Depending on the context, this question can elicit a variety of responses. My job at Gretchen’s House has a long list of responsibilities, but the list is longer for my job as mom. Which job is more important? It’s a rhetorical question, of course. All of us have jobs to do that wouldn’t make the cut on a resume, but we recognize their value nonetheless. But do we appreciate the value of a child’s job? What exactly is “a child’s job?”
In Child Care Information Exchange, March/April 2007, author-educator Jim Greenman presents “the child’s job” concept as a reminder for adults. “Their job is to live their lives, learn about the world, and develop into the very best people that they can be.”
How do we support our children with this important job? Greenman notes that early childhood programs are under scrutiny by “a growing national anxiety attack and obsession with school readiness… The irony is that many of these children may live to be 100 years old. Drawing from a popular expression, they will experience '40 as the new 30, 60 as the new 50.' So why does four have to be the new six? In reality the focus of good care is much broader and deeper because our programs provide the foundations for lives that extend far beyond the kindergarten year.”
The child’s job includes full development, including sensory development, communication, and discovering their bodily powers. Children have a natural desire to understand how everything works, and a need for deep connections with other people.
As adults, our job is to provide children with ample opportunities to explore the world, interact with other people, use their bodies in a variety of ways, and develop strong emotional bonds with others.
At Gretchen’s House, teachers work hard to intentionally provide an environment and activities that support children’s innate desire to make sense of the world. When a child writes on a pad of paper in the house area and tells her friend that it’s a grocery list, it doesn’t matter whether the words are distinguishable to an adult. That child is making literacy connections that lead to reading and writing later on. A boy in the block area who chooses just the right blocks to make each side of the building match is classifying and comparing attributes. Those explorations with size and shape are the foundation of math and science.
The adult-child interactions I see on the playground and in classrooms may be the most important ground work of all. Studies show that when children experience positive relationships with peers and adults in early childhood, they form positive expectations for school later on. Labeling feelings, exploring options for solving conflicts, and making connections between plans and actions are all necessary for healthy emotional development. Getting children ready for kindergarten? No, we’re not doing that. We’re getting them ready for life! And that means letting them do their jobs right now.
- H.M.
Monday, July 7, 2008
"What is Your Job?"
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ready for Kindergarten?
Maybe you're sure that your child is ready for kindergarten, you just need to decide where.
Maybe you're not sure if your child with a fall birthdate will be ready for kindergarten by September.
Maybe you're not even sure what "ready for kindergarten" means.
We're here to help!
Several Ann Arbor Gretchen's House locations offer high-quality kindergarten programs and afternoon enrichment programs (with transportation) for children enrolled in public school kindergarten. We have certified teachers, small group sizes, and low student-to-teacher ratios. We're hosting open houses this month to help parents grappling with the questions above. Participants will learn about our curriculum and philosophy, get answers to technical questions, and get an idea of what kind of a setting will work best for their child's personal development.
Join us:
February 20th: 2340 Oak Valley Drive, 6-7:30 p.m.
February 27th: 2625 Traver Blvd., 5:45-7:00 p.m.
Date t.b.a.: 1580 Dhu Varren Rd. (being rescheduled due to inclement weather.)
Feel free to e-mail the center directors individually using the links above if you have further questions. Driving directions can be found at each center's web page. If you're unable to make it to your first-choice location, you can attend one of the others and set up an appointment to tour the most convenient facility for your family at a later date.
-- Admin
