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我们不仅要给孩子世界，还要向孩子清晰地描绘世界上的人类。所以，世界是如何运转的，人类是如何生活的，是两个基本要素。除此之外，我们还必须要让孩子明确地意识到---人会为自己的同胞作出贡献。

--玛丽亚-蒙台梭利

孩子们无论是在启明星双语学校多元文化的学校氛围里,还是在文化主题活动中都耳濡目染地感受和意识到世界是存在着多民族、多文化的，人和人也是各有不同的。文化主题的探究让幼儿认识生命并了解生命，因为尊重源于了解。

CASA小朋友们在进行美德圆圈活动时，常常会一起探讨在日常交往中我们如何尊重、理解、接纳不一样。事实上，对于孩子们来说发现和发展自身的美德和学习数学、音乐和语言一样重要。

启明星CASA的小朋友，从进入学校后就开始在混龄（2.5-6岁）环境里生活。您可能无法想象一个刚进入CASA的低年龄组孩子从年长的孩子们身上学到了什么：大孩子们为年幼的孩子倒水喝、在小孩子想妈妈时给他们擦擦眼泪、在游戏的时候主动地牵扶、告诉小的孩子说：别着急，哥哥做给你看看、……这不仅帮助孩子发展如何与不同年龄的社会群体进行交往的能力，更发展出关爱的品格，这种品格将通过日复一日的实施行为活动发展成为自身品格的一部分。小孩子们通过模仿学习很多东西，而且希望有一天能够变得像哥哥姐姐一样，有能力帮助他人，向他人展示他们的能力和所学， 将接纳和关爱变成他们生命的一部分！

关爱他人

以此作为我们的信念，CASA的毕业生们（也就是班里最大的一组孩子，他们是5岁以上的幼儿）又开启了一项美德实践活动--跟随着老师们去仁育苑和那里的孩子们一起读书、唱歌、做游戏。

CASA毕业生们对于仁育苑的孩子们并不陌生，在之前学校举行的慈善义跑和春节庙会中都与他们有过接触。

到达仁育苑时，孩子们正在进行圆圈活动，听到熟悉的美德歌曲，毕业生们也自然地加入其中。仁育苑的孩子们每个人都有各自的故事，每个人都有不同的遭遇，但是聚在这个小小的圆圈里时，大家都被同一本书、同一首歌吸引着。第一次参加活动的毕业生们有的难免有些紧张，有的之前跟着爸爸妈妈来过，所以就大大方方地做起自我介绍了！

几首歌唱完，孩子们在游戏中找到了同伴！即使我们有着许多的不同，但我们学着去接受和尊重我们之间的不同和相似之处、发现彼此身上的优点。

当孩子们与其他孩子和成人共享同一个公共空间时，他们自然而然地会去学着如何进行社会交往。随着年龄的增长，孩子们对他人的需求变得敏感，他们会去表达关心、相互帮助、表现出同情心和传授他们获得的新技能。

相信孩子们将会伴随着参与一次次的活动，渐渐体会到“我得到了很多的爱,我可以接受他人和爱别人”, “很多人的生活和自己的不一样，” “小小的我也能做很多帮助别人的事情”。相信这些CASA的毕业生们也会继续将这些关爱行动传递下去。

注：仁育苑社区学习中心是一个小型教学和康复中心，是一个非营利的慈善机构。为居住在马泉营周边地区寄养机构的残障孤儿和其他面临困境的特殊儿童提供一个安全并充满爱的学习环境。通过全日制教学活动和丰富多彩的社区活动,关注每一位孩子的教育、康复、以及心理发展，使他们健康成长，从而融入社会或者成功进入领养家庭。

We should not only give children the world, but also give them a clear picture of people in the world. So, the way the world works and the way people live are two basic elements. Besides, we must make it clear to children that man will make contributions to his fellows.

– Maria Montessori

Through the multicultural school atmosphere at Daystar Academy and our cultural theme activities, children are exposed to and realize the existence of multiple ethnic groups, multiple cultures and different people in the world. The exploration of cultural theme enables children to understand life. And armed with this understanding they will learn to respect others who are different from themselves.

During our Virtues Circle time, children in CASA often discuss how to respect, understand and accept differences in daily communication. In fact, for children, discovering and developing their virtues is just as important as learning math, music and language.

Children in CASA learn in a mixed-age environment (2.5-6 years old). Perhaps it’s hard to imagine how a young child entering CASA can learn from his or her older peers. However, older children help pour water for younger children, wipe away their tears when they cry for their mothers, and help them in games and tell them, “Don’t worry. I will show you”. Through this, the children not only learn to socialize with different age groups, but also develop a caring character. The virtues acquired will become a part of them through day-to-day behaviors and activities. Younger children learn a lot by role-modeling, hoping that one day they can help others like the older children helped them and show their capabilities and what they have learned. Acceptance and care will become part of their lives.

Caring for others

With this as our core belief, our Casa graduates (the oldest children in the class who are 5 years old) began a virtue practice activity at the start of this Spring. Led by their teachers, they visited a nearby learning center for children with disabilities called “Our Learning House” and read, sang and played games with the children there.

Our Casa graduates are familiar with the children in Our Learning House. They have hosted Our Learning House students during our Week for Change Charity Run and the Spring Festival Temple Fair held by the school.

When they arrived in Our Learning House, the children there were in their Circle Time. Hearing the familiar virtue song, our graduates happily joined them without anyone asking. Every child in Our Learning House has a different background, a different story. However, in this small circle, all of them were attracted by the same book and the same song. Some graduates who participated in the activity for the first time were a little nervous; some have been here with their parents before, and without difficulty they gladly introduced themselves.

After singing songs, children found their partners for games! Even though they are different from one another, they learned to accept and respect their similarities and differences and found merits in one another.

When children share a public space with other children and adults, they can naturally begin to learn how to socialize. As they grow older, children will become sensitive to the needs of others, express their care, help each other, show sympathy and teach the new skills they have learned to others.

We believe that children can gradually realize that “I get a lot of love and I can accept and love others”; “many people live a different life from mine ” ; and “young as I am, I can do many things to help others”. We also believe that these CASA graduates will continue to pass on their care and love to others no matter where they are.

Note: As a small teaching and rehabilitation center and nonprofit charity organization, Our Learning House provides a safe and loving learning environment for disabled orphans and children with special challenges living in foster care agencies around Maquanying. Through full-time teaching activities and a wide range of community activities, the center focuses on every child’s education, rehabilitation and psychological development so that they can make progress and adapt to the society or adoptive families.