Thanks for directing me to your blog and this article. it's a thought-provoking article, "Butterflies and Somersaults," and I must express my deepest admiration for your insightful perspective on education and the transformative power it holds.
Your analogy of butterflies and somersaults beautifully encapsulates the essence of learning and change. It's a poignant reminder that the metamorphosis of a butterfly, much like the growth of a child's mind, is a delicate yet powerful process, one that requires nurturing, patience, and understanding.
Your emphasis on the early years of childhood being foundational resonates deeply. It's a profound call to action to recognize and value these formative years, not merely as a preliminary phase but as a critical period that shapes the trajectory of an individual's life.
The way you interweave the importance of a secure and loving environment with the courage to learn and take risks is both enlightening and inspiring.
Moreover, your critique of the current education system's focus on competition and standardization rather than curiosity and joy in learning is a much-needed discourse in today's world. It highlights the urgent need to reevaluate and reform our educational practices to foster creativity, empathy, and a lifelong love for learning.
Your personal story about your son's nighttime fears and your response to them was particularly moving. It served as a powerful testament to the impact of our actions and words on a child's sense of security and self-worth. This story alone speaks volumes about the profound influence educators and parents have in shaping a child's perception of the world and themselves.
your article is not just a call for change in the education system; it's a beacon of hope and a roadmap for cultivating a more compassionate, understanding, and peaceful society. Your advocacy for a pedagogy of peace and justice is both commendable and necessary in our times.
thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond to my words. Each year I give myself a new year focus, rather than a new year resolution... and over the years it has been "listening" many times (understanding what it means and how to truly be able to listen) but it has also been "play for peace" - not the idea that we make children play in order to learn how to be peacemakers - but that through a more play-responsive education that peace will find its place in society as it should.
All of this has been informing me as to what Original Learning should be.. and it is still evolving as I learn to be a more "humane" human. My time spent in both Palestine and Israel made me extremely aware of the need to be open to listen to what is happening and to take into consideration what words and actions I should use in my interactions that could have the best possible flutters or somersaults for those I am with. I learned so much about myself, about what I needed to unlearn, relearn and find out about... and that influenced me as an educator of both young children and adults.... how can we support children to be open to the realities of life while keeping them safe? How can we prepare them for adventures without exposing them to danger? How can we let go of personal agendas in order to understand others?
I am still making mistakes.... and no doubt will always make mistakes... but I hope they are the glorious mistakes that will teach me big lessons, and I pray my mistakes don't hurt others, and if they do, that they have the strength to forgive me.
Thanks for directing me to your blog and this article. it's a thought-provoking article, "Butterflies and Somersaults," and I must express my deepest admiration for your insightful perspective on education and the transformative power it holds.
Your analogy of butterflies and somersaults beautifully encapsulates the essence of learning and change. It's a poignant reminder that the metamorphosis of a butterfly, much like the growth of a child's mind, is a delicate yet powerful process, one that requires nurturing, patience, and understanding.
Your emphasis on the early years of childhood being foundational resonates deeply. It's a profound call to action to recognize and value these formative years, not merely as a preliminary phase but as a critical period that shapes the trajectory of an individual's life.
The way you interweave the importance of a secure and loving environment with the courage to learn and take risks is both enlightening and inspiring.
Moreover, your critique of the current education system's focus on competition and standardization rather than curiosity and joy in learning is a much-needed discourse in today's world. It highlights the urgent need to reevaluate and reform our educational practices to foster creativity, empathy, and a lifelong love for learning.
Your personal story about your son's nighttime fears and your response to them was particularly moving. It served as a powerful testament to the impact of our actions and words on a child's sense of security and self-worth. This story alone speaks volumes about the profound influence educators and parents have in shaping a child's perception of the world and themselves.
your article is not just a call for change in the education system; it's a beacon of hope and a roadmap for cultivating a more compassionate, understanding, and peaceful society. Your advocacy for a pedagogy of peace and justice is both commendable and necessary in our times.
Loui Haj
thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond to my words. Each year I give myself a new year focus, rather than a new year resolution... and over the years it has been "listening" many times (understanding what it means and how to truly be able to listen) but it has also been "play for peace" - not the idea that we make children play in order to learn how to be peacemakers - but that through a more play-responsive education that peace will find its place in society as it should.
All of this has been informing me as to what Original Learning should be.. and it is still evolving as I learn to be a more "humane" human. My time spent in both Palestine and Israel made me extremely aware of the need to be open to listen to what is happening and to take into consideration what words and actions I should use in my interactions that could have the best possible flutters or somersaults for those I am with. I learned so much about myself, about what I needed to unlearn, relearn and find out about... and that influenced me as an educator of both young children and adults.... how can we support children to be open to the realities of life while keeping them safe? How can we prepare them for adventures without exposing them to danger? How can we let go of personal agendas in order to understand others?
I am still making mistakes.... and no doubt will always make mistakes... but I hope they are the glorious mistakes that will teach me big lessons, and I pray my mistakes don't hurt others, and if they do, that they have the strength to forgive me.