Thursday, December 3, 2009

Thought for the Day- What do you wish to inspire today?

"One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested."
~ E. M. Forster

I had a color mixing given to me to do with the children. It called for lots of teacher direction...not my style...ahem. I revised it. The children did it on their own- mixing fabulous colors in ice cube trays with eyes droppers,small brushes and cups. They loved it...
"Let's do it again!"
I asked them how we could continue it. They decided to continue it outside, in the water table in the ice cube trays.
They learned so much more on their own and from one another.
The sense of community it created, the friendships....not to mention the 'colors' that came out in their own personalities.

4 comments:

Dan Gurney said...

You write, "They learned so much more on their own and from one another."

I sure wish I understood that fact more fully and much earlier in my teaching career. It's so true. The most skillful teachers know when to step offstage and get out of the way.

Barbra The Bloggess said...

I do, too! There is a sense of confidence I believe you have to have in yourself-even a sensitivity to your environment...I think it is something on the inside. Some people naturally have it...I didn't, it took time. But I recognize it when I see it. It's a nice gift to have isn't it, Dan? It's the kind of thing, well, if you don't use it- you lose it. I hope and pray we never do.

Montessori on Mars said...

Hi Barbra,

Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog. I love that yours have quotable quotes (I love these) and will definitely come back for more.

I love having the children do color mixing and I'm interested to see how you do it with the eye droppers on ice trays. I'd love to try that out!


Best cheers,
Mars

Barbra The Bloggess said...

Thanks Mars,
Not a lot of people understand Montessori. You explain it well, and your students look so happy. Keep up the good work!
See you soon!