Peace in Early Childhood Education
As every year, on January 30 we celebrate Peace Day in our school. But… is it possible for children so young to understand this abstract concept?
We would quickly say no. This concept requires a work of elaboration that at the beginning is beyond the maturity level of the children of hormiguita. However, we can affirm that there are very concrete ways of transmitting a concept, which will become more complex with time until it acquires a greater symbolic power. But we can affirm that as they grow up, in their daily acts, they are able to differentiate what is right and what is wrong; we see it in certain situations that occur in daily life and of course with an adult behind them to guide and value these facts.
For example: two children playing in the garden, one has a ball and the other one wants it, to get it, he bites his hand and takes it away. At this “egocentric” stage of their development, it is absolutely normal. “I want something and I’ll take it”, it’s as simple as that. They do not yet possess the tools to resolve conflicts of this type in a “socially correct” way.
It is our job as adults to show them other ways to solve these problems peacefully. With simple answers such as: “You have hurt your friend. Give him a kiss and ask for forgiveness, please”, here we allow him to be aware that there is something he has not done right, we show him the consequences of his action and how they affect others, and in turn; we give him an option to solve the conflict.
Another case would be the fact of sharing something of ours with others. At Hormiguitas, for the last few years we have been carrying out the classroom library project, which in addition to fostering their love for reading, means that by creating the library with stories that the children bring from home, they themselves discover that it is enriching to be able to share our “treasures” with the rest of the class; because every day it is a different one and they take care of them as if they were their own (literally; that is why some of them need “repairs” at the end of the trimester).
I also think it is important that we practice with the little ones the collaboration among each other to achieve a certain goal. If there is something that characterizes children, it is their eagerness to help;not only adults, but also each other. With simple actions such as helping a friend who has fallen on the floor to get up, to put on a slipper after a nap, to pick up something that has fallen on the floor… It is touching to see how children who have not yet reached the age of three are able to empathize with each other in this way. If only we adults would not forget how much they have to teach us in this respect.
In short, it is not necessary for children to know the etymological meaning of this word. With a few simple guidelines that we adults offer them to resolve their conflicts, giving them opportunities to share their world and above all, letting them express that love for others that they carry inside; they will be the ones who teach us the true meaning of the word PEACE.
“Peace begins with a smile” Teresa of Calcutta
Fani Garcia ( tutor for 2 to 3 years old )
