Exploring Identity and Creating Community in the PK3 & PK4

During the first few weeks of school in the Early Childhood PK classrooms, one of the main objectives is to help children develop a strong sense of belonging within their new learning community. A fundamental way to foster this sense of belonging is by providing opportunities for children to share their personal experiences, interests, and family backgrounds. The PK classrooms implement this goal through a variety of engaging activities.

For example, in Mrs. Merotto and Ms. Winn’s PK4B classroom, the year began with an “Identity Project.” This unit invites children to explore their identities, families, homes, and daily lives. At the start of the school year, children were given a clear, empty box and asked to fill it with objects representing things they enjoy doing, reading or watching, or anything else they wish to share. Essentially, the children can share their personal stories to suit their developmental stage. This exploration not only helps them understand themselves better but also introduces them to the diverse experiences of their peers.

Over the following days and weeks, each child will have the chance to share the contents of their box with the class, learning about the shared interests and unique characteristics that contribute to the classroom community. This activity strengthens each child’s self-identity and sense of belonging. Communicating their stories to the group allows them to enhance their expressive and receptive language skills.

Next door, in Ms. Myhand and Ms. Mason’s PK4A classroom, the children began their “Who We Are Wednesdays” (WWAW). They started their first WWAW morning meeting by reading How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague. After reading the book, the class had a “show and share” session using the summer photos provided by the PK4A parents. Each child could share and show their summer picture to the class. 

These opportunities for children to share their experiences with their classmates reinforce the classroom community, support social-emotional learning, and align with best practices in early childhood education by encouraging self-expression, language development, and peer-to-peer learning.