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华德福方法
Social skills go hand-in-hand with language development. The child (or adult) who is unable to express his thoughts and feelings in words often resorts to aggression when he feels frustrated, threatened, frightened, insecure, and uncertain, etc. Some young children may hit, kick, bite, scratch. Others may withdraw, rather than becoming aggressive. The ability to say what he wants or doesn’t want, to negotiate and compromise (give and take) underlies the beginning of the socialisation process. On the other hand, the child must be able to listen and understand the wishes and needs of others.
The pre-school teacher role is a role model for the children. She uses a variety of strategies to teach appropriate social behaviour and to encourage the skills mentioned above. Following are a few of these strategies:
Rachel Smith & Declan Allen
1. Imaginative Language
Imaginative language used by teachers and parents can focus on the behaviour rather than on the child. For example, the pre-school teacher may remind a child that “We have friendly (kind) hands for helping” when he hits someone. Or perhaps “Dogs bite. You are a boy”, if he bites another child. These sorts of statements make it clear to the child what is or is not appropriate behaviour, without confronting.
2. “Natural Justice”
“Natural justice” implies that a child experiences the effect or consequences of her behaviour. So, for example, if she tips her cup over, she cleans up the mess. No harsh words are spoken; she simply rectifies the situation. In group situations, when a child (especially a 6 year old) is unable to follow routines and expectations, she may be temporarily withdrawn from the group until she is ready to rejoin them in an appropriate way. This is not only for the benefit of the disruptive child, but also for the whole group.
Keturah Tracey & Ashlee Day
3. Stories
Finally, stories appeal to the child’s imagination and to their soul nature and act as a mirror. Fairytales provide archetypal images of human polarities - generosity and greed, kindness and cruelty, beauty and ugliness, etc. In all of these stories good triumphs over evil in the end, giving the child a deeply ingrained experience of morality without moralising.
The journey towards becoming a social being is a long one, requiring a lifetime. We help the child take their early steps in pre-school and hopefully impart some of the tools and skills they will need along the journey.
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2005-09-09 18:27:45
