Little Angels Preschool
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Seeds of Empathy teaches children that it’s never to early to talk about your feelings
Drayton Valley, Alberta: Imagine young children gathering together around a blanket to welcome a new arrival to their class. Except this new arrival isn’t a new student, it’s a four-month old baby, who is giggling with excitement as the students gather around to welcome him to their class. The children break into a welcoming song: “Hello, Baby Jack. How are you? How are you? How are you today?” Jack and his mother walk around the class greeting each child. Then Mom places Jack on his back and the children wait eagerly to see what he will do. This is what St. Anthony students will be experiencing through Seeds of Empathy, a program designed to foster social and emotional understanding and early literacy skills in children three to five years of age.
The program has been recognized nationally for encouraging children to develop positive attitudes towards themselves and others, increase early literacy, and build their social and emotional understanding. During the first and second weeks of each cycle, Literacy Coaches (specially-trained staff) read and discuss books with small groups of children. In the third week, a Family Guide (another specially-trained staff member) hosts a Family Visit, where a baby (two-to-four months old at the beginning of the course) and his/her parent(s) visit the children in the Centre for half an hour. The Family Guide encourages the children to observe the baby’s development, to label the baby’s feelings, and to talk about their own feelings and those of others.
St. Anthony vice-principal, Connie Greer, says “Seeds of empthay allows children to flourish emotionaly and express empthay towards others, whether it’s classmates or new people they meet. It is an honour to be able to offer the program to students in Drayton Valley and Brazeau County.”
Dianne McQueen, MLA for Drayton Valley-Calmar agrees. “By teaching our children how to form positive relationships during their critical developmental years, we improve our ability to create safer and more welcoming communities. Empathy is the cornerstone of a compassionate and caring community.”
Carolyn Parks, Provincial Manager of Seeds of Empathy, says St. Anthony was selected because of its steady enrollement of students between the ages of three and five, staff retention, and willingness and commitment to implement the program. All Seeds of Empathy Centres are monitored and mentored to ensure the integrity of the program is maintained.
The Ministry of Employment and Immigration has offered St. Anthony School to be one of the Seeds of Empathy centres for 2009-2010 and beyond. For more information about how to register your child, contact St. Anthony School at 780.542.4396 or to learn more about the program visit www.seedsofempathy.org.
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