NEW YEAR’S RESILIENCE

In the garden of grit, where shadows stretch,

Weary vines climbed through thorns of the past,  

Each task a tempest, each moment a wave,  

But beneath the storms, the roots clenched tighter.    

Wounds like constellations, pain etched in stardust,  

I tread softly on the stars of my battles,  

With a heart forged from fire, I rise,  

A phoenix unfurling wings against the horizon.    

I glance towards the edges of humanity,  

Where houses tremble like leaves in a gale,  

And children cradle hunger like a secret,  

While hope drips like honey from the skies.   

For I carry an ember, a spark of tomorrow,  

In the crucible of compassion, I harden my resolve,  

With the sun as my compass, I stride into dawn,  

Determined to dismantle the darkness with each step.    

Amidst the chaos, I gather the broken shards,  

Crafting a mosaic of dreams yet to bloom,  

The country of compassion calls me forth,  

And I answer with the drumbeat of courage in my chest.    

So let the New Year be a canvas unwritten,  

With colors of resilience, where challenges weave,  

An artist of hope, I paint my destiny,  

Knowing the dawn is only a heartbeat away.   

***

THESE DAYS OF CELEBRATION

I saw many of these festive days at the end of the year.

I saw bags weighing down hands,  

Decorations and lights that sparkled,  

And I saw the city like a bride adorned.  

I saw the sun and the moon descending to Earth,

Eyes and hearts of people igniting a rainbow,  

I saw embraces and kisses full of longing,  

Endless wishes that cannot be counted.  

I also saw the beggar’s hands like a cancer metastasis,

His statue frozen by the roadside of a noisy city,   

Eyes that remained a mist of rain of sadness,  

And his look of pain – a frost that freezes you.  

I hope that the coming New Year will see it,

And change the statue for a more beautiful one,  

To see also the indifferent, cold soul of people, 

And I wish to grant them a warmer heart.

THE TURNING OF THE PAGE

The year now fades, a closing book,

Of rushing streams and quiet corners.

We turn our heads to look behind,

At all the moments, sharp and kind.

So gather up the laughter’s chime,

The silent tears, the borrowed time.

Each thread is woven, dark and bright,

Into the fabric of the light.

We stand upon the threshold’s gleam,

And step into the newborn dream.

With lessons held and spirit worn,

We greet the coming, hopeful morn.

Post Accident

Bloodstained hair peels back

glass shards at this velocity.

Wind of a

stranger’s comic bubbles

float towards me

as the boxcar finally stops.

I am jet lagged, metal in my mouth,

vertigo knocks on

the noggin and

blue, purple, and pink bruises

make a home for themself

on my charred skin.

Glass paper cuts on hands

sting me as I’m trapped in.

I am still in awe of the number

of patrons that stopped in

for a well being check

as they tow the remnants

under the overpass

and fish me out of the

driver’s seat

as I bob up for air

again.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou

Water, Air, Pollution everywhere

We breathe the plastic

People are swimming among the garbage into the Ocean

We expect to have a clean atmosphere and be happy

But people are bombing citizens and countries with

Poison

We are taking for environmental health

But we humans

We pollute

We don’t respect our selves

We don’t respect nature

We play God

We create earthquakes

We create rain

We create typhoon

One day Earth

Will say enough

And human will be rejected

For his bad behaviour

Review By poet

Kujtim Hadjari

This poem is a powerful and direct critique of human environmental destruction and self-destructive behavior. It’s not subtle—it’s a cry of anger and warning.The poet argues that our interference is not wise or divine; it’s a dangerous, arrogant disruption of natural systems. The poet, after explaining the danger we have created for our Earth, ends with a prophetic warning. It personifies the Earth as a living entity that will one day reach a breaking point: ”enough.”/”Human will be rejected” – This is the final, devastating consequence. Not just punished, but ”rejected,” like an organ rejects a foreign body or a host rejects a parasite. The implication is that the Earth will cleanse itself of humanity to survive.The poem is an ”eco-apocalyptic warning.” It argues that humanity’s pollution, violence, and arrogant manipulation of nature are not separate issues—they are all symptoms of the same disease: ”a fundamental lack of respect for the living system that sustains us.”The poet believes this path is suicidal. If we continue to act as a destructive, parasitic force, the Earth (through climate catastrophe, ecosystem collapse, or our own poisoned environment) will ultimately make the planet uninhabitable for us. It’s a call to recognize our interconnectedness with nature before it’s too late.In short, we are poisoning our own nest, and if we don’t stop, we will be evicted.The poem is a call for all inhabitants to change their behaviour for our living system.

AUTUMN LOVE IN PRISTINA

We met in the fall,in the amphitheater you tweet

The streets of Pristina,

in the cold night,

Shoot me like a mountain fairy.

the stars were aligned

That summer evening in your tear,

we were both lost in the untouched oasis

and the lips stopped at the sounds FlokArtë.

Why did we travel, tell me whyin the cold winter and snow,

the beaming sun gave us a gift,you ray of sunshine lit me siashra.

Why did we run to the meadows, why

in the early spring fragrance of love

we pray to the flowers of the green field,

Embraced we felt exotic intoxication.

VALENTINE’S DAY 

Lora

Embroidered Valentine’s Day

on the map of love

Egnatia-Naisus street

and in passing I also took

the honey flavor

from the hot ashes

of the estinguished fire.Lora

like a blonde ladybug in the meteorite

nobody whispers

on the map of love

and the star twister out of exhausted longing

in the timeless feeling

brought the freshness of age

the kiss of the mountain like Hera from Olympus

departed in the endless today

Night.

Lora

Frozen in heat

slightly heated to the bosom of love

“I’m very cold

Lan takes me with him

tonight

I do not want flowers

a white rose

to have for Valentine’s Day!

DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH LORA 

Do not fall in love with Lora, my friend,

for she has left her heart in pledge with mine.

It beats within my chest like a wave,

Like the echo of a song across the mountain line.

You may kiss her lips,you may call her yours,

but her eyes are skies without a sun,a night without a moon,

A cloud without rain,

a flame without ember burning, yet hidden in a cold bosom.

You may hold her close,

you may call her your own,

but her love she left to me in pledge,

Through ages and through time unknown.

So fall not for her gaze, young man

she is the dream of a silent yearning.

You will have a love without hope,

for her heart remains my pledge,

forever turning.

LAN QYQALLA graduated from the Faculty of Philology in the branch of Albanian language and literature in Prishtina, from Republika of Kosovo. He is a professor of the Albanian language in the Gymnasium. Lani is the Editor-in Chief of the international cultural and artistic magazine ORFEU, which is published in many languages in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. He is also the editor of the cultural show ORFEU on TV Jupiteri7 channel on YouTube. He wrote poems, stories, drama, novels in Pristina. He has written in many newspapers, portals, Radio, TV, and Magazines in the Albanian language and in English, bangu, Romanian, Francophone, Turkish, Arabic, Italian, Greek, Swedish, Hindu, Spanish, Korean etc. 

The unforgettable day

There is such a day when words become unnecessary

you touch someone’s shoulders

you are not ashamed of tears

then you understand more

than on other days of the year

the masks that hide resentments fall

it’s good that there is

such a unique day

a white communion wafer*

placed on hay

glows in the candlelight

then the Eternal One spreads love

without noise or advertising

then you do not shy away

From His touch

quiet and incomprehensible

Translated by Olga Smolnytska 

* In Polish tradition, on Christmas Eve, families share the Christmas communion wafer, which symbolizes love, unity, forgiveness and reconciliation between people. (The author’s note)

The Calling

I wandered, thinking off to the side

I tried to love

always imperfectly

an angel was shedding feathers

I didn’t see the signs

I understood very little

more and more questions are catching up with me

take my fear with your love

take me where nothing ever ends

silence becomes a melody

take me

Translated by Sr. Paula Drożdż

dewdrops

falling dewdrops

carelessly announced

their presence on the bench

wanted to arouse admiration

in a single moment in human

illuminated by the rays

of the rising sun

revealed a unity

split in two

Amazement

Filled the milieu 

Translated by Olga Smolnytska

Aleksandra Sołtysiak (Poland), graduate of the Catholic University of Lublin  and Jagiellonian University in Kraków. She has served as coeditor of the poetry anthology Dotyk nadzie (The Touch of Hope), which was translated into Ukrainian and German, as well as of the international anthology in support of world peace The tree of peace turns green / European poetry for universal harmony, which has been translated into Polish and English. She i also the author Hope blossoms longer and the published poetry volume „Spilled from the cases”. Finalist in the fourth International Poetry Contest, „Voices in the Wilderness” held in Rome (2022). She publishes nationally and internationally. She has also been awarded the Gold Cross of Merit by Polish president Andrzej Duda. In 2023 distinguished with a medal for Merit to Polish Culture.Information about the translator:Olga Smolnytska,  (Ukraine), PhD, writer, artist, literary critic.

Developing Social Skills in Children Through Pedagogical Approaches

Bahora Akmalova, student of the Faculty of Pedagogy

KDPI Major in Preschool Education

Annotation: The article examines the development of children’s social skills through pedagogical approaches, highlighting the importance of communication, cooperation, collective activities, and the role of the teacher in the educational process.

Keywords: pedagogical approach, social skills, child development, socialization, educational process, collective activity, teacher’s role.

Introduction. 

A child’s development as an individual is directly connected to their social skills. Social skills are the set of abilities that allow a child to communicate effectively, express their thoughts, cooperate, and adapt to social situations. Pedagogical approaches play a crucial role in forming and developing these skills.

Properly chosen methods and techniques in the educational process enhance a child’s social activity, teach teamwork, and lay a strong foundation for personal development. Therefore, pedagogical approaches are essential in socializing children and helping them successfully integrate into society. By applying appropriate methods, teachers and caregivers can foster children’s social competencies, enhance teamwork, and promote self-confidence.

Understanding the relationship between pedagogy and social development is crucial for preparing children to engage positively with peers, teachers, family members, and the broader community.

The Importance of Social Skills in Childhood

Social skills are critical for multiple aspects of life: 

Communication: Children learn to express their needs, share ideas, and understand others’ perspectives.

Collaboration: Working in groups teaches negotiation, compromise, and joint problem-solving.

Empathy and Emotional Regulation: Understanding emotions—both their own and others’—helps children form meaningful relationships.

Conflict Resolution: Socially skilled children can manage disagreements in a constructive way.

Adaptability: Children learn to adjust to new environments, rules, and social norms.

Children who develop strong social skills tend to perform better academically, demonstrate higher self-esteem, and show improved mental health outcomes. Conversely, poor social development can lead to isolation, behavioral issues, and difficulties in learning and teamwork.

There are several key pedagogical strategies used to develop children’s social competencies:

Play-Based Learning: Play is a natural medium for social interaction.Through structured and unstructured play, children learn to take turns, share, and negotiate. Role-playing games allow children to experience different perspectives and develop empathy.

Collaborative and Group Activities: Group projects, cooperative games, and team-based learning promote communication and teamwork. Children learn leadership skills, responsibility, and accountability. Teachers act as facilitators, guiding interactions and providing feedback to enhance positive behaviors.

Communication and Language Development: Encouraging conversations, storytelling, debates, and discussions enhances expressive and receptive language skills. Activities like “show and tell” or dramatization help children articulate thoughts and feelings clearly.

Modeling and Social Guidance: Teachers and caregivers model appropriate social behavior, demonstrating respect, patience, and empathy. Children imitate these behaviors and internalize social norms.

Use of Technology and Interactive Tools: Interactive digital games and applications can simulate social situations and problem-solving scenarios.Technology can complement real-life interactions, but human-guided learning remains crucial.

Integration with Emotional Learning (SEL): Social and Emotional Learning programs teach self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Combining SEL with traditional pedagogy strengthens children’s holistic development.

The Role of the Teacher

Teachers are central in facilitating social skill development. Their roles include:

Observer: Identifying social strengths and challenges in individual children.

Guide: Offering strategies and interventions to enhance positive interactions.

Mediator: Helping resolve conflicts and teaching constructive problem-solving techniques.

Encourager: Reinforcing prosocial behavior and promoting inclusion.

Conclusion

Developing social skills in children is a fundamental aspect of their overall growth and successful integration into society. Pedagogical approaches, including play-based learning, collaborative activities, communication exercises, and social-emotional learning, provide effective methods to nurture these skills.

Teachers play a central role as guides, role models, and facilitators, creating supportive environments where children can practice and improve their social competencies. By fostering communication, cooperation, empathy, and problem-solving abilities, these approaches prepare children not only for academic success but also for meaningful relationships and active participation in their communities.

In summary, intentional pedagogical strategies are essential for cultivating well-rounded, socially competent individuals. Social skills are essential for children’s personal and social development. Pedagogical approaches, such as play, group activities, role-playing, and guided interactions, help children learn communication, cooperation, empathy, and problem-solving. Teachers play a key role in supporting, guiding, and modeling positive social behavior.

By using these strategies, children become more confident, socially competent, and better prepared to interact successfully with peers and the wider community. Effective pedagogical practices are therefore crucial for nurturing well-rounded and socially skilled individuals.

Used literature

Berk, L. E. (2018). Development Through the Lifespan (7th ed.). Pearson.Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182–191.Piaget, J. (1972). The Psychology of the Child. Basic Books.Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.