The lessons we can learn from children are endless! I have come to realize this more and more as I work closely with children. Here is a random list of lessons I have learned through my experiences so far :
- They never take themselves too seriously. They are almost always able to laugh at themselves and allow themselves to make mistakes.
- They find joy in the simplest of things. Just watch a kindergartner play with a simple block or ball. It is the best thing in the world, even though it doesn't have flashing lights or moving parts.
- They have the most amazing imaginations - and are not afraid to show it! As adults, some of us lose our more creative side. We might feel embarrassed or timid showing this side of ourselves. Children are not as inhibited when it comes to their creativity and imagination. You can always find the most wonderful ideas/stories/creations in their work. I love Denton's story in "Walking Trees" He has a lot of imagination, but also a lot of honest truth in what he writes. p 126 - A Date With a Vampire
One day my father went out
with a vampire.
He went out with a lady vampire.
She bit him once.
She bit him one more time.
She bit him again.
Vampires are very deadly. - Children are so aware of Everything!
- They are much much much smarter than you think!! Sometimes adults do not give children enough credit. They may think they are "too young" to understand. Well, that is hardly the case. Ask any parent or teacher!
- They can find wonder and amazement in the things we as adults can take for granted. I watched first graders run around the school field looking for newly fallen leaves from the trees. They were so excited to see all of the different colors and they made up a song about "Fall is here...!" It made me think - when was the last time I enjoyed the fall leaves? It seems that adults don't see the joy it in anymore - especially when having to rake their lawns.
- They have endless energy. I forgot what it's like to have that!!
Children teach us some of the most precious and valuable lessons. For this reason, I think it is a privilege to be a teacher to these amazing children.
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3 comments:
I agree. As adults we do not give enough credit to children and often discount what they are saying way too quickly. We should take some time out and truly listen to what it is that they are saying. Some great points in you post!
Yes...and children don't give complicated or mixed messages to friends that we as adults think we need to do sometimes to get a point across. Kids don't have the time, they are ready to enjoy the next adventure, like you say, as simple as watching a falling leave. Each day I try to take life in moderation and enjoy the little laughs and mysteries. I am a responsible adult who loves being a kid. I think once you stop imagining like a kid, you stop striving forward and either live in the past or dread the present.
You are right, children never take themselves to seriously and they do have endless imaginations. That is why it is such a pleasure to work with them. We can learn so much from them and they can be such an inspiration to us as adults. Children bring me back down to earth. I feel they do the same thing for Ralph Fletcher. He goes into these schools and sees such real stories. On the contrary, he sees children with imaginations beyond belief. Writing is an extremely freeing process and very real at the same time. I see this with my students everyday. Every student has something to say, and for every student it is very different.
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