Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/to-see-each-child-with-wisdom-humor-and-heart/5011253/
"Learning is experience. The rest is information." (Einstein) This is true not only for children, but for each of us at work with them. Although we are guided by the findings of those who have gone before, our knowledge of each child will depend largely upon our own keen observation and recording, our own diligent and ever-lively experience with the children themselves.10/10/95, 9:15, large block dramatic play area (names changed). Emily, aged four years and seven months (4.7), vigorously rolls an imaginary pie crust with an invisible roller. Ann, 4.1, having finally gotten her baby to sleep, comes over to chat. Suddenly Emily looks up, listening. She puts down her unseen roller, signs "wait" to Ann, and leaves her hastily-built kitchen. She slips by three painters at the wall easel, around the large unit block area, past Don driving nails into the nailing stump, past the 'cut, paste, and puzzles,' and onward to the reading corner, where she steps over two pairs of legs, whose small owners are busily "reading" a picture book together. Emily picks up a pretend phone, listens, nods, and lays the "receiver" down. She steps back over the legs and out of the reading corner, edges by ...