“A vida é feita de momentos” means “Life is made up of moments”. This is a phrase that I always say when I am having a genuine moment in my life.
Quality interaction is having a genuine moment in one’s life. A genuine moment is when our body, thoughts, heart, and soul are connected in that instant that we are living. Those genuine moments are the remarkable moments in our lives.
To provide remarkable moments in children’s lives, it is important to have quality interactions with them. We value a child when we demonstrate genuine interest.
It is very important to pay attention when we are talking with a child. Active listening is especially valuable because it demonstrates to children that we are really paying attention to how they feel (Feeney, Christensen, & Moravcik, 2006, p. 266). There are signals to prove that we are really listening to a child: eye contact, staying at their height, being interested, questioning about the topic, answering at the right moment, not interrupting, and remembering what was said previously.
When we demonstrate positive regard for the child and show respect for their ideas and feelings, we foster their sense of identity, an important factor in self-confidence and self-esteem (Dunkin, 2007, p. 33).
It is important to listen to the children. We need to listen without judgement, especially to those children who come from backgrounds different from our own. Children need to know that they are accepted for who they are (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 54).
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Opportunities |
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| To be available to the children. |
It is much easier to build a relationship with someone who is present. High-quality attachment relationships develop when staff are positive, responsive, respectful and attentive in their interactions with children (MacNaughton & Williams, 2004, p. 118). |
| To work alongside the children and at their height. |
It is important for children to feel accompanied. |
| To engage in real conversation. |
Providing stimulation, seeking information, encouraging and letting the children do it for themselves. With superficial conversation, we do not learn much about somebody. Children need to know that their thoughts and comments on the world matter (MacNaughton & Williams, 2004, p. 118). |
After learning about quality interactions, I will be questioning myself; how often am I truly responsive to the children, and let them take and keep the initiative in conversations and
interactions? Am I waiting at least 10 seconds for their answers? Am I genuinely interested? I wish to do this naturally and for these skills to become part of my daily routine.
REFERENCE
Dunkin, D. (with Hanna, P.). (2001). Thinking together: Quality adult:child interactions. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Feeney, S., Christensen, D., & Moravcik, E. (2006). Who am I in the lives of children? (7th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2004). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (2nd ed.). Malaysia: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
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