I have trouble articulating what exactly it is that I do all day- let alone what I should be doing. It's easy enough to brush off my activities as wiping noses and putting away toys. But- it's Sunday evening, I've had a few moments to reflect, and I've settled on a metaphor,
The job of the adult in this setting is to be a trampoline; support the child and move them to greater heights than they could achieve on their own, while maintaining a reliable safety net. As each child “touches down” or checks in with me, whether to tell me about their plans or to ask a question, I try to expand their thought process, add vocabulary or materials that will propel them higher in their thinking.
This is a journey for me as well as for the kids, and we're all learning along the way. The day I stop questioning and redesigning and tweaking is the day that I need to find something else to keep me out of trouble during the day.
The job of the adult in this setting is to be a trampoline; support the child and move them to greater heights than they could achieve on their own, while maintaining a reliable safety net. As each child “touches down” or checks in with me, whether to tell me about their plans or to ask a question, I try to expand their thought process, add vocabulary or materials that will propel them higher in their thinking.
This is a journey for me as well as for the kids, and we're all learning along the way. The day I stop questioning and redesigning and tweaking is the day that I need to find something else to keep me out of trouble during the day.
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