The Moment That Changed The Way I Teach

We hear often about “aha moments”, when all of a sudden something just makes sense.  This certainly rings true for me as my aha moment forever changed the way I teach, hopefully making my classroom more comfortable for my students. 

Many years ago I attended a weekend workshop at Stanford.  Much of our time was spent in workshops, but for one activity, we worked in an empty classroom. 

Our task was to divide into two groups with half of us acting as students and the other half acting as teachers.  The classroom was prepared just as it would be for a typical class and after learning our roles, we jumped right in. I was a “student”.

I sat down to play at a small table with a bin of sand, shells, and a tiny rake.  Within a few minutes a “teacher” was standing beside me.

“How does it feel?”

“Is it hard or soft?”

“What color is that shell?”

“Is it warm or cold?”

“Where do you think that is from?”

My body tensed up and I immediately got up and walked away. What had begun as calm and interesting sensory play quickly turned in to someone hovering uncomfortably above me, (well intentioned) noise, and quizzing. 

Any ability I had to focus was instantly shut down, and I was an adult who excels at multitasking! I imagine for a real young child engaged in play, it would have been even more uncomfortable. 

So often we are taught to ask questions, extend learning, and make the most of our kiddos time in the classroom.  Of course these things can be important, but this experience reminded me there is a time and place.  

As Early Childhood Educators we know that play is not what happens between the learning, play IS the learning.  When a child is engaged in play, our interruptions, no matter how well intentioned, interrupt that. 

Now when I ask questions, it’s typically during a back and forth conversation and not when a child is engaged in their play. I also try not to ask questions if I already know the answer.  For instance, I say “that purple paint is so vibrant!” as opposed to “what color are you using?” I want my classroom to be a comfortable and welcoming place for discovery, and quizzing rarely helps people feel at ease.

More often though, when children are engaged in an activity, I prefer to sit quietly nearby, close enough that they know I am available, but not in a way that interrupts them.  When it feels appropriate, my favorite two questions are “is there anything else you need”, and “would you like to tell me about your plan?” 

Usually just being nearby and sitting at their height is enough for them to come to me when they are ready, and that’s when the best conversations happen.

My aha moment taught me that sitting down and being quiet is one of the most effective teaching tools I have, and my classroom is a better place because of it! 

Written by Prior Valley Parent Co-Director and Pre-K Teacher Sarah Bradford.