Blog #10

What I’ve learned throughout this semester…One of many things I’ve learned throughout this semester is how important documentation and assessment can be.  Children are always learning; Through their drawings, their interactions, their daily experiences both in and out of school, and especially through their play.  Children tell stories, their story in specific, to peers and with teachers.  I always think back to a strategy I learned at my job and they call it powerful interactions.  You stay present, clear the static around you and enter play with children to understand them on a different level, on their individual view of the world.  Not only do we go to work everyday with a plan in mind, but children come to school with a plan as well, not knowing what exactly it is until they discover, explore and investigate what the world actually means to them.  I learn so much from children, just as the children come to school to learn so much about what we have to teach them.  I’ve always had a fixed mindset, with one plan in mind and one plan only.  Over the years, I’ve leanred to be open-minded, to explore what children are learning through their lens and expand from there.  From my math class I had last semester, I leanred about what it means to have a growth mindset.  To me, it meant being open to explore different possibilities with different outcomes.  Every child is different, and they each come to us with different thoughts, experiences and new knowledge to share.  We are their facilitators to help guide and expand their knowledge.  We are their advocators, there to listen to each one of their unique stories that they have to share and share out and pull the pieces together as they do with puzzles.  Documentation and assessment does just that.  It helps us to understand where they are coming from and encourage them to be unique, to be special in their own little ways when no one else is there to do it for them, to help them.  Yes, home is their first teacher, but when they come to us, we are there to pick them up and discover the possibilities they can go.  I’ve always admired the saying by Dr. Seuss, “Oh! The places you’ll go!”  Children have that spark in each of them, I want to be there to help bring that spark out to let them shine. 

What continues to challenge me?  Finding that balance, of course, of time.  With all the things we have to check off our list of things to do, being fully and completely present in their play seems to be hindered by all these distractions that we are expected to follow as part of our “job description.”  Yes, it can be meaningful when we learned how to do our job and to account for it, but I feel at this age, just allowing children that space to explore and being comfortable with being in a social setting with others to explore with should be enough.  If so much is expected of us, then why not give us more time to have in checking off our list?  We are expected to be present and to make sure that the ratio is covered and we are on the floor most of our days, then why not give us days where we can reflect and process.  It feels like time flies are we just continue on checking off our list to make sure standards are being met and deadlines are being met.  I continue to ask myself, what is more important…checklists and deadlines or those precious times we have with them to unfold and make visible of what they can already do?  And for what they can’t, to find ways that they can discover for themselves instead forcing them to know this, this and that?  Of course, it doesn’t seem realistic, I guess.  But in my mind, where are they(whoever above is creating standards and expectations) coming from in presenting these goals?  Is there a purpose that I’m not getting?  Challenges will always arise when it comes to teaching because I feel there is no one way of doing it.  Every single person is different and who are we to say this is how it has to be?  But I know for one thing, this is where I a meant to be because I love what I do and I love working with children.  It’s a very rewarding job, yet can be super exhausting.

What will I take with me into my classroom?  Well, I’ve been using Work Sampling, for one, as a way to assess and document what children can and can’t do, so I would continue inputting data and really pay attention to their stories and try to tell it that way.  Learning stories is one goal I want to try, and really bring out their conversations and stories in their play.  What’s hard is that with so much that goes on in the classroom, I find it hard to really listen to them.  I feel like we are constantly reactive and don’t have that space to be fully present in their learning.  We have schedules to follow and things to do to check off our list of things to do.  But I will definitely try to be present and document their stories.

What I would like to learn more about?  At the moment, I can’t really think of anything I would like to learn more about.  Maybe getting children to be fully engaged in their play.  Does that even make sense? I’m not sure if it’s something I’m doing or not doing, I mean I’m not the only one in the classroom, but at times I do.  Are the things we are teaching or putting out for them meaningful? Exciting? I used to find my job fun and exciting, but now I feel like it’s just a job.  A job that is so stressing and not fun anymore.  Or could it just be the amount of things I have on my plate both at work and at home?  Maybe I have so much distractions outside of school that I can’t focus all my attention and do my job to its fullest?  It’s nice to always learn new things and ways I could be better at my job, but I know that I just have too much on my plate to handle, even during this COVID-19 going on.  Times are rough, but we get through it, one way or another.  They say it only makes you stronger, but does it really?  Because I feel burnt out.  I’m too busy trying to wonder woman that I don’t find anything interesting for myself to do.  I can’t even find time to do self-care for myself, to refuel my energy.  Life takes it right out of you, out of me.  Work, school, home…at least when this is all done, I can say that I had a very productive life.  Will it be worth it?  I sure hope so

Thank you for all the support and many things I got out of this class.  It was a good way to come to an end in my educational career.  I’ve always wanted to reach for the highest possibilities, maybe a Master’s degree, but I feel like once I finish this journey(hopefully next semester, but even that has been a challenge and it didn’t even start yet), my focus will be for family and my job.  Maybe then will I find the balance I’ve been looking for.  Mahalo!