Makes me think of every "Now" moment creates the next "Now" moment and each "Now" moment carries with it past, present and future. Experience is encapsulated with memories, beliefs, feelings and actions. Young children live in the present moment of "Now" which can be shaped with so many perspectives and experiences that are not their own.
I like to think of it as walking - each time we place our foot down we step into the future - our other foot still in the past - the gap between our feet is the now... and like you say it is a series of now's that we are a part of.
The past stuck to our feet - and as we inherit the shoes of parents and other adults that care for us... what they have walked in also impacts us... the stink of bias and prejudice has often become something so everyday that it is no longer noticed - so we have to actively look for it and wipe it off.
I think we adults live in the now just as much as children, just that we do not take the same delight in it as children do - we don't need to often because the brain has automated so much - which is a good thing.
My dad used to say the older we get the further we see - and I think that is with growing experience we become better at predicting where the path will take us, what is likely to be behind the next corner - so that we can meet it in preparedness.
If we are blinded by bias/prejudice then I think our preparedness is not flexible enough to properly/adequately/fairly meet what is possibly round the corner - or we are taught to fear it.
I enjoyed your analogy of walking and the space or gap between each step as a series of now experiences. Invited me to pause between my steps today as I walked out doors. and I conjured up an image of a young child pausing to notice of the tiniest of items existing beside their own feet and then the image of a child playing with their shadow on a sunny day. To take delight in the now moments as a child does in play is an invitation for adults as well. Yes, as adults we have become more automated and our preparedness has more of a propensity towards fear and yes is that fear natural or learned? Reminds me of resilence.
yes, I agree, there is a connection to resilience - especially when we think about where we are walking - and sometimes we want to give up and not continue because its steep, or rocky, or boggy - but we also know that the safe shelter, warm welcome etc is just beyond - and getting there is actually worth it - so we persist.
I think we are more likely to give up if we cannot see/imagine that space ahead - this is why I think as parents and educators we must be that space - to notice when children are struggling so that their resilience can get them through - which in part is giving them tools to navigate the walk (a map, special shoes to get through the bog, climbing equipment for mountains, company to make it less arduous etc) and also to ensure the struggle is not too long - I know lawnmower parents/teachers is not something we should be doing, because it takes the exploration away from the children - but sometimes we need to do a little mowing to ensure they get to the other side of the struggle when we notice that play is no longer fuelling them forward
Yes, interactions with others and with each child. I suppose relationships go deeper and can have a great impact. So the way we view the child affects the way we interact with them and how our relationship grows with them.
I am of the opinion that our image of the child is important to how we teach. How we teach impacts the way children can process information, and how they feel they can build a relationship with us.
But my recent thinking has been about how this is one part of a much more complex inter-relational dialogue where we, as individuals, are motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic forces. And that our identity is formed by both how we see ourselves as well as how other see us. And the less valued we feel, the lower our self esteem is, the more likely the extrinsic forces will impact our own personal inner dialogue. I also think the very fact that Western cultures are so focused on individualisation that we then become very isolated rather than connected/interconnected.
Makes me think of every "Now" moment creates the next "Now" moment and each "Now" moment carries with it past, present and future. Experience is encapsulated with memories, beliefs, feelings and actions. Young children live in the present moment of "Now" which can be shaped with so many perspectives and experiences that are not their own.
I like to think of it as walking - each time we place our foot down we step into the future - our other foot still in the past - the gap between our feet is the now... and like you say it is a series of now's that we are a part of.
The past stuck to our feet - and as we inherit the shoes of parents and other adults that care for us... what they have walked in also impacts us... the stink of bias and prejudice has often become something so everyday that it is no longer noticed - so we have to actively look for it and wipe it off.
I think we adults live in the now just as much as children, just that we do not take the same delight in it as children do - we don't need to often because the brain has automated so much - which is a good thing.
My dad used to say the older we get the further we see - and I think that is with growing experience we become better at predicting where the path will take us, what is likely to be behind the next corner - so that we can meet it in preparedness.
If we are blinded by bias/prejudice then I think our preparedness is not flexible enough to properly/adequately/fairly meet what is possibly round the corner - or we are taught to fear it.
I enjoyed your analogy of walking and the space or gap between each step as a series of now experiences. Invited me to pause between my steps today as I walked out doors. and I conjured up an image of a young child pausing to notice of the tiniest of items existing beside their own feet and then the image of a child playing with their shadow on a sunny day. To take delight in the now moments as a child does in play is an invitation for adults as well. Yes, as adults we have become more automated and our preparedness has more of a propensity towards fear and yes is that fear natural or learned? Reminds me of resilence.
yes, I agree, there is a connection to resilience - especially when we think about where we are walking - and sometimes we want to give up and not continue because its steep, or rocky, or boggy - but we also know that the safe shelter, warm welcome etc is just beyond - and getting there is actually worth it - so we persist.
I think we are more likely to give up if we cannot see/imagine that space ahead - this is why I think as parents and educators we must be that space - to notice when children are struggling so that their resilience can get them through - which in part is giving them tools to navigate the walk (a map, special shoes to get through the bog, climbing equipment for mountains, company to make it less arduous etc) and also to ensure the struggle is not too long - I know lawnmower parents/teachers is not something we should be doing, because it takes the exploration away from the children - but sometimes we need to do a little mowing to ensure they get to the other side of the struggle when we notice that play is no longer fuelling them forward
And as you said, how we view the world, nature, each other, has an effect on the children.
without a shadow of a doubt - actions often speak much louder than words.
Yes, interactions with others and with each child. I suppose relationships go deeper and can have a great impact. So the way we view the child affects the way we interact with them and how our relationship grows with them.
thank you for today's inspiration bu the way.
I am of the opinion that our image of the child is important to how we teach. How we teach impacts the way children can process information, and how they feel they can build a relationship with us.
But my recent thinking has been about how this is one part of a much more complex inter-relational dialogue where we, as individuals, are motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic forces. And that our identity is formed by both how we see ourselves as well as how other see us. And the less valued we feel, the lower our self esteem is, the more likely the extrinsic forces will impact our own personal inner dialogue. I also think the very fact that Western cultures are so focused on individualisation that we then become very isolated rather than connected/interconnected.