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I'm not just cute

January 23, 2016, 6:44 pm
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"See babies as people in their own right, naturally deserving of our respect.  See babies not as helpless beings but as active, phenomenal learners with an innate urge to explore their world and the people in it, from birth.  When we see babies in this way, our practice will naturally change for the better." - Lisa Sunbury Gerber


Dear Educators,

There is no denying that I'm irresistible.  Nature has been very clever to design me that way so that you take good care of me.  

But let me make it abundantly clear. I am not just cute.

I am a phenomenal learner.  I am a curious, active and enthusiastic explorer of my world, and the people in it.  I am absorbing new information at an incredible rate. By the time I am 3, my brain will have grown dramatically by producing billions of cells and hundreds of trillions of connections between these cells.

"Even the youngest children know, experience and learn far more than scientists ever thought possible." - Alison Gopnik


I am a skilled communicator. I've been communicating with you from the moment I am born, through sound, expression, gesture and movement.
"...encouraging language development is about the quality and quantity of the words we speak. The great news is that both come naturally when we perceive babies as whole people — able communicators ready to be informed about the happenings in their lives, and in turn share their thoughts and feelings. Comprehend this simple truth, interact naturally, and we've got the language lessons nailed." - Janet Lansbury

I know how to learn. Trust me - I was born curious, creative, persistent, motivated, focused and driven to figure things out. I know what I'm doing, and I can do it best when I feel safe and secure, and have the time and space for lots of play.

“All babies are motivated from the beginning in any environment. They find things to explore. All children achieve their own milestones in their own way at the proper time and they they do not need to be taught.” – Magda Gerber

I am a human being.  I am not a play thing.  And while it is true that I need lots of loving care and attention, I am not helpless.  I am worthy of respect in the same way that you are, and I can actively participate in my own care and learning if you give the the chance to do so.  
"If we believe them to be helpless, dependent, needy (albeit lovely) creatures, their behaviour will confirm those beliefs.   Alternatively, if we see our infants as capable, intelligent, responsive people ready to participate in life, initiate activity, receive and return our efforts to communicate with them, then we find that they are all of those things.  I am not suggesting that we treat infants as small adults. They need a baby’s life, but they deserve the same level of human respect that we give to adults. " - Janet Lansbury
 I am not just cute.

The experiences that I have now will have an impact on how my brain is developing, and influence my my learning, well being and relationships now and in the future.  You can make a very real difference to my life.  


See me and trust me as a phenomenal learner. Don't fill my days with busy work or cutesy craft.  Don't babysit or entertain me.  Let me make my own play choices.  Give me time to play, uninterrupted.  Create a safe, emotionally secure space with interesting challenges and open ended materials for me to discover and explore.  

Keep things predictable and familiar so I can practice and experiment.  Understand that learning happens all day, in everyday routines like when I am having my lunch or when my nappy needs changing.  Slow down and observe, and I promise that you will see magic, even in the little things.   

Create a calm, safe, challenging environment where I can do all those things I love to do naturally.  I don't need art cluttering the walls - this creates visual noise.  I don't need the wiggles playing in the background.  I don't need to jump from novelty to novelty.  The whole world is new to me, and I want to explore it safely, at my own pace, with you close by.


Talk to me authentically.  There is no need for baby talk.  Tell me what you are going to do to me, before you do it.  Wait for me to respond to you, even when I don't yet have words.  Observe me, and get to know how I am communicating with you.  Keep your voice low and gentle.  

"We speak in our authentic voices (though a bit more slowly with babies and toddlers), use real words and talk about real things, especially things that directly pertain to our babies and that are happening now. We encourage babies to build communication skills by asking them questions, affording them plenty of time to respond, always acknowledging their communication." - Janet Lansbury

Respect me.  Show me that I am worthy of respect through your words and actions.  I'm sure you mean to, but when you pick me up without telling me first; interrupt my play for a plan of your own - or even a cuddle; talk about me while I am there; feed me without giving me your full attention; rush through that nappy change or dangle that toy in front of my face you are telling me that you don't see me.  You don't hear me.  You don't understand me.

"...you start changing what you do so that you behave as though the baby is a free and equal human being. The easiest way to work out how to do this is ask yourself, “As a free and equal human being, would I like it if this were done to me?” - Pennie Brownlee


Dear Educator, I need you to be the best you can. I need you to keep learning and discovering more about how children learn and develop. I need you to be professional and ethical and practice with authenticity and integrity. I need you to keep working hard toward high quality care. When you do, you help me reach for the stars.



Great places to learn more:

Regarding Baby
Elevating Child Care
Magda Gerber, Seeing Babies with New Eyes
Pennie Browlee
Educaring
Peaceful Parents, Confident Kids


You might also enjoy:

Let's Slow Down: Reflections on RIE
The wonderful World of Educaring



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My pick of Australian Early Childhood Sites

January 26, 2016, 1:45 am
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It seems fitting on Australia day to celebrate the Australian Early Childhood Educators who celebrate play.

I encourage you to add them to your "go to" list of blogs and Facebook pages.

Together, we are strong!




Flights of Whimsy


Inspired EC

Aunt Annie's Childcare
Males in Early Childhood
Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning
Anarchy and the EYLF Pirates
Malarkey

Phoenix Support for Educators

Teacher's Ink
Playing my Way
Niki Buchan Natural Learning
A new Facebook group on the block:

And for giggles:

Craptivities
That should keep you busy for a while!
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Starting the Year Slowly

January 30, 2016, 1:29 am
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When I play outside I am learning

February 5, 2016, 11:38 pm
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Nothing is more Important than the Relationship

February 7, 2016, 11:52 pm
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Relationships in toddler and infant early childhood settings matter.

More than matter.  Relationships are crucial for children's well-being and learning, not just now but in the future.  So why when I look at curriculum plans for nursery and toddler rooms do I struggle to find any mention of relationships amongst the colour recognition, farm animals, numbers and Under the Sea themes?

Do we still lack confidence in sharing what we know to be important?

Do we struggle to find a way to record our planning cycle for infants and toddlers in a way that is meaningful and effective, and not just a watered down version of the preschool curriculum??

  • My challenge to you is to challenge yourself to write about young children's relationships - with self, with others, with their learning environment, with the natural world.


  • My challenge to you is to learn as much as you can about how young children learn and develop, so that you can confidently share it.  So that you can see the little moments for what they are - the big moments. So you can gather a rich record of your discoveries and wonderings about each child.  Educational approaches such as Magda Gerber's Educaring®  approach; brain research; attachment theory - become an expert and then shout it to the rooftops.


  • My challenge to you is to throw away the box system of planning that just beckons you to fill it with busy work, and experiment with new ways of planning that follow the needs of your primary care group of children.  Keep going until you find something that works for you (Hint - there is no magic template!)


Make relationships so central that when you walk into the room you can see it, read about it, feel it, understand it, hear it.  Put the relationships back where they belong - at the very heart of your curriculum.

Please feel free to copy and print the image in this post to display for families - it might make a great starting point for discussion, or a springboard for your pedagogical documentation.  

Or build on it with quotes and snippets of educational research and theory.  Illustrate it with photographic examples from your own room, of different times of the day.  Or pop it up in your team room to prompt documentation about relationships.

How do relationships guide your curriculum decision making?
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Art - process not product

February 14, 2016, 12:10 am
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Always one to guarantee a robust discussion amongst early childhood educators, that thorny old issue of art versus product driven craft has been buzzing around the interwebs again.

Let's ask one of the grand masters of early childhood, Lev Vygotsky what he has to say on the matter.




We have a rich history of early childhood pioneers and theorists who, along with researchers in early childhood and related fields have combined to draw us a clear road map for best practice.   




That map doesn't have detours and side trips for product orientated or teacher directed art and craft experiences.  

Vygotsky didn't say that process was more important than product except when you find something fun or cute on Pinterest that would be perfect for Valentine's Day.   



Magda Gerber said that good quality wasn't enough for children in child care - we need to do even better than that, and I agree.   Children deserve educators who aim for best practice in all they do, and that includes the experiences that we provide.

As early childhood educators we also have a responsibility to our profession to be as professional as we can be. That means making intentional teaching decisions that are informed by what we know about how children learn and develop.  


You won't damage children by going off on these side trips of paper plate fish or hand print creations , but you won't be giving them the best quality experience either.  Nor will you be the best professional you can be.

Let's step away from cookie cutter craft, and offer children daily opportunities to create in a myriad of ways, with quality materials.


Let's make Vygotsky - and those who went before and came after - proud.  

What might process orientated art look like? Here are some readings that will point you in that direction - 

Art is not a Receipt for Child Care - Lisa Murphy
Creative Play in Art and Craft - Gowrie
How Process Art Experiences Support Preschoolers - NAEYC

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Fly the Play Flag

February 19, 2016, 12:11 am
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And never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that we would have to defend children’s right to play.  Nancy Carlsson-Paige 

You and me both Nancy Carlsson-Paige.  

And yet with every passing year we see the push down effect of academic learning and structured programs, heralding the reduction of choice and uninterrupted play in early childhood programs.

If we are to defend the place of play in our early childhood programs, we need to be really, really effective at describing play in action and explaining its value for children’s learning.

If we are to defend the place of play in our early childhood programs, we need to be knowledgeable about how to maximise children's learning through play.   And to share this with families, confidently and often.  


If we are to defend the place of play in our early childhood programs, we need to use this knowledge to document and assess children's learning, and to be very intentional in creating learning environments where children's play can flourish.   And to share this with families confidently, and often.


Parents only want the best for their child.  So let's do our best to show parents that the best for their child is a childhood filled with play, in environments carefully planned and respectfully prepared by supportive and responsive educators who are good at what they do.

Talk about play.  Write about it, describe it, document it, give specific examples about the benefits of play, share the play greats of early childhood.  Support your educators in becoming confident and informed professionals who can stand firm in their knowledge and beliefs, and be proudly accountable for their practice.

Marinate families in the benefits of play.  

Be the voice, go forth and fly the play flag!








 



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Why I Advocate for Play in Early Childhood Services

May 28, 2016, 2:39 am
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I'm an advocate for play in early childhood settings.   


We know that ‘... play shapes the architecture of the brain in unique ways; it links social, creative and cognitive skills’ (Bartlett, 2010)

Play isn't a child's only way of learning.  Of course it isn't.

Play isn't the only practice that our Early Years Learning Framework encourages educators to draw on to promote children's learning.   Educators need to have a rich repertoire of practices up their sleeves, and learning through play is only one of them.

Play is, however,  a powerful way of learning and a child's right, and it's the one I see declining in early childhood settings.  

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms ‘... play as a fundamental right of all children’

I'm not an expert.  I'm not a researcher.  I'm a common garden-variety educator.  

I can, however, report from the trenches that the time and space for play in early childhood settings has declined. Since I started out as a neophyte educator over 20 years ago, I have observed that:  
  • The time children have for self motivated, self directed play has decreased
  • The time and space children have for outdoor play, particularly in natural settings, has decreased 
  • Educators experience pressure from families to include more structured academic activities in their programs
  • The word "play" is being used more to describe what are actually adult led activities
  • Educators are unsure of what their role is in a child's play
  • Educators lack confidence in seeing, describing and facilitating a child's learning in play


The Early Years Learning Framework (p. 46) defines play-based learning as: A context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations.

I am not alone.  

Maggie Dent, in "Stop Stealing Childhood", includes the voices of parents and educators and professionals in related fields expressing similar concerns with the current state of play in Australia.  

Research has also shown that children are spending less time playing outdoors than at any other time in history.  In 2011, a study commissioned by Planet Ark found that there has been a dramatic shift in childhood activity from outdoor play to indoor activity in the space of one generation. 

Many educators today are continually asked to defend the role of play to families who are asking for more academic based school readiness programs.  This is a dominant discourse in our profession and those that argue that it doesn't take place are removed from the day to day realities of an early learning setting.  

It only takes a glance at advertisements for child care centres to see that in today's competitive child care market, many are feeling the pressure to entice families by promoting the academic aspects of their school readiness programs and extra curricula activities.  Play barely rates a mention.  


While it is heartening to see that the movement for natural outdoor environments in early learning services is having an impact in Australia, and there is a rise in "Bush Preschools" where children go out the gate into natural settings, we still have a long way to go toward providing our children with the opportunity to experience the space to play in environments rich in potential for creativity, imagination, discovery, exploration, awe and wonder.

Children need the room to play.

Common reasons put forward for the decline of play in early childhood include:
  • safety concerns, 
  • eroding social capital, 
  • increasing time spent in educational institutions,
  •  a rising belief that "earlier is better", 
  • an emphasis on structured activities

As Tim Gill observes:

More than ever, those of us around the world who are calling for a rethink in the way children live and learn are up against the same pressures: safety fears (and even more insidious, fear of being blamed if a child gets hurt or upset), busy and at times anxious parents, threats to green spaces within and beyond schools and other settings, the growing attractions of the media and the virtual world, and competing political priorities. 

 – Tim Gill, No Fear, 2007. 




Why does the decline in play matter?  The benefits of play are well documented and too numerous to list in any detail.  To give you a taste:

  • The intellectual, social and cognitive benefits of play are well documented.  Neuroscientific studies have shown that play leads to growth in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher mental functions. 

  • Studies in the field of experimental and developmental psychology consistently demonstrate the benefits of play based learning over instructional, approaches to learning in children.

  • UNICEF states that through free play in peer groups children "learn and practise the control of aggression, the management of conflict, the earning of respect and friendship, discussion of feelings, appreciation of diversity, and awareness of the needs and feelings of others." 

Despite these obvious benefits, play in early childhood services continues to decline.

‘... play shapes the architecture of the brain in unique ways; it links social, creative and cognitive skills’ (Bartlett, 2010)

Why does a decline in play matter?

The decrease in play in early childhood can be linked to negative impacts on a child's learning and well-being.  Peter Gray highlights the long term harm early academic training over play based programs can have on our children, especially in the areas of social and emotional development:

"By depriving children of opportunities to play on their own, away from direct adult supervision and control, we are depriving them of opportunities to learn how to take control of their own lives. We may think we are protecting them, but in fact we are diminishing their joy, diminishing their sense of self-control, preventing them from discovering and exploring the endeavors they would most love, and increasing the odds that they will suffer from anxiety, depression, and other disorders."  - Peter Gray



Richard Louv introduced us to the term "nature deficit disorder" in his book "Last Child in the Woods" to describe the negative impact of children spending less time playing outdoors, particularly in natural settings.

A growing body of evidence indicates that nature deficit disorder contributes to higher rates of attention difficulties, obesity, behavioral and emotional problems and a decrease in social, cognitive and creative development.  

‘All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and communities.’ (Playwork Principles Scrutiny Group 2005)
A decline in play also has negative impacts on vulnerable or disadvantaged children, and children with additional needs.  Speech pathologist Amanda Styles writes in Maggie Dent's "Stop Stealing Childhood in the Name of Education"

“Now, with the push for early formalised learning, these children are even more at risk for developing behavioural, learning, social and emotional difficulties. They will lag ever further behind their peers and as we are already seeing, there will be significant increases in concurrent problems (e.g. behavioural issues within the classrooms). Instead of having the much needed time to further develop their oral language development, self- regulatory skills and social ­emotional maturity through the much needed play experiences their attention is pushed towards formal literacy and numeracy training. "

"Perhaps most worrying, a number of studies have documented the loss of play opportunities for children over the second half of the 20th century and demonstrated a clear link with increased indicators of stress and mental health problems." - David Whitebread 
Who is advantaged when we make room for structured, academic learning at the expense of play?  In 2010 The Gesell Institute for Human Development conducted a study that asked the following questions:  
  • Have kids gotten smarter? 
  • Can they learn things sooner? 
  • What effect has modern culture had on child development?  

The answers were no, no and no.

Studies comparing groups of children in New Zealand who started formal literacy lessons at age 5 and 7 indicated that the early introduction of formal learning approaches to literacy does not improve children’s reading development, and may even be damaging. 

This is not an overwhelming case for reducing the time and space for play.


Advocating for play does not mean advocating against intentional teaching.  

Advocating for play does not mean leaving children to their own devices and placing teachers in the role of supervisors.  A quality play based curriculum relies on responsive educators who are able to sensitively observe and interact with children using their professional knowledge to support children's learning and well-being and make informed and intentional curriculum decisions.

Advocating for play does not mean letting children make all the decisions, or to be guided completely by their interests.  The vital importance of qualified and experienced educators cannot, and should not be underestimated.

Advocating for play does not mean creating a divide between structured vs unstructured, or adult led vs child led experiences.  We understand that adults have a role in learning through play, but also, as Lennie Barblett states:

"Being affirms a child's right to play without undue focus on adult desired goals for activities. So have a good look around your centre and there should be a fine balance between child initiated play activities and teacher directed or educator directed. Have a good look at what you're doing and what you're calling play. Because I've been in some centres and what they call play-based learning is not. Be very careful. Have a good look. "

Advocating for play does not mean simply trotting out the good old "Play is a child's work" or "Play is how children learn".  Advocating for play is helping people to see the value in play, in observing play, in interpreting play, in planning for play, in creating environments for play, in documenting learning through play, in articulating play and in making the learning visible to children, families and our community.  

"Early childhood educators need to be articulate, to be able to justify clearly, provide evidence for and proclaim the benefits of play-based learning. The EYLF (2009) is based on sound, proven early childhood pedagogy and practice principles. However, for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it."

- Lennie Barblett 


I advocate for play, not because I have a narrow view of how children learn and develop, but because I can see that the time and space for play in early childhood settings is decreasing.  I advocate for play because it is a fundamental human right for all children, regardless of age, gender, culture, class or ability.

‘We must exercise caution and not make it too much an object of adult gaze. Children’s play belongs to children; adults should tread lightly when considering their responsibilities in this regard, being careful not to colonise or destroy children’s own places for play through insensitive planning or the pursuit of other adult agendas, or through creating places and programmes that segregate children and their play. Adults should be aware of the importance of play and take action to promote and protect the conditions that support it. The guiding principle is that any intervention to promote play acknowledges its characteristics and allows sufficient flexibility, unpredictability and security for children to play freely.’ 

 - Lester and Russell 2010

I will continue to advocate for play.  Will you join me?

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A Place for Joy

June 1, 2016, 3:03 am
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We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion. - Max de Pree


15 years ago I was deep in a search for a preschool for my son James. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, but trusted that I'd know when I stumbled across it. .

One morning we visited a small preschool tucked away on the edge of our nearby bush land.  It was love at first sight for me, and for James.  The space and the touch of wildness to the outdoors had me at "hello", and James was besotted with the old rickety bridge.

The old rickety bridge - much loved.



As I walked and chatted with the director through an outdoor area full of natural nooks and crannies, we came across three children engrossed in mixing water into dirt that was already wet from recent rain.  

"Watch this!" said one child delightedly, flinging a muddy glob to the ground.  "We are making art" she said

The director turned to me smiling, and asked: "Can you see their joy?"

Boom.  I knew then that I wanted a place where James had the time, the space and the permission to experience the joy and freedom of play.  I knew then that I wanted teachers who understood that this was important.  


Fast forward 15 years, and the time and space that children have for free play is being eroded.  

We feel the need to pick apart play to match to objectives, and plan follow up experiences.  Intentional teaching seems to have become another word for "activity".  We create spaces for play that lend themselves more to adult sensibilities, rather spaces that beckon to children, spark their curiosity and encourage them to wonder, dream and imagine.

Don't children have the right to play without undue focus on adult desired goals for planned activities?  Is there a place for free play in our preschools today?



The very idea of "being" in our Early Years Learning Framework recognises the significance of children being present in the moment and engaging with life's joy and challenges.  

Living Practice with the EYLF tells us:

Being is about children having the chance to just be themselves. It is about allowing children the time to grow at their own pace rather than feeling that we should always be rushing them onto the next stage in their lives. Childhood does not have to be hurried. Sometimes the best preparation for being five (or four, or three, or two…) is to be four (or three, or two, or one) for a whole year. Time for “being” allows children to: 

• experience the joy and wonder of childhood; 
• learn about themselves and who they are; 
• develop deep and satisfying relationships; and 
• become fully involved with new ideas and interests.

If we over manage and over schedule children's play, if we give children less time to simply "be", do we take away an essential freedom that leads to creativity, imagination, discovery, experimentation, exploration - and joy?



This preschool nurtured the joy and wonder of childhood for my children.  It gave me some very special gifts as well.  In fact, it changed me as a teacher.

This preschool ignited the joy in teaching.    It taught me a different way of seeing and being with children.  It taught me to trust, and let go my tightly held teaching reins, and to delight in magic that happened when I did.  

This preschool taught me the benefits of slowing down.  There is so much to be in awe of when we stop and look at the children in front of us.  Slowing down gives us the space to "be" and to find the beauty and magic in the everyday.

There is a place for joy for joy's sake in early childhood programs.  If we value the joy and wonder of childhood, let's slow down and make time for it to flourish.

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.   - Albert Einstein


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Educators: Protectors of children's space

July 9, 2016, 7:26 pm
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In my job I make babies cry. 


I certainly don't mean to.  I visit different centres, and sometimes this means entering the spaces of infants and young toddlers.  When I walk into a nursery, I sense a shift in the atmosphere. There is a stranger in the room.  A 5 ft 11" giant.  At the very least, my presence interrupts play and children stop what they are doing.  Sometimes they tense and go still, like Meerkats on high alert.  At the very worst, they cry.   

Imagine for a moment you are in the sanctuary of your own home, and a couple of strangers walked in and wandered around, and then left.  Imagine this happened again, and again. How would you feel?  What would this do to your stress levels?  To your feelings of safety? Could you feel ownership over a space that clearly wasn't your own?  Is this what it feels like for our youngest children?


Only about Children Cremorne

I pondered this as I sat quietly, observing last week in a nursery room, soaking in the atmosphere.  It was lovely.  The physical environment was uncluttered, and visually calming, educators sitting on the floor, children on laps or close by.  Calm and unhurried.  Nothing more important to be doing than to be together and get to know each other.  It was clear that supporting these little people, some who were very new to the centre, to slowly build that sense of trust in their surroundings and in their relationships was the priority.

One child braved leaving the safety of her primary caregiver's lap to explore the climbing equipment set up in the room.  What a big moment!  Suddenly the door opened - a family had arrived to collect their son.  She froze, started to cry, and hurried over to the comforting lap.  Wide eyes watching, more tears as they leave.
Only about Children Cammeray
  
Each door opening heightens the unease of the children.  Tears, seeking comfort.  Doors opening, new people entering and leaving, memories of their mum or dad doing the same thing, feelings of separation re-emerging, mixed with discomfort.  

There is nothing more important than creating a sense of security and safety for our children in early childhood settings.  Children separating from their families for the first time are experiencing not just anxiety, but stress in a totally new world, with giants they don't know comforting, feeding and changing them, and putting them to sleep. Strangers performing intimate caregiving tasks in unfamiliar and unpredictable surroundings.

How often do we allow 'giants' to intrude into a space we want children to feel is their own?What impact does the foot traffic throughout the day, or our own voices and movements have on their levels of stress?  How often do we unintentionally add to what is already a stressful environment with our voices, our movements or our desire to constantly rearrange the room and resources?


Only about Children Turramurra

Becoming a protector or guardian of a child's space, and reflecting on our own actions through a lens of respect for the children as individuals goes a long way toward creating an emotionally safe and secure environment where children can build trusting relationships with the people in it.       
    As Pennie Brownlee says:

    "We will stay alert and stand up to protect the children in our care from harm. Like the Meerkats we will oversee our environments - and the influences in it - with vigilance. When we get it right we might even hear the soft ‘peep peeping’ of contented babies, talking among each other, signalling that all is well."


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    Be the Spark that Ignites the Flame

    July 15, 2016, 9:43 pm
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    Emmi Pikler ignited a flame that changed the lives of the young children at Loczy, a home for children in Budapest, and continues to inspire parents and educators to this day.  


    Light years ahead of  her time, Pikler understood just how important the relationship between infant and carer, the care moments, free movement, self initiated play choices and uninterrupted play time were to a child's healthy development and wellbeing.  


    Source:  The Pikler Collection


    Magda Gerber, mentored by Emmi Pikler, traveled to Los Angeles and carried the flame with her.  Gerber's Educaring® Approach incorporates:

    "...a deep respect and appreciation of the baby as more than a helpless object, Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach encourages infants and adults to trust each other, learn to problem solve, and embrace their ability for self-discovery. When allowed to unfold in their own way and in their own time, children discover and inspire the best in themselves and in others."
    - Resources for Infant Educarers

    Gerber founded Resources for Infant Educarers, or RIE®, an organization that continues to teach her Educaring® approach to this day.  RIE® has a mission to:

    "Through our approach which honors infants and young children as equal members in relationships, we are dedicated to creating a culture of people who are authentic, resourceful and respectful. Our work is inspired by the natural integrity of infants and the formative power of relationships in their lives. When allowed to unfold in their own way and in their own time, children discover, manifest and inspire the best in themselves and in others. We are profoundly committed to sharing the opportunity to see infants with new eyes."


    Source



    RIE ®associate Polly Elam, mentored by Magda Gerber, traveled to Australia carrying the flame to a group of Sydney educators attending the 2 week RIE® Foundations: Theory and Observation Course.  As one of the lucky participants, my eyes were opened to new  possibilities of a being with, and learning from babies within the context of an early childhood service.  

    Janet Lansburyand Lisa Sunbury Gerber carry the flame through their online presence in their blogs and on Facebook.  Generous in the sharing of their knowledge and experience to newbies like me, Janet and Lisa are both inspiring and supporting parents and educators alike from all over the world.  


    Source


    We can't all create change on the level of these inspiring women but we can make a difference to the children in our care. 


    We can examine our core values and beliefs, and learn as much as we can about how young children learn, play and develop.  

    We can think  about what we believe to be important in an infant curriculum.  

    We can understand the power of relationships; respect infants as individuals and trust in them as phenomenal learners. 

    We can give children the power to make their own play choices, and the time to follow their own play agendas.  

    We can mentor.  We can share.  We can advocate.  We can model.

    We can be the spark that ignites the flame in our own learning community.

    Our babies deserve it!









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    Passive toys make active learners

    July 31, 2016, 1:52 am
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    Long time readers of this blog will know that I have long been a fan of the theory of loose parts.  

    My experience at a preschool rich in loose parts showed me that children's play is enriched in ways almost too many to list when children have time, freedom and access to an array of interesting, opened ended materials both indoors and outdoors.  Loose parts are, quite simply, the essential raw ingredients for creative and imaginative play.

    Loose parts go hand in hand with children's play schemas - those repeated urges we see in their play that children seem to be irresistibly drawn to time and time again.  Team your loose parts to be responsive and supportive of the schemas you are observing and you really can't go wrong!

    Loose parts go hand in hand with schemas

    Since spending more and more time in the world of infants, it has become abundantly clear that simple, open ended materials also open up a world of play opportunities for even our youngest children.    

    Magda Gerber referred to these as passive play objects.  She says:

    "None do anything.  They will only respond when the infant activates them.  In other words our active infant manipulates passive objects."

    If we believe that babies are amazing learners and intrepid explorers of their world, then doesn't it make perfect sense to resource our nursery and toddler rooms with materials that spark curiosity, ignite the imagination, encourage exploration and can be used in a myriad of different ways?     


    Recently I had the pleasure of observing children at play with passive objects.  In a room full of resources, what captured this child's attention, and held her focus?  Small boxes with lids, silver bowls, mixing cups and hair rollers.  

    They may look deceptively simple, yet open-ended objects are the resources that are most likely to be used over and over, and stimulate the imagination, creative thinking and problem solving of children regardless of the age. 

    Meanwhile, this child - not yet crawling but by no means immobile - was exploring a simple piece of fabric:


    These silver bowls were in high demand.  They nest inside each other, and are perfect for the gathering, carrying, emptying and mixing that toddlers love to do:


    When children play with passive play objects like these, they begin to manipulate them in increasingly complex ways.  This allows them to 

    "really plan and scheme and use physical objects as tools.  By the time babies are eighteen months old, they understand quite complicated things about how objects affect each other.” (Gopnik, Meltzoff, Kuly).

    What passive play objects would I recommend for nursery or toddler rooms? Here are some examples that I have been seeing recently.   












    Here are some ideas I spotted in Kmart recently:




    Magda Gerber (1986) states, 


    “play objects for infants need to be those which the infant can look at,touch, grasp, hold, mouth, and manipulate endlessly, never repeating the same experience. It is easy to find such objects in your own kitchen or in a dime store.”
     Whatever you choose to call them - loose parts, open ended toys, passive play objects, once you embrace them in your classroom it can change the way you purchase resources and intentionally set up your infant and toddler learning environment.   

    What can you see to add to your collection?


    If you would like to learn more, here are some wonderful places to visit:

    6 Gifts that encourage child directed play - Janet Lansbury
    Creative toys engage babies - Janet Lansbury
    Simple infant toys make things happen - The Child Centred
    Better toys for busy babies - Janet Lansbury
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    Why I love what I do

    August 6, 2016, 1:51 am
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    Long time readers of Let the Children Play will be familiar with the big themes in my professional life:  Progressive education, loose parts for play, outdoor play - preferably in natural settings, creating environments for play and more recently respectful education and care for infants, inspired by Magda Gerber's educaring (r) approach.


    When something clicks with me, I get my teeth stuck in and I don't let go!  This is one of those very exciting aspects of early childhood education.  There is always a world of possibility open in front of you to delve into, try on for size and see if it is the right fit for you, and for the children and families you work with.

    I've been wondering exactly what it is about these overarching big ideas that have hooked me, and haven't let me go.  What is it that continues to excite me, inspire me and wish to the gods that I had my own centre where I could put everything that swims around in my head into practice?

    What is it about progressive education, uninterrupted play, loose parts and the freedom, time and space to use them and the educaring approach that just seem to make so much sense to me that it is virtually a no-brainer?


    I think it comes down to a basic belief that children are, quite simply, more amazing than we give them credit for.  Children come into this world as phenomenal learners, intrepid explorers and seekers of knowledge and understanding.

    All of the big ideas in early childhood education that I hold dear - as diverse as they are - take children seriously.  This is what clicks.

    For example:

    Progressive education and the educaring approachactive participants both advocate for a "doing with" rather than a "doing to" approach.  They encourage us to see children - no matter how young - as active participants in learning.

    Loose parts invite children to make their own play choices and play spaces without adult agenda and to become scientists, creators, engineers, collaborators that they are.  

    Playing outdoors, in natural spaces, opens up a world of possibility and opportunity for children that simply aren't available indoors, and gives them the opportunity to develop connections to their natural world.



    The learning environment as the third teacher recognises the power that environments have to either hinder or support children's engagement and learning.  It goes beyond the physical arrangement of space, and encourages us to truly understand the children using the space to create places, relationships and routines that respect children as the amazing learners that they are.

    If you hold this belief at the heart of your practice, then your goal becomes not to impart your own knowledge or agendas onto children, but to create a physical and emotional environment where children can do what they do naturally, and best.



    Letting go of the need to control, or to "teach" doesn't mean that there is no longer a place for the educator. Far from it. 

    All of these big ideas place teachers in the role of facilitator, keen observer, life long learner and collaborator who sets the scene for play and learning to flourish.  You need to be flexible, intuitive, knowledgeable, empathetic, curious, creative, interested, prepared, connected and to think quickly on your feet.  

    All of these big ideas invite us to watch in awe and wonder as children's learning unfolds, and to share the joy and excitement of the children.  

    Children really are phenomenal learners.  When we trust in that, amazing things happen.  Being able to witness it, and to share in it - this is what I love.  





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    Unexpected loose parts for play

    August 7, 2016, 4:44 pm
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    I was out walking today with the very lovely Juliet Robertson from Creative Star Learning who is in town sharing her passion and expertise with educators around Australia.

    We started talking loose parts, as you do.

    I was reminded of a red and blue plastic slide that we had at my old preschool.  It is one you see in backyards all over the place, and I always felt that being plastic and a bit naff it was out of place in our natural setting.  

    But it was gifted to us, and we put it out to see what would happen.  Turns out, the children shared none of my aversion to plastic fantastic and it soon became an oft used "loose part", used in ways we would never have dreamed.


    It was the perfect size and weight to be dragged by one child, or carted by two.  And it was - dragged and carted all over the place.


    While rarely used for what it was intended by us adult sized people, it was perfect for jumping off, flinging things down, holding things up or blocking things off.

    Where I saw an ugly plastic slide, they saw potential.


    The play-a-bility of this slide made it a keeper.  But it wasn't the slide itself that made it a successful addition to our outdoor space.  It was the permission the children had to use it in their own play plans.


    If we were precious about keeping it in one place, or "slides are for sliding down" the slide would have ceased to become a valuable loose part and remained a slide, neglected for the most part.

    The potential and possibility of this, and of any, loose part be it natural, found or man made lies in the permission the children have to use them and in the time for uninterrupted play and exploration they have to create, imagine, scheme, construct, experiment, practice and revisit.

    When we give children this permission, we are respecting their own play choices and empowering them to follow through on all the glorious plans and imaginings they have swimming around in their heads.  

    With permission, the slide could become anything they wanted it to.  Without permission, it would remain an ugly piece of plastic.

    Needless to say, the slide stayed and proudly took it's place among an eclectic mix of loose parts.  


    None of them pretty to the adult eye, but all so immensely useful to children on a mission!

    What unexpected loose parts are in play in your setting?

    Like more information on loose parts?


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    Let the Babies Play

    March 5, 2017, 12:41 am
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    There's a new kid on the block.  Or baby, to be precise.

    Let the Children Play has branched off to form Let the Babies Play, a Facebook page with a mission to:

    Shine the light on infants and toddlers as the phenomenal learners, scientists, communicators, relationship builders, intrepid explorers of the world and uniquely individual human beings that we now know them to be.


    Why a new page just for babies?

    The first three years of a child's life are are unique:
    • They are the most critical years in shaping the brain's architecture.   
    • They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
    • Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life.
    Unique years deserve a unique page!

    If you are a parent or educator of infants and toddlers then I invite you to hop on over and have a look:



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