I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. It’s hard to believe it is already December. The weather is certainly starting to feel a lot more like the end of fall. This means that we, in P1, have been getting dressed in our layers to go outside. Of course, putting on all those warm layers takes practice and time especially when it comes to zippers. As we continue to work on zipping up our jackets, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of independence in the primary community.

Our children want to learn to do things by themselves. They are eager to dress themselves, prepare their food and help out in their community independently. It is this independence that develops the child’s sense of self and confidence. A primary classroom is designed with this idea in mind. The furniture and materials are designed with the child’s physical size and strength in mind. Lessons and presentations allow the child to have the necessary tools to use the materials independently for cognitive development. The materials are often self-correcting which allows the child to make changes and discoveries without adult intervention. The lessons and materials also build upon the skills of the previous exercises allowing the child to slowly and successfully build up to more complicated skills and tasks.

In our fast paced and busy lives it often feels difficult to take the time to allow a child to falteringly perform a skill like zipping a jacket or tying a shoe lace that we as adults can do faster and more efficiently. But a little practice and patience allows the child to become more precise and expedient at these tasks. These are things the children will eventually be able to do for themselves. Nothing matches the satisfaction a child feels when they go through the process of doing something for themselves. Successful completion of the task only makes it more memorable.

So, what can we do to help our children help themselves? It is important to always remind ourselves to step back and allow the child the space to figure out if they can do something for themselves before jumping in to help. Children will more often than not continue to persist on a task if they feel like they can do it. We can offer them encouragement and acknowledge their accomplishments (even if it not as precise as we would like it to be). We can offer them the tools and techniques to help themselves and then give them the time and space to do just that. Introduce them to newer skills and responsibilities as they grow.

And what better place to start than by letting them zip their own jackets and pull on their own mittens. Speaking of mittens, please make sure that the children have warm coats, hats and mittens every day. The weather is unpredictable but definitely cold. Having warm outerwear will allow the children to enjoy themselves outdoors with their friends.

Stay Warm!

Archana