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08/21/2006

The Importance of Order

Of course there is no formula for success except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings.
Arthur Rubinstein

In the July/August 2006 issue of Exchange, Jim Greenman discussed the importance of order for both children and adults in early childhood settings...

"We all need order in our spaces to make them tolerable.  Our homes are our homes because we create within them an order that expresses our personalities, values, culture, geography, logic, goals, and concerns related to living.

"Our homes are where we feel secure and competent when it reflects us and when it is familiar and predictable.  The same need applies to children’s programs.  Children’s places need ordered time and space that furthers the program goals while making the program a pleasant place to live and work for all those (large and small) who inhabit the program.  We need planned complexity — an environment rich enough to challenge, but not so complex as to frustrate.  The order provides a comforting framework that does not harshly interrupt the activities of children;  instead, the order allows for more experiences and for children to anticipate their day."

This article, "The Importance of Order," can be read in its entirety on our home page, www.ChildCareExchange.com along with five other featured Exchange articles...