"The Yearning for Deep Connection"

“Teaching the whole child requires that we accept students for who they are rather than for what they do.” - Alfie Kohn

Children yearn to be seen, heard, listened to. They want, and need, quality connections with friends and adults who care for them. From this, they can further develop quality connections with the world around them. Our children and youth thrive on these deep connections where they have a sense of belonging -- where people know them. In Rachael Kessler’s book, The Soul of Education, the seven gateways are discussed, ways that can help balance the "book learning" with heart learning and develop human beings who can interact with their world in a compassionate, respectful, creative, and responsible way.

The first gateway is “The yearning for deep connection.” The deep connections include -
* A connection to self; allowing time for quietness and stillness.
- Calm breathing, peaceful visualizations, listening to soothing music, simple art
activities.
* A connection to another; authentic intimacy.
- Deeply caring, mutual, respectful relationship with one other person, like a teacher, relative, coach; quality time with a person.
* A connection to community.
- Having a sense of belonging to a larger group, especially the community at school, community circles or morning meetings; helping service organizations.
* A connection to lineage.
- Learning about one’s culture, origin of family name; creating a “family tree,”
* A connection to nature.
- Finding joy and peace in being with nature and outdoor settings, learning about the rhythms of the seasons and the land, touching the earth, planting and nurturing a plant, hiking.
* A connection to a higher power.
- Allowing, respecting, and acknowledging the higher source of power and the diversity of expressions.

“Out of this deep connection grows both compassion and passion--for the joy of learning, for people, for students’ goals and dreams, for life itself.” (Kessler, R.)
Wholeness is a journey inward then outward, finding what is inside and then drawing this out. We all want our children to be successful in life. One way is by helping them form deep connections. The inner strength from these deep connections can help our youth face the pressures that often occur in the teen years.

“Reading, writing, and arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more humane.” - Haim G. Ginott

Shirley Rivera
Counseling: PS-Gr. 5; Character Education: Gr. 3-5

*441-3839 *srivera@midpac.edu

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