Inner Inspirations

Reflections from Early Childhood Teacher, Laila Muller

Out in the yard, a child stops, gasping, “I saw a bobcat tail!” Movement in the oak grove sparks a flurry of wondering. Kids run to the fence to peer through the clear morning light, speculating. “Here’s my clue – the scratch was that way, so the bobcat is going to the meadow.” “I’m doing what a bobcat would do. So, where would I go? This is definitely a bobcat area!” Teachers bring out binoculars, then set up a center – cat figurines, books, tree cookies, and a prompt, “What do you know about cats?” This moment leads to many others – one encounter shared, magnified, and deepened.

Children learn continuously, drinking in the world through their senses, then work to make sense of their experiences. A teacher’s role is to be aware of influences and moments affecting kids, and to support and expand their thinking. Learning lives in everyday occurrences, such as a child scraping their knee, discovering how a ball rolls down a slope, or feeling the texture of mud between their toes.

Capable and compassionate, children seek caring relationships. They need to feel seen and heard, in order to feel safe enough to be vulnerable and take risks.

Capable and compassionate, children seek caring relationships. They need to feel seen and heard, in order to feel safe enough to be vulnerable and take risks. Supportive adults help them to learn to communicate their feelings and meet their needs. Children need ample time to practice considering other points of view and ways of being, which lays the groundwork for kids to promote inclusivity, celebrate diversity, and feel a sense of belonging.

Parenting adults, who are sending their little one away from them, often for the first time in their lives, also need to feel a sense of trust and reassurance.

Parenting adults, who are sending their little one away from them, often for the first time in their lives, also need to feel a sense of trust and reassurance. They are looking for guidance and ideas, and need to be seen and valued for who they are as they develop their relationship with their child and their child’s school. Plenty of documentation gives them a window into the learning at school, framing the precious moments of joy and growth that are taking place. It also gives teachers time to reflect on the learning that is emerging to highlight themes that are arising and guide next steps to take with children.

In early childhood, kids are full of wide-eyed wonder. The light that shines from them, the questions they ask, and the intensity with which they feel are not yet tempered by time or prior beliefs. Having the space to follow their interests and build moments together is one of the great joys of being with children at this age. It’s a precious opportunity to bask in their light – and to learn from and alongside them.