Childhood Education
Purpose, Knowledge, Action
Metamorphous
of an Early Childhood Teacher…..
Learning to work with children takes making mistakes, listening, observing, being still, patient, calm, energetic, playful, innovative, open, persistent and so the list goes on. We cannot be all those things in one day and as we are all unique individuals we all bring certain strengthes and skill sets. Shared team teaching enables us to learn from each other and also recognise that we cannot all be this instaneously, we must take time to learn and grow.
What is important as teachers is that in working together we recognise each others attributes, temperaments, skill set, knowledge, culture and ways of being that contributes to the environments we create, relationships we are building and our idea of how to teach children.
When I began to study becoming a childhood teacher I would look for mentors. If you can find people who challenge and inspire you then take the time to listen and learn from them. Then for me came an internal conflict of thinking I should be exactly like them and follow specific philosophies and styles of teaching.
There is nothing wrong with that, however…
That’s how I used to think, now with time and experience I often practice, reflect, and ask myself the question of my impact on the environment, the type of energy I bring into the space, how I listen, respond, react in my interactions with the children, families and my co-educators/teachers.
Cultural influences also affect personal teaching as do those around us, this obviously includes the child and their families. I say families as in the broader sense, as some children have an extended family that involves a community of people in their lives.
What makes you up as a Teacher is more than the diploma, degree or whatever training you may have achieved.
These achievements are something to be proud of and well worth ensuring you get the most out of your time when studying, however so much more is on offer.
There are many links to alternative ideas and even countries who lead the way in teaching and learning. There is a lot of great stuff to listen to and books that are invaluable tools to understand learning.
But the heart of any space in which children are brought together,
IS
YOU
their Teacher.
So let's talk about you, how are you managing yourself!
Do you understand yourself?
Where are you in the picture of where you work and the people that surround you.
What are you seeing through your lens?
Have you checked in with yourself lately, or often enough?
How is your energy, do you have your own or do you take from others?
If so what energy are you taking?
With that energy comes your physical being and how this translates to others and the world around you.
Your health both physical and mental projects or maybe mirrors those around you.
You can think of this as critical reflection, a well known term in our field. However this usually keeps the lens on how we teach and observe.
I would approach it as focussing on your Whole Being.
How do you feed yourself? (and I don’t mean food).
Are you present, for yourself?
Time to ask those questions, to think, to ponder and maybe next time I see you here to action those thoughts.
‘The journey is the discovery’
Marchetti Kids
These opinions are not affiliated with any organisation and are entirely a perspective of personal training and learning.
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