I am a mom and an educator but I was an educator first. In the very beginning, I chose to work with children because it sounded fulfilling – boy, was I right! I was responsible for a class full of one year olds and I was in love! Each child came with their own little special quirks and perks. They gave hugs all day and learned so much through our classroom environment and engagement. The one thing I was not prepared for: their parental units. I had created some great friendships with most. I even took one little guy under my wing because his home life was less than ideal – I brought him home for a weekend so Grandma could have a break from her second round of raising babies. Needless to say, I LOVED these babies.
One of the parents I came to know and adore set me down this path of education. She saw the heart and dedication I had for these babies and I will never forget her words of encouragement. I was already going to school to teach high school History (I know, who’d torture themselves for life? Glutton for punishment, I am).
On the flip side, I will never forget another parent’s first impression. When we met, she was nervous and full of expectations and concerns. Her son was just turning one before he was starting in my class. Her questions ranged from discipline to whether the water fountains dispensed filtered water (I had no idea!). I left that conversation concerned for her concerns! I would have never thought to ask those questions, to really jot down what was important to me and my future family. Believe it or not, this momma’s devotion to her little one, also proved to me how important my role was to these families. As a mom now, boys 10 and 12, I completely empathized with her desires for her child to be safe, healthy and most of all, cared for.
Making a decision on education can be super stressful. There is so much information out there about different types of learning and how children learn best. In my time in education, I have seen it all. I have seen unguided lessons, on a-whim learning. I have seen child-led classrooms and the more Montessori- esqe classrooms. I have seen a tight ship that had no room for children to have accidents or maybe take a little longer writing their name. In each of these settings some children struggled, most were successful. What you can know is that children aren’t plastic. They mold into the environment they are in. This is the case for home and school. They are resilient. If something isn’t working, they let you know through behaviors and outbursts. Involved educators are really the key to success.
I recently embarked on a new journey with a philosophy that is seemingly newer in the world of Early Education today. Don’t think “new and improved”. The reality is – MOST teachers – already lead this way, especially if they had been in charge of curriculum from the get go. This philosophy is called Reggio- Emilia. If this is new to you, click {here} to learn more. It is a great combination of what Early Education naturally is – controlled chaos to the untrained eye. Center-based learning with children’s input and a teacher’s guidance. Children gain a sense of ownership in how their day plays out, all the while, teachers have developmental tasks set for them each day. Activities range from dried pea pod measuring to using light projectors for color assortment or shape shifting. With the use of all-natural items, this theorem allows for the best Reggio experience through the exploration of items in an unconventional way. It teaches children how to utilize whatever they have at hand to create and learn through play.
I am honored to be able to introduce a new home away from home to the South Gilbert community. Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool is opening their second location on the North West corner of Higley and Germann. We will provide this Reggio-Emilia experience for this community!
