Page 45 - Demo

Ever hear a toddler scream, %u201cNO! I do it!%u201d? What he%u2019s trying to say is %u201cHelp me to do it by myself. You%u2019re the experienced, loving teacher, help me develop my independence and self-esteem.%u201d As a teacher with high expectations, you will be careful never to do something for a child when he can do it for himself. (If you do, you keep him from learning.) So, beef up those expectations! Toddlers can put on their own coats and shoes. They can clean up after themselves too. Give them the tools and see for yourself!Teachers (and parents, but that%u2019s outside of your influence) shouldn%u2019t be too permissive.Adults who want to be children%u2019s friends find it hard to enforce rules and order.From you, children need a mature, loving and understanding adult in charge. If children have no authority, they have no direction. Understand that classroom teachers have the power to inspire unlimited potential in each child simply by interacting kindly and wisely and by holding out high expectations. Dr. Maria Montessori wrote more than a century ago about people expecting too little out of children by giving them many toys and fairy tales, but little of real life. She wrote: %u201cIf children can imagine fairy tales, why not ask them to imagine parts of the real earth that they cannot see?%u201d The children at her school constantly surprised her (and other more modern researchers) by showing stronger interest in real activities than in pretend play.IDEA7THOUGHTFUL INTERACTIONS?Want to know more about45