How do we support children when a friend moves away?

How do we support children when a friend moves away?

Here is a beautiful example from our Victoria Graduate Program to our newly opened Millbrook Program:
Educators involved: Sam Deyell, Sandra Jack, Robin Gallant and Dianne Traynor

 

Name tags with photos are used daily in the classroom. Liam’s name appeared one day and the children began to question and wonder where Liam was.

Wynton said, “His new school.” More questions began to develop about Liam’s new school. Sam asked, “How can we get the answers to these questions?”
Patrick said, “We could ask him.”

 

Together they wrote a letter asking all the questions. Once the letter was written they discussed what was needed to send the letter. They approached Dianne with a list of items they needed.

She supported them to find an envelope, stamps and the address to Liam’s new school.

 

With their letter all ready to send, they walked to the mailbox together to send it off.

They wait with anticipation for a response to all of our their questions.

 

 

They learned together all aspects of sending mail and how to communicate with friends who move away. They were patient with finding what they needed to send the letter. They problem solved when the address was not immediately available to them and called to get it. The response was not available at the time. They had a theory that the phone was broken. Phoebe said, “Call again!” and Patrick said, “Send Rick to fix it.” Rick fixes many things for us at Victoria Graduate, so he would be a logical solution to our problem.

This experience connects to our value of community, wellbeing and expression. It honours the children’s ideas and the relationships that have been built and supports and creates communication, collaboration and partnerships between centres, educators and the children.

We look forward to seeing how Liam and the Millbrook Program responds!

(Letter placed in mailbox May 1st 2017)