Answer to Question 1
There are many possible strategies here. A few examples are these:
Attend local social events.
Subscribe to the local newspaper.
On the first day of school, have students draw pictures of themselves and their community, then create a bulletin board displaying their work.
Have students write autobiographies. In addition to providing a vehicle through which students can develop their writing skills, such autobiographies can provide insights about students' families and life experiences.
Answer to Question 2
Most preschool teachers let children bring blankets, teddy bears, and other personal comfort objects from home, and for good reason. As the case study illustrates, such objects provide an important means through which the children can begin to regulate their behaviors in the face of failure or frustration.