The one success story that I found touching was by Ashley Hawkins, reflecting on her childhood at Head Start. Not everyone has fond memories of early childhood programs, and it was really sweet to hear about her and her mom's appreciation of their experience. I especially loved her emphasis on adults encouraging play, and how she pays tribute to her success and happiness as an adult to the growth of her imagination and dreams. This hits me right in the heart. I am a huge advocate of the power of play and the child's right to play. There is magnificent value in early childhood professionals, the public, policy makers, and government officials hearing this, seeing this, and knowing this. A true understanding of the child's mind and play-centered living and learning would change the entire field!
I also found it sweet that her mom worked as a teacher when she attended. There seems to be a popular mindset that a child grows best outside of the home and family. I am a proponent of swinging the view in a different direction. There shouldn't, I believe, be a separation between family and a child's life outside the home. Professionals who understand and treat children and their families as a whole unit really empower families, create stronger partnerships with parents, and help sustain and build a life for that child that doesn't include separateness, but embodies wholeness, fullness, and oneness of identity :)
I also enjoyed Ashley's story. It reminded me of when my mom volunteered in my kindergarten class. I loved when she came to my class. When my daughter was in elementary school I volunteered every Tuesday and Thursday. I hope she looks back with fond memories of that time. I also agree there shouldn't be a separation between family and school. It should be a team effort to help the child succeed. This is Christina Nojd. I am not able to sign into my blog for some reason. Thank you for your post.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandria,
ReplyDeleteI also found Ashley's sentiments quite enduring. As I think back to my early experiences as a child, my thoughts and memories simply do not journey that far back which tells me, her experiences must have been grand. I also agree with your comments regarding the significance of play in the classroom and am quite baffled as to why play is being so heavily critized when current research screams for more. Throughout the county I reside, I can honestly say, play is still actively encouraged within the preschools; however, once a child enters Kindergarten, play is no longer utilized as a learner component.
With regards to your comments pertaining to children attending the same program as a parent, I could not agree with you more. All four of my children attended my site and all four understood the expectations and class rules. I believe this opportunity was one of the major reasons why my children are also able to recount their early childhood memories and luckily for our family, their memories are happy ones, too.
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful post.
Lynnette
My child also attended the same program that I worked until he went to kindergarten and helped me too very involved in the school and classroom I invested myself and I believe that my child received so much for from the program.
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