Things I believe in as an early childhood educator

1.            1. Children are important enough to invest in their social and physical well-being as much as their academic. Therefore, I believe in recess, and lots of it. I believe in playtime and group projects and using manners.

2.           2.  Just because something you do in the classroom isn’t measurable, doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable.

On this I’ll elaborate: I’ve been stiffened by doubts recently about aspects of my practice that have been otherwise very natural to me. In a school environment that glorifies test results, standards checked off, and third-grade passing rates, it’s easy to buy into the lie that only what can be tested on paper (or computer, or iPad…) is worth doing. That’s just a simplistic and one-size-fits-all method of determining if a classroom is “effective”.

As an example, I read fairytales to my class for about 10-15 minutes daily. I allow them to squish playdough and roll it into balls in the palms of their hands, and I ask them questions while reading to check if they’re listening and understanding. They always are. So far, I’ve read wonderful tales such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “My Father’s Dragon” and “A Bear Called Paddington.” Watching the children engage with and delight in these awesome stories are what I consider to be the strengths of my practice. Whether this is addressed in the Common Core is, admittedly, not a concern to me.

Here’s a quote from Alfred Einstein: “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be very intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

3.            3. I am overwhelmingly more concerned with developing a child’s character than with the child’s academic success. If I pass along a horde of geniuses to the next grade level, but they don’t know how to share or work together or solve a problem, then I have failed utterly.

4.            4. Interest level and love of learning are my strongest tools for creating any kind of academic growth with my students. Interest is powerful because it is linked with motivation. If I can get children interested in reading, for example, I am free from doing most of the “work” of transmitting various reading strategies to them. When the students love reading, they actually engage with literature and develop a lot of comprehension strategies themselves.

5.            5. Teachers need autonomy. Students need democracy.

What I mean: In the current teaching environment, our bubble is becoming increasingly translucent. Educators need to be trusted to teach what they need to and how they need to given their specific group of children. And children need to have a voice about what takes place in the classroom as well. Children should be more free to read books that interest them, research topics that interest them, and engage in projects that are exciting to them.

6.            6. Children learn best through play and problem-solving. Through art and music and going out into nature. Through movement and projects and plays.

            
Most of these are known as the “multiple intelligences.” It resonates with me that not every child is going to fit the exact mold of what we traditionally think schooling should be. I was an artsy kid. I understand that. I try to appeal to different intelligences whenever I can. I’ll admit, it takes planning and creativity. Sometimes I just go with the worksheet.

Those are the highlights. I’ve been influenced a lot by Alfie Kohn, a writer and thinker about this subject. His book, “Feel-Bad Education” is a grouping of essays that especially struck me (well, most of them, at least). He is daring and articulate enough to raise some scandalous questions about the American education system.

For example: What is an authentic learning experience? How can we as educators make the school experience something that is real, and lasting and authentic? Are standardized tests the best measure or even a necessary cog in the school system? Are national standards beneficial? Is having every child in America learning the same things at the same time really that necessary or helpful? Are grades a beneficial or necessary part of school? Do rewards serve to increase the intrinsic value of the job performed or lower the bar for what is an accomplishment?

Etc, etc.

Are there any other teachers out there like this? When I hear of most educational policies being enforced, my gut reaction is usually “Why?”