focuses on the self-efficacy of preservice teachers enrolled in a co-taught early childhood education course on special education. The course was developed to increase awareness and access to special education through a field-based co-taught practicum course. Instructors from general education and special education shared planning and teaching roles to model collaborative practices for future early childhood educators. Data from focus groups, interviews, and a post-then-pre instrument were used to explore preservice teachers’ self-efficacy related to comfort with inclusion, perspective-taking, and professional roles as well as their experiences participating in the co-taught course. Recommendations for research related to supporting self-efficacy and teacher education are shared.

The purpose of this article is to propose performance as a creative instructional strategy to convey complex competencies related to understanding and working effectively with families in early childhood education. Performance derives from performance ethnography, which is a qualitative research methodology. Its application to professional development enables students and in-service participants not only to hear the voices of families, but to experience them through performance. This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of performance as an approach to professional development and illustrates the development and application of an example performance. Authors discuss how faculty, researchers, and those responsible for professional development can use performance to bridge the gap between research and practice and to move early childhood educators towards greater family-centered competencies when serving diverse families and children.