VALUES CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN
The author is Teacher
GERLIE M. GARCIA
Many schools of thought deem it’s premature to teach values to a kindergarten or young elementary students. But for 21st Century educators, it’s a misconception as all children should learn values and carry them as they grow up:
Honesty: The best way to encourage truthfulness in your child is to be a truthful person yourself, as a teacher and parent. Remember a child takes his or her cues from parents and teachers, so it’s important that you try to avoid any kind of deception
Justice. Insist that children make amends. Saying “I’m sorry” is pretty easy for a child, and it lets her off the hook without forcing her to think. Having a child make amends in a proactive way conveys a much stronger message. By encouraging your child to make such gestures, you emphasize the importance of treating people fairlyan essential value that will one day help him negotiate the complicated world of peergroup relationships.
Determination. Encourage them to take on a challenge. Determination is a value that you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do so is by avoiding excessive praise and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. Another powerful way to help kids develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don’t come easily-and to praise them for their initiative.
Consideration. Teach them to think about others’feelings. Over time, even a young child sees that words or actions can make another person smile or feel better, and that when she’s kind to someone else, that person is nice to her. This feedback encourages other genuine acts of consideration.
Love. Be generous with your affection. Parents and teachers tend to think that children are naturally loving and generous with their affection. This is true, but for loving sentiments to last, they need to be reciprocated. Let a child see you demonstrate your love and affection for the people in your life. And when our children feel free to express their love to us, we instill in them perhaps the greatest value of all.
— oOo—
I at Barit Elementary School, Candaba East District