Çocuklarda Sosyal Duyarlılığın Geliştirilmesi: ‘Sokak Hayvanlarının Yardımcıları’ Projesi

Abstract

Maltreatment towards animals is one of the major problems that often arise. Although it is important to enact prohibitive and preventive measures on this issue, education from the early years is one of the main measures to increase social sensitivity. The fact that children encounter with stray animals in Turkey can be used as an opportunity for education about animals, which is integral to environmental education. In this sense, inquiring about stray animals with children can increase their social sensitivity and awareness because this topic provides children with concrete experiences and it is closely related to their daily life. In this study, a project on stray animals was described conducted with preschool children using the project approach. The study took place in a kindergarten classroom of an elementary school for 11 weeks, once a week. Participants of the study included 14 preschool children and two teacher candidates under the guidance of an academic advisor. The classroom teacher also supported teacher candidates during the project work and the candidates observed and documented the learning process using photos, notes, and children’s representational artifacts. Based on the observations during the learning process and the documentation, it has been concluded that preschool children’s social sensitivity and awareness towards stray animals were developed and their development was supported in multiple ways with the project work.