Preschool
What We Saw: A large colorful
parachute was available outside. Four adults situated
themselves in key places around the parachute and about
a dozen children joined in holding the handles to the
parachute. A ball was placed in the middle and everyone
had to work together to propel it into the air. The teacher
asked, "Did it go very high or low? The children yelled
out, "high"! The next time the ball did not go very high
and the teacher said, "It went very low because we didn't
work together. Let's try again. Ready, 1-2-3!" Everyone
worked together and the ball went really high into the
air. Then the teacher gave children a chance to revise
the game slightly. One child suggested, "that when the
ball goes up, you go under". The adults held onto the
parachute while the children went under and came back
out. The next child announced, "When the ball goes up,
we pull out". Everyone pulled out on the parachute together
when the ball went up in the air.
What It Means: Competence in building
and maintaining relationships with others involves a complex
interplay of thought, feelings and skills. Young children
are learning how to initiate and maintain satisfying relationships
with each other and with adults. When teachers provide
opportunities for children to successfully cooperate in
an activity, they are helping the children to be socially
competent. Planning for successful sharing and cooperation
in a group activity involves carefully setting up
the activity, facilitating positive interactions during
the activity and choosing appropriate ways for children
to be included in decision-making.
Back
More Sharing/Cooperation
Promising Practices
