We see this with our staff at the Children's Museum all the time - specifically in our Art Studio space, we have done a lot of training for ourselves to ask questions about a child's art instead of passing our own judgments on it, even if positive and well-intended. The idea of "good job" is going to ingrain the idea that a child should be making that art in order to receive some external acknowledgement, instead of following their own creative thought process. This is a CONSTANT challenge especially the longer we are in the field.

This really strikes a chord with me. As a practitioner in early childhood education in an informal play based environment, I hear a lot from teachers in the field who we collaborate with about the increasing importance and value put on standards. What could that potential damaging effect be in both the near and long term? Are we simply adapting what is used for older grade level students upon the younger mind? Doesn't the younger mind need it's own way to approach the value of learning?

This article discusses so much about the value of the atelier and atelierista, whereas I have felt often in the US culture that the role of the Art Teacher is considered secondary or superfluous. When Art has been classified as an extracurricular or a space for funding to be cut, all the children lose access to environments that fuel their creativity.

This makes me think of another resource we read recently talking about children being active, capable learners with a lot of ideas to explore and our role is to provide the resources and environment for children to explore the ideas they already have and are wondering about.

As a former Art Teacher, I feel the value of language here - the renaming carries so much weight!

I really love this! The connection made here that our documentations are actually representations of our own memory. This makes the process of documentation feel much more personal.

The two way street concept seems to ring true for me here. A commitment to listening to others hopefully comes with a trust that you will also be listened to. I wonder often how to invite this agreement

We cannot strip our emotions from the process of listening. We must make space for our emotions instead of using them as shields from learning through listening

I appreciate this constant reminder!

This is such an important progression. How often we might jump to showing, before taking the time to explain. It doesn't mean showing and using our hands to model something should feel like taboo - BUT taking the necessary steps towards the realization that the learning moment would deepen with this type of interaction

I love this! The urgency to redirect or keep children focused on something because it was planned seems to go against the grain of letting our curiosity guide our learning processes

I would feel so much more support and security in this format as opposed to the mentor/mentee relationship often found in US schools. That feels so hierarchical as opposed to collaborative of a small group

I appreciate this cultural lens - I often notice how much effort we put into avoiding conflict in our society....again brings me back to how to redefine the negative association of failing at something.

The consistency of collaboration feels so important

This is a powerful description of the challenge to strike the perfect balance

THIS is my biggest challenge when engaging in this philosophy! How to strike the "right" balance between guidance and stepping back

It is not the role of the teacher to create ease and constant success - there is a fear of failure that feels more important than the amazing possibilities and discoveries we make when we fail....I'd love to redefine the negative association with the world "fail"

I feel when this confidence and sense of security is lacking, teachers are forced into other scenarios of the way they should teacher that are outlined by rigorous curriculum and assessment expectations imposed by external voices

This emphasizes what we are learning from The Power of Observation in our other course around a teacher engaging both in and out of the action to be an effective observer.

This feels like an important balance to strike - "child led" does does not mean the teacher steps away completely for the child to fend for themselves, but is there as a thought partner for inspiration and guidance

YES! The culture of stripping away playfulness for the sake of valuing the rigor or seriousness of education is what leads children to their own dis-enchantment with the learning process or invitation to continue on as the protagonist of their learning journey

How much this role of the teacher as the resource will help build the confidence of the child to feel capable and like they truly are the protagonist of their own learning journey. I have distinct memories of feeling the constant need to please my teachers, to impress them, and felt in a constant state of awaiting judgement from them. It is not to say I did not have fantastic teachers, however the automatic expectation that they would engage in judgement was a result of the learning culture as a whole.

WITH children and parents, not FOR.

This phrase has always seemed to imply that we are somehow responsible for teaching parents how to parent, or to have input on the way they choose to parent - at the Museum when we have collaborated with parents on their child's learning, we try to emphasize that parents already have all the tools they need in order to be their child's first and best teacher, we are here to partner with them around that - not GIVE them any skills. They already have the skills they need.

As a passionate advocate for the power of play and the importance of play for learning, I do worry about play being standardized or there being made an implication that there is a "right or wrong" way to play, or that teachers engage in facilitation of play so specifically in a way that strips play of its essence.

This phrase also indicates a sharing of this role between the adults and the children - that the learning is a shared experience in design and execution

This word carries a heavy weight for me....I appreciate the renaming of this and think that can be a powerful switch of focus. Curriculum seems so tied now to measures of success, testing, assessment, academic rigor, etc.

I appreciate the inclusion of the search for not only truth, but also for beauty here.

A crucial identity to instill in the role of the educator within our practice of education in the United States.

SO many hats to where!! When we get stuck wearing one hat, we forget all of the many roles children look to us to hold to facilitate their learning as capable, curious, competent individuals.

This feels like an important piece of habit to be disrupted when engaging with children. Their learning, thoughts, comments, should not be belittled, but marveled in together with their adults

Shouldn't these insights be the ones we prioritize?

Yes! Again the impact of the all important concept of "time". The value we put on time over the experience in that moment. Why are we always in such a hurry?

Patience seems like one of the most important things an adult can focus on in their own child's learning. How often adults ask a question and then answer it before giving their child time to even process the question - a child's brain is taking the time to process the question before they formulate their response, but we have to give them the time and space to answer

I feel challenged when external perspectives on this imply that time is being wasted or that the experience they are observing seems like a waste of time without the background knowledge or understanding of the learning that is actually happening in that "time" given.

This feels like an important lesson that as adults we don't often give ourselves the chance or the time to learn. Time becomes to restrictive of a construct.

Which makes me wonder why play continues to be under valued in traditional school settings? Taken away as a form of punishment (no recess or only getting to play once they can show all their work has been completed)

YES YES YES! So why does it eventually become split apart and separated from "work" or "learning" or "homework" etc.?

Yes!! It's been a mission to continue to challenge those who say "a child's brain is like a sponge just soaking up everything around them" - they are SO much more than that! They are not passively experiencing or observing the world around them. They are active in their exploration and have opinions about their experiences!

My mind immediately jumps to restorative justice. The idea of the "school to prison" pipeline. There is an incredible documentary by Dr. Shakti Butler and the World Trust called "Healing Justice" that dives into these issues and the concept of restorative justice, especially for children.

I am so curious about this one! It seems funny, but then makes me think of how children tend to correct others in the way THEY are choosing to do something - where did they learn this need to correct others in the way they chose to do something?

This awareness of their own needs in their social emotional development is so moving.

This speaks to me having been involved in the advocacy of play - children have a right to their own childhood, children have the right to be a child, children have the right to their imagination.

I like this process - all children share their voices, listen, reflect and then agree upon what makes the most sense to them all together.

This makes me think of the Velveteen Rabbit about "being REAL" - "it doesn't often happen too people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept" - the idea of overprotection or treating children as fragile keeps them from their own natural instincts and capabilities of being a child. To be a real child!

Yes! My call to action in my work has been to advocate for the right of every child to be a child. The right of every child to play, to be curious, to imagine.

I am curious about these desperate and difficult situations children find themselves in - how? Why? Naturally? Or imposed by environments and/or adults?

how is this being jeopardized right now with quarantine and social distancing? The loss of the social emotional connection and development for young children right now had been on the top of my mind a lot and wondering how we at the Museum can create that space while it is missing from the virtual school setting.

Yes! This makes me think of a funny story at the Children's Museum, where a father and daughter arrived and were first in the door when we opened. The dad was enjoying that it wasn't "too crowded" yet and that it felt like they had the place to themselves. The little girl ran FULL of joy over to our Fire Truck exhibit, which was still empty, and turned incredulously to her dad and goes "what?! There are no kids too play with??" and it was a moment of realization for me of how to an adult it feels "crowded", to a child it feels "full of learning, connection, playtime and fun"

Why it is so important that we value process based education experiences vs. product based education.

This resonates with the value/mission we hold at the Children's Museum of Denver to create beautiful spaces where a child can investigate, explore, and discover alongside their adult who is immersed in the learning experience with their child.

again, my favorite saying: "Guide on the side, not sage on the stage"

Embracing the child-led concept of learning. Teachers remain 'the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage"

When does the concept of school stop feeling fun for a student? How do we move further and further out of learning through play and deeper into drills and academic rigor? At what point does a child begin to dread school instead of looking forward to it? How do we reverse this unfortunate norm?

This cracks open the idea that children can also teach adults. Adults are not all knowing beings, slowly revealing the secrets of the world to a child. If anything, it is the other way around. Children have the power, through play and curiosity, to open back up and adults mind that has been made up as they have grown out of their own innate curiosity.

This makes me think of how children are not sponges just passively soaking up information around them. They are active decision makers in their own learning process.

I appreciate the concept that dialogue exists between an adult and a child, and that it is not one directional from the adult to the child.

This seems SO important - I often worry adults don't give a child enough credit for what they are able to sense or are be aware of that is happening around them.

The many different sources of inspiration for a project creates such a variety of experiences that are again collaborative among both adults and children as well as planned or responsive to our experiences

As a previous Art Teacher, the value put on the arts in general both visual and other expressive arts, aligns so strongly with what I wish I experienced during my time in the classroom - however I often felt the need to advocate/fight for the value/importance of the arts as it was always on the verge of being removed or cut or defunded.

This seems like a really impactful way to approach "assessment" that allows the children to still be intrinsically motivated instead of working for praise or a good grade. They are part of their own documentation process and therefore feel valued in their own way, not just seeking out value/praise from adults

This feels reflective of the learning environments we strive to create and facilitate at the Children's Museum - as far as within the classroom, I really love the idea of the process/curriculum being decided upon together and that it then remains flexible and responsive to the experiences around us

Noticing this term a few times in our readings/introductions so far - looking forward to learning more!

Further highlights the importance/value of authentic and intentional professional development opportunities for educators. I wonder what the typical salary/compensation structure is for educators in this field in this area?

A special aspect for ECE - Denver Cooperative Preschool is a great example of this parent participation, support and involvement

This reminds me of the stories from "Walk Out Walk On" and how the community came together to build something beautiful which results in greater shared ownership and devotion to the project.

I wonder what this looks like in our cultural/political context in the U.S.

Interesting to consider the difference between "concern" of the public and "responsibility" of the community.