Great Preschools

Great

Preschools

BUILDING DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Tamara J. Will, M.B.A., Karen King, and Michelle Mergler, M. Ed.

Great Preschools Building Developmental Assets in Early Childhood

HEA L

ES ITI

The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Y COMMUN Search Institute®, Developmental Assets®, and TH ®.

HEALTHY YOUTH

Tamara J. Will, M.B.A., Karen King, and Michelle Mergler, M.Ed. Search Institute Press, Minneapolis, MN Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, mechanical or electronic, without prior permission from the publisher except in brief quotations or summaries in articles or reviews, or as individual activity sheets for educational use only. For additional permission, write to Permissions at Search Institute.

At the time of publication, all facts and figures cited herein are the most current available; all telephone numbers, addresses, and Web site URLs are accurate and active; all publications, organizations, Web sites, and other resources exist as described in this book; and all efforts have been made to verify them. The authors and Search Institute make no warranty or guarantee concerning the information and materials given out by organizations or content found at Web sites that are cited herein, and we are not responsible for any changes that occur after this book’s publication. If you find an error or believe that a resource listed herein is not as described, please contact Client Services at Search Institute.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed on acid-free paper in the United States of America.

Search Institute 615 First Avenue Northeast, Suite 125 Minneapolis, MN 55413 www.search-institute.org 612-376-8955 • 877-240-7251 ISBN-13: 978-1-57482-193-2 ISBN-10: 1-57482-193-8 Credits Editors: Tenessa Gemelke, Kate Brielmaier Book Design: Nancy Wester Production Coordinator: Mary Ellen Buscher Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Will, Tamara J. Great preschools : building developmental assets in early childhood / Tamara J. Will, Karen King, Michelle Mergler. p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-57482-193-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-57482-193-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Education, Preschool. 2. Early childhood education. I. King, Karen, 1956- II. Mergler, Michelle. III. Title.

LB1140.2.W537 2007 372.21—dc22 2007034209

About Search Institute Press Search Institute Press is a division of Search Institute, a nonprofit organization that offers leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote positive youth development. Our mission at Search Institute Press is to provide practical and hope-filled resources to help create a world in which all young people thrive. Our products are embedded in research, and the 40 Developmental Assets®—qualities, experiences, and relationships youth need to succeed—are a central focus of our resources. Our logo, the SIP flower, is a symbol of the thriving and healthy growth young people experience when they have an abundance of assets in their lives.

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Contents Acknowledgments

iv

Introduction

v

Chapter 1: Support

1

Chapter 2: Empowerment

25

Chapter 3: Boundaries and Expectations

43

Chapter 4: Constructive Use of Time

69

Chapter 5: Commitment to Learning

87

Chapter 6: Positive Values

111

Chapter 7: Social Competencies

141

Chapter 8: Positive Identity

165

Classroom Projects

183

Notes

212

Resources for Parents and Educators

213

Index

214

About the Authors

215

Introduction “The foundations of social competence that are developed in the first 5 years are linked to emotional well-being and affect a child’s later ability to functionally adapt in school and to form successful relationships throughout life.”

—National Scientific Council on the Developing Child Preschool is an exciting and important time for children. They are just beginning to emerge from their focus on self, and as they venture out into the world around them they experience all kinds of conflicting emotions. They are interested in engaging with the things and people around them, but their desire for independence and curiosity about new activities does not always match their physical abilities, and they can easily become frustrated. Likewise, their increasing desire to interact with their peers does not always match their social competencies, and they struggle with issues such as sharing and peaceful conflict resolution.

Preschoolers are multifaceted individuals. They are affectionate and distant, concerned and indifferent, generous and selfish, outgoing and shy. Early childhood is a confusing time for children because they are making huge leaps in all areas of development—cognitive, physical, social, and emotional—but not necessarily in equal degrees. Although it is important to help a child progress through each of these developmental areas, it is most vital to build the strong social and emotional skills that directly affect healthy cognitive and physical growth and are the foundation for future success in school and in life.

A Framework for Success As a child’s teacher or child-care provider you play an important role in building all her skills, and the crucial social and emotional skills are likely the most difficult to get a handle on. How do you teach a three-year-old responsibility, a four-year-old empathy, or a five-year-old how to resolve conflict peacefully?

Their daily emotional ups and downs may become your daily emotional ups and downs. It’s easy to think that you’ve gotten off track or wonder how to begin teaching these skills. It helps to have a frame-

work to guide you—an approach that helps you make choices and stay focused on what is most important.

For countless adults working with children, Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets offer a hopeful focus on strengths and opportunities.

The 40 Developmental Assets for Early Childhood are composed of positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. (See pages ix–x for a complete list of assets.) These assets are the building blocks—relationships, values, attitudes, and attributes—that all children need for success. “Developmental” refers to how the building blocks both emerge from and help shape the way children grow and develop. “Assets” points to the fact that these building blocks are positive and give strength to young people. The assets are separated into 20 external assets and 20 internal assets. External assets are the relationships and opportunities that are provided to young people, while internal assets are the values and skills that young people develop to guide themselves.

Many of these assets may seem like common sense—and they are. You are likely already doing many things to nurture these assets in the children in your life. It’s a testament to the logic and relevance of the Developmental Assets that the concept resonates so powerfully with early childhood communities. It makes sense to focus on the positive, on strengths, on things that children can do.

Many actions you are already taking are considered asset building, but it’s important to make asset building a consistent part of your routine. This consistency will allow children to experience a wider range of benefits. This book will help you incorporate asset building into virtually everything you currently do.

The assets are as powerful as they are commonGREAT PRESCHOOLS

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sensical. Research shows that the more assets a young person has, the more likely he is to engage in positive behaviors and the less likely he is to engage in high-risk behaviors. We believe it is ideal for all children to have 31 to 40 assets. More than 30 years of research on early childhood development also suggests that the earlier intervention occurs, the more effective it is. By building assets for preschoolers, you are helping set children on a path to wise decision making and healthy living.

A testament to the power of the assets was found when researchers at Search Institute studied which factors make a difference in growing up well. They found that the combined influences of sex, race, income, family composition, etc., contribute only 9 percent to how healthy a child’s growing-up years are, but the factors involved in the Developmental Assets contribute 57 percent.1 What does this mean for teachers, child-care staff, and other preschool caregivers? Although you cannot change some risk factors in a child’s life, such as the parents’ economic status or level of support, you can still have a big impact by increasing protective factors, or assets. The more assets you add to preschoolers’ lives, the more you shift the balance of power away from their risk factors.

Think of each Developmental Asset as a rubber band, all of them entwined in a ball. The more rubber bands you add to the ball, the less the ball is affected if one breaks. Each band of strength you add to a preschooler’s sphere will give him the durable foundation he needs to later manage the challenging teenage years. Just as you will not notice a significant change when you add one more rubber band to the ball, you likely will not notice obvious growth when you begin teaching the assets to your preschoolers.

It is a gradual process that builds over time, even though it will sometimes seem that nothing is happening. Rest assured that the total impact is not only significant, it is life changing.

form. They use their observations of how their peers behave and how adults treat them to form their sense of self and identity.

Life experiences and a child’s inherent temperament both affect how the child develops. Research has revealed fascinating discoveries about early life and the effect of certain experiences: • The human brain develops more rapidly in the first 5 years of life than in any other subsequent period.

In fact, by the time a child is 5 years old, 75 percent of physical brain development has occurred.2 • Early interactions have a direct effect on the actual architecture of the brain, or how it is “wired,” which determines the nature and extent of adult capacities.3 • The foundation for cognitive growth is an emotionally and socially stable young child.4 • Children who participate in high-quality preschool programs reap benefits later with higher reading and math scores. They’re also less likely to repeat grades or require special education, and they have higher high school graduation rates.5 As adults we have a responsibility to take advantage of every opportunity we have to build children up, because every interaction we have with them has an impact. Children look to us to learn about who they are and how they fit into the world. The job of raising healthy, caring, productive, and happy children doesn’t belong to families, schools, or community resources alone—it belongs to all of us.

As a preschool caregiver, you have a powerful ability to create, and when you speak to children, you create them in that moment. When you respond to a child with impatient criticism, you create an insecure and vulnerable child in that moment. When you compliment a child’s strengths and affirm her efforts, you create a competent, self-assured child in that moment.

What This Book Offers The Importance of Developmental Assets in Early Childhood Humans have an inherent need to be socially connected to and cared about by others. The preschool years are when children truly begin to emerge from their focus on self. They become more interested in the world around them and how they fit in it, and they become more aware of others’ feelings and characteristics. They begin to learn social compatibility by finding ways they are similar to and different from those around them, and they feel the need to con-

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The basic objective underlying Search Institute’s Early Childhood Developmental Assets Framework is to increase the chances of a positive developmental trajectory for every child. Building a strong set of attitudes and skills helps children “learn how to learn” and enables them to better take advantage of life’s positive opportunities. For 17 years, countless school and organizational leaders, parents, and young people worldwide have used Search Institute’s Developmental Assets Framework to successfully build healthy children, youth, and communities.

The children you care for can benefit as well, and the information in this book is intended to help.

In reading this book you will: • Gain an understanding of the Early Childhood Developmental Framework; • Identify things you currently do to build assets and learn why it is important to enhance the good things you are already doing; • Find everyday practices, classroom activities, and read-aloud books to aid you in building assets in the children you care for; • Discover useful reference books and Web sites to enhance your efforts; • Learn new ways to connect with parents. “Home Links” are reproducible handouts intended to build a strong bond between home and program.

Parents generally want and need direction to participate with maximum effectiveness. This connection is especially vital in the early years when children still rely so heavily on their parents. (See the “Introduction to Home Links” handout on page xi.)

A Note about Language Throughout this book we have generalized several terms for the sake of consistency: • Teacher. The word “teacher” is used to refer to the adult or group of adults who are responsible for a child’s care when the child is not with a parent.

“Teacher” is intended to recognize all of the various configurations of caregiving to which children belong. If you have preschool-age children in your care and want to build their Developmental Assets, you fit this definition of a teacher, and this book is for you.

• Class and program. The words “class,” or “classroom,” and “program” refer to the various situations and places where children engage in preschool activities.

• Classmates and students. The words “classmates” and “students” refer to the group of children in your care.

• Parent. The word “parent” refers to the adult or group of adults who are doing the primary job of raising a child. This term is intended to include all types of family structures and includes stepparents, guardians, adoptive parents, foster parents, and grandparents or other family members acting in a parental role. If someone is caring for and raising a child, he or she is a parent.

• Community and world. When used in the context of “a preschooler’s community (or world)” the words refer to preschoolers’ immediate companions, such as their family, friends, and other caregivers, rather than to the community or world at large.

Getting the Most out of This Book The commonsensical and everyday nature of the assets means that there are always opportunities to build these positive qualities and skills for the children you care for. As you integrate the asset model into your everyday routine, adapt it to your specific needs and circumstances.

• Overlapping lessons. While teaching one asset you will frequently realize that you are reinforcing one or more other important lessons. You’ll find that many of the activities, songs, and books suggested here are relevant across several assets or asset categories. Repeat activities that have worked well for you, or restructure a favorite idea to suit the topic you are exploring.

• In-the-moment lessons. Although a preschooler’s abstract thinking abilities are beginning to develop, he is still primarily a concrete thinker. Lessons are learned best when they are taught in the moment, when you recognize positive behavior and give him effective praise, and when you call attention to negative behavior, help him take responsibility for his actions, and help him work toward a positive resolution. Many of the sections will list everyday ways to foster the assets in these “teachable moments.”

• Play. Young children learn an extraordinary amount through play, so it is a natural way for them to build Developmental Assets. There are two distinct and equally important methods of play: directed and undirected.

• Directed play gives the adult the opportunity to directly stimulate a child’s growth, to form relationships, and to build her strengths. You foster the skills she needs to form positive relationships by taking on various roles such as the grown-up who uses appropriate manners at the tea party, or the child at the blocks who pretends to cry when he is treated unfairly.

• Undirected play is initiated among peers. Play with peers is extremely effective and helps children learn important lessons about selfregulation and problem solving, and develop a host of interpersonal skills. It typically takes about 20 minutes for a preschooler to settle on GREAT PRESCHOOLS

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and engage in a particular activity. It is when they are engaged that they learn most effectively. As you plan your students’ day, be intentional about building in adequate time for undirected play.

• Songs and books. These resources build assets by opening new worlds and ideas to preschoolers. This book includes a song for each asset and several books to aid in building specific skills.

• Use of humor. While early childhood development is serious stuff, everything goes down better with a dash of fun. Finding everyday ways to incorporate humor while teaching the assets will promote joyful learning. Humor is good for you, as well. Relish the day’s funny moments as opportunities to energize yourself.

• Adapting to individual temperaments. Each child has her own inherent temperament and

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developmental progression. A child’s temperament refers to her behavioral style, which affects the way she reacts toward other people and things in her environment.

Being in tune with a child’s temperament will help you know what strategies are most effective with her. (See the “Understanding Temperament” handout on pages xii–xiii.)

Caring for children is an honorable undertaking. Your interest in building Developmental Assets is a testament to your commitment to and confidence in children. Now you are about to embark on a journey into new territory of intentional, positive childhood development.

You already make a tremendous difference in the lives of the children you care for. By picking up this book, you’ve taken another important step toward making your early childhood setting a truly great place for preschoolers.

40 Developmental Assets for Early Childhood (ages 3 to 5) Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of healthy development—known as Developmental Assets—that help young children grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

EXTERNAL ASSETS

SUPPORT

EMPOWERMENT

BOUNDARIES & EXPECTATIONS

CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

1. Family Support—Parent(s) and/or primary caregiver(s) provide the child with high levels of consistent and predictable love, physical care, and positive attention in ways that are responsive to the child’s individuality.

2. Positive Family Communication—Parent(s) and/or primary caregiver(s) express themselves positively and respectfully, engaging young children in conversations that invite their input.

3. Other Adult Relationships—With the family’s support, the child experiences consistent, caring relationships with adults outside the family.

4. Caring Neighbors—The child’s network of relationships includes neighbors who provide emotional support and a sense of belonging.

5. Caring Climate in Child-Care and Educational Settings—Caregivers and teachers create environments that are nurturing, accepting, encouraging, and secure.

6. Parent Involvement in Child Care and Education—Parent(s), caregivers, and teachers together create a consistent and supportive approach to fostering the child’s successful growth.

7. Community Cherishes and Values Young Children—Children are welcomed and included throughout community life.

8. Children Seen as Resources—The community demonstrates that children are valuable resources by investing in a child-rearing system of family support and high-quality activities and resources to meet children’s physical, social, and emotional needs.

9. Service to Others—The child has opportunities to perform simple but meaningful and caring actions for others.

10. Safety—Parent(s), caregivers, teachers, neighbors, and the community take action to ensure children’s health and safety.

11. Family Boundaries—The family provides consistent supervision for the child and maintains reasonable guidelines for behavior that the child can understand and achieve.

12. Boundaries in Child-Care and Educational Settings—Caregivers and educators use positive approaches to discipline and natural consequences to encourage self-regulation and acceptable behaviors.

13. Neighborhood Boundaries—Neighbors encourage the child in positive, acceptable behavior, as well as intervene in negative behavior, in a supportive, nonthreatening way.

14. Adult Role Models—Parent(s), caregivers, and other adults model self-control, social skills, engagement in learning, and healthy lifestyles.

15. Positive Peer Relationships—Parent(s) and caregivers seek to provide opportunities for the child to interact positively with other children.

16. Positive Expectations—Parent(s), caregivers, and teachers encourage and support the child in behaving appropriately, undertaking challenging tasks, and performing activities to the best of her or his abilities.

17. Play and Creative Activities—The child has daily opportunities to play in ways that allow selfexpression, physical activity, and interaction with others.

18. Out-of-Home and Community Programs—The child experiences well-designed programs led by competent, caring adults in well-maintained settings.

19. Religious Community—The child participates in age-appropriate religious activities and caring relationships that nurture her or his spiritual development.

20. Time at Home—The child spends most of her or his time at home participating in family activities and playing constructively, with parent(s) guiding TV and electronic game use.

ix

INTERNAL ASSETS

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

POSITIVE VALUES

SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

POSITIVE IDENTITY

21. Motivation to Mastery—The child responds to new experiences with curiosity and energy, resulting in the pleasure of mastering new learning and skills.

22. Engagement in Learning Experiences—The child fully participates in a variety of activities that offer opportunities for learning.

23. Home-Program Connection—The child experiences security, consistency, and connections between home and out-of-home care programs and learning activities.

24. Bonding to Programs—The child forms meaningful connections with out-of-home care and educational programs.

25. Early Literacy—The child enjoys a variety of pre-reading activities, including adults reading to her or him daily, looking at and handling books, playing with a variety of media, and showing interest in pictures, letters, and numbers.

26. Caring—The child begins to show empathy, understanding, and awareness of others’ feelings.

27. Equality and Social Justice—The child begins to show concern for people who are excluded from play and other activities or not treated fairly because they are different.

28. Integrity—The child begins to express her or his views appropriately and to stand up for a growing sense of what is fair and right.

29. Honesty—The child begins to understand the difference between truth and lies, and is truthful to the extent of her or his understanding.

30. Responsibility—The child begins to follow through on simple tasks to take care of her- or himself and to help others.

31. Self-Regulation—The child increasingly can identify, regulate, and control her or his behaviors in healthy ways, using adult support constructively in particularly stressful situations.

32. Planning and Decision Making—The child begins to plan for the immediate future, choosing from among several options and trying to solve problems.

33. Interpersonal Skills—The child cooperates, shares, plays harmoniously, and comforts others in distress.

34. Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity—The child begins to learn about her or his own cultural identity and to show acceptance of people who are racially, physically, culturally, or ethnically different from her or him.

35. Resistance Skills—The child begins to sense danger accurately, to seek help from trusted adults, and to resist pressure from peers to participate in unacceptable or risky behavior.

36. Peaceful Conflict Resolution—The child begins to compromise and resolve conflicts without using physical aggression or hurtful language.

37. Personal Power—The child can make choices that give a sense of having some influence over things that happen in her or his life.

38. Self-Esteem—The child likes her- or himself and has a growing sense of being valued by others.

39. Sense of Purpose—The child anticipates new opportunities, experiences, and milestones in growing up.

40. Positive View of Personal Future—The child finds the world interesting and enjoyable, and feels that he or she has a positive place in it.

This page may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only. Copyright © 2005 by Search Institute; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org.

All Rights Reserved.The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets®, and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.

x

Introduction to Home

Links

Dear Parents/Caregivers, I’d like to tell you about an exciting new endeavor in our preschool group. I will be working with your child to help build the skills all children need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. I will be using the Developmental Assets Framework for Early Childhood developed by Search Institute, a Minneapolisbased nonprofit organization. For more than 17 years, countless school and organizational leaders, parents, and young people worldwide have used the framework to successfully promote healthy children, youth, and communities.

As part of this process I will be sending you “Home Links” handouts that explain each asset we are working on. The Home Links will also include suggestions on ways you can help reinforce the lessons. You are the most important people in your child’s life and have the greatest impact. I would like to support you in giving your child the experiences and skills needed for a happy and successful life.

The Developmental Assets are commonsense things, and we all likely use many of them in our everyday interactions with children. My goal is to help your child grow in these skills by incorporating new activities and practices into our daily routine. In addition to offering stimulating lessons for the children in our program, I’m hoping to build adults’ awareness of the techniques we can all use to help young learners succeed, improve on the great things we may already be doing, and introduce us to new or different ways to promote healthy development.

Even though many of the assets are practical, everyday things we do, they have the power to transform children’s lives. The more assets a child has, the more likely she or he is to engage in positive behaviors and the less likely she or he is to engage in high-risk behaviors. Search Institute believes that it is ideal for all children to have 31 to 40 assets. The earlier we start building these strengths, the better.

As I explore Developmental Assets with your child, and all the children in my care, I will continue to send you Home Links. I hope you’ll find the information relevant and encouraging. Together we can give your child the best “building blocks” to construct a happy, healthy foundation in life.

Helpful Reference Books from Search Institute Parenting Preschoolers with a Purpose by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain What Young Children Need to Succeed by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain and Nancy Leffert, Ph.D.

Reprinted with permission from Great Preschools: Building Developmental Assets in Early Childhood, by Tamara J. Will, Karen King, and Michelle Mergler.

Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

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Understanding Temperament Temperament is a behavioral style that is present at birth and affects the way we behave toward other people and things in our environment.There are nine temperamental traits that all children have to varying degrees, and each trait has positive and negative aspects.

The majority of children fall somewhere between the positive and negative extremes.

The nine traits are activity level, adaptability, intensity, mood, perceptiveness, persistence, regularity, sensitivity, and first reactions to new situations. To get a better sense of each trait, we’ll look at the extremes that can challenge a caregiver and offer some guidance on how to handle each.

Activity level—necessity for movement • A highly active child is in constant motion. Give her opportunities for active play, and when the group is doing a quiet activity let her move around from time to time.

• A child with a low activity level plays quietly for long periods of time and usually moves more slowly. Give him extra time to get things done.

Adaptability—ability to adapt to changes and transitions • A highly adaptable child adjusts easily. He may give in too easily to unreasonable changes, such as a peer changing rules to her own advantage, and may need to be encouraged to stand up for himself.

• A child who does not adapt well is cautious and does not like surprises.

Stick to routines and give her advance notice before changing activities, such as, “Fifteen more minutes, Julie.” Be patient.

Intensity—strength of emotional reactions • A highly intense child responds strongly to everything with constant emotional ups and downs. Be patient—although a situation may seem trivial to you, it is not to him. Figure out what calms him down and then talk to him about ways he can calm himself.

• A child with low intensity reacts mildly to situations and works through problems with little frustration. She may be hard to read, so pay careful attention so you are able to detect strong feelings that may surface.

Mood—overall disposition • A child with a positive disposition is usually happy and content.

• A child with a more serious and analytical disposition will tend to focus on flaws and may cry or whine easily. Respond to her in a positive and cheerful manner, and help her see the strengths or benefits of a situation.

Perceptiveness—observation of environment • A highly perceptive child notices things most people miss. She tends to become distracted easily and can be forgetful. Help her stay on track with verbal reminders or by using pictures to show the steps she needs to take to complete a task.

• A child who is less perceptive is able to stay on task, tune things out, and easily remember and follow multiple directions.

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Persistence—determination to achieve goals • A highly persistent child has a hard time letting go of an idea or activity and doesn’t take no for an answer. Give him a heads up as the time to change an activity approaches, and don’t allow him to get engaged in an activity if he won’t have time to complete it.

• A child with a low level of persistence can be redirected easily and accepts no for an answer. She will not stick with a task that is difficult or requires a long period of concentration.

Regularity—predictability of bodily functions • A highly regular child needs a predictable schedule for eating, sleeping, and elimination.

• An irregular child follows no schedule or routine. He fares better when the adults who care for him allow some flexibility with his meals and sleep schedule.

Sensitivity—physical reaction to senses • A highly sensitive child needs quiet to sleep, gags easily from smells, is bothered by bright lights and tags in clothes, and reacts to your stress. Ensure that her environment meets her needs and don’t try to change her personality.

• A child with low sensitivity isn’t bothered by how things feel or smell or by loud noises. She will have difficulty noticing others’ feelings and should be taught to pay attention to facial expressions and nonverbal clues.

First reaction—reaction to new situations, ideas, activities, places, or people • A child who rejects things at first is cautious, prefers to watch before joining in, and is distressed by new activities or things. Be patient and offer small repeated exposures to the unfamiliar. Do not pressure or push.

• A child who is open to new activities jumps right in, adjusts quickly, and learns by doing. You will need to supervise her closely so she does not get into dangerous situations.

For more information on temperament, read Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. New York: Harper, 2006.

Reprinted with permission from Great Preschools: Building Developmental Assets in Early Childhood, by Tamara J. Will, Karen King, and Michelle Mergler.

Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

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Support It’s 11:30 a.m. on a Wednesday and 18 little 4-year-olds, each with a backpack strapped on tight, creep quietly down the hallway of Mendota Elementary School in one straight line. In the lead is their teacher, Miss Jeni, and at the end of the line is their assistant teacher, Miss Shelly. Miss Jeni creeps along as an example for the children to focus on. She turns toward the children and brings her finger to her lips to remind everyone to stay quiet so they do not disturb the elementary school students busy at work in their classrooms.

The preschoolers emerge from the front door of the school and stop, still in their line. As Miss Jeni spots parents, she calls their child’s name, leans down for a high-five, and says “Good-bye!” Even though it has only been two and a half hours, each child runs into his parent’s waiting arms as if it’s been a week since they last saw each other.

Miss Jeni releases Rachel last and follows her to her mother, who scoops Rachel up and kisses her.

“Rachel shared her lovely drawing with the class today,” says Miss Jeni with a smile.

Rachel’s mom beams at her daughter.“You did? How fun! Did you tell everyone who you were drawing with and what you named your picture?”

Rachel shyly nods yes.

“Yes, she did,” confirms Miss Jeni.“She told us she sat outside with her neighbor Gretchen and drew this picture of the wind.”

“That’s it exactly! And a wild wind it is. Did you tell them that little Jake from across the street joined you too?” Instead of answering, Rachel hides her face in her mother’s neck.

“Thank you so much for taking the time to let her share her picture with the class,” Rachel’s mother says to Miss Jeni.

“It was my pleasure. It was obviously very important to her.”

In the car, Rachel’s mother looks at her in the rearview mirror and says,“Honey, I’m so excited for you that you got to share your picture in class.What else did you do in class today? Did you read any books?”

“I don’t remember,” answers Rachel.

Although “I don’t remember” is a response you will often hear from young children, rest assured that every effort you make to give them a well-developed support system will serve them well throughout their lives. Caring adults need to intentionally build the foundation that will give young children the confidence they will need to make steady progress as they grow.

Preschoolers thrive when they feel supported and are more likely to make the important steps necessary for healthy development when they feel the adults around them care about them and are cheering them on.

Rachel has a strong support system. She has a parent who loves her and gives her posi-

tive and encouraging attention, neighbors who spend quality time with her, and a preschool teacher who works with her parents to create a

If this chapter is your first effort at using the assets, remember to send the Introduction to Home Links, found on page xi, home with each student before you begin any asset-building activities.

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nurturing, supportive environment. These things are a consistent part of Rachel’s life thanks to the diligence of the adults around her.

Preschoolers begin to build a personal identity by comparing themselves to others. They have an emerging ability to see other points of view, and their self-image changes based on what others think of them. You have many opportunities to make the children in your care feel good about themselves by encouraging and supporting them.

Support is an external asset; it is provided to a child by caring adults. By helping families build a support system for their child you help children learn that they are not alone. They learn the skills necessary to make positive connections with people who will love them, encourage them, and respect them for who they are throughout their life.

Search Institute has identified six support assets that make a difference in the lives of preschoolers. In this chapter we will look at each of these assets individually and offer simple and effective activities that will help build each of them.

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Search Institute has identified six support assets that make a difference in the lives of preschoolers. ❯❯ Asset 1. Family Support ❯❯ Asset 2. Positive Family Communication ❯❯ Asset 3. Other Adult Relationships ❯❯ Asset 4. Caring Neighbors ❯❯ Asset 5. Caring Climate in ChildCare and Educational Settings ❯❯ Asset 6. Parent Involvement in Child Care and Education

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Family support Parent(s) and/or primary caregiver(s) provide the child with high levels of consistent and predictable love, physical care, and positive attention in ways that are responsive to the child’s individuality.

Much of the time this is easy to do. And although teachers and parents both likely give children positive attention, it is sometimes difficult to know if the attention is responsive to the child’s individuality. When it isn’t, you have an uncooperative child on your hands, which makes consistency difficult. We have all had times when it seems nothing we do will stop the 3-year-old in our care from sobbing hysterically while absolutely refusing to budge from the play dough!

Knowing something about temperament can be helpful as adults try to offer a child support. While most children fall somewhere between the extremes and adapt more easily to routines and boundaries, caring adults will benefit greatly from learning about temperamental extremes and suggestions for handling different situations. Also, because it is the responsibility of caring adults to help children learn how to make the best of their particular qualities, it is important that teachers and parents work together to become familiar with different personality traits. (See the “Understanding Temperament” handout on pages xii–xiii.)

Family support helps a child form a positive self-image and builds the foundation for learning how to connect with other people. When children feel safe and secure in their parent’s love they become more capable in relating to their peers, more well behaved in the classroom, and better able to interact comfortably with adults.1 When you coach families to offer this kind of support, you ensure better outcomes in your program, as well.

Ways You Can Build This Asset Compliment families when you see them interacting positively.

Use everyday moments to point out what makes each of the children in your care special. Comment on the positive characteristics of their temperaments in front of their parents.

Examples: “Russell, you can become so involved in an activity or game that it is hard for you to stop. That means you are really good at concentrating, and it is important to you to finish a project.” “Julie, you can make up a game with just about anything you find, and that means you have a very good imagination.”

When parents express frustration with their child’s difficult behaviors, remind them that certain tendencies will serve children well as they grow. For example, if adults have a hard time directing their preschooler’s behavior now, negative peer pressure is less likely to influence him when he is a teenager.

Create a “Family Scrapbook” bulletin board.

Feature each child’s family for several weeks.

Schedule special events or projects to celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Grandparent’s Day. Invite honorees to join you for breakfast, tea and a snack, or a family-themed story time.

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Resources for Educators Songs and Rhymes “My Family Loves Me” (to the tune of “Are You Sleeping”)

My family loves me; my family loves me.

Yes they do! Yes they do!

They show me every day In lots of special ways I love them too. I love them too.

Activity: Washing Baby Invite children to bathe plastic baby dolls to role-play family support. Gather the following materials: ■ Plastic baby dolls ■ A sensory table or other large container for water use ■ Baby soap and baby lotion ■ Small towels Fill the sensory table or container with warm water.

Place dolls, baby soap, towels, and baby lotion nearby. As children bathe their babies, model nurturing behavior by being gentle with and saying soothing things to the doll, and compliment the children as they demonstrate caring behavior.

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Read-Aloud Books Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest, illustrated by Anita Jeram. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2006.

My Family Is Forever by Nancy Carlson. New York: Viking, 2004.

Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Jane Dyer. San Diego: Harcourt, 2000.

When Mama Comes Home Tonight by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Jane Dyer. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998.

Whose House? by Barbara Seuling, illustrated

by Kay Chorao. Orlando: Harcourt, 2004.