As a preschool teacher at Bixby I have the chance to help encourage early friendships to bud and grow.
The preschool years are a time when little ones have the chance to learn their way through experiences with new rules and routines. Some of our children are finding friendships for the first time and they are introduced to group spaces which they share with other Bixby Preschoolers. Here, they are all learning to wait and take turns. There are so many opportunities to work on social skills!
“Social skills” are the behaviors children use as they grow and learn to live with others. Cooperating, starting conversations, and a real important one – working through conflicts by handling their own emotions.
As a teacher, I am there to create a safe space for them to explore this developing terrain. I can help it make sense and help them understand how some social interactions start, how they end, and how to keep them going. Getting the children to ask and answer questions of each other builds relationships and helps them understand and feel shared experiences.
By using open-ended materials like blocks, dress up clothes, and things we gather from nature, they can explore new conversations about their growing world. I also really want it to be enjoyable for them and worthwhile. It is amazing to experience these things for the first time with them. It is an honor to experience it for the hundredth time. The day a child uses these young social skills for themselves is a joy. – Salowa
