When a child has a sense of belonging, experiencing warm and responsive relationships, they thrive because they feel safe, nurtured and valued. At Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool, creating a sense of belonging for not only the child but also for their families is our mission.
Mr. Rogers was a strong advocate for children and also a Presbyterian minister. In his much acclaimed and long running television show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, he treated children gently and warmly and made them feel that they were a part of his intimate circle of friends. Mr. Rogers understood that a sense of belonging is a basic human need and that it is vital to children’s social and emotional development. He assured children regularly, “I like you just the way you are”.
“Children have very deep feelings, just the way parents do. Just the way everybody does. And our striving to understand those feelings, and to better respond to them, is what I feel is a most important task in our world.” — FRED ROGERS
Creating a sense of belonging involves getting to know the child and also learning about the child’s family. Being sensitive to the child’s feelings, culture, traditions, and having an awareness of the child’s experiences at home. When young children enter our classrooms, they are leaving the familiarity of their home and family. We try to bring the familiarity of their home and family into the classroom and help the child feel more comfortable in the classroom. We talk to the child about the things he or she does at home, and we invite parents to come and read or talk with the children which all goes a long ways towards helping the child feel more connected to their teachers and classmates.
But this is just the start of building the child’s identity. As you walk around the classroom space, you find family photographs donated by the parents and a basket of “All About Me” books that the parents have created using family photographs. These personal books are read over and over again as children seek comfort in sharing the names and faces of those most dear to them. There are individual mailboxes with their names and individual cubby spaces that belong only to them. It is an environment that opens its arms wide, surrounding children with a sense of who they are.
A sense of belonging doesn’t just happen; it takes time and effort to grow. Growing with our families at the preschool creates not only a positive sense of belonging, but also helps foster the circle of nurturing. This adds to what is special and unique about our preschool program.
