A Sense of Gratitude

Our daily experiences are filled with ordinary moments, such as greeting friends upon our arrivals in the morning or waving goodbye when we leave at the end of the day; taking turns to washing our hands and sitting by the oval table to have lunch together; taking learning materials off the shelf to play with them, and putting the materials back where they belong; and gathering on the cozy rug for conversations, songs, and stories.

During the time of our progress of building relationship, we communicate a lot. Through communication we express what we have learned together. Through communication we are being effortful in attending to our underlying values. For by doing it we embrace values as part of our ordinary moments. Indeed, at the end of the day the ordinary moments constitute our story.

Focusing on ordinary moments encourages us all to slow down and quietly observe when we are invited into the world of each of us. In doing so, we are reminded of the joys that we find in just being, and in exploring and experiencing the world around us. For instance, one morning Fides highlights how he values joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control when asked what he likes to be thankful for. 

Nora mentions how thankful she is for the love, nature, family, friends, and self. Research has shown us feelings of gratitude involve brain regions that are important for social information processing and emotional regulation. According to a neuroscientist Christina Karns, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, one of the best ways to help very young children better understand gratefulness is by simply talking about small moments of joy such as how lovely the day is or how delicious the food we're eating might be.

Even just a moment of building familiarity toward our routines is a big part of our ordinary moments. They give us order and stability and the reassurance that comes from reliable, consistent patterns of activity. They support us to regulate our lives in a world that often fast-paced and busy. And they provide a framework for ensuring the important ingredients for staying healthy, for maintaining a strong sense of wellbeing and a sense of purpose.

We embark on an exciting "Under the Sea" exploration learning experience, the outdoor space buzzes with excitement as we delve into the underwater world. The exploration sparks a flurry of questions and observations. We ask with wide-eyed curiosity, What is this?  as we encounter various sea creatures.

Emily is observed  for her deep focus and curiosity. She holds a sea animal in her hand and spends several moments intensely examining where it belongs in the picture we include in this learning experience. Emily's focused attention on matching the animals shows her ability to engage in sustained inquiry and problem-solving. She is not merely satisfied with a superficial match; she wants to ensure she understands the details of each animal. This level of attention reflects her growing ability to concentrate and think critically.

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Pranssi, with enthusiasm, holds up one and announces, “A sea shell!” Her voice carries the excitement of discovery. Then, she finds another creature and, goes to the image that represents it. Her ability to remember and re-identify the animals shows how the children are internalizing knowledge through repeated exposure and exploration. Also, this adds to the collective excitement of the group, creating a ripple of energy as other children, delving deeper into our exploration by pointing out, "I found this".

Fides, always energetic, suddenly exclaims with excitement, "I found a turtle!" His face lit up with joy as he recognizes the animal confidently, feeling a sense of accomplishment. The pride he feels in naming the turtle exemplifies how moments of discovery build self-esteem and reinforce learning.

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Our questions—"What is this?"—are expressions of our innate curiosity and desire to make sense of the world around us. This learning experience touches on important scientific concepts such as animal classification and marine ecosystems, sparking a potential long-term interest in the natural world. It showcases our ability to observe, inquire, work individually and collaboratively.

One of the critical understanding we learn is how to navigate emotions, particularly frustration. This can arise from various situations in our daily lives—whether it's waiting for a toy, struggling with building blocks, or feeling unheard. Recently, we create a social story to help us understand and cope with these feelings.

​Frustration is a natural emotion that everyone, including us, experiences. Through our social story, we aim to provide ourselves with tools to identify what frustration feels like and to normalize the emotion. Our message was simple: "It's okay to feel frustrated. Everyone feels that way sometimes." By framing frustration as a common experience, we begin to understand that what we are feeling is not unusual, reducing any feelings of shame or isolation.

In our social story, we highlighted situations that commonly lead to frustration, allowing children to relate to the scenarios. These include:

• Waiting for a Resource: When someone else is using a learning resource we want to play with, we can feel a strong sense of impatience and frustration.
• Building Challenges: A block tower falling down after much effort is a prime example of how we experience frustration from things not going as planned.
• Not Being Heard: When we try to express ourselves but feel that others aren’t listening, frustration can quickly set in.
• Overstimulation: Loud environments or friends who are too noisy can also trigger feelings of frustration, especially for friends who prefer quieter settings.

Pranssi, recognizes the frustration of not being heard when she sees the photo and said "Nora was talking while Fides wasn't listening". This helps Pranssi understands how important it is to listen to friends, as it can be frustrating when we don’t feel heard.

​Pranssi realizes that this can be a source of frustration for her when friends talk loudly. Emily adds that when the music from the radio is too loud—especially when friends accidentally turn the volume up too high—it can make the environment overwhelming.

Our social story didn’t just stop at identifying frustration but focused on giving children practical strategies to manage it. These include:

• Deep Breathing: We learn to take a deep breath, breathe in, and slowly let it out. This simple act helps us regain control of our emotions and feel calmer.
• Using Words: Encouraging ourselves to verbalize our feelings is key. We can say, "I'm feeling frustrated" or "I need help, please". This teaches us how to communicate emotions and seek support.
• Asking for Help: If we are struggling with something, we encourage ourselves to ask an educator or friend for assistance.
• Waiting for a Turn: We model how to ask politely for a turn, showing ourselves that patience can help resolve conflicts.
• Taking a Break: Sometimes, we just need a quiet moment. Whether it's sitting in a calm space, reading a book, or simply resting, taking a break is an important strategy for self-regulation.

​To help us calm down when we feel frustrated, we practice a simple deep breathing exercise together. First, we take a slow, deep breath in through our nose, then we let it out slowly through our mouth. We repeat this several times, ensuring we could feel our bodies relax. This exercise becomes a shared practice we can do whenever emotions feel overwhelming.

​We emphasized that it’s okay to seek assistance when something feels too difficult to handle alone. During this part of our learning, we took a moment to appreciate how Pranssi stepped in to help a friend. This gesture exemplified the importance of recognizing when others need help and offering support—one of the key values we aim to foster in our class.

​​The social story on frustration plays a crucial role in helping us recognize that emotions like frustration are valid. By offering ourselves tools to manage these feelings, we empower ourselves to navigate challenging moments independently or with help. The ultimate goal is to foster emotional resilience, showing ourselves that we can manage our frustrations and return to feeling calm and capable.

Kindest,
Children & Friends.