Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Focus on Gains

    Posted 03-18-2019 09:20 AM
    Focus on Gains, Not Mistakes

    Preschool teachers need to send confident messages to our students. Erikson, believed that children in the stage of initiative verses guilt need real tools and real task in order to develop their competence. We know that children learn through play experiences. Children must understand that their play is their work and their work is far more important than the messes that they make. Sure they are responsible for what they do but cleanup comes later after their intentional play experience is completed. Interrupting a child's play experience can lead to them feeling guilty about playing which again is their work. 

    It is important to have a space in your classroom where unfinished projects can go to be completed at a later time. After all, we as adults need to take time on some projects as well. When we take time writing our lesson plans we want our students to take time to engage in the skills that we are trying to teach. Somehow we forget that children bring foreknowledge and skills to the table. Erikson, believes that a teacher could consider a child's developmental stage as well as the individual factors that control what a child is capable of any given day. 

    How do you support a child's initiative verses guilt?

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    Michelle Dean
    United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties
    Leesburg FL
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