Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/conversation-the-common-thread-in-our-work/5017946/
The need to communicate with others, the urge to cement bonds of affection, leads to language mastery. That social need, as well as children’s innate intellectual curiosity about the world, is exactly what takes them down the path to literacy.Karen Stephens (2002)
One engaging, whimsical chat with a young child is enough to put a smile on my face at the end of the toughest day. For many of us, those magical interactions are what lured us into the field of early childhood education in the first place. Too often, the demands of day-to-day work in preschool classrooms makes those special moments seem like rare luxuries. Early childhood professionals can feel bombarded by a constant stream of new trends. Each trend comes with its own set of recommendations and requirements. Teachers and directors are overwhelmed with the complicated task of trying to provide quality programs with every one of these trends in place.
It’s time to take a step back and put this whole jumble into perspective. How can we make it all work? The answer can be found in one simple, entirely natural, completely free activity that we all enjoy: Conversation �" the most basic, most elegant form ...