What does spending days as an Early Childhood teacher look like?
Is it sitting and watching? Is it telling the children to "do this, do that"? Is it just expecting them to listen?
Not at all my friend!
It is listening to a "little" tell me a story for what seems like the umpteenth time that day, it is sitting in the floor while a lot of different littles sit all around me and want me to play. It is craft time as I teach them how to hold a paint brush, and watch them use their imagination and show me just how creative they are.
You see, I'm not just listening to their story, I'm giving them my undivided attention, showing them that they are important and that what they say matters. I'm sitting in the floor with them because when we, as adults, get down on their level not just literally, but through play, we can begin to see the world how they see it. I'm teaching them how to hold a paint brush and nurturing their fine motor skills, but also building a relationship with them.
As a teacher, I sometimes set goals for what I would like to see my littles accomplish, what I want them to learn. But many times, I find that I am learning right along with them. Littles are such good teachers, often times without realizing it. During our time together, they teach me to find joy in the small things. For instance, one day in my class the activity for the day was to mix different paint colors to see what color they make. As my students did this using only their hands, they giggled very loudly and without reserve. I asked each one, what was so funny, they replied with "It's squishy!", "It's making a new color!", "This is fun!". These children found joy in getting to get messy and mix colors. That was it! When is the last time as an adult that you have mixed up paint and laughed????
I know for myself, often times, I spend my days stressing over adult life in general. We get lost in the mundane task of everyday life and forget to slow down and take it all in. Children are God's way of showing us to enjoy our lives.
Thank you God for littles.
“While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about.”
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