Several years ago, I had the great fortune of participating in a training of trainers for developmentally appropriate practice as part of the NAEYC Annual Conference for early childhood educators. We learned that one key component of developmentally appropriate practice is to create a caring community of learners. While it has always been important, I feel like the renewed emphasis on social and emotional learning makes this idea even more relevant. It goes hand in hand with CASEL’s social and emotional learning core competency of relationship skills.
First, creating a caring community of learners requires teachers to provide warm, caring, and responsive interactions. This may seem like a no-brainer for anyone who is not an educator, but sadly, I have visited many classrooms over the years where the teacher does not exhibit these behaviors. For example, I watched a little boy enter a pre-kindergarten classroom one morning crying as he separated from his mother. Neither teacher acknowledged his emotions nor tried to comfort him. Now maybe this happens every day, but regardless, the adults should offer some type of responsive interaction if they want to build a relationship with that child and provide a caring atmosphere in the classroom.
Building relationships with others is also key to creating a caring community of learners. As young children enter school, they start forming relationships with the adults and other children in their environment. The first relationship children may have with an adult outside the home could be at school and could be the model for the rest of the relationships they will have with future teachers. One of teachers’ main goals is to build relationships with their students. This fosters a sense of well-being in children; they learn to trust and begin to believe that they are safe and worthy. When they feel safe and worthy, they will be receptive to learning.
In addition to establishing positive, constructive relationships with adults, teachers need to help their students foster relationships with peers. Providing children opportunities to work together in small groups, play together at interest areas, or referring children to one another for help, are all part of an early childhood educator’s job. CASEL’s definition of the relationship skills competency includes cooperating with others and negotiating conflict constructively. They also list teamwork and social engagement as subtopics within this competency. What better way to hone these skills than by interacting with classmates through a variety of situations during a school day.
A third component of creating a caring community of learners and strengthening relationships, is for teachers to ensure that all children are valued. This means getting to know students’ interests, learning styles, personalities, prior experiences, strengths, and challenges. By observing children, conversing with them, truly listening to them, and communicating with their families, teachers can easily collect this crucial information. This knowledge will help teachers better know who is in their classroom and how they can best help them learn.
A fourth and final component to consider when creating a caring community of learners, is to focus in on the word community. Having a sense of community means seeing oneself as belonging to a group or coming together for a common purpose. Early childhood educators need to be cognizant of the fact that this may be the first time a child will be part of a group. If they have never been to school before or have never participated in any group activities outside the home, coming together as a large group might be overwhelming. The child may seem shy or unsure how to act or may feel uncomfortable speaking in front of others.
During many years of teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, I never thought about this. Now, reflecting on these ideas, I remember many children who did not want to participate in large group games or music and movement activities.
The best example was every year, I would begin with a game called “I’m Looking for a Friend.” The children stood in a circle, and I walked around the outside singing, “I’m looking for a friend, I’m looking for a friend, I’m looking for a friend, and their name is…”. Wherever I stopped, I would insert that child’s name into the song and ask them, “Do you want to be my friend?” Most children said yes, and they would grab onto my waist so we could make a friend train. We would then continue to add more to our train.
However, every year, at least one child would say no. I always thought it was odd they did not want to join in the fun, but now I understand what was happening. They were unsure about being part of our community because perhaps this was a totally foreign experience for them. That is why I always played the game again at the end of the year. By then, of course, everyone said yes to the friend train because we had truly built our community of learners.
CASEL tells us that learning is a social and interactive process that takes place with adults and other children. We also know that emotions and relationships affect how and what we learn. Therefore, having strong social and emotional skills help children do better both in school and in life. When we strive to create a caring community of learners, we are supporting social and emotional learning, which, in turn, is supporting our youngest learners to succeed.
Jennifer Fernandez
Jennifer has over 30 years of experience in education. She has degrees in Elementary Education, Spanish, and Bilingual Education and holds teaching licenses in Texas and Minnesota. She has taught PreK-2nd grade in general and bilingual settings, served as a professional learning specialist for seven years, and currently presents at state and national conferences.
Read more by Jennifer Fernandez–>
This resonates with me, because we all need a community to feel valued and safe. This is no different for children. When they feel like they are part of something, they feel more comfortable to be vulnerable in the learning process.
I whole-heartedly agree with everything you said.
It does! and I agree with you. The more we feel apart of something, the more we are comfortable and willing to learn.
This reading makes so much sense. Creating a community is so important. Also, making a student feel valued. We as educators should be our students role models and someone they can trust and that relationship needs to be built.
I feel this. I am working as a paraprofessional in a preschool class, as i am studying to become a teacher. I see that each student has different learning styles, emotions, etc. It is important to be there for them, as it probably isn’t easy to just be thrown into a whole new routine.
In the classroom it truly is all about your approach and understanding that everyone is different and deserves the attention and guidance to grow, some more than others. Empathy is also a big part in understanding the social and emotional connection in the classroom and understanding that everyone’s home life is not the same.
Reading this made me think back when I was in school. Having that caring teacher made a difference even though my home life was good I had to leave the comfort of home and go to school where I really didn’t know a-lot of people. The teacher made me feel welcomed and safe so I always wanted to come back to school ready to learn.
This resonates with me so much. I was that shy, quiet, hesitant kid that did not want to participate in group activities in school. There are kids who need the stability that comes with creating a strong, safe learning community. There are kids that won’t receive that any place else.
I truly agree with this reading. Without that positive relationship, your students will most likely not receive the most important foundation of learning, safety, love, and trust.
The concept of a community of care within the classroom or school setting speaks volumes about the value placed on not just teaching academics but on how important each person is and how each person has something to contribute to the community.
SEL development throughout the educational process is essential.
After reading this I just realized that school is just an extension of our home life. Children feel safe and happy at home, and they need that same feeling when they go to school. We as next gen Canidates need to learn all there is about making our classrooms a safe and fun environment for our students so they can focus on learning and being their fun selves.
Appreciate everyone’s positive comments and personal insights showing the relevance of this information for early childhood educators and students!
I agree, a base foundation for feeling comfortable and part of the classroom starts very young. So many skills take place in their younger years and overcoming fears and phobias can start then.
I really loved this lecture, communication is the key!
I was that shy student in school who always dreaded group activities (still do!). Fortunately for me, I always had teachers that were caring, and helped me through those activities without too much anxiety. Students spend so much time with us, that I feel that in their minds, we are their second parents. Being able to build their trust in us, is so detrimental to their success in school.
Making children feel welcome and part of a bigger group is so important. Working with small children I know how important this is as educators. When the child feels safe and loved they tend to participate more (even the shy children). Showing them they are part of the group (community) at a young age will help them as they grow.
When I was a student in Elementary school, I can honestly say, my teachers dictated my school year. Those years that I remember being awesome included teachers that showed me more love and compassion. Those years that I hardly remember were spent with teachers that did not make me feel welcomed in their classroom. I never thought about it like that before but it makes so much sense now.
I definitely cannot agree more! Making young children feel comfortable and welcome is an essential part of the education experience.
I really loved this article. I was a teacher aid and I had many children who did not participate in group during the first of the school year. Now reading this I understand how important it is to make each child feel welcomed and apart of the community. This is the start to help them grow. 🙂
The most crucial part of my time in school was my early years and this hits home. When we all started school for the first couple years it was very difficult to transition at times to spending half of your day with new people and missing the comfort of your home and guardians. I had teachers that were very inclusive and brought many of us out of our shells in a positive and safe way. Great read!
I sometimes think as teachers we forget that fostering the relationships between your students is just as vital as your personal relationship with your student. If the student feels connected to their peers the word and feeling of community takes on a whole new dimension.
I see every day at the middle school I work at how many kids still want nothing to do with group settings and have no trust for anyone around them. I do my very best every day to help these kids feel I am a safe person and can be trusted.
I feel very thankful that I work at a school that puts its community first; the teachers work so hard every day to actively engage with the students, even students from other grades. I know every single student in my entire school by name.