Let the Kids Talk!
Recently I had a very enlightening
conversation with a professor of mine from my graduate studies at Frostburg
State University. He is still teaching early childhood development classes at
the university and though he has many years in he said he has no desire to
retire as long as he is still teaching and helping children. He said something
to me I would like to share with all educators. He said, “If a child is really
learning you will see their speech pattern change because they will begin to
ask you the questions. If the child is being compliant they will let you ask
all the questions and not say a word. “ I was very inspired by his statement.
It made me think that we should never act as scripted robots when we teach. It
is so easy to slip into that scripted teaching mode because with all the new
national standards and curriculum guides everything is scripted and thought out
for us. We need to remember why we became teachers it is not to read from a
script or teach to tests, but it is to create well-rounded children who can
think for themselves, problem solve, and communicate their ideas. My professor
told me he has a great concern about the direction early childhood education is
heading. He said he sees less of children being creative and expressing
themselves through conversation skills and more of a teacher directed approach
with less time for children to talk. He also mentioned his concern for
“think-time” for the children. He said he sees many teachers hurrying children
along in their responses or not letting then respond at all during a lesson
because the teacher feels they need to “get it all in.” I know as teachers we
feel all the demands of standards, curriculum guides, and tests but we must
remember we are teaching children not robots and that we all teach all
different kinds of children will multiple learning styles. Do you find it hard
to let kids have think time? Do you feel the pressures of standards and pacing
guides? Do you feel like we are focusing more on what we are to say to the kids
than what the kids are saying to us?
Two references I would like to share are
listed below. The first is a link to a PDF article that addresses the Reggio
Emilia Approach. The second is a book my professor recommended and said should
be on every educator’s bookshelf.
The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio
Emilia Approach Advanced Reflections- can be found on amazon.com
