We received the following feedback from a kindergarten teacher:
“At our kindergarten, we regularly come together in a lunchtime circle, a place where the children and teachers can discuss all the things big and small that were important during our day. One of our five-year old boys had been coming to our lunchtime circle for some time, but never wanted to say anything himself.
One of the games we regularly play is that the children can select a Gefühlsmonster to support a story they are telling or to show the others how they felt about something. I had regularly asked the boy whether he wanted to choose a monster himself, but he had always declined – “No, I don‘t want to.“.
One day, however, the boy suddenly got up, went towards the monster cards, but then turned around and sat down again. A little while later he got up again, took the ‘carpet monster’ (no. 13) and held it right in front of his face.
I asked him whether he wanted to comment his choice of card – “No.“. I then asked him whether I would be allowed to guess what the card might mean to him. Timid nodding. “Is it that you are afraid of speaking in front of all the kids?“ Nodding again and relief.
This experience broke the ice for the boy and ever since he has been actively participating in most lunchtime circles.”
With thanks to Mrs. Stooff for her feedback.