Journal article
How do Children and Teachers Demonstrate Love, Kindness and Forgiveness? Findings from an Early Childhood Strength-Spotting Intervention
Early childhood education journal, v 47(5), pp 531-547
01 Sep 2019
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Character strengths such as love, kindness and forgiveness promote emotional health, positive relationships and enhanced well-being for children and adults. Yet little research has investigated how early childhood educators practice love, kindness and forgiveness at work, or how they observe these virtues in children. A strength-spotting intervention was adapted from positive psychology to collect 216 written examples of teacher and child love, kindness and forgiveness from 16 early childhood educators while they attended professional development in a large northeastern city in the United States. Behaviors associated with these character strengths were then coded using content and thematic analysis. Teacher and child love were most frequently associated with empathy and spontaneous affection. Teacher and child kindness were frequently associated with helpfulness and friendship. Teacher and child forgiveness were characterized by giving someone another chance, letting go, responding with kindness and speaking positively. Empathy, generosity, helpfulness and courtesy emerged as interrelated expressions of love, kindness and forgiveness. These traits are discussed in relation to goals of social-emotional learning, such as promoting secure attachment relationships.
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Details
- Title
- How do Children and Teachers Demonstrate Love, Kindness and Forgiveness? Findings from an Early Childhood Strength-Spotting Intervention
- Creators
- Michael J. Haslip - Drexel UniversityAyana Allen-Handy - Drexel UniversityLeona Donaldson - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Early childhood education journal, v 47(5), pp 531-547
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 17
- Grant note
- SOE04252016 / Drexel University School of Education
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000475629700003
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85066789082
- Other Identifier
- 991019169531804721
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- Web of Science research areas
- Education & Educational Research