How does your practice support your view of the child?

"If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.”

Alfie Kohn

Inside the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation we learn about the Reggio Inspired approach and work on developing our own image of the child and discovering what it is about each individual that makes them capable learners. Taking that time to get to know them and considering what makes each one special and tuning in to how they learn.  Our own experiences as children, parents and educators shape what this can be and it's important to recognise the strengths and capabilities our individual children have. 

I believe that young children are capable of high levels of engagement in their learning. But how can they show this if i'm always the one deciding what we should do around the agenda I have as an adult? I believe that doing this can set them up to fail.

Therefore my understanding of the child must be backed up by the practice and environment I create. This can be done by really listening to the child and exploring the curiosities they have and discover what drives them to know more. 

For example when planning from generic themes that are repeated year after year, we're not actually capturing what it is that lights the child up that day. If we set each area of provision out to capture this adult chosen theme then we restrict the learning opportunities that can happen. Children are missing out on freedom to show an interest, take risks, learn from their mistakes, make their own decisions and plan for their own next steps.

If we change this around and go with the spark that makes them curious think about how differently they will approach their play. We will see enthusiasm and motivation to learn alongside high levels of engagement and involvement. This can be done by identifying an intention of something the children would like to know more about. It might take the form of a question, an observation or something they have been fascinated in. Setting up a provocation and then listening to the child and letting their ideas evolve. 

Below shows an example from my practice working in a large foundation stage unit. A child had an interest in pirates and loved the excitement and thrill this interest brought to their play. By working carefully to create an open ended environment where the same resources were freely available each day this child was allowed to take control of their own learning. They planned to use some of the scraps of fabric to make their own flag for a pirate ship and made the decision to add paint. This interest and  play continued over a series of days and the child explored making a pirate ship out of blocks, problem solved how to attach their flag and used the clay to make their own treasure. Through this child led play every area of learning was covered, our interactions as adults supported the learning and challenged it and most importantly key life skills were developed. 

I believe that when we allow our practice to honour the child in this way we show them that we as adults are interested and excited by their thoughts, questions and ideas and wan't to join them in discovering this learning together. Not only building trust in our relationships but also ensuring that the learning opportunities are limitless. 

I think the notion of 'trusting the child' is one that we must hold in the front of our minds. Especially when there is so much discussion around lost learning time, extra tuition and catch up sessions. Instead of catch up, lets think more freedom to learn through play and that learning in this way will allow every child to be where they need to be. 

How does your practice mirror the beliefs you have on how young children learn?