A Fork in the Road

As a part of my well-being practice, I exercise daily. On a recent day, I went for a bike ride. I coasted down the driveway and made a left turn but was unsure which direction to go. I have a few favorite bike routes near my home. One route takes me over the nearby mountains and into the big city, and the other travels west toward farmland and the coastal mountains. I decided to peddle West and explore.

As I coasted downhill from the starting point of my ride, the sun peaked through the clouds as drizzle filled the air. Looking to my right, I spotted a rainbow that blanketed the roofs of the nearby homes. As I rode through the suburbs and headed toward the farmland West of the city, I noticed a large orange sign that warned drivers that bikes shared the road and to stay alert. I decided to turn away from the road construction and ride uphill.

The road traveled up for many miles until it reached a plateau. I was riding in an area with open farmland. The green fields overflowed with cover crops for Winter. The sun continued to peek in and out of the clouds. The air was crisp and delightful. It was nice to get out into the fresh air.

The road started to curve up again. I shifted into a lower gear and peddled toward the stoplight ahead. When I arrived at the light, I planned to keep riding straight up the hill until the road ended. As I waited for the stoplight to change, I sipped some water and looked around. Right of the stoplight was a path that twisted and turned up toward an unknown location over the crest of a hill. I put my water bottle back in its cage and turned my bike to the right.

Still in low gear, I peddled up the twisted road. When I reached the crest of the hill, the road ended near a farmer’s field. Looking right, I noticed a long asphalt path I had never seen before. A hundred yards after this path started, there was a fork in the road. The left fork went through the farmer’s field in the unknown. The right fork hugged the end of the farmers’ field and made a series of turns that resembled a street in San Francisco. I chose the winding path.

For the next hour, I explored a series of new bike trails. I rode up and down and turned left and right on a whim. Eventually, I discovered a familiar road and started to ride home. The adventure of not knowing was so much fun. I was not that far from my house, but I felt like I was in a new world. What made this adventure possible was being open to possibility. I had no idea what I would find that day or if I would find anything at all.

We often arrive at forks on the road in our work with children. We have to choose to go left or right or stay the course. We can choose to follow the familiar road. We can embrace routines that take the guesswork out of our day. We can create projects for the children to enjoy that foster predictability in our practice.

A different option is to look for new forks on the road. We could join the children on a learning adventure by traveling into the unknown and taking a new right or left turn when we see something that inspires us. We could think less about past events and engage with children in the present, where real life happens.

To find a fork in the road, we must start the journey by saying yes to trying something new, and then our journey can begin. I find forks in the road by listening. The children come after school each day and explore materials. As the children play, I sit, observe, and take notes. I also engage with the children in play and enjoy conversations about work and life. As I reflect on my notes and listen to the children, new ideas bloom for our work together.

Working this way is exciting. I talk with the children, and they decide how we will turn. Then we are off on an adventure of discovery, not knowing where the road will lead us. From experience, we know it will be exciting and unpredictable. We will learn from each other and grow as people and a community. Ultimately, we will create something representing our work together and our choice to take a fork in the road.

The road we are on now is unpredictable. Many of us are not working with children right now. If we are in the classroom, current regulations make many options unavailable. This time will pass. As the world returns to the new normal, you will choose what road to take. Here are a few questions to consider as you plan for your work in the year ahead.

What road do you want to travel this year? What adventures do you want to take with the children in your care? What actions can you engage in that support the road less traveled?