All we have to do is be in tune to it. It is so easy for children to find. They just stumble over it as they go through their day and they invite us to be a part of it with them. I am always amazed at the wonder a small wiggling worm can instill in a child. It goes from a slimy creature to the best of friends.
One of my little guys I will call him E, many years ago now, found a worm after a rain. E became enthralled with the worm. How did it breath? What did it eat? Where was its mom? The worm was christened with the name Hermie. He went everywhere E went.
Hermie rode the slide, traveled the playground in cups and sat by E on the climber. One day Hermie was even smuggled into nap. We talked E into letting him sleep in a cup and not under the covers on the cot.
I always wondered what Hermie thought? One day he was just crawling out of his house to move in the rain and suddenly his world became an adventure. He flew to new heights, had new experiences and was loved.
The class fell in love with the book THE DAIRY OF A WORM by Doreen Cronin. Hermie would be put in the playground garden every evening and E would dig him up again every day. E was positive which worm was Hermie and which ones were not.
Joy is contagious if you allow yourself to be infected. It is probably the best part of working with children because they find joy EVERYWHERE!
The definition of joy is:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joy
Children are the embodiment of happiness. They see possibilities, enchantment and discovery all around them. We need to let our inner child out when with children and see the discoveries they are making from a child perspective before we use the adult in us to squash the joy even when our aim was to enhance and educate. Look at the photos and discover the joy in each.
What do you see first? If it is the JOY & WONDER than you have probably let the adult in you take a vacation. If you see dirt, chaos, or a chance to teach a lesson, your adult probably needs a little vacation to reconnect.
If you love something, then show it. It’s contagious. -Jordan Catapano
http://www.stephenpbrown.com/15-inspiring-quotes-about-the-joy-of-passion/I would love to hear your comments. Please post them below.
What a wonderful way to celebrate nature in the eyes of the children. My students started a project on worms last school year and the ideas that came from them were just amazingly good and we made a big project about the underground. Thank you for sharing those two important words: joy and wonder. They should always be part and parcel of every project.
ReplyDelete