I Can't Get Rid Of This Feeling...
Something hasn't been sitting right with me all afternoon and this feeling, has been growing hours later, away from the setting.
Myself and a few children were outside in a small area that os sheltered from the rain. One of these children whilst they were playing with a ball, showing me is kicking, throwing and catching skills (which they absolutely loved), discovered a few wooden twigs on the ground. They picked them up, held them above their head and said enthusiastically "Fire." They started laying them on the ground, close together, rubbing hands above them as if trying to get them warm from this fire. I wondered outloud if their was a way we could make a fire and this child instantly picked two of these twigs up from the ground and began rubbing them together. The child told me the fire was hot. As a group (as a few other children had been drawn to what we were doing), we began searching the area for other twigs to add to the fire we were making, often talking about how long, short, fat or thin they were. This child collected the twigs and put them in their pocket, so they could keep track of them and free up their hands to pick up more twigs,.
This child was so happily engaged in this activity, it could have gone for some time and I was eagerly excited too, helping to support and explore their interest too.
Then, we got called inside for snack.
As the only member of staff in this small area, making sure all the children got inside before I went in myself, I saw something that made me sad as a human being but also as an Early Years Professional...I witnessed another member of staff, taking off this child's coat, noticing the twigs they had collected in their pocket and began telling them off. They threw the twigs they had so eagerly collected for their fire onto the floor. This child's face completely changed, gone was the happiness, the pride, the hope. It crushed me to witness this.
I don't know why I didn't say anything at the time. In hindsight, I probably should have.
After snack, we were back outside again but this child was no longer interested as much as I gently encouraged the topic. They drifted for the rest of the time I was outside, doing their own thing but nowhere near an engagement level they had only 15 minutes, previous.
I'm just, I'm annoyed even though this is not even close to how I'm feeling. One word isn't enough. A child brings something to you to explore, or you discover something in their pockets - Engage them! There is a reason! To them, it could be the greatest thing in the world, it could contain so many feelings, interests, ideas and so much more. Don't just throw it away. Imagination is so, so powerful!!
And as adults, so are we.
snowghoul
andulkaphoto
baratheonpilled
jacobvanloon
germansingergirl
