From the very beginning, our intention as teachers has been to foster connections among children as well as to recognize and highlight when children use their own strategies to seek connections with each other. Below are the conversations that are taking place in our classroom:
At the end of appointments, Rondie asked the group in the Exploration Room for help putting on his shoes.
Teacher Adriana: I hear Rondie asking for support.
Elliot: I can support you.
Elliot puts the first shoe on Rondie, and then Rondie puts his other foot out to put the second one on.
Elliot responded by saying: I want to see you try.
Hearing Elliot’s encouraging words pushed Rondie to try. When he wasn’t successful, the two of them worked together to get Rondie’s second shoe on.
After saying goodbye to his mommy, Miles spent his morning intermittently playing with London and Jack in the House Area, as well as in tears processing his feelings.
Miles, after returning from snack, told the group: I want to see my mommy.
Teacher Cynthia: Oh, go get your family picture. Miles gets his family photo.
Jack: I want to see my mommy too.
Teacher Cynthia: Oh Miles, show Jack where he can find his family photo. Miles shows Jack and together they look at their pictures, then shortly return the books and return to their play.
During reflection meeting, Teacher Adriana invites Miles to share the strategy of writing in his journal as a way to process his feelings. In giving this information to the group, it welcomes other children to understand that this may be a strategy they can practice.
Miles: I miss mommy. I’m sad.
Teacher Adriana: What supported you to feel better?
Miles: The orange face.
Teacher Cynthia: The orange face represents feeling sad.
Christoph: I was feeling sad this morning because I was missing my mommy and I wrote down my feelings in my journal and then I was feeling happy.
In the Building Area, Bodhi discovered the helmets and tried one on. Noticing Rufus sitting on the floor in front of him, Bodhi got another helmet and placed it on Rufus’s head.
Teacher Susan: Look Rufus, Bodhi was thinking about you! He’s sharing one of the helmets. I wonder what you can say to him?
Rufus: Thank you, Bodhi.
As we reflected on these multiple experiences, we discussed how these moments became so essential in our learning together. They support us to launch into a feeling of belonging. By listening to each others’ feelings and making themselves available for support, the children are showing one another that all of their feelings and processes of emotions matter and are welcome in the classroom. These different strategies are showing a deep sense of care/love….