“We want to know what the children, think, feel, and wonder. We believe that the children will have things to tell each other and us that we have never heard before. We are always listening for a surprise and the birth of a new idea. This practice supports a…searching together for new meaning. Together, we become a community of seekers.” – Louise Boyd Cadwell
I was drawn to this quotation because I am a curious person myself. As a child and as an adult I have always been curious, always observing, listening, questioning and wondering about the world. Now that I have my own kids, I can hear it in their conversations and questions, and see it in their eyes and actions. Children are born with an innate and immediate need to connect and know the world surrounding them; and curiosity is a magical potion that pushes our minds and bodies to communicate, connect and explore in order to make sense of the world we are born into. From personal experience, I can say that the way we communicate our answers to children should be more mystical, wondrous and fun. I believe that the power of hands own and concrete exploration is the best and most beneficial way of learning. Involving the senses, the mind and the soul in the experimentation and manipulation of materials and tools will engage the whole body resulting in a learning experience that has a long and lasting impression. This is where play based learning through the children’s interest interlock; the combination of these two elements results in a full engagement of the body and mind which is a more effective and advantageous way of learning.
ZAHRA blog 