From: Sara Milewski <smilewski>
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 10:08:21 -0600

I couldn't agree more. Even with our little ones (3-5 year-olds), we encourage them to think about things and to express their opinions. Of course, issues like war and peace and terrorism are beyond their understanding. But we ask them to think about how things that they do effect their friends. We ask them to pay attention to what makes them happy and proud. We ask them how they feel about loss (losing a toy, being left out, tearing an art project).

We all use books to help children experience things they might not experience in their own lives. A book that's appropriate for preschoolers does not have to be all sunshine and talking, unrealistic animal characters. I think it would be a disservice on my part to shelter my student from bad feelings. We're always there to soften the blow, so to speak, but my students are learning how to recognize and deal with ALL feelings.

I hope I am fostering in them the tools so that when they're older, even in upper elementary school, they'll be able to make up their OWN minds about things like war, peace and terrorism.

Peace to all, Sara Milewski Head Start Teacher Green Bay Public Schools
Received on Sat 22 Mar 2003 10:08:21 AM CST