How to Promote Children's Self-Awareness and Self-Discovery

Getting to know others is far easier than getting to know oneself. By merely interacting with others, one can easily learn their interests and attributes. The journey to self-discovery, however, is not as straightforward. Even with obvious personal preferences, one can hardly see one's true self. For one to learn who they truly are, they must develop self-awareness.

Self-awareness is the ability to understand one's thoughts, emotions, values, and the external factors influencing them. It unravels the answers to questions such as "Who am I?" "What is my ultimate goal in life?” “What makes me feel this way?” “Am I a better person than I was a month ago?"

This self-awareness empowers an individual to take corrective action, learn from mistakes, and actively engage in personal growth. That's why children need to develop this competency as early as possible. To nurture this skill in young children, schools and teachers must introduce them to the concept of self-honesty.

Self-honesty is the practice of telling oneself and others the truth about oneself. *Positive Action *instills this in kindergarten students through this evidence-based SEL lesson. The lesson is complete with engaging puppet plays and fun games that reinforce the lesson concepts to young students.

An engaging class discussion introduces the lesson, teaching the students that knowing themselves better helps them feel good about themselves. Afterward, a fun puppet play follows, featuring Picks-It Raccoon and Nix-It Panda. In the play, the two lovable puppet companions explain that the class is almost at the end of their journey. To succeed in this adventure, the students must first do well in the game that the puppets will facilitate.

The game is called "Teacher Says," and it does more than just provide fun. It is strategically designed to promote self-honesty in the daily routine of kindergarten students. Played like the classic game “Simon Says” but with a fun twist, it makes students realize their abilities and limitations. More importantly, it encourages them to see, confront, and embrace who they truly are.

The lesson ends as the students finish the game. Cheers and congratulations fill the air, and the young learners feel positive about themselves. They consider this lesson another progress and look forward to the next lessons.

Looking within oneself is a challenging and complex process, especially for young children. However, it can be simplified for them by teaching them to practice positive actions for self-honesty. Therefore, instead of delving straight into deep, reflective questions, they can start by telling themselves the truth about their likes and dislikes, goals, or areas that need improvement.