On Listening to Children

In my class of 4- and 5-year-olds, I see children trying out roles of potential bullies, victims, and bystanders as they become increasingly aware of social groups to which they might belong. Egocentricity, or seeing oneself as the center of everything, is a normal developmental stage for these young children, and trying on different roles is an everyday part of their play.

As they begin to form and join social groups, I want to help these children resist the urge to tease and bully others, to stop them from taking advantage of weaker children, and to teach them to stand up for themselves when someone tries to treat them unfairly or cruelly. I want to help them develop empathy, look at a situation from another person's point of view, and form a classroom in which each child is a valued member.