PLAR # 8 Learning Outcomes

8. Form caring relationships that are based on genuineness, respect and empathy.

Form caring relationships that are based on genuineness, respect and empathy.

The Oxford Learning Dictionary teaches us the meaning of –

Genuineness:

The fact of being real and exactly what it appears to be; the fact of not being artificial

There is no reason to doubt the genuineness of these documents.

The quality of being sincere and honest and able to be trusted

Children have an openness to genuineness and sincerity.

Respect:

[uncountable, singular] respect (for somebody/something) a strong feeling of approval of somebody/something because of their good qualities or achievements

I have the utmost respect for her and her work.
They feel a deep and mutual respect for each other.
It was a noble effort that deserves respect.
She soon earned the respect of her colleagues.
You did a great job. Respect! (= used to praise somebody)

Empathy:

The ability to understand another person’s feelings, experience, etc.

empathy (with somebody/something) the writer’s imaginative empathy with his subject
empathy (for somebody/something) empathy for other people’s situations
empathy (between A and B) The empathy between the two women was obvious.

Approachability – Sensitivity – Flexibility – Dependability

When one has traits and characteristic strengths of genuineness, respect, and empathy naturally within them I believe they have a bright future with building relationships and supporting others naturally.

Genuineness, respect, and empathy traits and characteristics are naturally embedded in my professional and personal values and beliefs. From my own family’s culture it was and still is important to both my Mum, Dad, and Brother to be, real to yourself and others, honest, trusting, genuine, respectful, and to understand and support with empathy. Strong values and beliefs we all honour and now share with my two sons.

I feel and know I am in a naturally fitting work environment for myself in my centre. Here I can share, show, and teach my values and beliefs in regards to genuineness, respect, and empathy with my children, families, community members and staff. I strongly believe with a calm environment, role modeling, language, cooperating, patience, and communication there is hope to teach others to be real to themselves and others, to respect and to have empathy for others. A very empowering pathway we can embrace together.

With genuineness, respect, and empathy traits and characteristics we can connect with others and build relationships. No matter how old we are, all human beings wish to be surrounded by engaging, positive, healthy, and supportive relationships with the balance of a critical thinking member to keep us grounded. Relationships help us all to expand our knowledge, social, emotional, cognitive, communication, language, literacy, and physical development. Without relationships we would become stagnant which would have a negative impact on our mental health and well being.

It is important for me to reflect on how I build relationships. Lynn Wilson states the following “Six Basic Qualities” help us, the educator, to assess our relationships with our children, families, community members, and staff.

1. “A relationship needs to balance reason and emotion.

…we often react emotionally, not logically…

2. Understanding helps.

… each of us feeling fairly treated,…

3. Good communication helps.

…the more open we communicate, the less bias there is for suspicion…

4. Being reliable helps.

…the more honest and reliable we are with respect to each other, the better our chance of producing good outcomes…

5. Persuasion is more helpful than coercion

… through education, logical argument, moral persuasion, and ability to work with each other…

6. Mutual acceptance helps.

…feeling accepted, worthy, and valued is a basic human psychological need…”

(Wilson. L. 2019. p. 64).

I believe in helping all our children, families, community members, and staff from all different walks of life, to feel comfortable, secure, supported, and having their needs meet, while together we build our own community in my centre, are the magically elements of relationships.

How and when I approach and response to my centres community needs, it is always important for me to remember we all share similar goals and want what is best for our individual unique children’s needs.

As an educator, through a professional and ethical lens, I strive to connect and build with the children and their families, relationships with genuineness, respect, empathy and with:

– respect to the children’s parents as they are the child’s first teacher

– trust and respect

– providing a caring environment

– sharing my early childhood education

– creating a positive classroom culture

– having an open centre policy for parents – they are welcome to call me anytime

– diversity honoured

– knowledge of community services to help a child and their family members

– engagement in relationships with all the staff members

– inclusive education

– knowledge from the child’s family to learn about the child and family

– the ability to learn for one another

“No society can long sustain itself unless its members have learned the sensitivities,

motivations and skills involved in assisting and caring for other human beings”

Urie Bronfenbrenner.

Examples of Documentation: Direct

Stick and Stone: Below is a kit I built for our children to help them to understand feelings, empathy, and respect for one another. The children, Linda and I together had a lot of fun searching for the right stick, stone and pinecone to make the book characters come alive.