Campus Voices
Lower School
When I decided to become a teacher, it was not an unexpected move. My mother and two of my four sisters had also chosen careers in education and I had spent the majority of my summer vacations working with children. However, rather then adhering to the family tradition of teaching middle school, I surprised everyone by choosing to pursue a degree in early education. My family and teachers were puzzled. My previous work had been with young adolescents and I had been an English and History major in college. I had middle school English teacher written all over me! A former teacher even cautioned me about my choice, fearing I would be bored with the absence of curriculum in the young grades. She felt I would lack the intellectual stimulation one receives from the more academic years.
There was one clear reason why I felt that early childhood was the only route for me. When teaching the early years, we are given the opportunity to put academic rigor aside in favor of developing the whole child. In the early years, the social component of the curriculum is imperative in order to help children develop compassion for others as well as a strong sense of self.
Teaching to the social side of children is often about seizing the teachable moment and dealing with issues or conflicts that arise in the classroom. It is about giving children the words to resolve situations, not simply to lash out or flee, as is often their first instinct. A class meeting in Beginners can revolve around how to include everyone in the block area, how to share ideas and find a compromise, or how to tell a friend when you need space to play with others.
Each year we take the time to focus on building a strong community within our classroom. We strive to create a safe place where all can have a voice. When problems arise, whether it be how to best share the shovels, or how to use the dramatic play area in a respectful way, we sit as a group and take ideas from the students. As teachers, we recreate the problem and ask the students to generate different ways to appropriately solve the conflict. Once we have these ideas, we ask the students to role-play the positive solution.
It is in these moments when I see the success of the Beginners program. Any doubts I might have had about teaching this age group disappear as I am constantly challenged and motivated by my students. One thing is certain: In Beginners, no one is suffering from lack of stimulation!
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