Little Humans
How is it that we spend so much time trying to make children just like us? We think they need to know what we know. We think they should use materials we put out in some pre-determined way. Children are little humans with rights. We should not impose ourselves on them but rather respect them for their inexperience and support them.
We are trying to fit all children into a model of education that doesn’t work for most. The “sit here and learn this” model doesn’t allow for movement, exploration, creativity, and collaboration. We aspire to a model where we acknowledge that we adults do not know what skills will be needed for jobs in 15 years.
If only we could view children as co-“everything” we could sit back and enjoy what they bring to the table. We don’t need to teach them ANYTHING. We need to give them a safe place with caring adults and stand back!
Made Up Games
When we give children resources they create their own games. This group of children used materials to create a “basket ball” game up off the ground.
We too often limit children’s imagination with our own constraints. The joy of children making up their own games and playing them teaches so many skills at once. Collaboration, communication, consequences, risk assessment, eye hand coordination and other skills are innate to play. These skills are skills we think we should teach. We do not need too if we just let the children be.
What will you allow children to do today?