Module 7 How We Learn to Know Others’ Thoughts and Feelings

2 Module Six Review Module 6 MODM: Did you think of new ways to help build children’s sense of confidence and competence? If so, how? Did charting ways to help build confidence and competence change how you see yourself as a teacher? If so, how? Chart 6.4 – Confidence & competence Recording reflection

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10 Learning Goal Teachers will understand that one of the most important building blocks in early learning and school readiness is for children to become able to take the perspective of others. This happens when children learn that what they think and feel and what others think and feel can be different. Researchers call this theory of mind.

11 Research shows… The increasing capacity to understand the people around you, including their thoughts, feelings, intentions, and expectations, is essential to learning to understand the world

12 Research shows… This capacity enables children to: –Understand the differences and similarities between themselves and others –Decode human behavior –Develop social, emotional, and intellectual intelligence Children who can accurately interpret the behavior and intentions of others are less likely to resort to aggression

13 Major Tasks of Teaching Young Children Communicate about children (and adults) as individuals with thoughts and feelings – this helps children understand other points of view, when they are the same and when they are different

14 Outcomes Teachers will become better at: –Understanding and acknowledging what children are thinking and feeling –Helping children learn to understand and acknowledge the thoughts and feelings of others

15 Get Ready!

Scenario: 1.These parents don’t seem to care about what their children are going through. 2.The parents might be rushing to get to work on time. 3.Something else is going on. Please describe. 16

Reaction - Journal 2 minutes 1.Surprise because I wouldn’t have thought the parent was suffering too. 2.Not surprised because separation also affects parents, not just children. 3.Something else, please describe. 17

18 Did You Know? – Research Video Dr. Alison Gopnik University of CA, Berkeley

19 What Do You Think? Why is theory of mind important to learning? What does this knowledge mean to you as a teacher?

20 What Do You See? – Video Segment What do you think the child in the video is thinking and feeling? What do you think the adult is thinking and feeling? How did you come to this conclusion?

21 What can you do? Let’s look at chart 7.1 (p 3) 1.Think about a child you teach who isn’t easy to understand. 2.What could this child’s behavior be telling you? 3.Use chart 7.2 (p 4) to consider some new explanations for this child’s behavior. 4.Discuss this with someone else – do they have other ideas to add?

22 Tips p. 5, #4 – Help children understand other points of view – when they are the same and when they are different. Example: You can make a statement like, “You like the color red, but Allison doesn’t like red. Allison likes blue.” You can also ask questions that encourage thinking about another perspective. Example: You can ask a question like, “What do you think Lola thinks about this. Is that how you feel, too?”

23 Quotes There are some studies now which show that this understanding of the mind – what psychologists call theory of mind – is a good predictor of children’s social adjustment to kindergarten; things about how children manage to deal with other children and about how good they are at understanding emotions later on in life. - Dr. Alison Gopnik

24 Moving On and Doing More, 8 & 9 Let’s draw together.... Taking it back to your program…. Continue to consider the child you identified as challenging when you complete Chart 7.3 and some of the activities related to Module 7.

Story The story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf Drawings by Robert Lawson 25