Principals and teachers must be learners themselves. They must discover what children like and value, what brings them pleasure, what worries them. They must also learn about the cultures and countries of origin of children and families, and how they define themselves. Principals and educational teams must learn to respect a wide variety of families and family formations and train themselves to suspend judgments, biases, and assumptions. This session deals with the principles of communication with students and the importance of getting to know them deeply.