If there's a problem- Yo! You'll Solve It!

He came into class with an idea on his mind...

L: "I want to make a Canada flag..."

Student Teacher: "I have a maple leaf here with these other leaves."

L: takes leaf over to his seat, brings over some red paint and paper, and paints over the leaf. He pulls up the leaf, leaving the imprint behind. "A flag!" he exclaims- incredibly proud of his work. He then rolled some paper together to make the flag staff.

But L knew it wasn't quite right. He couldn't figure out what it was, but he set it aside for the day. This morning, he came in, looked at what he had created, and figured out what the problem was- it needed white on the sides. So he "fixed" it. 

Is it an exact replica? No. The colours are a little mixed up. But that's ok. He's figuring things out on his own, and there's a good chance he'll come into class tomorrow and want to redo it. 

This is a student who can be very rigid in his thinking. Things either are or they are not. They are either right or they are wrong. And leaving something not quite right would have really bothered him at the beginning of the year. But, since the beginning of the year we have been working on problem solving. We have been learning to put things aside when we're stuck and not worry over them. We have learned that it's ok to not get it right the first time. It's hard work, this building self-regulation business, this building resilience. Hard work, yes, but it is oh, so worth it! And THIS! This is the work of a Kindergartener. 

Yesterday I was a bit blue, and feeling a tad bit sorry for myself, because I felt a bit alone in my teaching world. But then today happened. And it reaffirms everything I believe about children. I am so grateful to live and work in a place that honours its children through play based learning in kindergarten. 

That's it. That's the blog post...

 Sometimes, when you are a classroom teacher, your administration comes up with an idea that you cannot support. It isn't a bad idea- but it goes against everything you believe about how students learn. So, when that happens, lots of your colleagues will say they agree with you, but they will still go along with what the administrator wants to do. They aren't bad either, and many have some very valid reasons why they won't speak out. But when you are the only one to stand up and say, "I can't support this because..." it is really fucking lonely. 

That's it. That's the blog post. Standing up for what you believe in in education can be very lonely. 

We Can Work It Out

Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.

- Confucius

Yesterday I was able to witness one of the very best moments of my teaching career. I was working on one side of the room while the students were playing. Suddenly, I could hear yelling coming from the other side, and looked up to see two boys yelling at each other. They were obviously having a disagreement about something in their play. I stood back to watch how they would work it out, ready to step in if needed, but knowing they needed their own time and space to problem solve. My instinct proved to be accurate as the two boys went from yelling at each other to talking. It wasn't long before each understood the others' perspective. I thought it might end there, with them going off to finish their play, but I was in for the best treat. All of the sudden, they put their arms around each other and gave a hug. In the span of three minutes they went from yelling, to calmly discussing, to hugging. It was one of those transitions you wish you could have caught on tape. It reminded me of another incident a few years ago. A similar situation- students playing and having a problem with what one was doing. They were discussing the problem, sometimes the voices got loud, but they were working through the problem. I had a substitute Educational Assistant in for the day, and she walked over to interrupt their discussion to ask them if they could find a way to work it out. One of them calmly looked at her and said matter of factly, "We are." And they were. They didn't need another voice in there to tell them how to do things.

And this is the gift we give our students when we step back and let them be instead of swooping in to save the day. 

-We give them the gift of confidence. 

-We give them the gift of problem solving. 

-We give them the gift of maturity. 

Five year olds are capable. They don't need us as much as we may think. They know what the rules of their games are, they know what they are willing to tolerate in their work and play. Stepping aside and allowing them to work through problems, even if they get loud, is the very best we can do for them.

So, the next time it gets a little loud in the block area, the next time you see children arguing on the playground, why not just... let them? Stand by, just in case, but be quiet. Let them work it out. They can do it, and when given the opportunity, they not only will work it out, they may even give each other a hug when it's all said and done.

Teaching is the best job in the world, and even better when you can see that you are not needed.