REDDAM EARLY LEARNING SCHOOL WOOLLAHRA NEWSLETTER
Dee’s Message
12 August 2022
Dear Parents and Caregivers, One often reads in the press about the critical skills which will be needed in the future – especially in a future which is so rapidly evolving. As such, for educators and parents, the question should constantly be: what can we do to prepare our children as best we can, and what skills can we help them to develop, which will prepare them for their future? It might seem somewhat premature to be speaking of such things at an early learning level, and yet, as paediatrician and author Dr Laura Jana reminds us, it is never too early to start developing these skills. In fact, as she also mentions in a recent article, most early learning teachers are already incorporating most of these skills in their classes. I found her comments regarding the seven skills which will be required most useful and as such I mention them below. The first she refers to are the ‘ME’ skills: these involve self-awareness/self-control, impulse control, focus and attention. They involve being in control of one’s own thoughts,
feelings, and actions, and incorporate many of the aspects recognised as executive function skills. Then there are the ‘WE’ skills: these are the people skills that in the general sense include skills like communication, cooperation, teamwork, active listening, empathy and perspective taking. In early childhood terms, they are the ‘put your listening ears on, learn to play well with others, and in the same sandbox’ skills so commonly cultivated in preschool. Third are the ‘WHY’ skills: these are questioning and curiosity, so obvious and necessary in a preschool environment. Fourth are the ‘WILL’ skills, which involve intrinsic motivation and drive, grit and perseverance, ‘stick with it’ attitude, etc. The next set of skills which are required are, what she calls, WIGGLE skills: these are meant to convey the importance of physically interacting with the world, as we know that physical and intellectual restlessness/curiosity go hand in hand.
REDDAM EARLY LEARNING SCHOOL | WOOLLAHRA NEWSLETTER
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