Take it to the BANK!

Are You Taking Your Practice To the Bank?

I’ve been binging on delicious tasty business podcasts this month, and so many of them (coincidentally?) have all mentioned a similar metaphor that I naturally, applied to my practice of being a nature and play-based early childhood educator.

There are tons of articles out there about the impact of trust within the teacher-student and student-teacher relationship.

You likely already know, that without trust - there is no solid ground on which to build a learning experience.

It’s like building a house atop a piece of cardboard that’s been floating in the ocean during a wind storm - it’s just not stable and will likely be a host of frustration, conflict, and ultimately - disintegration.

I’ve been reading up on these studies and went down a serious rabbit hole this morning reading publications telling the findings of studies done worldwide on the impact that a truly trust-full relationship between the teacher and student has on outcomes.

We ALL know… that the education world is OBSESSED with OUTCOME. I know- not my favorite way to look at education, but hear me out.

If we are to truly strive for academic achievement, we have to start with the invisible. The intangible, the soft concepts such as trust, connection, and safety, and truly put in the TIME and authentic effort to truly SEE and CELEBRATE the children we are so fortunate to share space and time with.

This piggy bank/deposit analogy goes like this. (This can work with any relationship, even the one you may have with your mindset!)

Imagine building positive relationships with children like filling up a piggy bank. Every time teachers and caregivers do something to connect positively with a child, it's like depositing their relationship piggy bank. For instance, simply saying, "I am so happy to see you this morning, I'm glad you're here," as you make eye contact and offer to help them get settled into their classroom, or mentioning their digging skills to a peer who is asking to engage in a risky activity such as digging up rocks or upturning logs to look for insects. Language can sound like, "Aha, I love this idea... I'm thinking of a peer who loves to do this too, might I call them over and see if they have any suggestions?" or "Quinn, I wondered if you'd be interested in turning over these big logs with us, this looks like a job for more than one set of hands..."

On the flip side, when adults constantly demand, nag, or criticize children, it's like taking money out of that piggy bank. For example, when we enforce nonsensical rules like "we do not play with sticks here" or "no climbing up the slide," we're making withdrawals from the bank of meaningful learning experiences. Every time we blindly enforce rules that aren't child-centered, we do damage to the goal of fostering a lifelong love of wonder and learning.

So, remember, keep making those deposits—small gestures, kind words, and understanding go a long way in building strong relationships with children.

Stay playful my friends.

Always beside you,

Ade