All souls a family story from southie chapter summary

T h e A r T o f A w A r e n e s s H o w

o b s e r v at i o n

C a n t r a n s f o r m

Y o u r t e a C H i n g

S e c o n d e d i t i o n

d e b c u r t i S m a r g i e c a r t e r

Curtis and Carter th

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eArly childhood / TeAching MeThods

l e A r n T h e A r T A n d s k i l l o f o B s e r v AT i o n

Deb Curtis and Margie Carter

have coauthored several best-

selling redleaf Press books

together. they are the founders

of harvest resources associates,

a partnership to inspire early

childhood providers and

educators to invest fully in their

own professional learning. Deb

and Margie each have over thirty

years of experience teaching

young children and adults in a

variety of settings. they have led

many professional development

initiatives and presented for

large and small organizations

across north america, australia,

and new Zealand.

The art of observing children is more than merely the act of watching them—it is also using what you see and hear to craft new opportunities in your classroom. This resource provides a wealth of inspiration and practice. It will help you learn to observe in new ways. You’ll witness children’s remarkable competencies as they experience childhood, and you’ll find new joy in your work with children.

Inside, you will find

• Ten study sessions to help you advance your skills and practice observing children from different points of view

• Stories, photographs, and classroom reflections modeling the ways observation can be used and displayed in your own teaching

• Activities to help you notice and appreciate what you see

• New ideas and strategies to organize your observations, share them with colleagues and families, and apply them to planning and assessment processes

• Emphasis on cultural awareness, observing through an objective lens, and using technology as an observation tool

By learning the art and skill of observation, you can improve your teaching and help children grow and learn.

ArtAwareFullCvr-f.indd 1 9/28/12 10:44 AM

The Art of Awareness

How Observation Can Transform Your Teaching

Second Edition

D e b C u r t i s a n d M a r g i e C a r t e r

Published by Redleaf Press 10 Yorkton Court St. Paul, MN 55117 www.redleafpress.org

© 2000, 2013 by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted on a specific page, no portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or capturing on any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a maga- zine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet.

First edition published 2000. Second edition 2013. Cover design by Jim Handrigan Cover photograph by leaf / Veer Interior design by Erin Kirk New and typeset in Adobe Chapparal Pro Excerpts and adaptations on pages 13, 41, 92, 108–109, and 168–169 are

from Learning by Heart: Teachings to Free the Creative Spirit by Corita Kent and Jan Steward. Copyright © 2008 by Corita Kent and Jan Steward. Reprinted with permission of Jan Steward and the Corita Art Center, Immaculate Heart Community, Los Angeles.

Printed in the United States of America 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ISBN 978-1-60554-249-2 (e-book)

For Elizabeth Prescott, who first taught us the joy of observation,

and all the early childhood educators thereafter who have been looking

closely and delighting in children with us.

Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 12

Chapter 2 Study Session: Learning to See 24

Chapter 3 Study Session: Observing for Children’s Perspectives 40

Chapter 4 Study Session: Observing Children’s Lively Minds 56

Chapter 5 Study Session: Observing How Children Use Their Senses 72

Chapter 6 Study Session: Observing How Children Explore, Invent, and Construct 90

Chapter 7 Study Session: Observing How Children Connect with the Natural World 106

Chapter 8 Study Session: Observing How Children Seek Power, Drama, and Adventure 122

Chapter 9 Study Session: Observing Children’s Eagerness for Drawing, Symbolic Representation, and Literacy 144

Chapter 10 Study Session: Observing How Children Form Relationships and Negotiate Conflict 166

Chapter 11 Study Session: Observing Children with Their Families 184

Chapter 12 Getting Organized to Observe and Study Your Documentation 208

Chapter 13 Using and Sharing Your Observations with Others 226

Chapter 14 Using Observations for Planning and Assessment 242

References 259

Additional Resources 261

Index 263

vii

Acknowledgments

The ideas, experiences, and examples harvested for this book come from more places than we can remember or acknowledge. We apologize for any unintended omission of citations and extend our appreciation to all the instructors, authors, artists, and illustrators from whose work we have drawn inspiration.

A number of teachers and programs generously offered us their time, photographs, and observation stories for the first edition of this book, pub- lished in 2000, when digital photography was in its infancy in early childhood settings. So, while we continue to be grateful for their contributions, mov- ing the book to full color with digital photographs meant we had to replace nearly every story and photo for this 2013 edition. For their contributions to this new edition, we give special thanks to the staff at Crescent Park Child Development Center, in Palo Alto, California, including Stephanie Hill, Jess Guiney, Sheena Wilton, Lindsay Juricich, Jesly Morales, Simone Fussell, Uwimana Middleton, Katja Davis, Michael Burrell, Julia Hill-Wright, and Tierney Falkner. Their exceptional child-centered work inspired Deb to work with them in opening a toddler room, and they generously contributed stories and photos to this book. Lorrie Baird, Samantha Monteith, Julie Thompson, Angela Hoar, Norma Curtis, Dianne Traynor, Nicole Kent, and Lisa Delgarno at Kawartha Child Care Services in Peterborough, Ontario, inspired us as they embraced the use of learning stories as a staff development tool, and they generously contributed samples of their work. Shelly Brandon from London Bridge Child Care Services in London, Ontario, contributed several thoughtful stories about her work with toddlers. Sarah Felstiner, Emily Viehauser, Sandra Floyd, and Jill Loreto of Hilltop Children’s Center in Seattle, Washington, con- tinued to offer us terrific examples of how observation can inspire and trans- form one’s teaching practice. After fifteen years of work at Hilltop, Ann Pelo has moved on to other endeavors, but her contributions to this book remain strong. Karina Rojas, Luz Casio, Elida Sangerman, and Laura McAlister offered us lovely observations and photos of their work to begin to practice the art of awareness in their bilingual centers of Sound Child Care Solutions, also in Seattle. For many years we’ve worked with the consultants and cohort teachers of United Way Bright Beginnings in Houston, Texas, and watched them grow in documenting their offerings of invitations of beautiful materials

ix

http://crescentparkpreschool.org/
http://www.kawarthachildcare.com/
http://www.londonbridge.com/
http://www.hilltopcc.com/
http://soundchildcare.org/
x Acknowledgments

to children. Shannon McClelland, Kasondra Brown, Sanjuana Frank, Fran Brockington, Dana Hampton, Lorna Patterson, Patricia Hernandez, and Daisy Machac made contributions to this book from their teacher cohort work. Thanks to Betsy Surtshin and Victoria Varela of the Osher Marin JCC Child Development Center in San Rafael, California; Elizabeth Hicks, Christine Borgel, Cheryl Scott, and Cheryl Miller of the Point Pleasant Child Care Centres of Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Darlene Nantarath of the Acorn School in Toronto, Ontario. Yvonne Walker and Megan Montoya in the Phoenix, Arizona, area sent us detailed observations of the competencies of the spe- cial needs children with whom they work. Sue Briton of the Paradise Valley Community College Cohort Project in Phoenix made stories and photos avail- able from our work there.

We are deeply appreciative of the inspiring work of our colleagues in Aotearoa, New Zealand, for the way they have taught us about including whānau families in documentation and the use of learning stories as both an assessment tool and professional development vehicle. Our study of their remarkable work and ongoing visits to centers have truly enhanced our under- standings. Special thanks to Lorraine Manuel, Hanna Fale, and Jen Boyd at Tots Corner; Thelma Chapman at Awhi Whānau Early Childhood Centre; Karen Wiley at Te Puna Kohungahunga; Jenny Jones at Magic Garden Care and Education Centre; Adrienne Wilkins, Maria Riepen, and Emma Parsons at Sophia’s Preschool; Chris Bayes and Gemma Smith in the Foundations Class at the Diocesan School for Girls; Wendy Lee at the Educational Leadership Project; and Margaret Carr at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Gratitude to Peg Callaghan, Nancy Gerber, Donna King, and Kelly Ramsey, colleagues who continue to bring us photos and detailed stories about their time with children.

Thanks to Kerry Ruef and the folks at the Private Eye who first intro- duced us to—and generously supplied us with—jeweler’s loupes. And to Paul Fleishman who inspired us with his poems in two voices.

Our appreciation goes to David Heath, Douglas Schmitz, and the entire team at Redleaf Press who continue to strengthen the coherence and presen- tation of our work and help us to communicate our message to the early child- hood field. They are a pleasure to work with.

And, as always, we are grateful to our families and friends, who continue to believe in and support us even as we get consumed by book projects. Their encouragement to pursue our passion for children and those who care for them makes it possible for us to do this work.

http://www.marinjcc.org/earlychildhood/early-childhood-education/
http://www.ppccc.ca/
http://gator1846-rosalbab-primary.hgsitebuilder.com/
http://www.paradisevalley.edu/
http://totscorner.co.nz/
http://tepunakohungahunga.maori.nz/
http://www.magicgarden.co.nz/
http://foundationclass1.edublogs.org/about/
http://www.elp.co.nz/
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/
http://the-private-eye.com/index.html
http://www.redleafpress.org
Two Voices within a Teacher

I’m an early childhood teacher

I think of my work as

very demanding very stimulating

It’s as if I’m

an air traffic controller an architect designing an environment for discovery

trying to keep everyone on course a gardener, tilling the soil, planting seeds and prevent collisions for a love of learning

a bodyguard teaching the children how to share and get along with others

The learning environment I create is clean and organized.

I’m always buying new curriculum materials I arrange things with discovery and beauty and learning games in mind, choosing things from nature and

loose parts for play in the classroom

If I could just

get the children to sit still and listen take time to sit and listen to them

I could

teach them what they need to be discover their questions and encourage their ready for school curiosity so they’ll be excited about learning

I’m worried

they don’t learn enough when they just play they don’t get enough time to play

There’s so little time

to get everything I’ve planned done to experience the wonder of childhood

Children need to be challenged to pay close Children must have time to race down the hill, attention and follow directions splash through that puddle, sit under a tree,

and gaze at the clouds

Watching children play

doesn’t make me look like a real teacher is the part of my job I love most Children do and say the most remarkable things

It’s true, children sometimes surprise me I’m amazed by their insights and abilities with what they know

I know it’s important to observe

each child has to be assessed for progress each child has so much to teach me Watching closely, I see so much growth unfolding

I so want

the parents to see me as a legitimate teacher the parents to delight with me in what their children are doing

I have so much I want to cover with So much of my curriculum comes from my curriculum my observations

When I let the children have free play

I have to have eyes in the back of my head I see how they benefit from taking risks, to keep them safe and out of mischief and how inventive and capable they really are

This work

has so many pressures and demands is sooo rewarding!

I’m thinking

about looking for another job this job is one I want to keep for as long as possible

Introduction

If you’re an early childhood teacher, no doubt your head is full of tugging voices and questions: What are the children really learning as they play? How should I handle all this pressure for school readiness? What will reassure par- ents that I’m a competent teacher? How long can I really stay in this job?

Competing interests in young children’s futures storm around and within us. Early childhood teachers feel so much pressure to shape children into what society expects of them. There is an ever-growing body of quality rating scales and professional and state standards that early childhood educators must be accountable for. In quieter moments, we long to be with children in a different way. Then the prevailing tide rushes in with the language of QRIS, early learn- ing frameworks, and accreditation criteria. The wonder of childhood is pulled under and washed away once more, and with it, our love of teaching.

Waiting for you in the eye of this storm are the art of awareness and the joy of paying close attention to children. With close observation, you can refo- cus, see the value of childhood and children’s remarkable competencies, and remember why you wanted to be a teacher. You can learn to integrate the con- cerns of these contesting voices. A full measure of delight can return to your work with children. If observation is already part of your teaching practice, you may find an expanded focus in this book to deepen your work into a more intellectually engaging and joyful practice. If observation isn’t at the center of your practice, developing the art of awareness can transform your teaching, your job satisfaction, and your commitment to a career in the early childhood field.

Refocusing Our Work The early childhood profession faces a critical juncture. We have come of age as a full-fledged profession with a core body of knowledge, code of ethics, pro- fessional standards, accreditation systems, credentials, research, professional literature, and a multitude of conferences for ongoing professional develop- ment. These developments are all wonderful. In addition, policy makers and

1

2 Introduction

funders are understanding the importance of early-years education for brain development and later success in school. But for practicing early-years teach- ers, these developments often translate into giving more attention to rat- ing scales and accountability systems than to the children themselves. This assessment-driven reality reflects the overall trend in education in the United States.

In the United States, there is no clear vision for the value of children or the role of childhood in our collective lives. We are willing to entertain chil- dren, make products for them to consume, and prepare children for adult- hood. Yet we don’t earnestly give them much attention for who they are right now. We overlook the insights children offer us. Except for brief moments of crisis, holidays, or campaigning for elections, rarely do the lives of children get public attention. The general public doesn’t discuss how children enrich our humanity and our overall culture. Even parents and teachers fail to notice what children notice, and they don’t let children lead us to a new awareness and appreciation for their time of life. Professor and author David Elkind reminds us in The Hurried Child that in the last fifty years, our country has become more and more adult oriented, with children increasingly viewed as a nuisance. Shopping malls, casinos, health clubs, and the Internet have all been conspicuously developed as places for adults to gather. Parks, neighbor- hoods, and schools have been neglected. Most early childhood and school-age

Introduction 3

programs are isolated from the rest of the world. This contributes to this gen- erational apartheid in our communities. Strange as it seems, early childhood workplaces have grown to mirror, rather than transform, the invisibility of children in our society at large.

The early childhood field itself is a clear target of commercial interests. This is ironic, because we are marginalized and devalued in the overall alloca- tion of resources and public attention. We, too, often behave as if we’ve lost our way. Rather than steadily cultivating a vision for ourselves, we often just follow the latest trend. In our professional meetings and conferences, we are persuaded to spend our time rushing rather than relating, consuming rather than creating. Professional development and meetings rarely focus on chil- dren’s words, feelings, experiences, or thought processes.

Taking Up the Invitation Children can awaken in us an understanding of being inventive, engaged, delighted, and determined to rearrange the world. If we listen to and watch them closely, they will teach us to be more observant, inquisitive, and respon- sive in our work and lives. It isn’t easy to pay attention to children in this way. So much conspires to take us in other directions. The daily crush of tasks and pleas for attention is enormous. Our requirements and accountability systems, our schedules and meetings and learning goals can easily push child- hood out of the picture. Unlike children, we adults have so many pressing agendas that we often miss what is right under our noses. Children invite us to take a closer look. This book invites you to learn the art and skill of obser- vation. Doing so has the potential to change your life, not just your teaching, for the better.

The late Anita Olds, an expert in designing spaces for early childhood, used to say of licensing requirements, “Children are miracles, not minimums!” They come to us full of wonder, eager to understand and be competent. Yet despite our good intentions to teach them, we adults easily begin to deplete children’s innate wellspring of zest for learning. In An American Childhood, Annie Dillard puts it this way:

No child on earth was ever meant to be ordinary, and you can see it in them, and they know it too. But then the times get to them, and they wear out their brains learning what folks expect, and spend their strength trying to rise over those same folks. (Dillard 1993, 208)

4 Introduction

When we neglect to see who children really are, we deprive ourselves of deeper sources of delight. We miss the opportunity to witness the profound process of human development that is unfolding before our eyes. Becoming a careful observer of young children reminds us that what might seem ordinary at a superficial glance is actually quite extraordinary. In a class she taught, early childhood author Elizabeth Prescott compared a string of ordinary moments for a child to beads on a necklace, each one unique yet related to the others, combining to create an unfolding work of wonder.

To be sure, some children don’t appear as wonderful to us as others. They are the real challenges to our vision. Sometimes these children almost require us to use a magnifying glass to see what is really there. Taking the time for deeper glimpses into the play, work, and thinking of challenging children makes our job one of continual exploration, invention, and flexible thinking. If we can keep our focus, we will get through the rough and bumpy times, past our blind spots, to find some new perspectives on even the most difficult chil- dren. One of the goals of this book is to help you develop the ability to notice details and adopt different perspectives. Bringing liveliness and enthusiasm to your work life is another.

Listening, Observing, and Documenting Is a Pedagogy When we begin to value who children are (not just what we want them to be), a shift happens in the way we think about learning and teaching. Our jobs become more engaging and fulfilling. We also begin to envision a larger purpose for our profession. We strive to make childhood visible and valued for the ways that it can enrich our humanity and contribute to our collective identity. To bring this transformation about, we need a pedagogy (a way of thinking about learning and teaching) that mirrors our vision for children. We don’t want to promote one that exists in the popular culture. We need to move away from commercially packaged activities. We need to make the time to develop curriculum collaboratively with our coworkers, the children, and their families. We must focus our attention away from the clocks and check- lists to see what is going on with the children themselves. Teachers who sub- scribe to a pedagogy like this come from a place of curiosity. They believe in children’s capabilities and know that they are engaging in a process that is not static; it’s unfolding.

The benefits of this approach are far-ranging. Moving children into the center of our focus teaches us more about child development. We begin to

Introduction 5

understand the learning involved in self-chosen play and the components of a curriculum shaped around children’s perspectives. Looking closely, we can see the influence of cultural patterns. This helps us learn more about ourselves, our prefer- ences, our biases, and our blind spots. Discussing our observations with coworkers and children’s families helps us to see things from different perspectives, allowing each of us to transcend the limitations of our own points of view. We create a collective context for mutual respect and learning from each other.

Gathering observation notes and other forms of documentation and sharing them as stories of children’s pursuits gives the children and their stories more visibility, meaning, and respect. The learning process is enhanced for the children as well as the adults. College professor and author George Forman puts it this way:

We know that making children’s ideas vis- ible is an important goal. It helps children convert an activity into a learning encounter. Therefore, if documentation helps children make their own feelings, patterns of behavior, theories, and rules more visible and explicit, then documentation could become the primary means of educating young children. (Online dialogue on Reggio listserv discus- sion, 1999)

Where can we see this pedagogy in action? Many would point to the schools of Reggio Emilia in Italy and in the schools they have inspired around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. We can see the seeds of this approach in the teaching and writing of Karen Gallas, Elizabeth Jones, Vivian Paley, Gretchen Reynolds, and Carol Anne Wien. Their books are rich with descriptions of children’s play and teachers negotiating their roles in it. Teachers can turn to these writers’ works again and again for reminders and inspiration about how children’s lives can be val- ued and our differing perspectives on them can be negotiated.

Several practicing early childhood teachers have also written books, giv- ing us a firsthand, vivid picture of how this pedagogy has been developed in their classrooms. Ann Pelo worked as a preschool teacher/author in a full- time child care program. Her teaching is featured in a series of staff train- ing videos: Children at the Center, Setting Sail, Thinking Big, Building Bridges

6 Introduction

between Teachers and Families, To See Takes Time, and Side by Side (available at www.ecetrainers.com). Pelo describes her evolving pedagogy of listening, observing, and documenting in the book she coauthored with Fran Davidson, That’s Not Fair! (Pelo and Davidson 2000).

When I first began the practice of taking notes about children’s play and making recordings of children’s conversations, I didn’t really understand how to use all the documentation I gathered. I did it because I’d read about it being the right thing to do. I’d carefully transcribe a recorded conversation among children, then go on with the plans I’d already made. I mostly thought of the notes and conversations as ways to capture on paper the sweet and appealing thinking of young children. I’d share my transcriptions with parents, inviting them to “listen in” on conversations that they would otherwise miss.

As I grew into the practice of supporting emerging projects, I learned more about how to use the documentation that I collected. I noticed myself wishing to understand if my guesses about the children’s interests were on target or way off base, knowing that it mattered deeply to the success of an emerging project. I began to turn to my carefully collected notes for guidance. When I studied my notes and transcriptions alone or with a coteacher, I could see underneath the children’s words to the themes and issues undergirding them. I noticed when ideas were repeated or when a theme showed up over and over. I began to see through to the heart of children’s play. And with an understanding of the heart of their play, I could respond in meaningful ways and take an active role in shap- ing an activism project. I could better supply the classroom with props that would sustain play. I could plan trips or invite visitors to the class- room. I could ask provocative questions of the children. I could develop strategies for the children to represent their thinking. Listening to the children is my best guide for supporting emerging projects. The documen- tation I collect while the children play and talk deepens my listening. (Pelo and Davidson 2000, 76, 78)

Later Pelo went on to author The Language of Art: Inquiry-Based Studio Practices in Early Childhood Settings (2007), in which she describes how she used her observations to design in-depth studies for children using art media as “thinking tools.” You’ll see examples of this kind of work in several of the chapters of The Art of Awareness.

First-grade teacher Karen Gallas has written a number of books charting her journey as a teacher. Gallas makes children’s words, actions, and artistic expressions a focal point for her own development. In her book The Languages of Learning, Gallas (1994, 5–6) describes her pedagogy of creating the class- room as a research community.

http://www.redleafpress.org/The-Language-of-Art-P160.aspx
Introduction 7

This process of data collection is ongoing. It becomes part of the life of the classroom and is absorbed into the interactions between teacher and students. Thus, over the course of a school year, I compile an enormous amount of information that helps me to reflect on the classroom and to answer my more difficult questions about teaching, learning, and the pro- cess of education. . . . As a teacher-researcher, I do not determine before- hand the categories of information I am looking for, the nature of the data, or the questions to be asked. Data collection is not a process used only for assessing children’s learning or evaluating curricula. The process of data collection, as it has evolved, has become a central part of my class- room practice.

Vivian Gussin Paley is a well-known classroom teacher and author with more than a dozen published books. Her writing reveals the richness of chil- dren’s perspectives, along with the thinking process of an evolving teacher. In describing how her approach to teaching evolved, Paley says that in her early days of teaching, she found herself having trouble remembering who each of her twenty-six to thirty kindergartners were. At night she would develop schemes to try to remember each of their names, all of which failed. It was only when she set herself the task of writing a few sentences about something each child did or said that she solved this problem and began to know each individual.

8 Introduction

This strategy engaged Paley for a while, but as it became routine, she found herself getting bored. Author Margie Carter recalls the following con- versation with Vivian Paley from October 1999:

“Bored!” exclaimed a teacher listening to this story. “How could you pos- sibly be bored with twenty-six to thirty children to tend to? You must have been frantically busy!”

“Of course I was extremely busy,” Paley replied, “but that’s very different than being bored. When I say I was bored, I don’t mean with the children, I mean with myself and my job. I didn’t find myself very curious, emotionally or intellectually engaged in what was going on. And because I was basically too lazy to go out and look for another job, I decided I had better make this one more interesting. So I began to create little games for myself that forced me to watch more closely what was going on. I’d try doing something one way with the morning group and then a different way with the afternoon class and then asked myself what worked better. I experimented with questions about how boys and girls might respond differently, about what other activities might be least interfered with by the loud noise of carpentry, and so on. And, of course, once I approached my work with this kind of inquiry, everything changed for me. I discovered the remarkable world of children’s perspectives and the unending delight of trying to understand the meaning of their play and stories.”

Becoming a Keen Observer What will it take for our early childhood classrooms to be filled with teach- ers who view children and their work with this mind-set? Ann Pelo, Karen Gallas, and Vivian Gussin Paley offer us valuable models for how teachers can develop themselves by observing children’s development. Each of these educators has developed a teaching practice based on her deep respect for children and her curiosity about who they are. The curricula each of them created lead to the very same learning outcomes listed in conventional lesson plans. But they use an emergent planning process with more meaning and relevancy for the children. Throughout this book, you’ll find teacher observa- tion stories that provide examples of how observation can transform your teaching.

Becoming a keen listener and observer is certainly the foundation of the art of awareness. If you consult a dictionary, you’ll discover that the definition of the word keen includes “showing a quick and ardent responsive- ness; enthusiastic, eager, intellectually alert, extremely sensitive in percep- tion” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition).

Introduction 9

But rather than fostering enthusiasm, most instruction on observation turns it into a tedious, arduous process, not the experiences that Pelo, Gallas, and Paley describe. As teachers face increasing requirements to use checklists and complete assessments, observing loses even more vitality. If we as a pro- fession allow this to happen, we will sacrifice one of the most joyful, engag- ing, and intellectually stimulating experiences teachers can have. Children, in turn, lose the possibility of having their play and ideas taken seriously. Their activities are less likely to be what Forman describes as “learning encounters.”

When you see your primary teaching role as closely observing children and communicating what you see, you’ll find yourself surrounded by amazing learning encounters. Becoming a keen observer is a way to learn child devel- opment, to find curriculum ideas, and to meet requirements for assessing outcomes. It’s also a way to keep from burning out in a stressful job. The Art of Awareness offers you a series of activities to develop yourself toward that end.

Inspiration from New Zealand In the years between the first and second editions of this book, 2000 to 2013, we as authors have had the good fortune to meet many fine educators. Among them we have encountered the remarkable commitment of the Ministry of Education in New Zealand and the inspiring work of early childhood educators there. They in turn have drawn inspiration from the international community, influenced by the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Ministry of Education has crafted a new early childhood system that honors the Treaty of Waitangi, creating an inclusive environment for all New Zealanders and, specifically, the Maori people. We have studied their transformational process. Our annual vis- its to New Zealand have given us a firsthand picture of their teaching practice. It is based on a view of children as competent and deserving of respect, while valuing different cultural funds of knowledge as equally worthy.

We encountered Margaret Carr, a professor at the University of Waikato, and her important work on using Learning Stories as a tool for assess- ment and professional development (Assessment in Early Childhood Settings: Learning Stories, Sage Publications, 2001) as well as her newest book with Wendy Lee, Learning Stories: Constructing Learner Identities in Early Education (2012). Her work has strongly influenced our ongoing teacher-education work. Together with our colleague Tom Drummond and in consultation with Carr and her colleague Wendy Lee, we have adapted the Learning Story approach for a North American audience. We have seen inexperienced and mature teachers alike adopt the Learning Story approach to study their obser- vations. They have written stories based on their observations that reveal

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/
10 Introduction

new insights into children’s perspectives. In addition, they have discovered a stronger sense of their own role in telling the stories of working with children. You will see examples of this throughout this book.

Using This Book This book begins with a series of study sessions designed to heighten your observation skills. These chapters differ from other texts on observing

because they are designed to help you learn to really see children. This observation is not for the purpose of analyzing or doing anything to or for them, but simply to value who they are and the experience of childhood. The study sessions include activities to help you replace what you hope to see and any labels or preconceptions you might have with a simple appreciation of the descrip- tive details of what you are actually seeing. This is important because we all observe subjectively through the filters of our own experiences and values.

The first four study sessions offer foundational ideas and practical strate- gies to expand your self-awareness. The more aware you become of the things that influence your ability to hear and see, the closer you get to objectivity. Chapter 2 is a study session on learning to see; chapter 3 is a study session on observing for children’s perspectives; chapter 4 is a study session on observ- ing children’s lively minds; and chapter 5 is a study session on observing how children use their senses.

These sessions are followed by six chapters that you study on specific aspects of childhood. Again, you will be asked to let go of your adult agenda or your teacher urge to do something with what you are seeing. Instead, you will replace this with the goal of really seeing what’s there. In the Buddhist tradi- tion, this is referred to as mindfulness.

Following these study sessions, the remaining three chapters of the book offer you ideas and strategies for getting organized to observe, for using and sharing your observations, and for using your observations for planning and assessment.

Photographs and observation stories, often with transcriptions of children’s conversations, are used throughout all the chapters of The Art of Awareness. These are as valuable for you to study as the text itself. You will also find examples of teachers’ self-reflections and communications with the children’s families to model how observations can be used and displayed.

Introduction 11

Choosing How to Live and Work Our world is fraught with so many challenges that many of us try to survive by numbing ourselves, thus losing our attentiveness. The Art of Awareness offers an antidote to that narrowing, if not debilitating, choice for how to be in the world. Living in the details of the human spirit leads to more mindful- ness, liveliness, and overall pleasure in your life. If you take the time to notice, each child offers a glimpse of something promising in the world. When you make what you value and notice more visible to yourself and to others, it becomes a resource for change. Together we can create an active vision for becoming individuals and a collective culture that holds children and child- hood as sacred and worthy of our utmost attention.

12

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions

Chapter 1

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 13

It takes practice for us to recover this ability to see, or before that, the

gift of wanting to see. For so many years we have been learning to judge

and dismiss—I know what that thing is, I’ve seen it a hundred times—

and we’ve lost the complex realities, laws, and details that surround us.

Try looking the way the child looks—as if always for the first time.

—Corita Kent and Jan Steward

As you read the following story about Karina’s classroom, consider the role that observation plays in her teaching. How does her close attention to the children’s knowledge and interests influence what happens in her classroom?

As Karina sets up the room for her day with children, she decides to offer buttons in a new way. She takes them off the shelf and places them on one of the tables as an invitation for the children to discover. She puts the buttons in a basket and lays out some pieces of construction paper with different shapes glued on them. Karina is in the early stages of shifting her teaching away from the practice of making all table activities teacher- directed lessons. She’s very curious about what the children will do when they discover these materials she’s placed on the table.

The first few children who approach the table seem hesitant. They ask Karina what they are supposed to do. She smiles and says, “You are welcome to play with the buttons. See what you can discover.” As these girls sit down, several others join them and the fun begins. The children are clearly sifting through the buttons, describing what they are discovering and finding different ways to set them on the paper. Karina stays close by, noticing how the children are investigating the buttons and periodically describing what she sees them doing. She does her best to avoid asking questions such as “What color is that?” or “How many buttons do you have?” It’s new for her to just take a few notes and photos of things the children are doing and saying. She’s eager to learn more about their interests and the experiences that come out during their play.

The first thing that strikes Karina is the variety of ways children explore the buttons. Some seem quite focused and serious. Others are exuberantly

14 Chapter 1

grabbing, relishing the abundance of buttons. Some children have begun sorting and classifying the buttons by color, size, or shape. One child starts a treasure hunt, trying to find all the big buttons with “gold petals on the outside.” Another child picks up random buttons one at a time and then methodically places them on her paper. One of the quieter solo workers at the table creates what is clearly the representation of a person.

After putting buttons on his paper, one child discovers that if he blows on a button, it will scoot across the table. He is thrilled with his discovery, calling out, “Look! Look what I did! Look what I did! It’s flying. Flying up. That one jumped.” Karina comes over for a closer look. “Wow, you really made a discovery. You can use your breath to move the air so it will move the buttons.” Before long, others join him in this activity. They invent a button-blowing game, making up rules as they go along. Karina is amazed that the children have used the buttons in ways that never would have occurred to her. At one point, she turns her camera around and shows one of the children a series of pictures she has captured. It is the progression of ideas the child has had over the last twenty minutes. The girl is eager to describe what she was doing in every photo.

Karina realizes she is puzzled by something. She notices that none of the children seem to make use of the shapes on the paper for their button work. In fact, several children have turned the paper over so the blank side is facing up. She wonders what this means about their exploration of space and lines. She can’t wait to talk with her assistant teacher about all her observations so they can consider how they might offer the buttons next time.

This small glimpse of Karina’s work with children is rich with the ele- ments of the teaching approach presented in this book. Working with chil- dren in this way is quite different from focusing on cookie-cutter curriculum activities. It also goes beyond traditional observation practices, in which teachers collect data primarily for the purpose of assessment and measur- ing outcomes. While this is a valid reason for observing, it is more limited than what we as authors are suggesting in this book. In fact, what you see in Karina is a teacher engaged in ongoing professional development. She is

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 15

practicing close observation, flexible thinking, risk taking, and working with- out a known outcome. She demonstrates the ability to move in and out of analysis while staying in the present moment. This ability helps her use the children’s exploration as a source of planning, not to mention inspiration.

When approaching observation in this open-ended way, teachers must view children as competent creators of their own understandings. They see children as individuals who deserve the time and attention needed for their experiences to unfold with deeper meaning. Teachers like Karina see the richness of these childhood moments and value children’s perspectives and pursuits. Teachers who use this approach spend their time observing chil- dren, working to uncover their point of view and understandings. They do not spend time planning lessons and filling out developmental checklists. They use their observations to guide their responses and ongoing planning. They then draw on them for filling out developmental data or school-readiness assessments.

Reread the story, study the photos, and notice the specific things Karina is doing in her teaching practice.

• Karina provides open-ended materials for the children to explore. She understands the kinds of materials that engage children. She chooses materials with texture, beauty, complexity, and a range of possibilities for use.

• She offers materials with attention to order and aesthetics, which will call forth the children’s interest and help them focus on the possibilities.

• Karina observes closely and documents the details of ordinary moments of the children’s explorations and actions. She sometimes spontaneously shares her observations with the children by describing what she is seeing and showing them photos of their work.

• Karina shares her delight in what the children are doing. She asks open-ended questions and avoids questions that seek a particular answer, but rather keeps a curious, open mind, wondering why the children are pursuing particular activities.

• Even when a child uses the buttons in an unexpected way, such as blowing them, Karina admires his ingenuity. She does not offer a rule.

• Karina is eager to share her observations with other teachers to see if their perspectives can suggest additional ideas about what is occurring and what might be offered next.

16 Chapter 1

Why Study Sessions? Because of the many demands and distractions teachers face, learning to pay close attention to children requires systematic study and ongoing practice. This book offers you that opportunity. The study sessions were originally designed as a college course to counter the notion that observing children is a cumbersome task. The sessions offer you an organized system that will help you become aware of children in a new way. Through practice, you will dis- cover that developing the art of awareness is one of the most stimulating and

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 17

nourishing things you can do for yourself and for children. It will make your job easier and more enjoyable.

You will find that these study sessions are not designed as checklists to use or facts to learn. Rather, they offer new ideas, activities, and experiences to help you invent a different way of being with children. Each session will take you through a set of activities designed to help you slow down, become self-aware, and pay attention. You will develop your ability to think flexibly, critically, and in depth. Teachers who have participated in these sessions have found them useful for their work with children and even in other parts of their lives. Here are some of their comments as they’ve undertaken the study sessions:

Today I watched a toddler walk by my house holding his grandmother’s hand. I watched from my window as he took tiny steps and stopped a number of times to step on a leaf, kick the grass, and point out some berries that had fallen on the ground. Since taking this class, I now wonder what it’s like to be entertained by stepping on leaves and grass and pointing to bright objects that I notice. I realize how much I pass by things and do not even notice them. I am quick to judge things that I’ve seen before. Now I have become more curious about things, and I am learning more and noticing more about the little things around me. It is so refreshing. —Lindsey

I feel myself being stretched and growing. As I observe children playing now, I find myself examining their play in greater detail. I realize how I never really watched them before. I feel bad about it, but now I know so much more is going on than I thought. —Judi

I feel challenged, but also I’m really going through a learning process. I see now that observing is a process. The quotes have really made me think. The art of awareness activities give me a different perspective. And the observation practice has helped me become really skilled at noticing details. I see the world around me so differently than I did a few months ago. I see it clearer and with more delight. It’s a new beginning! —Gail

This class has taught me a new way to observe not only children but every- thing. It is different from anything I have ever taken. I never had to look at things before. I’m still trying to figure it out. It’s hard sometimes, but I’m learning so much. —Becky

18 Chapter 1

Components of the Study Sessions The first four study sessions—chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5—provide foundational skills that will help you begin paying close attention to the children you work with. The next seven study sessions—chapters 6 through 11—are all organized similarly. Each of these focuses on observing a particular aspect of childhood. Each study session ends with an example of a teacher’s observation story that was formally written up and posted in the program or on a blog or other online platform.

Chapter 2, the first study session, is “Learning to See.” In it, you will learn to examine how your own experiences influence your perceptions. There will be opportunities to practice noticing the difference between your interpreta- tions and the details of what you are looking at.

Chapter 3 is “Observing for Children’s Perspectives” and offers strategies on how to shift from your teacher agenda toward finding children’s points of view and the importance of their life in the here and now. This session will be the beginning of a number of activities calling you back to your own favorite childhood experiences to help you put yourself in children’s shoes more easily. As you make the shift to seeing children’s actions from their perspective, you will be reminded of how capable they really are. This view of children and the respect and trust it generates will transform your teaching.

Chapter 4 introduces you to “Observing Children’s Lively Minds.” You will be introduced to examples of how close observation can reveal that even the very youngest children can focus intently, investigate materials, and commu- nicate an eagerness to learn more.

Chapter 5, “Observing How Children Use Their Senses,” provides examples of how children use all of their senses to explore new things they encounter.

The study sessions in chapters 2 to 11 are all organized in the same way to help you practice skills and revisit the focus of each chapter through a variety of activities. The consistent structure of the sessions will help you develop both left- and right-brain skills. The left-brain skills help you notice the details of children’s experiences. The right-brain skills involve the awareness associ- ated with artists or naturalists. Detailed observation stories of children are included in each chapter, highlighting the aspect of childhood focused on in that chapter.

As you go through each study session, you will find the following components:

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 19

Quotation about Seeing

We walk around believing that what we see with our eyes is real, when, in

truth, each of us constructs our own understandings of what we are seeing.

—Donald Hoffman

To remind you that everyone sees things differently, each of the study ses- sions begins with a quote and then a reflection like the one you just read by Donald Hoffman. These quotes come from artists, naturalists, poets, and oth- ers who spend time carefully reflecting on what they see. Use these quotes to spark, provoke, or challenge you to see how your own experiences may affect how you see the world, children, and yourself as a teacher.

In Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See, Donald D. Hoffman (2000) tells the story of a man who regained his sight after being blind from infancy. Hoffman describes the great difficulty this man had in making sense of what he saw. Nothing was recognizable, and everything was confusing, because he had no experience with the world of sight. He needed to shut his eyes to function because all of his understandings came through his other senses. This story is a powerful illustration of how we each see the world through our own experiences, biases, and filters. Having this awareness in our work with children helps us observe with more self-understanding and thoughtfulness.

Learning Goals for This Study Session This list provides an overview of the learning goals for the study session you are about to undertake. You can refer back to this list as you move through or complete the study session. The list can help you reflect on what you learned and help you identify what you may have missed.

Reflect on the Quote In this section, you will be asked questions to help you to reflect on a quote such as Hoffman’s quote about seeing. Then you will have the opportunity to write about your reactions and thoughts and about the implications they have for your work with children. You are encouraged to share your responses and ideas with others. You also might want to gather a collection of these quotes, post them, or keep them with you to help you stay alert to the limits of your own perspectives. They can inspire you to see more.

20 Chapter 1

Art of Awareness Activities To give children and childhood the attention they deserve, we must bring a different mind-set to our work. As Corita Kent and Jan Steward suggest in the quote that begins this chapter, we need to recover our ability to see, rather than judge and dismiss. The art of awareness activities in each study session will challenge your immediate responses and judgments. They are designed to help you move beyond first impressions and quick labels. Many of the activi- ties are not directly related to children but come instead from the work of art- ists, psychologists, and naturalists.

The learning activities offered here do not follow a traditional approach to teacher education. They are intended to sharpen the overall awareness you bring to your work with children. Some of the activities will help you practice flexible thinking and shift your perspective. Others will ask you to tap your own creativity and express unique ideas. Don’t be surprised if you find your head spinning or if you feel unbalanced. Becoming unsettled is part of a learn- ing process that will give you more awareness as a teacher.

If you approach the art of awareness activities in earnest, they will help you reclaim your own sense of wonder and curiosity. Children approach the world with clear eyes and a refreshing perspective. They always raise their heads to marvel at an airplane when they hear its engines roar. They let ice cream linger on their tongues and drip down their chins. They stop to investi- gate the cracks in the sidewalk.

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 21

Learning the art of awareness will help you approach the world as children do, with openness and the use of all of your senses. Your life and work will be richer for it.

Remembering Your Childhood Each study session is organized around a particu- lar childhood theme. These are themes teachers see every day in their work. To learn more about the significance of the childhood theme, you will be asked to recall the details and feelings of your own experiences. Your own experiences will set the stage for the observation stories that follow.

Sample Observation and Observation Practice Samples of observation stories are included in each session. Use them to study the details that hold the meaning and significance of the experience for the children. As you study the details in each story, you will learn how to col- lect and describe similar details while you observe. These stories offer you a snapshot of ordinary moments of childhood. Consider them invitations to be treasured and rich information to help you learn more about children. Some stories are followed by further reflections from the teachers who captured those observations as they studied the story again.

Following each observation practice, you will be offered some questions. Use them to help you look more closely at the details of the story. Try to discover the meaning and significance of these details for the children. This will give you practice in looking deeper, beyond your own filters and teaching agendas. You can do this reflection on your own or with others.

Take Another Look After studying the observation stories, you will be invited to apply the ideas to your own setting. The questions and activities will enhance your own prac- tice and study about this particular aspect of childhood. You will find areas to examine, materials or activities to add to your environment, and suggestions for additional focused observations. As you continue to practice using these ideas and skills with children, they will become second nature to you. You will begin to readily value children’s pursuits and become more creative in provid- ing for them.

22 Chapter 1

More Things to Do Each study session offers additional ideas for more self-awareness and devel- opment activities. These will help you learn more about yourself, develop your awareness, and adjust your attitudes toward children.

Sample Observation Display The study sessions end with an example of a fully developed written observa- tion that a teacher has chosen to develop into a display with photos. As you study these, ask yourself what in the story might have influenced the teacher to take the time to share it in this way. Whether you post your stories online or print them up for a display in your program, the decision to take the time to do so should be guided by how you want others to see children, your values, and the children’s particular perspectives and competencies.

How to Use the Observation Study Sessions The guidelines in each of the study sessions suggest ways you can work on your own, with a partner, or as part of a group. Whenever possible, find another person to work with. This collaborative study can be arranged in any number of settings, depending on your use of this book. They could be used in staff meetings, college classes, seminars, mentoring programs, informally among colleagues, or even with the children’s families. Working with others will give you a variety of perspectives, more lively discussions, and more in- depth understandings of the usefulness of the activities in each session. You will always find more details, insights, and possibilities when there are more eyes, ears, and points of view focused on an observation.

The time frame for each session can be adjusted, depending on your indi- vidual or group needs and schedule. The activities can easily take a few hours, with additional time devoted to follow-up suggestions. You will need to find a system that works for you, one that helps you discipline yourself for the prac- tice required.

A New Way of Being with Children: An Overview of the Study Sessions 23

Using and Sharing Your Observations Chapter 12 moves away from the study session format and offers ideas for getting yourself organized to observe and gather documentation. We offer an extensive set of questions you can use to study. You can also use them to help you make meaning of your observations as you uncover the story you feel is most significant to share with others. Chapter 13 reminds you that while doc- umentation is often seen as a display or a formal product, the documentation process affords you a wide range of opportunities for using your observations. For example, you could use them

• as a study tool for your own learning about children and child development

• as a way to explore ideas with the children themselves • as a source of ideas for enriching your environment and curriculum • as a way to invite a dialogue with your colleagues and the children’s

families

Slow Down and Study You are now ready to start your journey into The Art of Awareness. Give yourself time and practice mindfulness. Enjoy what you discover! At times, you may find your- self unsettled because your brain and body have been set in their ways for so long. Perhaps your approach to observing and teaching up to this point has been focused on your adult agenda rather than on seeking to understand and learn from the children’s perspectives. You may be a teacher who continually gathers observations and photos of children but not for the purpose of your own study and professional development. Wherever you are in your own journey of practicing the art of awareness, we offer this book as an opportunity to expand the vision you have for yourself and the children in your life.

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Study Session: Learning to See

Chapter 2

Study Session: Learning to See 25

We do not really see through our eyes or hear through our ears, but

through our beliefs. To put our beliefs on hold is to cease to exist as

ourselves for a moment.

—Lisa Delpit

Learning Goals for This Study Session In this study session, you will

• reflect on your own mental filters and how they influence your perceptions

• distinguish the difference between descriptions and interpretations • recognize the components of observation skills • practice seeing the details of an observation • explore flexible thinking with perception exercises

Reflect on the Quote When learning to observe, we have to begin by examining our own experi- ences and perspectives. Reread the Lisa Delpit quote, and think about these questions:

1 What does “seeing through our beliefs” mean to you?

2 What experiences does it remind you of?

3 How do you think this idea relates to your work with children?

You can reflect on this on your own or discuss it with a partner or small group. You might want to use the responses below from other teachers to spark or extend your thinking.

I think this quote means we all like to be right and in control and that it is really hard to let go of our way of seeing and doing things. Sometimes my coteacher and I really disagree about the different ways we handle children’s conflicts. When we try to talk about it, we are very defensive. I think we have to find a way to talk together with the understanding that we all have our own point of view and experience. We shouldn’t start out thinking one of us is right and one is wrong. We need to find ways to have more open conversations. —Jill, toddler teacher

26 Chapter 2

It makes me see why people find it so hard to see another person’s point of view. The quote implies we have to let go of not only our ideas but also our identity and who we are. I think people probably find that really scary. Wow! It means to me that we have a lot of work to do to understand each other and ourselves. —Dee, preschool teacher

Art of Awareness Activity

Practice Exploring the Influences on Your Perceptions Before you can observe children with a new set of eyes, you have to recognize your own filters. What influences the way you see things? This is the first step in developing the utmost sensitivity in your perception. The following activity will help you explore examples of these differences in perception. It requires that you work with at least one other person to compare your responses. A group of people will offer you a livelier discussion and more differences to reflect on.

1 Find an interesting photo in a book, magazine, or online that shows a group of people involved in an activity or interaction together. Make enough copies for each person doing this activity.

2 If you are working with a partner, each person should look over the photo for a few minutes. Without talking or writing, make some mental notes about what you see. Notice your emotional reactions to the photo as well as the details of what you see. Next, put the photo away and take turns describing to each other what you saw in the photograph. Each person should describe what you saw without comments or discussion from the other person.

3 If you are working with a group, ask two or three people to volunteer to leave the room. (Volunteers should not be concerned that there will be tricks or judging of people.) Then ask the volunteers to come back into the room one at a time. Give each volunteer a copy of the photo to look over for a minute or two. Ask the volunteer to mentally note the details as well as emotional reactions to the photo. Take the picture away and ask for a verbal description of what the volunteer observed.

4 After everyone has shared what they remember, discuss the differences between their recollections. Use the following questions to guide the discussion.

• What were the differences in what each person noticed about the photo?

Study Session: Learning to See 27

• Why do you think each of you reacted in this way? • What from your background, experiences, or values may have

influenced what you saw in the photo?

Understanding Influences on Perception Each of us walks around in the world making meaning of what we see, hear, and experience. We have an amazing capacity to take in information and instantly make sense of it. When we can’t make sense of something, we feel uncomfortable and out of balance. When we feel this way, we work hard to find an explanation. We want to get back to our normal, comfortable way of seeing the world.

From infancy we have learned how to make sense of what happens around us. We’ve discovered that facial expressions and body language give us reams of information about a situation. The tone of someone’s voice creates a further impression. These are some of the strongest influences on how we see the world today. We instantly size up a situation without even realizing what factors are influencing us. And each of us does this in a different way, with the different filters of our childhood, temperament, and experiences.

If we become more aware of our interpretations, we can analyze the influ- ences that come into play. Past experiences contribute a big part to how we make sense of things. We scan a scene to find what we recognize as familiar and then assign meaning from our past experiences. Our expectations about what we’ll see also are part of the process. Consciously or not, we often see exactly what we expect to see. How we feel in the moment strongly influences what we see. If we are tired or cold or just had a disagreement with a friend, these experiences color our perceptions. And, as Lisa Delpit so clearly says in the quote that begins this study session, our values and beliefs rush in as we interpret and judge a situation.

This photo activity offers a reminder of the differences we each bring in making sense of any situation. Some people describe the concrete physical aspects of a scene, while others notice the relationships between the people and objects in the scene. Some people describe the details, while others describe the feelings they get from the photo.

The notion that we all see things differently is obvious. Yet, as we go about our lives, we usually assume that what we see is true and that others must be seeing the same truths we do. When differing views are acknowledged, there is often conflict. We assume that if one of us is right, then the other must be wrong. Many of us are uncomfortable with conflict and try to avoid it. Nevertheless, we can recognize the opportunity that hearing different experi- ences and new points of view gives us, even if we are uncomfortable. It is an opportunity to expand our thinking and our humanity.

28 Chapter 2

This book challenges you to develop an active, conscious approach to reflecting on and interpreting your observations of children. The task at hand is to keep alert and self-reflective when looking at your own reactions to events and situations. Try to uncover the possible influences on your per- ceptions. Remind yourself that others are likely to have different, yet valid, points of view. Once you understand that you bring a set of mental filters to any observation, you can use this awareness to examine what you are seeing more carefully. The habit of immediately interpreting what you see limits your vision. You forget that what you are seeing is your own point of view, rather than something outside of yourself. Changing this habit takes ongoing prac- tice and self-reflection, because it is so easy to stay in your own comfort zone.

Another compelling reason to slow down and observe more conscien- tiously is to make sure you are seeing children in the most competent light possible. The larger educational and political discourse in the United States emphasizes getting children ready for school and remediating their deficits. This limited view of children seeps into our language and practices with chil- dren. As the educators of Reggio Emilia remind us, our image of the child affects everything we do. In turn, that limits or enhances the child’s potential. When we see children as needy or lacking in some quality or skill, we may limit what we offer them, or we may stop them from pursuing valuable experi- ences. Using detailed observations that reflect children’s competence helps teachers respond to them in ways that call forth their potential.

Observation Practice The following activities are designed to help you practice seeing with more intentionality. As you participate, try to let go of your preconceptions, which cloud what you see. Don’t think about writing or using the observations in any way. Strip away all of the noise inside your head about a right way to do this. Allow yourself to be in the moment for what you can learn.

Practice Noticing Descriptions and Interpretations One of the most difficult aspects of learning to observe is recognizing the dif- ference between descriptions and interpretations. Use this activity to help you develop your skills in separating descriptive data from interpretation.

Look at the following photos on your own, in a small group, or with a partner. Record all of your responses to the question: What do you see in the photos? Be as specific as possible.

Study Session: Learning to See 29

Practice Creating a Parking Lot When we observe children, we often have initial responses based on our own mental filters and values. These can get in the way of really seeing the importance of what children are doing. It is helpful to acknowledge these first reactions and then set them aside in a parking lot. You can write these on a separate page of your observation notes. A sample parking lot for a teacher watching this child with the scissors in the photos might have notes like this:

• The boy is using the scissors in the wrong way. • He is goofing around with scissors, trying to get my attention. He

should know better than that.

• The scissors are too close to his eyes. I’d better intervene because he’s going to hurt himself.

Your first reactions may have merit, and safety issues may require you to jump in quickly to intervene. But unless there is immediate danger, it is important to notice those first reactions and wait before you get involved. When you watch closely, momentarily letting go of your first reactions, you can be more thoughtful about whether to intervene, and if so, how.

Looking over your observation notes from the photo above, decide if any- thing should be moved to a parking lot away from your descriptive observa- tion data.

Review your notes and compare them to figure 2.1. Notice that the notes are listed in two columns, one labeled Descriptions and the other Interpretations. When learning to write observation notes, drawing a line down the middle of your paper and using these two categories keeps you mindful of when you are describing and when you are interpreting.

In your work with children, the ultimate goal of observing is to deter- mine the meaning of what is unfolding and to interpret what you see children doing in the most competent light so you can respond in useful ways. In that process, it is important to be aware of the differences between the details and descriptions you gather and your interpretations of the events.

30 Chapter 2

On a new sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle and label the left side Descriptions and the right side Interpretations. Then use the chart to sort your observation notes from the photo observation activity. Which ones have the details of what actually happened? Which ones have your interpretation of what might have been going on? Don’t worry about keeping the sentences together. You may find that the first half of a sentence was an observation and the second half was a reflection. That’s okay.

Recognize the Components of Observation Skills To discover the meaning of an observation, you need descriptive details to support your interpretations. Detailed information helps you discover pos- sible interpretations and misinterpretations from your own filters and biases. The more details, information, and points of view that you uncover, the more options you can generate for responding to the children.

You can learn to observe the details. You must notice when you are inter- preting and look closely for the smaller parts that make up the whole. When you find yourself interpreting, stop and ask, “What do I specifically see that leads me to this interpretation?” For example, while observing the child with scissors in the photos, your notes may say, “He is being naughty to get our attention.” Or “I’m worried he might hurt himself.” What do you specifically see that leads you to these interpretations of his motivations or skills? What in his actions, facial expressions, body language, or tone of voice are you interpreting as naughty or unsafe?

Descriptions

In one photo, the boy is holding two pairs of scissors, one in each hand, with thumb and fingers through the holes.

He is extending his hands and fingers while he holds the scissors as if to open and close them.

He is looking closely at the two pairs of scissors he is holding.

In the other photo, the boy has two pairs of scissors; one pair is at rest on the table, and the other pair he is pressing into his cheek. He is smiling.

Interpretations

He is interested in examining the scissors to understand how they work.

He is skillfully comparing the scissors to see how they work together.

He is enjoying himself and feeling pleased with what he is doing.

Figure 2.1

Study Session: Learning to See 31

Using these observation skills when we watch children reminds us to look conscientiously for the details of what we are seeing. The details also help us see their competence. They help us to support children’s initiative and devel- opment of confidence. Here is a list of the components of observing, along with a definition of each, and finally an example of how to apply them in studying the photos of the boy with scissors.

Objectivity: Observe without judging. It is very difficult to be objective, because even if you attempt to suspend your judgment, you are still choosing what to notice when you observe. The best way to be objective is to look for the details then notice your own subjectivity. This can help you put on hold your worry about the safety of the boy with scissors. It allows you to see the details of his competence and the value of his point of view. You may move in closer to him to respond quickly if need be, but try for an instant to see the details that may lead you to more useful perspectives.

The boy is holding two pairs of scissors while looking closely at them as he moves them with his hands and fingers.

Specificity: Look for specific details, such as the number of children and adults involved, the kinds and amount of materials, and the time span of an activity.

It’s free choice time in the classroom, and the boy has chosen to work with the scissors and the bright-colored cellophane paper on the table.

Directness: Record direct quotes as much as possible. Still photos obviously don’t offer sound, but observers can hear and record what children say.

The boy is smiling as he calls out to those around him, “I can do two at one time.”

Mood: Describe the social and emotional details of a situation. These include voice intonation, body language, facial expressions, hand gestures, and other nonverbal information. Mood clues can be difficult to decipher, because we have an automatic, unconscious response to them. We have learned to read mood clues from infancy, and our memories of those early years don’t have language associated with them. It takes considerable practice to learn to use mood cues for descriptive details rather than interpretations.

The boy has a focused look on his face as he examines the scissors. He watches his hands as he skillfully opens and closes the scissors. With excitement in his voice, he calls out, “I can do two together.”

Completeness: Describe incidents as having a beginning, middle, and end. A complete recording describes the setting, who was involved, the actions in the order they occurred, the responses, interactions, and the ending.

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Joshua sat at the table at the beginning of playtime. He began to explore the paper in various ways. He touched it, tried to tear it with his fingers, and tried to cut the paper with the scissors. His attention shifted to the scissors. He put his fingers through both pairs of the scissors and began to open and close them, examining his actions as he worked. After several minutes of trying this action with scissors, he called out, “I can do two together.”

Saying, “Joshua is working with scissors” is not a story worth telling. In fact, if you look on the surface, you may stop Joshua’s exploration on behalf of using the scissors safely and in the correct manner. If you did this, you would miss the depth and importance of this experience for him. When you notice the details, you are able to marvel at this remarkable childhood moment of explo- ration and discovery. You can support Joshua’s disposition to be a self-directed learner rather than repeatedly correcting his behavior. Using observation skills to assemble the details of the story reveals the richness of the activity. As more and more details come to light, you will notice that these seemingly ordinary, and sometimes challenging, childhood moments offer important opportunities for children to learn about themselves and the world they live in.

Practice Describing the Details You can also practice noticing details in experiences unrelated to children. This activity can serve as a self-assessment of your skills in describing details. For this activity, you will need another person and two identical sets of small building blocks or toys.

1 Sit back-to-back with a partner. Each of you should have one of the sets of blocks or toys.

2 Build a structure or arrange a design with your blocks.

3 Describe to your partner the building or design you have made. Your partner must try to duplicate the building or design by listening to your directions without looking at what you have done. Neither of you should ask questions.

4 When your partner has finished, look at the outcome together. Discuss what worked and what didn’t work about the directions that were given.

5 Switch roles and have the other person take the lead. Follow the same procedures, but see if what you have learned from the first round can help you in this round.

6 When you are finished, consider the differences between the two rounds of building.

Study Session: Learning to See 33

After you have completed the activity, discuss the following questions with your partner:

• What happened in the first round when the person described what to build? What did you each discover?

• What success did you have? What did each of you do that helped you succeed?

• What hindered your ability to accomplish this task? • What else would have helped? • Did you discover that this was a difficult or an easy task for you? The task is meant to help you learn the importance of sharing similar

understandings and agreed-upon meanings when communicating. The more specific the descriptive details you used, the more likely you were to com- municate the directions successfully. You probably found that your inter- pretations, especially without interaction and feedback, led to misunder- standings. When you collect observations and discuss the details together, you have a better chance of understanding the complexity of what you’re seeing. This is more effective than operating from individual opinions and interpretations.

Take Another Look Once you become aware of the influences on what you see and how easy or hard it is for you to notice and describe details, you are on the road to improv- ing your observation skills. The activity of sitting back-to-back and trying to build what is being described also helps you assess your listening skills. Your ability to hear and see clearly will improve with each step you take to identify what shapes your perceptions. Notice how mood cues may affect your ability to be objective. Identify what you need to overcome as well as what you need to sharpen. Here are some further activities to move you along in this process.

More Exploration of Mental Filters and Their Influences on Perception Go to a public place like a street corner, park, or mall with a friend or col- league and sit on a bench together to people-watch. Talk together about what you see, challenging each other to give specific details rather than make inter- pretations. Discuss the differences in what you notice as well as how and why you interpret what you see the same or differently. Write a reflection paper on what you discover.

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More Observation Practice—Putting It All Together Try this activity, either alone or with a partner or small group, to get more practice collecting details, describing what you see, and interpreting your observations.

1 Gather more photos. There are a number of beautiful photography books that can be excellent resources of photos of children with lots of action and emotions portrayed. The Family of Children by Jerry Mason (1977) and From My Side: Being a Child by Sylvia Chard and Yvonne Kogan (2009) are great resources. You can also go online and search for photos of children to use for your practice. Photos are an easier starting place for practice than live-action videos.

2 To help you make the distinction between descriptions and interpretations, put a line down the center of some paper, labeling one side Descriptions and the other Interpretations. You might also want to make a separate area for your parking lot to jot down your quick reactions and labels.

3 Write down what you see in the pictures and put your words and phrases under the appropriate category.

4 Review the Components of Observation Skills (pages 30–31) to practice describing more details from your photos.

The more you practice these skills, the better you will become at observ- ing. Once you have ample practice with photos, follow the same process with short video clips of children. Finally, practice with children in real life. Remember to take your time to really see children. Don’t worry about a right answer or perfect writing skills.

More to Do You’ve completed the first observation study session! You probably will agree that developing this approach and the required skills will take time and prac- tice. Some of your practice should focus on activities that will strengthen your ability to change perspectives. Try to let go of your filters, leave your comfort zone, and accept the insecurity that comes in letting go of your usual ways of looking at things. Included here are a few art-of-awareness activities to try. These activities are not directly related to observing children, but rather are fun experiments that can help you develop flexible thinking—which, of course, has everything to do with your work with children.

Study Session: Learning to See 35

Optical Illusions Which of the horizontal lines in figure 2.2 are parallel? How do you know?

Reproduced with permission. © Exploratorium® www.exploratorium.edu

Reproduced with permission. © Exploratorium® www.exploratorium.edu

Do you see an old or a young woman in figure 2.3? Both images are present if you look closely. With effort, you can switch back and forth from one image to another. Notice the slightly off-balance feeling that happens as you make the switch. Practice switching rapidly back and forth between each of the two images until you can do it comfortably.

Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3

36 Chapter 2

Isometric Perspective Designs Spend some time studying figure 2.4. Notice the changes in perspective you have as you look at the image.

Source: Isometric Perspective Designs and How to Create Them by John Locke

(New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1981). Used by permission.

Figure 2.4

Study Session: Learning to See 37

Magic Eye 3-D Designs Locate some Magic Eye postcards, calendar pictures, or books, such as Magic Eye: A New Way of Looking at the World (by N.E. Thing Enterprises). You can also check out a Magic Eye website at www.magiceye.com. Put the design right up to your nose and very, very slowly pull it away from your face. Look through the image without focusing on it. Try not to blink, and you will dis- cover a hidden image that will magically appear. The key here is to let go of the expectation of seeing something. Only when you do this and really look into the design will an image appear. This is a tricky but useful activity in letting go of expectations and seeing what actually appears.

Spot the Difference/Find the Details The ability to see details and distinctions does not come easily, nor without practice. A fun way to develop these skills is through the use of spot-the- difference children’s books. You can do them alone or with a partner. There are many of these books available in libraries and bookstores. Here is a list of a few favorites:

• I SPY from Scholastic Books. There are several of these books available. They challenge you to find specific objects among myriad objects based on a theme or a riddle.

• Look! The Ultimate Spot-the-Difference Book by A. J. Wood. At first glance the lush pictures on facing pages seem identical; but take a closer look and discover fascinating diff erences.

• Metamorphosis: The Ultimate Spot-the-Difference Book by Mike Wilks. This is a much more complex spot-the-difference book. It has illustrations and text to compare on facing pages. Adding to its complexity, the underlying theme throughout the book is the cycle of life.

Visual Perception Games Another way to heighten your ability to notice details is to play games designed around visual perception. These can be played in a group or turned into a game of solitaire. Two great examples are the card game Set™, designed and distributed by Set Enterprises, Inc., www.setgame.com, and the board game Blokus®, designed by Mattel.

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Web-Based Perspective Activities You can find many activities online to practice shifting your perspective. Go online and search for the words perspective puzzles and optical illusions, or go to YouTube and search for optical illusions, and you’ll never run out of interesting things to try.

Reflect on Shifting Perspectives After using any of the resources provided here, do some reflective writing about what you discovered. Here are some examples of teacher reflections.

At first try, most of these activities make me feel dizzy and give me a headache. But once I work with them, I can feel my brain getting settled, and I am able to have more control of the way I shift back and forth between images. It’s so true that we don’t like to have our views upset. I can see why we try so hard to stick to our own “truths” even in the face of contradictions. —Gail, preschool teacher

These activities really made me look at what I take for granted as truth from my own stereotypes. I realize that looking for details is very important, and I should not just assume that I know what’s going on at first glance. —Nicole, early childhood education (ECE) student

Sample Observation Display Learning to see in new ways requires you to notice the details. Rather than just reacting to what you see, choose a lens through which to study the details. A useful lens is to imagine the possibilities of how children’s amaz- ing, flexible brains may see the world. In the following story, teacher Dana demonstrates how she uses her lively mind to imagine what four-month-old Dominick may be experiencing as she offers him an invitation to notice the magical dancing light she provides. Dana has changed how she sees the chil- dren and her work because she practices seeing intentionally.

http://www.youtube.com/
Study Session: Learning to See 39

Dominick and the Dancing Lights

Dominick, while you were engaged in tummy time, I thought it would be a great time to introduce you to the magic of light. I placed flashlights on the floor near you with a couple of toys around you. You noticed the light reflecting on the toy closest to the flashlight, but that didn’t seem to draw your attention. So I took the flashlight and began to move it back and forth between two toys. That’s when the excitement started!

You began to kick your legs and make sounds as if you were talking about what you were seeing. You moved your head to follow the light as it danced around the room. When the dancing light stopped near you, you reached toward it.

Dominick, were you trying to grab the light? Or were you reaching for the glowing toy as the light shined on it? When you were cooing, were you talking about what you saw? Or were you asking, “What is that? How does that make the toy glow? Does that happen to everything light touches?” I think you may have many questions and answers for me to notice as you learn about the wonder of light.

Dominick, I’ve always known that children like you have a great capacity to learn, but I didn’t realize how much you could learn from me and I could learn from you. I’ve changed how I see and do everything. I’m doing many of the same activities, but I’m doing them in a different way. Rather than focusing on an activity, I focus on you and your experience of the activity. I’ve learned to try to think about what you might be experiencing. I know that you see many things that I don’t see. I pose questions to myself, asking if I saw something for the first time, what would I see? I might wonder, “How did that happen? How did that get there?” I get so excited because I see the look of wonder on your face and how your body responds excitedly, and I know we are connected.

—Dana, teacher

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Study Session: Observing for Children’s Perspectives

Chapter 3

Study Session: Observing for Children’s Perspectives 41

If you have a child of two or three, or can borrow one, let her give you beginning

lessons in looking. It takes just a few minutes. Ask the child to come from the

front of the house to the back and closely observe her small journey. It will be full

of pauses, circling, touching, and picking up in order to smell, shake, taste, rub,

and scrape. The child’s eyes won’t leave the ground, and every piece of paper,

every scrap, every object along the way will be a new discovery.

It does not matter if this is familiar territory—the same house, the same rug

and chair. To the child, the journey of this particular day, with its special light

and sound, has never been made before. So the child treats the situation with the

open curiosity and attention that it deserves.

The child is quite right.

—Corita Kent and Jan Steward

Learning Goals for This Study Session In this study session, you will

• practice looking closely at the things around you • recall and reflect on a favorite childhood memory • study the elements of childhood • practice seeing children’s perspectives and capabilities

Reflect on the Quote Corita Kent and Jan Steward remind us that it is valuable for adults to remember the world from a child’s point of view. Reread Kent and Steward’s quote with these questions in mind:

1 What is your reaction to this quote?

2 Do you have any recent experiences that you can relate to it?

3 What is something you have learned or been reminded of by a child that you wouldn’t have noticed if the child hadn’t shown or told you?

Read this teacher’s reflection to spark your thinking and discussion about this quote. You may want to reflect on this on your own or in a discussion with a part- ner or small group.

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To me this quote means I go about my daily life rather quickly. A lot of times it involves going the same route, walking the same street, greeting the same people, and passing the same houses, trees, or flowers. As I keep my eyes straight ahead and my mind a million miles away, I miss the small wonders of every day, the wonders that really make life precious. If I take off my blinders and my filters, the detail and the wonder will fill my senses and I will truly see! When I’m with children, I will observe and take in the small wonders of what the children are doing and seeing, and I’ll know I’ve seen some thing truly precious.—Sherry, ECE student

Art of Awareness Activity

Looking Closely Take a walk around outdoors. Approach this walk as if you are seeing things for the first time, the way Corita Kent and Jan Steward describe a child’s jour- ney in the quote you reflected on. As you walk, keep your attention on the ground. Pause, circle, touch, and pick things up to smell, taste, rub, scrape, or bend. Notice shadows, light, and sounds. Choose something you are drawn to and spend a few extra minutes exploring it. Draw a sketch of it and write a description of all the details and your reactions to what you observed. Talk with a partner about what you discovered.

Learn to See Childhood as a Significant Part of the Life Cycle Children see so much that we miss. Once we become adults, two of the things we miss out on most are who children really are and the value of childhood. Parents and teachers who spend each day with children often focus on who the children will become, rather than who they are in the here and now. If we are to overcome this adult vision of the world, we must start to notice the remarkable point of view of young children and the important work of childhood.

Children are constantly demonstrating what they have learned and what they know how to do. While their expressions may seem naive or undevel- oped, they actually represent children’s incredible urge to make sense of the world. Current research shows that children’s brains are very different from adults’ brains. Children actually hear, see, and feel more intensely than adults do (Gopnik 2010). The more we learn about child development and the impli- cations of brain research, the more it’s confirmed that childhood is a pro- foundly significant time of life.

Study Session: Observing for Children’s Perspectives 43

As we observe children pursuing their interest in play and conversations, we have to recognize that these moments are the bricks and mortar of devel- oping lives. Witnessing and participating in this process provides adults with a larger view of ourselves in the life cycle. Our lives are enriched and expanded when we pause to appreciate the experience of childhood.

When we take time to recall favorite childhood memories of our own, we value more fully what we see children doing. It is useful to think back regu- larly to fond memories of your own childhood. These memories provide con- tinual insight into what children need from you. The next activity offers you the opportunity to explore a childhood memory.

Practice with a Favorite Childhood Memory You can do this activity on your own, with a partner, or in a small group. First, gather your thoughts and recall a favorite memory from your childhood. Use the following questions to help you explore the details of your memory:

44 Chapter 3

• Where did the events you recall take place? • What was in the environment? • What were the sensory aspects of this place? • What did it look like, smell like, sound like, feel like, taste like? • Who else was there? • What feelings do you associate with this memory? • What was your sense of time? • What skills and competencies were a part of this experience?

How have they influenced who you are today?

As you reflect on your memory and perhaps hear those of others, consider the themes that are being expressed. Most people’s childhood memo- ries share some of these common elements:

• spending time outdoors with nature and/or animals • being inventive; transforming found objects into props for play • taking risks, wanting power, adventures, and physical challenges • having lots of time to explore without adult interference • getting messy, dirty, and sometimes into mischief • working alone and with others, solving problems and resolving

conflicts

• being involved in meaningful work, often with adults • enjoying celebrations and family or community gatherings

It’s not surprising that these themes come up among adults over and over. These are some of the most significant experiences of childhood. They influ- ence children’s development and learning, so it is important for teachers to be able to recognize and value these experiences. One of the easiest ways to rec- ognize the value they have for children is to remember the value they had for us when we were children. As you become a keen observer of the children you work with, you will also see the value of these experiences for them.

Remembering our own childhood helps us keep it at the center of our thinking and planning. It helps us to uncover the child’s point of view in the observations we make.

Study Session: Observing for Children’s Perspectives 45

Observation Practice Here are a few observation stories to help you practice uncovering the child’s point of view.

Hello, Shadow!

It was a beautiful sunny day late in the spring. Two-year-old Adam chose to explore a dried-up mud puddle in the center of the yard. He scratched at the ground with his fingers and used the palm of his hand to pat the dirt, making a little dust cloud. Adam giggled and continued to scratch at the ground. Suddenly Adam stopped. He wiggled his fingers on one hand as it hovered just above the space. Adam stared at the ground and periodically turned his hand toward his face and wiggled his fingers. With his hand positioned above the ground once more, Adam wiggled his fingers again. “Hello, shadow!” Adam greeted his shadow with a friendly wave.

—Shelly, toddler teacher

Consider these questions as you reflect on this story:

1 How does Adam show us his interest in the shadows?

2 What clues does he give about what he notices about the shadow?

3 What might he be understanding or trying to figure out with this shadow exploration?

Although toddlers like Adam don’t use many words, they have many ways of telling us what they are noticing and trying to understand. Adam uses ges- tures and actions as his language, showing us his attention to detail by inter- acting with the shadow using his body and hands. Grown-ups often overlook toddlers’ seemingly small experiences, when in fact close observation shows us the complexity of what is going on.