Last week, a friend asked me to describe, in 15 words or less, what makes a great preschool. (Ha!) Those of you who know me are probably snickering right about now, knowing full well how difficult it is for me to convey ANY thought in under 100 words, (let alone 15).
It got me thinking, though, about the characteristics of a great program. What are the keys factors of a school? I generated a little list for you.
A Great Preschool:
Accepts all children as integral members of their community.
Believes in children's abilities and potential.
Challenges children to scaffold their thinking.
Documents experiences through various means to help children reflect upon their learning.
Encourage children to take calculated risks.
Fosters creativity.
Generates excitement in learning through hands-on experiences
Helps families navigate the world of parenting through conferences, newsletters, seminars and blogs.
Invests in their teachers with respectful wages, benefits and professional development opportunities.
Joins together families, teachers and community to enhance the children's experience.
Kindles curiosity with authentic materials that are interesting and relevant.
Listens to children. Really, really listens.
Models honesty, fairness, respect, kindness and compassion.
Never, ever ever steps on a bug.
Observes children to better understand their ideas and abilities.
Preserves the wonder of childhood, every day in every way.
Questions children when they do not know the answer, leading to clarity and better understanding.
Reflects the diversity and values of it's families.
Supports children's interests with materials, resources and encouragement.
Turns "I dunno" into "I have an idea."
Understands.
Visualizes the children as competent and capable.
Waits through the quiet so children can think.
eXpects amazing things to happen.
Yeehahs and yays several times a day.
Zeros in on the wonders and fascination of childhood.
There you have it. The A-Z of a great preschool. Not sure if I would be able to pick just 15 words. If you had to narrow this down to only 15, which ones would you pick?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Nuking the Instant Oatmeal
Last weekend I left my iPhone 4 on a plane. After the initial panic, it felt a little free-ing, traveling for the next 8 hours without a cell phone. But once I got home, when reality hit, I was at such a loss. My husband let me borrow his iPhone 3 for a little while. That was a mixed blessing. I loved having a phone again, but was surprised at how irritated I became while using it. It took almost 15 seconds to load my emails, as compared to MY phone which does it in less than 5. That 10 second time difference might as well have been 10 years.
As I write this, I'm shaking my head at the ridiculousness of it all. Our world has become an incredibly fast supercharged existence, with information speeding around us in what seems to be faster than the speed of light. Last year Google offered an option for people to UNDO an email they've sent, probably knowing that we sometimes move on auto pilot, and don't realize what we are doing until it is too late. Intentionality has seemed to be kicked under the carpet so Productivity can have a bigger place to run. I've often wondered how this sense of urgency will affect our children.
Then yesterday, at a staff training event, I saw the video below. It comes to us from the New Brunswick Department of Education, and clearly explains what many of us already know: Our children are growing up in a world that looks very different than the one many of us grew up in, and if we are going to reach them, as parents and teachers, we are going to have to learn to adapt.
Now please don't get me wrong. I love progress and change. I'm a big proponent of technology for children, but only when it's delivered and managed in a developmentally appropriate and safe manner. Really, it's all good. I just wish I could keep up.
My brother came to visit last night, and I offered him some of my homemade steak soup. (Recipe available upon request!) As I was reheating it in the pot, he told me "this would go faster if you microwaved it." I thought "of course...what was I thinking?" But now I know. I was thinking that the few extra minutes we had in the kitchen, chatting and catching up while I made dinner, was exactly what we needed to slow us down for a little while. I'll save the microwave for popcorn.
Do You Realize?
As I write this, I'm shaking my head at the ridiculousness of it all. Our world has become an incredibly fast supercharged existence, with information speeding around us in what seems to be faster than the speed of light. Last year Google offered an option for people to UNDO an email they've sent, probably knowing that we sometimes move on auto pilot, and don't realize what we are doing until it is too late. Intentionality has seemed to be kicked under the carpet so Productivity can have a bigger place to run. I've often wondered how this sense of urgency will affect our children.
Then yesterday, at a staff training event, I saw the video below. It comes to us from the New Brunswick Department of Education, and clearly explains what many of us already know: Our children are growing up in a world that looks very different than the one many of us grew up in, and if we are going to reach them, as parents and teachers, we are going to have to learn to adapt.
Now please don't get me wrong. I love progress and change. I'm a big proponent of technology for children, but only when it's delivered and managed in a developmentally appropriate and safe manner. Really, it's all good. I just wish I could keep up.
My brother came to visit last night, and I offered him some of my homemade steak soup. (Recipe available upon request!) As I was reheating it in the pot, he told me "this would go faster if you microwaved it." I thought "of course...what was I thinking?" But now I know. I was thinking that the few extra minutes we had in the kitchen, chatting and catching up while I made dinner, was exactly what we needed to slow us down for a little while. I'll save the microwave for popcorn.
Do You Realize?
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