5 Things I've Learned

Listen to and encourage children when they are telling their stories and ask questions along the way.

Many children, especially those who have older siblings are often interrupted when speaking. Often these older siblings answer questions for them, because they often know the answers and can communicate them more quickly. As adults and teachers, it is important to allow children to speak for themselves, asking questions to help them along the way and remaining patiently interested in their stories and ideas. It is helpful to redirect other children who may speak up sooner, and reinforce the importance of each child answering for themselves. This will allow all students equal opportunity to voice their ideas, help with speech and language development, public speaking, interpersonal skills and self-confidence.

Answer all questions and regard them each with equal and high importance, but let the children know when you don't know the answer. 

All questions children ask are important, even when it seems the chain of questions will never end. It is important to fully listen to their questions, helping them discover the world around them, acting as a guide as they explore and learn. This will allow children to value their inquisitive and curious nature and understand that their questions and ideas are important.

When a child asks a question to which you do not know the answer,  take the opportunity to allow them to witness the process first hand as you discover the answer or solution together. It is important to let the children take the lead in finding the solution, allowing them to formulate the experiment or identify the best way to find the answer. This will allow them to understand that some solutions are more difficult to find than others and that it takes time and often persistence to find the answers to their own questions.

Encourage each child's unique nature.

All children are different and it is important as educators to encourage children to explore their individual interests. Many children are redirected to conform to a classroom setting or because parents may have a different view of who their child should be. As teachers, it is important to notice and appreciate each child's individual talents and interests and encourage them to pursue and explore them. When an adult takes a special interest in encouraging a child's special interest, the student will be more likely to appreciate individual differences in themselves and in their classmates.

When a child is struggling with a subject, think of ALL the possibilities to help them understand.

Some obstacles children have are clear-cut, and others are not as easy to detect. When identifying obstacles or learning styles, it is important not to choose the most obvious or first solution that comes to mind. Each student has different learning styles, but it is important to fully investigate the issue. If the child's difficulty in learning is misdiagnosed, the solution or teaching style adjustment will not be successful.

Learning grows exponentially, a little goes a long way.

The more students learn, the more curious they will become. Their inquisitive nature will be ignited, more questions will be asked, and more answers found. As educators, it is important to recognize OUR importance in the lives of our students. We are on the front lines of encouraging their inquisitive nature and curiosity. Remember, every little bit counts.