KA HANA PONO DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL: January 2015

Teaching Acceptance

Looking around the room at each other, using books and photographs are visual prompts that help children comprehend that differences whatever they may be does not change who they are inside.

We are all humans. We discuss why some people are different physically and how some people’s differences may not be physical with our common ground being that we all have a heart and feelings. People can look different, people can sound different yet we are all people.

We will be chatting about thinking before we speak and counting in our heads up to five and taking a few moments to think about what we might want to say.

We will be chatting about what it might be like to be the other child or person. Empathy is the key to acceptance. Children who feel good and accept who they are themselves are more respectful towards others and are also less likely to bully.

Learning the Language of Emotions:

Emotion regulation means being able to think constructively about how to cope with feelings. We want children to have their feelings, but not be overwhelmed by them -- to feel discouraged but not give up; to feel anxious but not stay home; and to be excited but not get so carried away in their enthusiasm that they use poor judgment in making decisions.

In my experience children most effectively learn to regulate their emotions when they are confident that their feelings will be heard.

Through thoughtful conversations with them about their feelings, children begin to learn that their bad feelings, although painful, will not last forever -- that through their own efforts or with the help of supportive adults, they can make things better.

As a child learns that his/her feelings will be heard, he/she will be less insistent in their demands, and more open and flexible in seeking solutions to problems. He/she will less often get stuck in attitudes of blaming, argument and denial. He/she will be more able to feel empathy and concern for others, and to take responsibility for his/her actions.

In my opinion this is the most important lesson we can teach, the lesson that is most essential to children's present and future emotional health. XOXOXOXO

Gardening helps children become caring individuals

Gardening fosters responsibility in young children by encouraging them to use their hands to prepare the soil, apply fertilizer, sow seeds, remove competing weeds, add water and harvest the crop. These practices are necessary for a plant to grow to its full potential and produce food.

When children accept these responsibilities, we help them to become caring individuals. And when children experience the loss of plants because of neglect, they learn the tragedies of improperly caring for the plants. Through these real-life lessons in gardening, children develop an appreciation for the value of responsibility.

Scientific discovery abounds in gardens. Animals, insects, worms and other creatures are attracted to plants growing in a garden. Children learn by observing the ecosystem in a garden- bees pollinating plants; worms living in the soil and breaking down organic matter, - working in the soil to make it more fertile and plant reproduction.

***I should add that the children showed such aloha for those baby chicks who were happily feeding in our potato patch...not one child shoo'd them away or shouted at them...instead the kids laughed and shared in the joy and pride of having creating a place so special that baby chicks felt comfortable to come and eat. #LIVEALOHA #LIVEPONO #KAHANAPONO

Continuing Education

I'm so grateful that PATCH Hawaii offers online continuing education courses for early childhood educators in addition to those that need to be taken in person.

Today we were able to participate in:

1) The Importance of Play: characteristics & importance of play and identifying common problems children may have in play.

and

2) The Child Who Doesn't Engage with Others or In Play: Skills to validate children, create safe environments, nurture playfulness and help children feel successful and able to comfortably interact with peers.