Yes that is me! Even at five and a half I was in front of a classroom teaching the letters of the alphabet. Here I am holding the letter P printed on a pink construction paper heart on February 15, 1988. (Thank you mom for always writing the date and a brief description on the back of each of my childhood photos!)
My passion for learning and for teaching has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest memories as a child include the stacks of books that I would bring to my mom on the couch to read, the large chalkboard in my basement that I would use to "teach" my younger brother, and the word processor that I had on my desk in my bedroom which I would use when pretending to "work."
Today I look into my student's eyes and I cannot help but wonder if a passion for learning is beginning to develop in their pre-kindergarten minds. Are they building memories that will last them a lifetime? Are their special moments, like mine in the photo above, being captured for them to hold on to into adulthood?
These are the questions that I reflect upon as I step into that familiar position in front of my students every day. Each of my students may only be in my classroom for two and a half hours at a time, but I strive for each minute to be filled with opportunities for them to explore, play, learn, and grow.
And just as my students grow throughout the school year, I grow as a teacher as well. Times have changed drastically in the twenty five years since the above photo was taken, but one thing remains the same; the passion that an early childhood educator has for the field and for their students. It is my hope that through this blog we can share our successes and learn from our setbacks, but most importantly, grow together as a strong community of early childhood educators!
~ Julie Bennett
I love how you weave your own childhood passion for learning and teaching into your reflections on your passion for teaching and learning with children, Julie! (and go, Mom, for giving you such specific info on the pictures!) While our society's expectations for young children seem to have changed in the 25 years you mention, I haven't read too much evidence that our children's brain development or the primacy of their play as a learning modality has changed. I'm so glad you're in a position to ignite your young students' imaginations with all of the potential they have!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment sgoloway! I agree that it can be perceived that the expectations that society has for young children today have most certainly changed, but not necessarily the manner in which our children learn. I feel, unfortunately, that this had led to the development of a host of new challenges for these children, as they are currently being asked to achieve more than was expected years ago, and at a younger age.
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