Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.
- Dr. Maria Montessori
Knowledge is not something that is given to children as though they were empty vessels to be filled.... Children do not need to be forced to learn; they are motivated by their own desire to make sense of their world.
– Dr. Sue Bredekamp in an excerpt from Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8
I had no idea how to support a family through this, but I knew I needed to learn. I learned a lot from that case, and I learned it's not all about you.
You got to take your ego out of it and think about what is best for this child.
- Renatta Marie Cooper, Education Coordinator for the LA County Office of Child Care
I love your quotes! We can all use your quote about knowledge. Even adults learn better when it is not forced but wanted. For example, if I am reading something that holds my interest, I am able to retain the information a lot better than reading a science text book. We can use this in our classroom by letting our students to pick their own research topics rather than picking one for them.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all of your quotes but the first one stood out the most for me. So many teachers I have encountered forget that children are human beings and have the right to be respected. They shouldn't be talked down to or belittled. As early childhood providers we should be motivating children to be greater than we are and helping them to excel on every level! Great choices for your quotes!
ReplyDeleteI love Dr. Bredekamp's quote. "Children do not need to be forced to learn." That's so true! I think if you give children guidelines they will live up to and pass our learning expectations.
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