Building Empathy in Children through Community Connections: A Guide for Early Years Educators

Description

Taking a unique approach, which highlights lived experience and engagement with community, this book guides the reader on how to create learning environments in which children are encouraged to develop relationships, build meaningful connections and take action which contributes to the wellbeing of their own communities. Through evaluations and feedback from participating professionals, as well as children’s learning in the form of artworks and photos, Building Empathy in Children through Community Connections: A Guide for Early Years Educators highlights how community partnership programs between children and community groups builds empathy and wellbeing in early childhood. Drawing on extensive research and professional experience in psychology and early childhood, it provides details of various community connections programs and considers the ways in which early learning settings can engage with their communities as they meet the requirements and objectives of the curriculum. Each chapter provides practical advice on implementation as well as take-home messages intended to encourage and enable community engagement. Demonstrating how young children can develop empathy through building community connections, this book is a vital resource for early childhood educators as well as parents and those working in community programs and early childhood settings. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Figures Tables Foreword Acknowledgements Introductory Remarks Part I 1 Children as Active Participants in their Community Introduction to Community Connections Positive Psychology – as a Basis for Flourishing and Building Empathy Positive Education in the Preschool Years Ecological Systems Theory Theory of Cognitive Development Socio-Cultural Theory of Development Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 2 Social Emotional Curriculum Objectives in Early Childhood Education Introduction to Social Emotional Learning in Education Building Strong Foundations in the Early Years SEL as a Basis for Early Years Curriculum Attachment Theory Self-Regulation Emotional Intelligence The Role of Language Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 3 The Foundation for Community Connections Introduction Contact Theory Foundational Emotional Skills The Role of the Teacher Social Learning Prosocial Skills Program Implementation and Evaluation Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 4 Artistic Meaning Making in Early Years Education: Children’s Voices Expressed through Drawing, Painting, and Narrative Playful Artistic Meaning Making Perezhivanie and Multidimensional Thinking The Significance of Arts Education Semiotic Meaning Making The Voices of Children as Expressed through the Arts Active Citizenship through Drawing, Painting, and Narrative Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References Part II 5 Children Developing Empathy, Care, and Concern for the Environment: Education for Sustainable Development in the Early Years Introduction Ecocentric Curriculum within an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Framework The Wall-less Classroom The Role of the Teacher in Enacting the Principles of ESD ESD Wall-less Classroom Curriculum and Learning Objectives Designing and Implementing a Stepping Out Program Stepping Out Program and the ESD Learning Domains Teaching and Learning in the Cognitive, SocioEmotional and Behavioural Learning Domains Tools for Teaching across the Learning Domains Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 6 Children as Global Citizens: Children’s Voices Expressed through Drawing, Painting, and Narrative Introduction Collaborative Global Partnerships through Child Art Exhibitions The Promotion of Child Voice through Art Exhibitions Associazione L’Eta Verde The Interdependence Hexagon Project Reflection on Children’s Learning through the Hexagon Project Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 7 Friends on the Farm: Reciprocal Relationship Building with People with Special Needs Introduction The Background to the Project About the Participants More about the Children and their Teachers More about the Adults and the Disability Development Staff Artistic CommunityBased Projects The Children’s Farm The Art Program The Journal –Reflecting-in-and-on-Action The Outcomes of the Lived Experience Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 8 Building Intergenerational Connections: The Social and Emotional Benefits of Intergenerational Programs Introduction The Need and the Opportunity Across the Globe Theoretical Underpinnings Empathy and Intergenerational Program (IGP) Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References Part III 9 The COPE-Resilience Program: A Guide to Successful Connections Building Activities at Early Childhood Programs Introduction A Less Discussed Area in Implementing Early Childhood SEL Programs: The Role of the Teacher Cultivating Empathic Capacity: Quality of Educator–Child Relationship Matters Creating a Community of Prosocial Learners and Fostering Skills Development Theory in Action: Process of Socialization and Embodiment of COPE-R Creating your own Connections Building Activities International Adaptation Concluding Remarks Take Home Messages References 10 Community Connections Bringing it Together The International Focus The Challenges of 2020–2021 Final Remarks References Index