Preparing for Children

Each day in the life of an educator offers us the opportunity to prepare and create environments for children to explore their questions. We prepare documentation of children's work by re-reading our notes, looking at photographs, and watching videos. We prepare meals by shopping and planning menus. We prepare the environment for the transitions of the day from inside to outside and from school to home. 

What part of class preparation do you value most?

What is the value of preparing yourself?

Our fundamental mission is to prepare ourselves to serve the children in our care. Our actions with children have more impact than any learning environment we create. When we prepare to be an educator, our calmness, grace, and attentiveness shine through. Then children who learn new skills in the classroom also learn how to treat others in the community.

How do educators prepare for the work of the day?

In the book, Start with Why Simon Sinek writes about how people in all walks of life focus more on the "What"than the "Why" as the motivating factor in their lives. Mr. Sinek says that if we focus on "Why," this creates our purpose, our cause of belief, and the real reason we act. This approach is an inside/out way of thinking. Focusing on "What" is a superficial outside/in seeking pleasure kind of thinking.

In the classroom, if we emphasize the "What," then a list of classroom rules would be our guiding light. All children need to follow the rules, no questions asked. If we emphasize the "Why," then we could focus on the value of our actions and how they influence the people in our environment. Focusing on the “What” is an environment of closed thinking. Focusing on the “Why” is an environment of community building, problem-solving and creative thinking.

Educators have a choice in how we prepare ourselves to work in the lives of children. We can use our preparation time to create another project or provocation or come prepared to be our best selves. We can do some inner work and look at our practice. Then we will discover if we do it for the "What" the thing we get out of it or for the "Why," the inner motivation that being an educator offers us. 

When we take time to discover our "Why," we help others, make a difference, and improve lives.

What is your motivation to be an educator? A "What" or a "Why"?