Let’s take a few minutes to examine our beliefs about what children can do and with what we need to help them. If we believe children are capable, we allow them time to figure things out on their own, to put their coats on by themselves, to clean up after themselves and to serve themselves at meal time among all the other things children do throughout the day. Your attitude toward a child’s capability effects your interactions, problem solving, conflict resolution and about everything that happens in your classroom. It recognizes a child’s sovereignty. Treating children with respect shows our trust in the child’s ability. It means we give them the time they need to comply with the demands of the day.

Our actions throughout the day demonstrate how we see children. Whether we see them as capable or in need of assistance. Take a step back and look at your everyday interactions with children. Are you allowing the child to try and fail and try again, or do you jump in and solve the problem for the child?

Over the next few posts, we’ll look at some common situations with young children and evaluate our interactions and where we can trust children with more autonomy.