Cooperation

I think we could all agree that cooperation is an important social emotional skill. Even children who go on to become great leaders need to be able to cooperate with others. There are a number of good books which teach about cooperation, but Little Red Hen may be my favorite. I like the newer version Little Red Hen Makes Pizza by Philomen Sturges and Amy Walrod. It follows the traditional story line but in the end this hen allows the others to share in the pizza.


There are many good follow up activities to illustrate how cooperation pays off for everyone. Of course making a class pizza seems a natural activity, but you could make other recipes, if you don't have the facilities to make a pizza. In the past I had the children make a cooperative sandwich. We took a small sub roll and supplied a selection of items to place inside. The children had to figure out a way to make a sandwich which suited them both. You could have the children build a tower together or draw a picture together using one sheet of paper. You might consider pairing up children, especially in new situations and have them look out for each other or do a job such as moving a box together. I've often thought it would be good to do the jobs on the job chart in pairs. If you can, provide toys, activities, or games that work better when children cooperate. Toys like rocking boats are meant for use by two or more. If you are feeling more ambitious, plan a group party or project to carry out as a group. This would be even better if families were a part of the effort.


Every now and then a child will say that the teachers are not the boss, I try to tell her that quite often when we are asking the children to do this or that, it is for the benefit of all of us. I might use the example that if a teacher asks a child to walk, it is so all of the children can be safe. Take advantage of spur of the moment opportunities to address the topic.


Probably one of the most important things you can do is to model the skill you want the children to learn. Just as children learn language by hearing others speak, they learn social emotional skills by seeing them demonstrated. Children are constantly watching the adults in their lives. Make sure that they see you working together with the other adults ( and children) in your home or workplace. Sometimes I think you need to over emphasize these examples to make sure the point comes through to those children who find it more difficult to pick up on such clues.


If you would like to share your ideas about cooperation, please write them in the comment section.