1 This is a personal quality that is defined as respect for the ideas, beliefs or practices of the others although they may be different or against our own. It is to be indulgent and considered towards the others. Tolerance is to be understanding and permissive with somebody because of the existing circumstances, not to prevent him from doing what he wishes; it is to accept and to admit differences or diversities. Tolerance is a necessary quality for the human being who lives in society as he must learn how to establish good relations with his fellow men. It is necessary to educate tolerance in the child from the earliest age, so that he accepts others criteria, and so that he can reach an agreement with his mates when playing and in daily activities, this prepares him for his good integration to a group at these ages and in the future. The child is not born tolerant, and his natural conduct is to think that everything is for him, and that everybody has to agree with him, this is why it is indispensable that the educational process begins its socializing action from a very early age. One of the most important values in the attainment of a peace culture is indeed tolerance, which implies the acceptance of other criteria, other people, places, regions or countries, and we cannot have peace if there is not an atmosphere of tolerance in social relations. This is why in the typical early childhood classroom it is necessary to work on tolerance in the activities and games, to help the children learn to coexist peacefully and to accept differences and diversity.
2 Activity no 1 Grandmother s tales Summary of the activity: In the first part of the activity we will tell a short story; later in the second part we will carry out a conversation, and finally, in the third part the children will make gifts for their grandmothers. Objective: To initiate the children in the knowledge about a tolerant conduct. To arise simple emotions with respect to the acceptance of others. Procedures: Story Questions and answers Practical Actions Material Resources: Colour papers, scissors, cardboard, stickers, colour tapes, shells, stems of plants, dry leaves, flowers and seeds.
3 Development of the activity: 1 st Part The educator will tell the story "My grandmother" to the children. Once there were two children talking and one of them told the other: _ "My grandmother always tells me lots of stories, stories of things that have happened to her, and others that have not happened to her, because my grandmother knows lots of things, she says that, she has lived a lot! One day she called me to tell me something." "She told me that there are people who respect other s way of thinking, of doing things and their decisions, although they do not agree or think in the same way, those people are called tolerant, yes tolerant, this is what my grandmother says that those people are called, because as in life we have many conflicts, and perhaps few friends, we must learn to accept how they are and how the others think." "Really? Listen, this is very complicated. Please, explain it to me." "Well, my grandmother says that if we were not tolerant we would be like the dog and the cat, that are always fighting. And then she recited to me, really, because my grandmother also recites very pretty poems to me, she recited this one to me yesterday: Between a dog and a cat Without great astonishment I listened to An enormous fight Because of a tasteful pancake "Grandmother, why do cats and dogs always want to fight? I asked her _ "Because they are intolerant with each other", she answered. _ "What does that mean? I asked again -"That they do not accept that one does whatever one wants", she answered me, "As I already told you, tolerance is a personal quality that means to respect the ideas, beliefs or practices of others when they are different or against our own" "And the cats and the dogs are intolerant with each other, isn t it?" And my grandmother advised me:_ "That s right. Never be intolerant with your friends, because then you will not have friends, and you will be like the dog and the cat that can never be friends."
4 2nd Part Based on the ideas derived from the story, the educator will talk with the children about tolerance "I want you to explain to me: How do tolerant people behave?" What does it mean to be intolerant? Is it good or bad to be tolerant? Do we have to be always tolerant or only in some occasions? After the children speak the educator will summarize the subject saying: "To tolerate is to respect others criterion, although you may not agree, for example when you are going to play you have to reach an agreement with the other children, and if they set the game rules, and you do not respect them, then they will think that you are intolerant because you did not respect the others criterion and the way of playing that they have established." "When you go for a walk and most of the children decide to visit a place that you do not like, you must be tolerant and listen to the others criterion, or you will end up not going out for a walk, that same thing happens in the family, if there is a intolerant person there will be disagreeable discussions to decide where you are going on weekends or to spend your holidays, etc." "Tolerance is one of the most beautiful human values, and at the base of peace, you can always find tolerance for others, regardless of their race, language, sex, religion or culture." 3rd Part Next the educator says that almost always grandmothers are tolerant people, because they have lived and know a lot about how they have to act to get on well with their friends. For that reason the children will make gifts for their grandmothers now. These works can be made with natural elements. The educator shows the children some models so that they have an idea of what they can do.
5 CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments Their answers to the questions reflected an elementary understanding of how tolerant people act. They needed help to understand how tolerant people act. They were interested in knowing more about tolerant people. They made verbal manifestations against intolerant conduct. They related the gift to their grandmothers to tolerance.
6 Activity no 2 What the dog said to the cat Summary of the activity: The activity consists of a conversation between the Solomon puppet and the children about tolerance, and later the children will sing and dance. After that they will take up again some of the previous questions. Objective: That the children understand that intolerance between the dog and the cat does not let them be friends. Procedures: Story Game Song and dance Material Resources: The Solomon puppet.
7 Development of the activity: 1 st Part The educator shows the Solomon puppet, who has just arrived at the classroom, and, as always, he greets the children: "Good morning my friends! I am the wisest person of all the wise people and for that reason they call me Solomon, have you missed me little friends? Well, here I am again to talk with you about tolerance. _ "One day the dog wanted to make friends with the cat, and he whispered a thing to the cat in his ear. What did the dog tell the cat? Well, guess my friends, I invite you to play." "Then the dog told the cat, "Listen, everybody says that we do not get on very well, so let s show them the opposite, let s pretend that we are good friends. I propose you the rule of the game: I will whisper a secret to you in the ear and you will say yes and we will begin to play." "But, do you know what happened? When the dog said the first secret to the cat, it shot off with its fur standing on end" _ What did the dog tell the cat? Well, do you know what caused the disagreement between the dog and the cat? The dog told the cat: the cat has three legs and the cat told him, you are lying he has four, and not even in games did the cat want to tolerate the dog." Have you seen that, my friends? The cat did not want to be tolerant with the dog, because although it is true that the cat has four legs, the dog was only playing, that was his rule for the game." Then, the puppet says goodbye to the children so that they can continue their activity. 2nd Part The educator suggests then singing and dancing a song well-known by the children. For this, the children will form a row and holding hands around the waist they will sing and dance throughout the classroom: The cat has three legs It s a lie it has four I get up early and I wear my shoes and I wear my shoes
8 The cat has three legs It s a lie it has four I get up early and I get dressed very quickly and I get dressed very quickly 3 rd Part The educator holds an informal meeting with the children so that they discuss what they listened to about tolerance, he can stimulate the conversation with some questions: Why do we say that the cat was intolerant? Do you think that the dog acted well? What other conduct could the cat have had? Which one do you prefer in the story, the dog or the cat? CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments They understood the message of the story. They needed help to understand the message of the story. They supported the behaviour of the dog. They think that the cat could have been right to act like that. They have shown tolerant behaviours.
9 Activity no 3 Let s play Summary of the activity: This is a motion game called "The dog and the cat". Objective: To develop in the children motor skills through a motion game related to tolerance. Procedures: Game Motor Actions Material Resources: Chairs, a rope, a table, fish and meat made of papier maché.
10 Development of the activity: The educator will explain the game and its rules. Development of the game: The children are kittens that are living in their small houses (Chairs placed separately one from the other about 60 cm. and united by rope at 50 cm height). In front of the small houses, there is a pantry (small table with pieces of meat and fish, all made of papier maché). On one side of the pantry there is a dog (which will be the educator). The dog comes and invites them to play; he tells the children that he wants to be their friend, and to share the food that is in the pantry. The dog says the only rule for the game is the following one: The cats can only arrive at the pantry through the way that has been chosen for his friends (The educator indicates a line with an arrow marked on the floor). But as the kittens do not agree because that way is a little too long, they do not do what the dog says and they enter the pantry through any part and what a chaos! The dog runs after the cats, and then the kittens will run until they return to their small houses going under the rope. The game is repeated several times. Rules of the game: - The children will do the indicated actions and movements. - The winners will be the children who do not let the dog catch them. CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments They knew how to develop the game well. They needed help to develop the game. They found out that the dog is not tolerant when he did not accept the change proposed by the kittens. They expressed opinions with respect to being tolerant in the game.
11 Activity no 4 A letter for my grandmother Summary of the activity: The activity consists of preparing a group letter by the children for a grandmother on the subject of tolerance. Objective: To develop in the children emotions and positive experiences towards a tolerant attitude. Procedures: Conversation Story Material Resources: Paper and pencil to write the letter, a big envelope, stamps.
12 Development of the activity: The educator will tell the children that they are going to write a letter to a grandmother, because almost all the grandmothers and grandfathers are tolerant with their little grandchildren because as the grandmother of the story said they have lived a lot and they know many things. The educator says that he has to write on the paper whatever the children tell him, he is going to guide the children on the content and writing. How shall we begin the letter? _ Very well, with the greeting, says the educator. "Dear grandmother" The educator tells the children that it is necessary to explain the reason for the letter, which will be to ask her for advice: "Grandmother, as you have lived a lot and you are a tolerant person with your little grandson and all the people, we need you to advise us on what to do with an intolerant child that we have in the classroom." At this moment the educator adds Now it is necessary to explain to the grandmother why we are saying that this child is intolerant, you remember what we have discussed about intolerance." The child we are talking about is intolerant because he never accepts others criterion. If most of the group decides to go to the amusement park, he wants to go to another place, if we are playing he does not want to accept our way of playing, nevertheless we, most of the group, are tolerant with him, because even though we do not think the same way, we adjust to his criteria and sometimes we change our plans and even our way of playing. But we cannot always do it, it seems to us that the best thing to do is to help him not to be intolerant: What do you advise us? After this paragraph is written, the educator has to say: "To finalize, what must we tell grandmother?" Very well, we say goodbye, always remember to be grateful." "Well, grandmother, thank you very much for your attention, we send you many kisses and love" The children from the school. After writing the letter, the educator will reread it ask for the approval of the children and he will suggest recording it to have it available whenever they wish to listen to it again. After that he will fold the letter, put it in the envelope, write the address, and some children will stick the stamps on it.
13 CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments They were excited about completing the activity. They knew how to express the message of the letter. They needed help to express the message of the letter. They showed positive emotions in the activity. They made comments in favour of a tolerant conduct.
14 Activity no 5 Have you got any problem? Summary of the activity: The activity consists of a game to solve problems. Objective: To analyze with the children some problems in the group regarding tolerance. To emphasize tolerant conducts positively. Procedures: Game Conversation Material Resources: A cassette recorder.
15 Development of the activity: 1st Part We will play a game to solve problems. The educator will tell the children that they are going to play a game that is called "The solution of a problem". This involves the educator suggesting a conflict or problem that must be solved among all. For this, he tells a story: "Luis is a child, who is a fantastic football player, but it turned out that he went to a new team that had already established rules and their way of playing and of organizing the game, but he did not agree on the way of playing of this team. This is why he caused many arguments with his companions; but as he is a good player, the coach of the team did not want to lose him, and the group did not want that either, but if Luis carried on like that with this intolerant attitude they would have to take him out of the team." After explaining the situation, the educator will let the children express their ideas freely on the conflict raised about Luis, and the options to choose from: Will it be to take Luis out of the team or to help him among all the team so that he changes his intolerant attitude? The educator has to record the answers given by the children. 2nd Part In the first part of the game we will suggest a problem that does not belong to the group, but that serves as an introduction so that later we analyze if there is any problem in fact. This will create a space of confidence between the children of the group so that later they analyze and discuss the real problems they may have, and always based on the value that we are working on, tolerance. The educator will tell the children: "We are going to analyze now if in our group we have any problems. The educator will tactfully take advantage of this space to solve any problem that the group can have about tolerance. The main objective of this analysis is to offer help to the group to solve its problems, we will be tactful so that what we say does not bother some of the class members.
16 CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments Good analyses were made on tolerance by the members of the group. They needed help to make good analyses on tolerance. They were able to detect some unsolved problem in the group. They offered viable solutions to solve the problem.
17 Activity no 6 Critical experience for the evaluation of the block How am I? Summary of the activity: The activity involves the children, guided by the educator, doing a selfevaluation of their conduct to know if they are tolerant or intolerant. This activity can be used for the evaluation of the block. Objective: To verify if the children are able to self-evaluate their conduct regarding tolerance and intolerance. To determine to what extent they are tolerant about others conducts. Procedures: Analysis Synthesis Conversation
18 Material Resources: Cassette recorder. Development of the activity: The educator reminds the children what has been said about tolerance and he asks them to give an oral picture of them to determine if they are tolerant. To help them he gives some pointers on which they will have to talk: 1.- If when they play or do other activities with their friends in the neighborhood or at school, they respect the way and the rules that the others have established, or on the contrary if they try to impose their personal criterion. 2.- If when a group decides something, they respect the opinion of most of the group, although they do not like doing it as their mates want or have established. The main objective of this analysis is to offer help to the children who need it, we will be tactful so that we do not upset anyone. The educator has to record the children s self-evaluation, so that later he can analyze separately what each one said and why he said it, this will help to diagnose the degree in which each student has internalized tolerant conducts towards other members of the group. CRITERIAL EVALUATION Observed conduct Yes No Comments They knew how to evaluate themselves in relation to tolerance. They needed help to evaluate themselves in relation to tolerance. They accepted to vary their intolerant behaviours. They considered intolerance as a negative quality. They demonstrated in their daily life the assimilation of tolerant behaviours.