Empowering the Children

All parents and teachers of young children want them to grow up to be happy, successful, contributing members of society. But how do you teach children to care about other people and the world they live in? How do you encourage peaceful resolutions to problems and confidence in trying new things? In Empowering the Children, Karen Szillat will show you how to: Focus on the values that parents and teachers the world over agree are important for children to learn. Build a strong foundation with the basic blocks of safety, health, and effective communication skills. Challenge children while building community, problem-solving, and learning about the world around them. Integrate the values of respect, responsibility, and courage, as well as honesty, caring, and trust into activities that can be duplicated by parents and teachers alike. Help children overcome their fears, learn from their mistakes, and accept people much different from themselves. Empower children to take action in their everyday lives in small and large ways. Karen has a passion for educating children that comes across through her respect for all children, dedication to building an inclusive community, and ability to teach children about the greater world around them. She helps young children-- and their parents-- to see that children do not have to wait to become adults in order to make a difference in the world. Empowered children will become the happy, successful adults who are prepared for the challenges they encounter, whatever they may be.

All parents and teachers of young children want them to grow up to be happy, successful, contributing members of society. But how do you teach children to care about other people and the world they live in? How do you encourage peaceful resolutions to problems and confidence in trying new things? In Empowering the Children, Karen Szillat will show you how to: Focus on the values that parents and teachers the world over agree are important for children to learn. Build a strong foundation with the basic blocks of safety, health, and effective communication skills. Challenge children while building community, problem-solving, and learning about the world around them. Integrate the values of respect, responsibility, and courage, as well as honesty, caring, and trust into activities that can be duplicated by parents and teachers alike. Help children overcome their fears, learn from their mistakes, and accept people much different from themselves. Empower children to take action in their everyday lives in small and large ways. Karen has a passion for educating children that comes across through her respect for all children, dedication to building an inclusive community, and ability to teach children about the greater world around them. She helps young children-- and their parents-- to see that children do not have to wait to become adults in order to make a difference in the world. Empowered children will become the happy, successful adults who are prepared for the challenges they encounter, whatever they may be.

Karen Szillat grew up in Princeton, IL in a family with six kids. She graduated from the University of Illinois and has twenty years experience in Early Childhood Education as a teacher, consultant, and administrator. She is happiest when interacting with groups of preschoolers in classroom settings. Karen was a recipient of the Washington State Exceptional Caregiver Award in 2010 for her work with young children. Attending the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Peace Leadership Program prompted Karen to add peace advocacy to her priorities. She is the author of the blog “Nurtured Children Grow” and on the Advisory Board for The Peaceful Educator Foundation. She has worked with hundreds of children in Illinois, Wisconsin, Germany, California, and Washington. She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and piles of books.