Young children learn through doing, through the active manipulation and interaction with their environment, teachers, and peers. And what they learn is definitely about academic skills, they learn standard and non-standard measurement techniques as they fill cups of sand in the sensory table, fluid dynamics as they pour themselves milk at snack (and the relative powers of absorption as they try to mop up the spill with tissues, then paper towels), counting skills as we gather the class for a walking trip, phonemic awareness as we sing silly rhyming sounds, investigation skills as they build ramps for their cars, negotiation skills as they discuss the dinner menu in the dramatic play area. And, even more importantly, they learn the skills and habits that will help them be life-long seekers of knowledge, compassionate friends, helpful community members, stewards of the earth, leaders, followers, and thinkers.
As teachers, it is our job to observe their learning, scaffold them to their next discovery, document their learning, plan for next steps, and build curriculum. And in early childhood, all this learning, all these academics, all this doing, takes place in the context of play and active exploration, with us, their lucky teachers and parents, along-side them to marvel at their discoveries, delight in their connections, guide them to next steps in learning.
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AuthorTamara Clark lives, works, and writes in the Pacific Northwest. She is inspired by the work of the educators in Reggio Emilia, Anti-Bias Education, and Quaker education. Archives
December 2023
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