A parent shared a story with me the other night that she was sure would put a smile on my face. It did. She picked up her two year old from school and asked her where they should have dinner that evening. Her two year old replied, “In the city of Nineveh!” Her mother tried to explain that Nineveh was very far away and that perhaps they could choose another place. The mom called me to thank me and the teachers for doing such a good job of teaching her young child about her Judaism. I was proud of our staff and touched that this family took time out of their evening to tell me the story. We are all so blessed to have such a wonderful connection. The next day I asked this sweet little girl where she had eaten dinner the night before and she said most definitely, “Nineveh!” Wherever they ended up eating was definitely a far away place to her and she enjoyed it even if it was Mimi’s Café.
The truly beautiful part of this story is that besides the family sharing it with us, that a two year old heard the story of Jonah and brought it into her life in the only way she knew and retained what she had heard because it was told in such a way that it delighted all of her senses. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all of our teachers who create these types of experiences in their classrooms. (Next month watch as we highlight another family who has been especially touched by our ECC)
The experience in the three-year-old room took a different turn. Less interested in the city Jonah was charged in saving and more interested in the actual ocean that he fell into before being swallowed by the giant fish, the threes took another approach entirely. They chose to explore the ocean. What it looked like, how deep it may have been, the colors and shapes Jonah certainly saw there and what it felt like. They created a mural with a variety of textures, shapes and colors depicting their take on the story.
Emergent curriculum, that is curriculum that becomes child-directed after a concept is introduced is an amazing way to teach and an even more amazing way to learn. Just as each child has their own personality, so too does each teaching partnership and each cohesive mini-community inside each classroom. Some classes choose to explore concepts through dramatic play, others through art, and others, like our three year old class, go in a direction that explores an aspect otherwise not uncovered. Our teachers, too, learn from our children. It becomes a symbiotic relationship and is dynamic and ever changing.
The ability to think for themselves and problem solve is one of the most important concepts we can impart on our young children. Life skills and social and emotional readiness come from independent play, positive behavior modeling and strong self- esteem. This is all possible when you let go of the control over where the story takes you and see where the children lead. Just as I am sure (I hope and pray) that as parents you would not tell your child as they are drawing a blue horse that a horse cannot be blue (remember The Wizard of Oz?), I urge you to look for avenues in your life that safely allow your children to explore and experience their environment unencumbered with the traditional roles we expect them to take. Let them “read” the book to you. They will tell you the story they want you to hear. After you read a story to them instead of saying “Did you like that?” ask them an open-ended question, such as, “How did you feel when the little bat lost his mother?” Our children are completely capable of deep meaningful conversations. We just have to allow them to go there. Try it and when your little one says something you didn’t expect, email it to me (see below) because I would love to hear about it!
As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, I am reminded of all in my Temple Chai world to be thankful for. I am grateful for the parents who call me with the anecdotes and praises of a program they believe in. I am equally thankful when they tell their friends to visit us. The children in our school bring a light to my life that is immeasurable, and the parents who loan their little souls to us each day are generous in their own right. Thank you to all our amazing teachers who make our classes bright and inquisitive, safe and secure. You are all magical! Each month you can “meet” some of them here. Thank you to our Assistant Director, Francine Sumner who helps guide the teachers on their journey and Teri Cohen for keeping everything in order. I am lucky and hope this Thanksgiving you feel the same way. My wish for you all is to find much to be thankful for in your lives, enjoy your families and have a meaningful Thanksgiving holiday.
L’Shalom,
Debbie
