I was on a travelling from the Greek island of Agistri to Athens. Sitting in the cafeteria, writing my notes in preparation for an online session about the power of empathy. One of my travelling companions asked: Aren't we all empathic? Companion: "What type of people will attend a session … [Read more...]
It’s all about love or the lack of it
“Big realization today — it’s either all about love or the lack thereof it…” This was the written message, I read a few days ago, that inspired me to write. What is Love? Is love an energy that is created by us? Does love exist in its own right? Do animals feel love? Can we love anyone? Is … [Read more...]
Education tour Sweden- freedom and responsibility
This year's education tour to Sweden is complete. We had a wonderful time seeing old friends and making new acquaintances. We share our culture, our humanness and our passion for pre-school education for young children. I met my friend and colleague, Annika Sparrdal Mantilla 6 years ago. We both … [Read more...]
Democracy and freedom work together in pre-school.
Empowering children to express themselves: to understand what equality and inclusiveness mean and to learn about the use of power and being part of a community in the widest sense, is essential for the well-being of our global community. I've enjoyed many visits to pre-schools where these values … [Read more...]
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden by Robert Fulghum
I felt inspired to share this today because there as so many gems in the words of this poem, this is all ... All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten. ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the … [Read more...]
Adopting an attitude of gratitude is the key to living a happy and fulfilled life.
When we experience every situation in life as an opportunity to learn we give birth to an attitude of gratitude, which is the key to living a happy and fulfilled life. Sometimes you may feel stuck in a problem, or overwhelmed with issues and not able to think clearly about the solutions that are … [Read more...]
Imagine
Imagine yourself as a two-year-old- Written by my dear friend and colleague, Penny Vine, Early Years Consultant, CNVC Trainer. Penny tells me she was inspired to write this after reading a piece on imagining a child’s world by Warwick Pudney and Elaine Whitehouse, authors of Little Volcanoes. … [Read more...]
The heart of the matter- empathic communication in pre-school education
It was Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, who said: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” I'm excited to share this article with you. It explains some of the practices of the Ängbybarnen pre-school group in Sweden. Central to the school's pedagogy is … [Read more...]
Fear
Guest blogger Dr Julie Leoni writes about fear The other Saturday night we watched Lost Land of the Volcano on BBC which showed Steve Backshall, Gordon Buchanan, a giant rat (as big as a cat) and a cuscus (a tree climbing marsupial)l in a crater of an extinct volcano in New Guinea. The cuscus … [Read more...]
Children learn what they live
Children live what they learn If a child lives with criticism He learns to condemn If a child lives with hostility He learns to fight If a child lives with ridicule He learns to be shy If a child lives with shame He learns to feel guilty If a child lives with tolerance He … [Read more...]