Life Long Learners

Are you one? I'm so glad I am! It makes life so much more interesting. In the past week I've had 3 learning opportunities that have sparked my interests in a number of different areas.

The first was at a group I facilitate for Center Directors. I always learn new things when I gather with people who are doing important work like improving programs for young children. Second, I attended a training on NAEYC accreditation. This is a topic I haven't really spent a lot of time on but the training gave me a good picture of the documentation needed to show that a child care program is on a path that pursues the highest quality standards! A huge undertaking but necessary if we want to walk our talk about valuing the growth and development of young children. And finally I attended the Kaleidoscope Conference in Omaha. I enjoyed the keynote speaker, award winning illustrator and author, Brian Pinkney. I love how his art conveys physical movement and evokes emotions too. Check out his books and art at http://www.brianpinkney.net/. My favorite book was "Max Found Two Sticks". Kids would love it too! My breakout session at the conference was about Using Observations to meet the needs of children in our programs. This is something that I did naturally in my head when I was in the classroom. In my observations of teachers and caregivers I find that they don't pay enough attention to what each individual child is saying and doing. Only through observation (just plain paying attention) can we begin to understand a child's unique personality, way of thinking and viewing the world. We need to listen, laugh,sing,play and live with children not just do custodial care. It's about relationships and conversations so that we can guide and encourage children to feel confident and competent to be themselves in the world. I believe this is the foundation needed to be able to live life happily and successfully.

My final session at Kaleidoscope was on the revised Developmentally Appropriate Practice from NAEYC. I am a "developmentalist" 110%. It's the only way that true learning takes place. And in my opinion until we make the whole educational system developmentally appropriate from "birth to career" we're going to be losing many of the best minds and ideas that we need to get the world back on track.