AVENTURAS

Alphabet Series, No. 1 Letter A

¿Cual será nuestra aventura con la A hoy?

¡Amor empieza con A!

PEACE EDUCATION FROM BIRTH THROUGH

SPANISH + LIFE + ART + ADVENTURES + FUN

Kimberly Newton, MEd

AVENTURAS

PEACE EDUCATION FROM BIRTH THROUGH SPANISH + LIFE + ART + ADVENTURES + FUN

Kimberly Newton, MEd

AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources
Alphabet Series, No. 1, Letter A

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De Kimba, con amor:

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The AVENTURAS Peace Education Approach Tutorial Video

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AVENTURAS Program Evaluation (MEd thesis)

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Animals Can Speak Spanish Too! (interactive ebook

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and video)

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AVENTURAS con Kimba - Sembrando un Árbol (video)

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AVENTURAS con Kimba - Regando las plantas (video)

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AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources Collection
- AVENTURAS Spanish Education Channel
- Alphabet Series
- Eco-Cultural Series
- SF Bay Area AVENTURAS Guide

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Copyright (c) 2020 by Kimberly Newton-Klootwyk. All rights reserved. Feel free to reproduce any and all parts of this publication, and educational approach with proper attribution.
Want to see more resources like these or reach out? Connect at:

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kimbanewton.com

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Acknowlegements

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The creation and successful production of AVENTURAS Peace Program, and the publication of this resource would not have been possible without the support of numerous souls over two decades - truly too many to list. However, special mention must be made of my students and their families. Without their love, enthusiasm and attendance, AVENTURAS would have never developed and grown. A special thank you to my own children, who were by my side always adapting to my educational work, and sharing their mother, home, and farm with hundreds of babies and children. They are my teachers who continuously lead me to surprising questions and answers. Also a big “shout-out” to my husband, family members, friends, and mentors who have patiently listened to me and who have encouraged me to share my life’s work and findings. Thank you to the faculty of SDSU, who mentored and guided me through the proper due diligence and scrutiny that any educational program should have. And lastly, but just as importantly, a special thank you to all of the staff, parent chaperones, founding members and advisors of Conexiones Institute, an important vehicle that allowed me to keep this work alive.
You all know who you are and I am eternally grateful!

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CONTENTS

INTRO TO AVENTURAS, PAGE 1

IDEAS PARA ADENTRO, PAGE 12

INTRO TO THIS RESOURCE, PAGE 2

IDEAS PARA AFUERA, PAGE 30

BACKGROUND, PAGE 3

IDEAS PARA AVENTURITAS, PAGE 40

THE BASICS, PAGE 5

RECURSOS OPCIONALES, PAGE 50

THE FORMULA, PAGE 7

MÁS RECURSOS, PAGE 86

MATERIALS, PAGE 9

REFERENCES, PAGE 104

AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources

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INTRO TO AVENTURAS

AVENTURAS is a minimalist, yet impactful early childhood bilingual curriculum that employs a unique approach to help tots and children develop emotional intelligence and important 21st century sustainability and peace skills. It can easily be added or folded into existing parenting or teaching practice and produced anywhere and with mixed-age groups. Although the approach can be used with older children, it is widely recognized that the first eight years of life is a critical period for socio-emotional development and the development of life-long beliefs, and subconscious or implicit biases, perceptions, and habits. During this impactful period and beyond, this approach can intentionally nurture 21st Century inner peace skills like open-mindedness, cultural competence, empathy, creativity, mental flexibility, nonviolent communication, adaptability to change, humor, and ecological stewardship. Studies show that this can be accomplished through intentional early childhood exposure to a second language (in this case Spanish), combined with intentional elements such as play, outdoor exploration, “aventuritas” (small adventures) in our community, everyday life, and creative expression.

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*You can find a list of studies backing up this approach at the end of this book and in the references section of the AVENTURAS Program evaluation, which can be accessed on page 104.

AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources

INTRO TO THIS RESOURCE

This resource, along with the short video on YouTube, titled “AVENTURAS Peace Program Tutorial,” shares the basic formula of the AVENTURAS curriculum and approach so more educators can easily weave it (or parts of it) into their daily practice right away, and thus, help more children develop critically important inner skills that all 21st Century children should have.

This publication summarizes the background and pedagogical foundation of AVENTURAS and contains sample ideas and optional materials and tips to help facilitators get started right away. These materials should spark your own creativity to continue it year round on your own, following alphabet units or eco-cultural themed units. A lengthy list of predetermined lesson plans and materials are not necessary, because with this program, the “world is the classroom” and everyday life and activities are full of “teachable moments” and naturally occurring or emergent vocabulary. The book is published with Spanish mixed in intentionally. Facilitators who are also learning Spanish are encouraged to use a Spanish-English dictionary or online translator to learn Spanish along with their child.

Disclaimer: It is important to follow basic safety protocols whenever working with children and it is highly recommended to be certified in CPR and first aid, especially if going on outings or “aventuritas.” The creator of this publication is not responsible or liable for the misuse of this approach and any personal negligence of a facilitator. I have included some tips on the basic safety rules I taught the kids on page 91.

AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources

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BACKGROUND

I am sharing this curriculum as widely as possible because of my deep love for children and the belief that a more sustainable, just, and peaceful world for all of them is possible. Because of my personal experience with war, crime, and mass emigration in my home country, El Salvador, I’ve dedicated my studies and career to the advancement of sustainable economic development, peace, and equality, primarily as an educator, program director, and writer. I have degrees in education, history, and applied anthropology.

There are many ways to build a better world, but the children that will inherit and grow up in today’s world are KEY. Given globalization and rapid change, I believe we need to do more to support them in developing their emotional intelligence and 21st Century skills to help them be happy, ecologically and culturally competent, and mentally flexible and creative. This, in turn, will help build a solid foundation of citizens who can help uphold and co-create a more sustainable world for all into the future.

It is impossible for one life or educational experience to provide 100% protection against developing racist beliefs, engaging in bullying, not caring about the environment, being closed-minded, mentally rigid, or becoming a violent adult. However, my years of applied work in this area and numerous peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that early exposure to a second language nurtures emotional intelligence and inner peace skills, such as cultural empathy, “perspective-taking,” open-mindedness, mental flexibility, cooperative ethos, and adaptability to change. Other studies strongly suggest that early outdoor and ecological education nurtures a life-long connection to nature and eco-stewardship habits and values. And play-based, child-led, and creative expression education in early childhood has been shown to help children nurture their creativity and an appreciation for the arts, which, in turn, allows them to express themselves non-violently and find creative and constructive solutions to problems.*

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*You can find a list of studies backing up this approach at the end of this book and in the references section of the AVENTURAS Program evaluation, which can be accessed on page 104.

AVENTURAS Peace Program Resources