So. Much. Wonder. 

I received a very short clip of my grandson confidently saying the name of the animal on his shirt! I watched it many times. He gets right up to his Mom’s face and tries to say rhinoceros.

He is so sure of what he’s saying. I watched in wonder in this little boy’s enthusiasm and confidence.

I thought about how many times we take this away in our classrooms in order to be right or to “teach”. I wonder how to navigate the line between allowing him to just be and correcting his “error” as any adult who can say rhinoceros would hear.

Is his pronunciation wrong”? Is it funny? So such to reflect on!

His grandfather and I did laugh over and over but not to his face. What would we have done if he was with us? Would we laugh, would he laugh too or would our laughter stop him in his tracks? Would he practice saying rhinoceros again or become “silent”? 

When do I interrupt, or not? When do I correct, or leave it? When do I leave well enough alone, or get involved? If I am really seeing him and his perspective, he was confident and just fine with his pronunciation!!

He was “schooling” his Mom on what animal as on his shirt! 

So. Much. Wonder. 

My husband and I were flying over Alaska when he captured this photo of the aurora.

We took a moment to drink in the beauty of nature. Our life in Alaska has opened my eyes to just how beautiful this place on earth is. I was able to seek out and surround myself with beauty in other locations I have lived but none compare to the beauty that mother nature presents in Alaska. Perhaps I have a new lens I am viewing the world through? 

How are you seeing the world today?

This was my first, last day as an adjunct for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in December 2018.

There is so much wonder in the faces of my young and young “ish” students. Do they wonder if they have passed the course, Introduction to the Early Childhood Profession? What will they get for a grade, will they get a moment to relax before hitting the books again? These students made me wonder about myself, “What is it I want to do? Am I good at what I think I am good at?” I continue to learn from all my experiences.

Learning sure does go both ways!

How cute are these baby elephants?

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning-Mr. Rogers”

I am opening my eyes to play through this blogging exercise and Wonder Certification course. I wonder how to awaken wonder and play in us all.

This photo reminded me that play is so powerful for all species. Play is the vehicle for all learning.

Let’s raise the bar by prompting others to play and see wonder along the way. We are all in different parts of our journey and I need to share the best parts of me now!

How will you share the gift of wonder?

How will you play today?

I was standing next to a very vocal 14 month old who was up in the loft of her classroom looking out the window demanding my attention. I immediately spotted the cow moose that she likely saw prior to me and was alerting me!

I turned to grabbed my phone for the camera. I alerted the other one-year-old children to come see while whisking a non-walking one-year-old into my arms to go to the window.

We just caught the butt end of the moose jumping the 6 foot fence! My wonder filled moment was the one-year-old calling me to see!! She made me pay attention and bear witness to this large animal so close to us!

Yay, for baby “x”! Yay, for paying attention! 

What were you privileged to witness today?

I had the pleasure of travelling to Washington, DC Feb 24-26, 2019 for he National Association for the Education of Young children (NAEYC) Public Policy Forum.

I received training in Public Policy and Advocacy and had the pleasure of visiting “the Hill” to talk about funding early education and care. There are so many people fighting for early childhood.

I am aligning myself with the folks that are elevating this career I chose and continue to choose!  Working with like minded people keeps me present and focused in the moment. I can soak in my surroundings intentionally. Surrounding oneself with people who know more than myself really ups my game and for me fires me up.

I am thankful for my early education tribe and will continue to learn from those will more skills and expertise than me. A shout out to the organizers of this event and my travel partners from the great state of AK.

Keep fighting! 

(Pictured, Child Care Now bear presented one each to our state Senators and Congressman) 

What are you “fighting” for? What fires you up?

 I spent a lot of time in 2018 and 2019 travelling from the East Coast to Alaska and back. 

I cannot help but to “wonder” at all the “wonder” I’ve missed because I had “a job to do”.  I was so busy being busy I missed things. 

My wonder turned to “I wonder what happened here?”, “I wonder where my sunglasses are?”, “I wonder what we could do differently?” I missed the wonder and awe right before me. Not to say that I didn’t catch some but I surely did miss the point.  

Change and growth and pinch points have always set me spinning. I am thankful I can now recognize this and perhaps be more intentional. 

What are you doing today? Are you being intentional? 

2019. I turned Friendship Garden over to a new Director, the 3^rd since I have been in Alaska. With the promise of spring she pulled out planting materials and our rain barrel that have been in storage for 4 years now! 

I can smell the damp earth just by looking at this photo! I am full of admiration for her and the experiences she wants to bring to young children.

She’s lined up donations and helpers to get the garden ready as well as fill all the containers shown here and more.

I wonder how many children will recall these earthy experiences as they grow and leave our center. How many will connect with nature and never let that go?

With spring comes new beginnings, this year holds great promise!  

Update to 2020! I feel the same!

The snow is melting and what a wonderful ice sculpture the snow and sun have created. Take a minute to look around you, what do you see that inspires you?

As I continue to catch wonder in the big and small moments of my life, I did realize how much I was missing in my “rush, rush” world. This week I am setting the pace for slowing down.

Setting the pace and helping others to recognize wonder in the moments that we share. Working on helping teachers to recognize encouragement vs praise has opened another world of wonder for me.

There has been a shift in teacher behavior as they are being recognized with specific encouragement and not generalized praise.  As we know from our early educator training, this works with children as well.

How will a natural photograph or something in nature inspire you today?