In
order to form healthy friendships, students must develop interpersonal skills
to learn how to communicate and engage with peers. It is important to remember
that children learn best through example. Teachers should remain to be a good
role model for their students, expressing positive attitudes and values towards
other people. Children will be more likely to do the same with their own
friends.
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Image: http://primetimeschools.com/blog/2011/06/social-skills-children-need-to-make-and-keep-friends/
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Tip 1 –
Encourage play dates
Communicate to parents the benefits of students visiting other student’s
houses to play. Students will be provided with multiple opportunities to listen
to their friends and their friend’s family and sharing toys. They will also be
exposed to different family dynamics and cultures that the students will learn
to accept and value. Try to observe the social dynamics in class and discuss
with parents with students their children are compatible with.
Tip 2 –
Teach the essential ingredients of a healthy friendship
Explain to your students how honesty, trust, respect and loyalty are the
essential ingredients to a healthy relationship. Make
sure you provide your students with easy to understand definitions to these
things, as they may not truly know what they mean. Role playing scenarios are a
great way to involve students in the learning process of what makes a good
friend.
Tip 3 –
Group involvement in tasks
Program lessons that involve students’ in group work. This will provide
students with the opportunity to spend time with their class peers and to develop
communication skills. Especially for students that are shy, group work will
help them develop socialisation skills with peers they are familiar with.
Tip 4 –
Positive values and attitudes
When students are encouraged to interact with peers, they will form
better values and attitudes about school and learning. When their friends are
present, they tend to enjoy the school environment more.
Tip 5 –
Piaget’s theory of play
Piaget’s theory of play explains the important link between child’s play
and cognitive enrichment. It is integral to students’ social development that
they are provided with the time to simply play games. This is a great way to
teach them important social skills such as taking turns, listening,
cooperation, leadership and sportsmanship. The more that can practice and
understand these concepts, the better friend they with be. The good ‘ol saying,
“treat others the way you want to treated” is an important mantra to be
expressed with your students (Red Chair Press 2012).
Tip 6 –
Learn to live in someone else’s shoes
It is important for your students to realise how another person is
feeling, especially in their friendships. Discuss with your students the
different situations their peers may be placed in and how this makes them feel
and how they think their friends feel. Teaching them how to recognise how
others may be feeling or another person’s point of view is an important
milestone to building friendships.
Tip 7 – You
must crawl before you walk
You must not force your students to interact with particular children or
form friendships. This sort of pressure will not do any good and will only
overwhelm your students and may turn them off the idea of making friends.
Instead, provide your class with a little advice and encourage them to interact
independently. Let them figure out what works for them at their own pace (Red
Chair Press 2012).
Tip 8 – Clubs
and Sports
Research social events of the local area that may be of interest to your
students. Activities such as visual art classes, performing arts workshops,
sporting teams and Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts are an effective way to include
students in a social setting where they already have a common interest in the
extracurricular activity. Provide this information in class newsletters so the
parents are informed. If there are families who may not be able to afford the
registration of these activities, organise a round robin event with the
involvement of other schools competing.
Tip 9 – Social
Skills Rule!
Collaborate with your students in the making of a class behaviour
agreement that consists of a list of social rules that the students believe
negatively impact friendships. For example: not to snatch things off others, keep
your hands and feet to yourself, don’t call people names e.t.c.
Tip 10 –
Be a good role model
Remember to be a good role model. If your students see you engaging in
conversation with other teachers, the children’s parents and talking to the
class about friends of your own, they will begin to learn what friendship means
and what it takes to maintain one.
Reference:
Dray, S. (2011). How to teach
children healthy friendships, last accessed: 19/10/2012,
http://www.livestrong.com/article/512426-how-to-teach-children-healthy-friendships/
Red Chair Press (2012). Tips to
Foster Friendships for Children, last accessed: 19/10/2012, https://www.redchairpress.com/blog/tips-foster-friendships-children
Steuber, E. (2012). Activities
Promoting Friendship Between Children, last accessed: 19/10/2012, http://www.ehow.com/info_7954424_activities-promoting-friendship-between-children.html
