| Description | | LET GO…AND EMPOWER CHILDREN
THIS POWERFUL WORKSHOP EXPLORES THE FACT THAT ADULTS DO WAY TOO MUCH FOR CHILDREN. OVER-PLANNED ENVIRONMENTS, ADULT-EXPECTATIONS THAT REMOVE THE OPEN-ENDED POTENTIAL FROM MATERIALS, PREVENTING CONFLICT AND NOT ALLOWING CHILDREN THE FREEDOM TO THINK OF THEIR OWN IDEAS ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT ADULTS ABSOLUTELY MUST LET GO. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEAVE WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF NOT ONLY THE THINGS THEY DO THAT HAVE REMOVED VALUABLE LEARNING FROM CHILDREN, BUT ALSO EXACTLY WHAT THAT VALUABLE LEARNING IS, AND WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT. YOU WILL BE INSPIRED TO LET GO.. AND EMPOWER CHILDREN. PARTICIPANTS WILL REALIZE THAT, NO MATTER HOW WELL-INTENTIONED, WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY DOING “FOR CHILDREN” IS ACTUALLY STRIPPING AWAY VALUABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
THE ART OF PATIENCE: RESPECTING WHAT MUST COME BEFORE
I HAVE HELD SO MANY LITTLE, UNMOTIVATED HANDS IN MY LIFE; IMPATIENTLY FORCING THEM TO WRITE. I’VE USED MEANINGLESS ROTE TEACHING METHODS JUST TO HURRY UP AND CHECK THE BOXES THAT A CHILD “KNOWS” THEIR NUMBERS AND LETTERS WAY BEFORE THEY HAD A NEED FOR THEM. MY EYES HAVE SINCE BEEN OPEN TO THE ERROR IN MY WAYS. I NOW FULLY UNDERSTAND WHEN ADULTS ARE PATIENT, AND GIVE CHILDREN TIME TO DEVELOP WHAT MUST COME FIRST, THE TASK OF READING AND WRITING ARE FULL OF JOY. THIS WORKSHOP IS ALL ABOUT IDENTIFYING AND RESPECTING THE "BEFORE" SKILLS ALONG WITH SIMPLE, OPEN-ENDED MATERIAL IDEAS THAT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO DEVELOP ALL THAT MUST BE DEVELOPED BEFORE WRITING, READING AND USING NUMBER KNOWLEDGE. PATIENTLY AND RESPECTFULLY FOCUSING ON WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT NOW LEADS TO JOYFUL SUCCESS LATER.
“THERE IS NO “RIGHT WAY” TO PLAY WITH ACORNS: FOSTERING AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT”
BUZZ WORDS LIKE “LOOSE PARTS” HAVE CREATED A MINDSET THAT HAS FORGOTTEN THAT THE ENVIRONMENT WE CREATE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN THE “STUFF” WE PUT IN IT. WHEN ADULTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT “THE RIGHT WAY TO PLAY WITH ACORNS”, OR PRESENT OPEN-ENDED MATERIALS IN SUCH AWAY THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER “OPEN-ENDED” THERE IS AN ERROR IN OUR WAYS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY MUST STOP AND FIX. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IS JUST ONE COMPONENT. ARGUABLY, MORE IMPORTANT IS THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF THE ENVIRONMENT. NOT ONLY WILL “AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT” BE FULLY DEFINED, PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO HAVE MOMENTS TO PAUSE, AND EVALUATE THEIR PRACTICE WITH CHILDREN. THERE WILL BE HARD CONVERSATIONS: IS THERE FREEDOM IN THE ENVIRONMENT YOU HAVE CREATED FOR CHILDREN? DO CHILDREN FEEL THEIR IDEAS ARE RESPECTED? DO THEY FEEL TRUSTED? ARE CHILDREN FREE TO OWN DISCOVERIES? IS THE ENVIRONMENT READY FOR THE IDEAS OF THE CHILDREN? ARE CHILDREN ABLE TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES? WHO IS IN CONTROL? WHO NEEDS TO BE IN CONTROL? THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS EVER BEEN CONCERNED THAT CHILDREN ARE NOT PLAYING WITH THE ACORNS CORRECTLY.
AGENDA:
8:30AM -9AM: SIGN IN & WELCOME
9AM - 11AM: KEYNOTE
11:AM -11:30AM - LUNCH
11:30AM -1:30PM WORKSHOP
1:30PM -1:45PM BREAK
1:45PM - 3:15PM - WORKSHOP
3:15PM -3:30PM WRAP UP/CLOSING |
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| Audience | | Audience: Early Care and Education Professionals |
