Clean-Up as a Valuable Learning Time

12/27/2017

Clean-Up as a Valuable Learning Time

Indigenous ways of knowing and teaching are relational, emphasizing the connectedness and interdependency of all living and non-living beings, people, animals, water, sky and all things on earth and within the universe.
Indigenous Early Care and Education Understandings and Perspectives

In her popular book, Really Seeing Children, Deb Curtis writes about how she's come to see clean-up time as an important activity for supporting children’s development. "We want children to learn to initiate their own activities, use materials and work with others for extended periods of time each day and revisit their work day after day," she explains. "During these times we allow the children’s play to continue rather than requiring clean up and interrupting their focus...

We provide ample time for clean up at the end of playtime. Everyone cleans up the entire room, which eliminates the cry of, 'I don't have to clean up. I didn’t play there.' The children come to understand that we are all responsible for our room...we emphasize how to care for the materials, and the importance of order and organization in helping us accomplish our ideas during playtime.

Clean-up time in our room is busy and noisy and takes a long time. We are very active in helping children stay involved. It has helped us to realize and let go of the idea that clean-up should be an orderly, quick and quiet process. We know that we need to allow time and have patience and fun as we work with children on the important job of maintaining our wonderful environment."

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