What Are You Doing?

Our task, regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible. No one can do more. Loris Malaguzzi, Founder of the Reggio Approach 

This is my new goal: pry myself away from the emails and to-do list, and just sit with our students during the week. When I follow this one simple rule, my day takes on a whole 

new unique complexity. By sitting with a child, I am reminded that the teachers and staff of TLS are not the only ones hard at work.  There are at least 500 remarkable discoveries and moments in a child’s day. Everything is new! There is so much to do, so much effortless creativity to unwrap. Then I remember of how huge and amazing OUR jobs are as parents and teachers. We are allowed to be participants in infinite research projects daily. We are allowed to be present and watch these pure creative minds unfurl. We are allowed to go down that creative path with them to a brand new ah-ha moment. We are allowed to challenge them to keep digging (metaphorically and literally). We are allowed to comfort, and build new strength. More importantly however, we are allowed to laugh and laugh all day long. That is the secret: the job of a parent and a teacher is really hard, really big, but really, really funny sometimes.

I walked around and I asked the kids a simple question.  I was surprised how much I received in return. While you read these, imagine all the infinite paths that are being created, the new discoveries being made. Plus, words of children make the best blogs ever. 

What are you doing?


(Holding a worm) “Hee Hee... Touch it!” Ada 2

(Holding a worm) “I touch it!” Landon 2

"This is my car.....vvrroooommm" Gavin 3

"I just found a diamond! See?" (Holds up rock) Colin 3

“I saw a giraffe on the tiger trail, I saw it all by myself because I have super strong eyes. I was afraid of him at first, but then I wasn’t .” Eliza 5

“I went on the tiger trail and I saw a pond and beautiful trees” Lyra 5

Points to the bike he is on, and with the other hand, holds up the lawnmower he is holding.  Bennett 1

          

“I can see really far away because I have x-ray vision... Did you know that a hippopotamus has a really big nose?” Asher 4

“Dirt!!" Jee Hoon 3

"We're climbing this really tall mountain. Look how high we are!" Malcolm and Caleb

“Stuff” Irving 2

“Let’s freeze Ms. Jessica! Pssssshhhh” Ally (4) and Pressley (3)

“Putting bread (mulch) in the bucket and taking it home” Emerson 3

“It’s time to hokie- pokie!!”  Burke 2

(Touching my necklace) “Did you know my Mommy has a necklace too? They are sparkly” Evan 3

“I just got a haircut and got a lollipop. It was green cherry” Elsie 2

“I am 4! I JUST had my birthday!” Isla 4

“I am 3 and 3/4". Ruby 3 ¾           

(I asked the question to a infant... What are you doing?)He looked at me, and then at my pencil. He took the pencil from my hands and began to turn it end on end in his hands- lead side, metal side. Lead side, metal side. He started to tap one end on the ground. Sandy brought over a tin pan and he began to try the different ends on the pan.  Owen  11 months

- Jessica Larson