With the summer holidays still fresh in my mind, I think back to a meeting of my son with another child in the playground. When we arrive he sees another boy standing there. Full of enthusiasm, he steps towards it: "Hi! Shall we go to the seesaw?" The male does not answer and looks at him with glassy eyes... "Shall we go to the seesaw? Don't you hear me?" There is a silence... For a moment I'm inclined to help...
... but the curiosity about the sequel keeps me from it." Ahhh you are not from the Netherlands". My son says relieved. For a moment he was afraid that the other child did not feel like answering, this is seemingly a positive turn - there is still contact! Just not through language. Hands and body language are used. Pointing*: "Shall WE, together, go to the seesaw?" The little boy laughs and runs towards the seesaw. There's a game. Through play and a lot of good will, the children meet each other.
Communication is important for people but depends on so many factors. In a time when communication often takes place via the digital highway, it can be a challenge to continue to find and understand each other. For parents who have less or no command of the Dutch language, this can be an obstacle. Recently, I have pointed parents to the Kwiebfunction where the preferred language can be changed.
Via the profile picture, the language choice can be easily adjusted. With these parents, I immediately saw connection when making a farewell gift for a child who was leaving school in connection with a move. Where they were previously not or hardly visible in activities where parent participation was requested, they now arrived radiant with a flower from their own garden and a self-made drawing. The message had been received in good condition through Kwieb . Of course, as a teacher you do everything you can to meet each other, but this function gives just that ease of communication.
In the world of education we sometimes talk about "the triangle". The triangle is the strongest shape you can build with. The forces are distributed over the entire triangle, constructions with triangles are therefore solid. In this case, each point of the triangle represents a different element: parents, school and the child. Every corner is equally important to establish a solid foundation for meaningful education.
When people are aware of what is going on, there is a moment of sharing something in common. It is important for people to meet each other, in whatever way. Research has shown that children enjoy school more and learn better when the parents are involved in the school.
Similarly, I saw with my son and his brand new boyfriend that meeting each other and sharing something is of great importance. After an hour of exuberant play, it's time for a break. The two boys sit on the edge of a picnic table in the sun. Each with an ice cream in one hand with a blissful look on the face. I see Relaxation, pleasure and mutual understanding.
There is no doubt about 1 case - "This ice cream is TASTY".