Compassion
4-year-old
WHAT
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IS
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Compassion
Compassion
/kəmˈpaʃ(ə)n/
noun
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Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
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If someone shows kindness, caring, and a willingness to help others, they're showing compassion.
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Compassion is a feeling of deep empathy and respect for another who is stricken by misfortune and the strong desire to actively do something about it. The human quality of understanding the sufferings of others paired with the desire to help alleviate it (Wolpow, Johnson, Hertel & Kincaid, 2011).
IMPORTANCE
OF
Compassion
Developing compassion for others is a critical part of a young child's development. The ability to accept others, even with differences, and having compassion for them is an essential component of social competence. It is just as important as any academic development. Teaching acceptance and compassion through play can be fun. Through opportunities to explore a wide range of children's interests, traditions, and cultures arise. Children learn to understand the basic principle of compassion, through the daily experiences and relationships that they are exposed to.
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We aim to develop and promote relationships base on care, empathy, altruism and a positive form of self-love.
modelling
AS A
TEACHING
TECHNIQUE
Children learn how to behave ‘appropriately’ by copying the behaviour of others. Children may model by themselves on the adults around them even when they are not deliberately teaching through example (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009). Through role-modelling, children imitate adults and will use what they observe and experience as a model to comfort others. Repeated modeling and encouragement are necessary before comforting others become normalized behaviors. Children 3 to 4-years-old become aware of their own feelings and relate to others, even though sincere empathy needs to be taught (Bornstein, 2018).
Therefore, adult role-modelling can be a successful teaching technique for staff to build children’s well-being and learning or when building specific skills (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).
WAYS TO INSTILL
COMPASSION IN SCHOOL
Teaching Compassion in Large Group
ROUP
SEE THE GOOD AROUND YOU
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Objectives: Children will be able to observe and imitate the social models around them. They will learn to understand the importance of custodial staff members around them.
1. Lead group discussions: For this activity, the teacher may begin with a discussion about the invisible forces at work that makes our days better. You may want to kick off with a conversation on appreciation: “What happens when you stop giving thanks to the good people and good things in our lives? What happens when you show that you are thankful?”
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2. Activity: Consider activities that your students can do to understand the role of custodians play in maintaining the school building and improving the learning environment. These may include interviews with the staff, having students shadow a staff member, or having them take responsibility for a particular task that the staff is in charge of. An example in the video shows that children are following their teacher around in school. They will closely examine and understand the importance of the role these adults play in school. This activity can last for a week long.
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3. Reflect after experience: Conclude by inviting students to write a thank-you note to the custodial staff member who does not normally receive recognition.
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NDIVIDUAL
RANDOM ACTS OF COMPASSION ACTIVITY SHEET
Modeling for children encourages them to imitate the desired behaviour. As teachers, your actions help them understand your words. In addition, children watch other children and imitate them. They learn through imitation; watching a more experienced classmate (Hearron & Hildebrand, 2013).
Children may display compassion every now and then, without them knowing. Therefore, this activity sheet may be used to keep track of children who displayed compassion to the people around them in school. After a week, the teacher may collect back the activity sheets to find out the number of different acts of compassion displayed by children and also who have displayed the most over the timeframe of a week!
OUTINE/
TRANSITION
COMPASSION IN YOU
Teachers should make music an integral part of children’s learning, beyond the planned music and movement activities by singing with the children when transiting from one room to another or from one activity to another (NEL Framework, 2013).
Using songs and melodies add to the positive climate in a classroom. When engaging children with the whole group, singing songs can direct their attention more than our normal voices (NAEYC, 2014).
Therefore, through the lyrics, it educates young children
learn simple acts of compassion that they can show to the people around them.
Compassion in You (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re kind to others,
They’ll be kind to you.
If you’re kind to others,
They’ll be kind to you.
Show a smile,
Hold a door.
Hug a friend,
Learn to share.
These are ways that we can show some kindness too.
Teaching Compassion During Routine or Transition
NVIRONMENT
The teacher can encourage children to display compassion in the classroom by pasting social stories on the walls. Social stories use simple language and pictures to describe a situation, in this case, it is to display compassion to the people around them. A sample of social stories has been included on how children can display compassion to their peers in school.
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Additionally, a reward system can be used when children display compassion acts. The use of these tags can reinforce behaviours that you would like to see more often among children. This tag should be known to the children that it is earned for appropriate behaviour. A sample of reward system tags have been included and teachers can simply give to the children when they display good behaviours in the classroom.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
STORYBOOKS
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Come With Me by Holly M. McGhee, illustrated by Pascal Lemaîtr
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The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
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Hey, Little Ant by Phillip Hoose and Hannah Hoose, illustrated by Debbie Tilley
VIDEOS
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Kind-Hearted Hand - The Greatest Kindness Challenge Theme Song
Link: https://youtu.be/r8RpTN_DfhU
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Colour Your World With Kindness