LISTEN!How to listen better to

young children

MÉXICO

María Morfín Stoopen

The Problem

CRC recognizes the right boys and girls have to express their opinion.

Work is centered on children of school age and teenagers.

Little has been done to make sure that younger children are able to exercise their right to be heard.

Objective

Creating a guide, or handbook, for parents and preschool educators which will furnish them with the tools needed to make them better listeners of girls and boys between 3 and 6 years of age.

Listening to teachers and parents

Discuss the need of acquiring tools of this kind.

Explore from their point of view the information that should be included in the handbook.

Two workshops

Mexico City

10 hours eachGroups of 15 participants

Tepoztlán, Morelos

Workshop’s issuesRecognize the characteristics of small children around us: their capacities, their environment, their needs.

What do small children talk about, what their interests are and how do they express themselves?

What kind of tools do today’s children need?

What are the benefits of listening to children?

Ideas about how to communicate all this to other parents and educators.

Workshop’s exercises

Being a small kid

Observing children

Playing under children instructions

Talking with children

Listening techniques

Barriers for listening

What did participants say

They wish: Practical examplesWith illustrationsDirect and simple languageAddress husband’s (men) interestsExercises and homeworkComplimentary informationIf possible, have a video

Documentary research

Bibliography review:Democratic family relationshipsListening techniquesChildren development

Authors:Roger Hart, Gerison Lansdown, Patty

Wipfler, Jean Piaget, Vigotsky, among others.

Handbook’s Contents

• Why listening to children?

• How do small children communicate?

• Good practices and suggestions for home and school

• If you want to explore more…

How to

• Just be there and listen• Be quiet / The shut up challenge• Respect the child’s opinions• Talk “with” and no “to” children• Listen actively• Say what you think• Give positive messages

Alliances

Morelos State’s Basic Education InstituteHandbook edition and distribution at 560

state preschools / Training for 140 preschools supervisors.

National Council for Arts and Culture Handbook edition (6000 copies) and national distribution.

Preschools Call for workshops / Facilities

NGO’sContent consultancy

Parents and teachersParticipation and ideas

Challenges

• Slow public institutional decisions• Few men involved / Women’s issue mostly• There’s very few people interested / More

important needs• Low budget• No traveling funds

How were these addressed

• Flexibility on plans / Insist• Connect the issue with daily

men’s experience and life• Put the right of participation

as the key to achieve and respect all the other rights

• Family support

Outcome

• 30 teachers and parents aware of the importance of listening to young children

• Handbook text

• Federal and state editing and distribution commitments

• State supervisors training commitment

Advocacy Lessons

Be persistentBe flexible with your first planTalk about the idea with EVERYBODYDon’t hesitate to knock doorsExpect help from

unexpectedly people

Leadership Lessons

Define the project clearlyDon’t think that you are

aloneShare your knowledgeAsk for other’s

knowledge and ideasClarify your own

commitment

This isn’t finished

We need to:

• Finish the edition process• Upload it to several webpages• Training process• Search funds or alliances to translate the

handbook to English• Share it with World Forum colleagues

Thank you!