What’s the last observation you made, and do you clearly remember about it? My observation about children playing on a soccer field with loud noises and colored tshirts that they cheer out loud for goal. Have you ever wondered if this consciousness is turning the light on? I found my balance with observation, which lightens me up and graces me with creativity.
Building observation is a significant process that is built upon with the senses. As an educator, my children get ample opportunities to play together with friends outdoors, observe birds, and see birds flying to swing along with friends in the park, which simply lays the foundation to connect with the sounds of nature. They oftenly go busy in collecting leaves, twigs and flowers fallen around, some often begin to count, compare who has more to just picking up flowers and gifting me. I gently bring them into the present moment and make them conscious of enjoying the present moment.
Thoughts are the dry expressions of the mind; emotions make them juicy. We make these little humans understand that you must be able to direct it the way you wish. Unleash your power to be present in the moment. Once they deeply touch their lives by being conscious humans and not just being ordinary, they will turn other lives extraordinary. Observation is built upon with various consistent practices, building on a learning environment full of calm colors to be closer to nature, which allows for connecting with peers and a free flow of expression. Establishing a culture of mindfulness and observation will certainly have an absolute impact.
The power of observation will bring enormous vision, which will bring creativity to every aspect of life. It's creativity that will transform you and your memory. As an educator, simple breathing techniques like star breathing, bee breathing, rainbow breathing, and many more have worked on my children and brought them back to the present moment. My favorite of all would be ‘bumble bee breathing’ as I sing rhymingly. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a couple of breaths. Breathe in through your nose, keeping your lips sealed. As you breathe out, hum a ‘M’ sound. At the end of your breath, breathe in and repeat. Now learners are ready as their energies and thoughts are in well balanced and they are ready to be one in the moment. I begin my journey with empathetic questioning, “how did that made you feel” or “what sounds did you hear when we were on a walk in the park?’ to “what do you think lives in a big tree? Which allows me to check on learner’s emotions and feelings
A right questioning technique enables the educator to walk along with learners. While finding and building upon shapes and colors, I ask questions like, ‘Can you find something in the room that’s shaped like a circle?" or while painting, asking them, "What kind of pictures should we paint today?"
My learners feel empowered, and we feel connected in class, which boosts selfconfidence and brings along joy. Now learners have visualized and formed connections with learning and spending time with their environment.
As an educator, following a model of the 3 C's—choices, challenges, and celebrations— allows my learners to make choices within reasonable limits. Challenges that require problem solving and critical thinking further lead to overcoming challenges, which further boost confidence.
My inner vision of keeping children happy and feeling good as they spend their formative time of the day with me carries a great responsibility. My words like ‘You are my sunshine’, ‘you make me smile’ to 'I believe in you' work as great motivators. The positive words spoken give them a smile. As an educator I embrace their mistakes and give them a power to think creatively at any problem with a solution maker mindset.
My idea of working towards believing that observation and visualization can transform their learning process with ease and comfort is that all they have to do is be present in the moment and just allow their thoughts to flow.
We join in with rhymes and play a game of different scenarios to solve puzzles, bringing along many skills of problem solving, building upon thinking skills, and making connections.
Now little humans have begun to express happiness, joy, yays, and nays, which has given them a pack of good feelings. Now they look more positive and exuberant with energies. As an educator, I have won their hearts, and positivity of thought will lead to a better acceptance of thoughts and response.
Let our energies be exuberant and focused, as this is our time to be spectacular.
Regards,
An inspiring and imaginative IB educator with over 2 decades of invaluable experience in the Art of Early Childhood Education. Her unwavering dedication and passion for children's holistic learning radiates from her eyes and effortlessly flows into the engaging lesson plans. Parents, children, fellow educators have consistently praised and commended her for her invaluable support and for enriching the wings of their imagination with a new dimension.