By Amanda Gillmore
Communication has always been a struggle for me- whether it is communication on paper, in an email, a text message or I verbally need to express myself- I always hesitate and/or second guess myself. You wouldn’t think that if you met me! But, it stems from my childhood and is something that I am working on- it’s not an easy task but working with a Counsellor has helped me and given me the tools to work through this barrier.
At first when I saw the requirements for this weeks’ course content, I immediately became uncomfortable. My course instructor asked us to “create a hand-written/ typed/ or video recorded note to a friend/ family member/ colleague/ mentor/ classmate.” <Insert anxiety NOW.> But, after a cup of Earl Grey Tea and reminding myself to consider this ‘a brief note to invite conversation’, I pressed through. I started off by reading the article ‘Your Image of the Child’ by Malaguzzi (1993). And, here is my Note to the World:
Dear Mentor,
I sincerely appreciate how you have guided me so far through my practicum experience and showing me that “the ability to enjoy relationships and work together is very important” (Malaguzzi, 1993, p.2). Over the last few weeks we have had numerous heart to heart conversations about the importance of child-child relationships, child-educator relationships and educator-educator relationships. I recently read an article in one of my ECEC courses called: ‘Your Image of the Child: Where Teaching Begins’ written by Loris Malaguzzi. I would kindly like to share with you a passage that resonated with me:
“When you enter the school in the morning, you carry with you pieces of your life — your happiness, your sadness, your hopes, your pleasures, the stresses from your life. You never come in an isolated way; you always come with pieces of the world attached to you. So the meetings that we have are always contaminated with the experiences that we bring with us.” (Malaguzzi, 1993, p.2)
Each morning I invite you and the other educators to enter a safe heart space and each ask yourself what pieces of your life are attached to you as you enter the school. This passage I have shared with you has made me more aware and mindful how I want to start each day- whether I will be at my practicum site, starting one of my ECEC online courses or starting my morning rituals at home. I hope sharing this will do the same for you.
Amanda
References
Malaguzzi, L. (1993). Your image of the child: Where teaching begins. Exchange (3).
Dear Amanda,
Tonight, we read your ‘Note to the World’ in our practicum seminar and were struck by its beauty. We noticed the careful, intentional, and respectful language in your note to your mentor. We really appreciated your heartfelt message that will motivate us and inspire us to create meaningful relationships with our mentor everyday. The connections that you made to Malaguzzi’s article were a wonderful piece to add. These connections are important to us because it has us acknowledging and reflecting on the pieces of our life that we bring every day. Many of those pieces are invisible to the eye. You wrote in your message that we wouldn’t believe you that communication has been a struggle for you, and we quickly realized that we didn’t know this side of you! Thank you for your courage and for sharing your thoughts with us.
In Kindness,
Your Colleagues in the Infant/Toddler Practicum
Dear Colleagues in the Infant/Toddler Practicum,
Thank you very much for your kind words. I am honoured that you, my ECEC colleagues, read my blog post in your practicum seminar.
Connections and relationships matter, we all know this, but especially during this pandemic we need (or maybe we are craving) heartfelt relationships and connections now more than ever. And, those meaningful connections and relationships they sometimes start with us. When we start our day it is important to enter a safe heart space, acknowledge and make ourselves aware what is attached to us and then at the end of our day to reflect and make ourselves aware again. Then the very next day this process starts all over again. Please be gentle on yourselves. But by doing this, you not only build a meaningful relationship with yourself you begin to build meaningful and heartfelt relationships with others.
Kind regards,
Amanda
Amanda,
Thank you. I feel privileged to be an observer of your “note to the world” blog entry. With this privilege has sprouted inspiration, so much so that I must respond. I will respond with my own “note to the world” that I will be sharing with my practicum mentor this week. I appreciate your bravery, posting your vulnerabilities and sharing your ideas. They have planted a seed for me; the relationships that I have with my colleagues are important.
Without further ado:
To my mentor,
My note to you to start a conversation:
As educators/human beings, are we present? Fully present? And if we are not fully present, how might this reflect on our image of the child?
I feel activated in thinking about ways to engage with children authentically. To move forward as an educator and to ignite my true core image of the child. To see “every child as a gift, as strong and capable in their uniqueness and full of potential, living and growing in complex interdependence with humans and all world relations” (BC Early Learning Framework, 2019, p. 16).
This week, our infant and toddler curriculum course content and specifically, a conversation via a YouTube video with Magda Gerber, has struck a chord within me as an educator. In the past, I have felt connected, as a parent, to Magda Gerber vicariously through her protege, Janet Lansbury. During this conversation, Gerber gives instructions on how to be a good observer; she shares a phrase that best illustrates the focus of my note to you:
“I am taking the phone off the hook because now I want to be just with you” (Hall, 2016).
These instructions are the gateway to letting a child know that you are fully there and present; that they are worthy of our undivided attention at this moment. By opening up this dialogue with a child, we are sharing our image of them with them. We are letting them know that we value their time and care about what they have to say. And when we do this, to observe and be mindful of how they respond. Are they more open to sharing their ideas? Do they trust is more deeply? Does this produce a deeper level of care?
“Clarifying the meaning of our presence and our being with children is something that is vital for the child. When the child sees that the adult is there, totally involved with the child, the child doesn’t forget. This is something that’s right for us and it’s right for the children” (Malaguzzi, 1993, p.3).
To conclude, I would like to encourage us to collaborate for the greater good of the children in our care by looking them in the eye as someone we have the utmost respect for and saying these words: “I am taking the phone off the hook because now I want to be just with you” (Hall, 2016).
I hear you, I see you, and I thank you,
Chelsea
References
Government of British Columbia. (2019). British Columbia early learning framework (2nd ed.). Victoria: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Children and Family Development, & British Columbia Early Learning Advisory Group. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/early-learning/teach/early-learning-framework
Hall, H. [Harold Hall]. (2016, March 16). Respectfully Yours Magda Gerber’s Approach to Professional Infant Toddler Care [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miA4rDQ2am8&t=374s
Malaguzzi, L. (1993). Your image of the child: Where teaching begins. Exchange (3).