Read It: The Sun is also a Star

March 28, 2021

 


I may be a little late to the meeting, considering this book has already been made into a movie, but I absolutely loved The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon. 


The concept of the book being about a single day in the life of two people, Natasha and Daniel, was fascinating and so well done. I enjoyed that it was through the eyes of two teenagers, which is a perspective about life and the world that I don't get anymore, but also that it was about two people from two different cultures that have vastly different life experiences than mine. 


There were a lot of eye opening moments, and teachable moments, for myself as a white woman seeing and hearing about the experiences of Natasha and Daniel. I really appreciated how Yoon added in extra chapters that taught some history behind some of the moments that the two characters were experiencing or talking about. 


It was a beautifully written book that sucked me right in, and I gladly followed along for the ride.


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The Importance of Rough & Tumble Play in Early Childhood

March 15, 2021


One of the most difficult things for me to learn and come to terms with as an Early Childhood Educator was the concept of rough play, but one group of children that I worked with really enjoyed wrestling with each other, so, after attending a workshop about Embracing Risky Play in Childhood, instead of punishing the children for the behaviour, we decided to get on board with their rough and tumble play.


The first thing we did was sit the children down and talk about how we were going to allow them to wrestle outside: 


- We discussed where would be an appropriate place to wrestle, and they decided on the grass area


- We discussed how many people should wrestle together, and they decided that two was enough


- We also discussed what was not considered wrestling, and they thought choking and hitting the face was inappropriate


- We also talked about paying attention to each other's faces so we could know when we were not having fun anymore, and how if our bodies felt hot and angry then it was time to stop, or if our partner's face was no longer smiling then it was also an indication to stop. 


The children should be leaving their wrestling still as friends.


With these rules, that the children helped decide on, in place, we began letting them wrestle outside in our grassy area. We would remind them of the rules every time we went outside, and an educator was always nearby when the wrestling began, noting when there were too many wrestling together, or if the wrestling was getting too aggressive, or mean spirited, and their bodies were saying it was time to be done. As always, they caught on quickly, and, by the end of that summer, they were getting really good at remembering the rules and recognizing when it was time to be done.


It wasn't easy. While my partner and I were fully giving ourselves to the idea, we had to let other educators in the centre know what was going on so that they would understand that the wrestling and rough and tumble play was allowed, and being watched closely. It takes a lot to push yourself through the discomfort of leaving a specific way of teaching behind, but it really changed how we approached the situation, and made it less of a source of frustration for us educators, and the children.


Why is rough and tumble play an important part of early childhood development? Based on some of the rules that we devised with the children, you can see that it helps them understand their emotions and how to regulate their bodies, as well as understand when they are getting angry and need a break. It also helps them to recognise and understand emotions in other people: I can see my friend is no longer having fun so it is time to stop. It also helps them develop resilience, and gives them the opportunity to use their larger muscles and get more energy out of their bodies.


*It is important to note that rough and tumble play is not just for boy, there are plenty of little girls that enjoy wrestling and playing other rough and tumble games!



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Behind the Art: You Are Valuable

March 08, 2021

 


The inspiration for this piece of artwork came from a quotation from Hillary Clinton's concession speech from the 2016 election. I was moved by this sentence that she spoke near the end of her speech, because I feel it in my heart that girls (and women) are everything, and deserving of everything, that Hillary said.

As a preschool teacher, I have shifted my language and the way that I approach educating little girls, like instead of saying "you're a strong girl" I just say "you're strong". I never added "boy" to the end of the sentence when I was talking to one of my little boys, so why was I adding "girl" to the end of the sentence for the little girls. 

This shift is subtle, but it has helped me to realise the language that we use when talking to children, and how we can use it to build up rather than just make it seem like they'll only ever be what society tells them they'll be. You may have heard the phrase "words matter", well, the words that we hear as children can become our inner voice as adults. I don't want to teach little girls that they are strong, for a girl, I want to teach them that they are powerful and capable of pursuing their dreams no matter what they look like!



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The Shop is 10

March 01, 2021



Wow. Ten years ago I took the leap and opened up Little Shop of ElleSee on Etsy. It's been quite the journey so far. There are so many dreams that I have had for the shop that I have yet to achieve, and some that I have accomplished, and you have been right by my side through it all. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am incredibly grateful for the love that you give the shop. Parhaps you have purchased a card, art print, or Curled-Up Pup pin; maybe you have never made a purchase, but you follow along on social media and cheer along the sidelines. However you are involved with the shop, I am thankful for you!


There is still so much more that I plan to do, that I want to do, but sometimes it can get really overwhelming. I am not a marketing mogul, or an Instagram influencer, and most of the stuff I do I make up two seconds before I post it because I am the worst at planning things -- I am writing this at 7:30pm on the shop's birthday, though I did take the photo yesterday -- so a lot of times I am not in line with the trends, but Little Shop of ElleSee is slowly getting out there, and travelling around the world because of you, and the kind words that you share about the work I do. Cheers!!



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