Reflecting Upon Our Changes

Collecting our thoughts has been a journey of mixed feelings over these past few weeks. We naturally put a lot of thoughts for things we experience and wonder. Learning is an outcome of thinking (Ritchhart & Perkins 2008) which we draw out possibilities to understand our inner thoughts.

Our research shows that when adults help children identify their thinking processes, children are likely to be more curious, more aware and reflective about their own thinking, and more likely to develop “thinking dispositions”(tendencies that guide intellectual behaviour) as they encounter problems and try to solve them (Salmon 2016).

Equally important, when educators know what and how children think, they can better scaffold children's learning (Ritchhart & Church, 2020).

We like to express our thoughts in many ways. Sometimes w move or sing along with our bodies. Movements invite us to listen and respond to communicate messages and represent actions. Elie and Luna are being expressive in communicating their feelings and emotions in moving along to our transitions. Luna and Elie choose to spin in a circle, creating a narrative about princesses as they twirl. They switch between roles and perspectives, between modes of thinking and tinkering. 

Movement allows us to connect concepts to actions and to learn through trial and error. For example, Yoyo takes photographs of his work using an Ipad to reflect on how he creates the magna tiles in relation to another magna tiles, does it balance, does it need to higher, is it symmetrical. All of these math concepts are unfolding while children are actively building and moving. 

We move our hands to manipulate implements to draw objects, animals, people, and other images. Drawing now becomes our spontaneous way to express our own background, interests, and experiences. We tend to draw what we know. 

Embracing the changes we encounter, we choose to

• communicate what it's all about,
  
• why there is a need for the change,
• how the change is going to look like,
• how it's going to take place,
  
• how we should respond to the changes.

Felix has become aware of  the ways he deals with changes. He communicates his feelings through a tender moment of openly talking, and openly listening, that gave him permission to deal with his emotions more effectively. 

Nora, being affectionate, expresses her relationships with the educators play a significant role in dealing with the change. 

The connection with our spaces and materials is another significant area to be sensitively and carefully dealt with by our children in relation to the change itself. 

Luna exhibits courageous and comes up with tools to cope, embrace, and even celebrate change through life unexpected and uninvited twists and turns. "I am looking up to the sky"  is Luna's metaphorical expression that encourages her to be optimistic and looking at the bright side.  

We are grateful that adaptability and flexibility are our learned virtues. As learners at Children & Friends, we embrace change as a conscious opportunity to learn crucial life experiences that guides us toward the path of balance and joy. 

As we are going through changes, we develop our skills of resilience. By navigating and growing these experiences, we strengthen and train our "resilience muscle". 

Becoming clearer to what is taking place at the moment provides us with some sense of agency. For example, by being part of our daily discussions, taking actions of how we want to express this feelings or emotions, and helping out to care for some of the choices.

Looking forward to our new journey very soon, in this opportunity we would like to dedicate a heartfelt thank you to children, families and educators of Children & Friends for everything you have done to us. You help us through some tough times since. There will never be enough words to convey how much all of you mean to us and how grateful we are for showing us your unconditional support. 

Kindest,
Children & Friends,