EDUCATION “The more they have experienced gentle challenges, the easier they will find school life.”
been there for them. Te best way to foster a sense of emo-
tional hardiness is to start developing your child’s resilience from the word go. Even babies can learn to wait for milk, food or attention. Toddlers can be taught to share or give up toys. As school begins, children begin to face challenges without their par- ents to protect them. Te more they have experienced gentle challenges, the easier they will find school life. As a Reception teacher, it is easy to spot the child who has been protected against the world, who has
little independence or resilience. Te child who crumbles if his mother is not first at the gates at home time, or the inconsolable four-year-old who doesn't get the main part in a playground game. It is important to teach little children to recognise their emotions, to give a name to sadness, anger, and anxiety. Tey need to recognise what causes them stress and learn to talk about it. We need to create a cul- ture of openness and sharing. Typically boys, especially, as they get older, will avoid talking about their feelings, even with their friends, and are more likely to turn to their computers for distraction. Teach your child to set realistic goals, so that rather than constantly comparing themselves to others, they can chart how much progress they have made this week, term or year. Teach your child to be an op- timist, to see the world through rose-tinted glasses, and even to view mistakes in a pos- itive light. Play board games with your child, which he or she may not always win. Shoot goals, which may actually reach the back of the
Anna joined the
net, and resist helping your child find those Easter eggs; it’s far more rewarding for him or her to find them. Try to encour- age them to fight their own battles. Commiserate with them and comfort them when they’re sad, but encourage them to try again. Importantly, be there for them when life goes wrong. Let them know it is okay not to be the best and that the world won’t come to an end.
Susie Wesson is an Early Years teacher with an interest in Learning Support
International School of London (ISL) from Finland for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. She achieved the top mark of 45 points in her IB Diploma exams and went on to study Art at Edinburgh Universit.
ISL London integrates Mother Tongue and other languages into the IB curriculum from a young age, nurturing the global competencies
universities worldwide. ISL London is helping its students turn dreams into realit.
critical for success at
ISL London I Succeed
At ISL London, I acquired the skills and atitudes for universit success: essay writing, critical thinking, open mindedness, problem-solving and thinking outside the box.
Anna, ISL Alumna
www.focus-info.org
+44 (0) 20 8992 5823
www.isllondon.org @isllondon
FOCUS The Magazine 21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
