…if you sometimes feel that being a “Good Teacher” is a slippery slope of unceasing expectation...that’s because it is. The archetypal ideal, i.e., Good Teacher, is not and has never been one thing. The mores of the job have always reflected those of society’s dominant voices. But time moves on and so too can we unmoor ourselves from the unhelpful and oppressive narratives of past powers…
Read More“…the best thing to keep in mind is that this is the learning - the main, vital, critical thing the children need to learn how to do - be in the world with others…”
Read More“…As educators, we design environments and experiences. We use tools and materials. We hope to provoke new ways of knowing in children, families, and in ourselves. These are the mosaic-like pieces of our project. School itself is our large-scale medium for artistic, political, and philosophical progress. And it’s a group effort…”
Read More“…what does observation mean in a preschool classroom? What does it call on us to do? That we simply watch the children? That we can recall what they did in a day? That we know who gets along with whom and can account for the feelings the child shares at home. In some senses, yes. But really, observation is more than having a general sense of each child or interaction for the purpose of reporting. If used effectively, observation is the foundation upon which we choose our next steps as teachers...”
Read More“…Imagine: you know something big is coming. Something life-changing. You’ve heard everyone you know mention this unfamiliar thing that will make you into a different sort of person (read: big kid). Even if you know someone else who has done this thing, you still don’t know exactly what the future holds for you. You can’t know until you get there…”
Read More“…Over the next few years I started to see, every year around summertime, pre-kindergarten children just...got like that. The calmest, most predictable children would have moments of pure unadulterated push-back against their care-takers and friends, strange bouts of anxiety before school or during drop-off, or sometimes they’d have accidents again after being toilet-learned for years. I started to call this phenomenon kindergarten feelings…”
Read More“…To very young children, however, these words are useful. Children employ “Best Friend” and it’s inverse, “Not My Friend,” because it communicates something very clearly and with great effect - closeness or space, sometimes tears, sometimes adult attention…”
Read More“…I was ready to rumble over the idea of “boy colors,” “girl colors,” and the rights of all children to wear any dress they want. But as I gained more experience, it wasn’t the children I worried about any longer. I found young children to be open and accepting of interventions like, “Oh, actually colors are not about boys and girls. They are just about color.” Not such a big deal. What I found instead, as if so often the case, if that it was the adults who couldn’t shake the gender habit….”
Read More“…How can I ever know that I am teaching, parenting, living the “right” way? How can I know if this is the right way for these particular, uniquely spirited children? Yet, if we move past fear, the expanse of our vision can empower us to make the choices that are right for our families, our classes, or our communities…”
Read More“…Conflicts commonly arise between children when it comes to the negotiation of resources. For our purposes, “resources” means anything the child sees as valuable, including toys, food, interesting objects, or even attention from others…”
Read MoreMicah Card is a writer and educator in Los Angeles, CA.
No Magic Lecture is a blog about teaching, learning, and living alongside young children, though the principles here apply to all learners (including you!). Creating a meaningful life with children is about holding a vision and seeing it through together. The phrase “No Magic Lecture” means there is no one perfect thing that must make or break a moment, a behavior, a child, family, or classroom. It’s a reminder, reprieve, and an invitation. Welcome.
Micah Card is a writer and educator in Santa Cruz, CA. She believes in the power of children, thinking deeply and critically, and in reminding ourselves that the point of all this is to grow.
To learn more about Micah’s work and credentials, click here.
