Like a Child
Posted on Sep 12, 2019 by Toni Graham
The second time Jesus cleared the temple is in Matthew 21:14-16. After witnessing Jesus heal the sick and the blind, it was the children who shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David!”. The priests were indignant and asked Jesus if he heard them. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?’ ”. Jesus was quoting from Psalm 8:2. In the footnotes it reads, “Children are able to trust and praise God without doubt or reservation. When we get older many of us find this more and more difficult to do. Ask God to give you childlike faith, removing any barriers to having a closer walk with him. Get in touch with this childlike quality and yourself so that you can be more expressive.”
In Matthew 18:1-5 the disciples are being humanly self-centered and asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”. Jesus calls on a child to stand among his disciples and says to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
So, the importance of a child’s ability to see something for the first or 50th time and interpret its value with an open heart is genuine and spiritual akin to the footnote. This was a quality and capacity that the disciples and high priests didn’t qualify as important, but Jesus honored and praised it. Well, here’s my segue into a learning approach for children that pulled me in immediately with articles and books written by early childhood education teachers. It brought art and nature into the classroom and the classroom back outside. It’s the Reggio Emilia process of learning. I mean, come on! I bet Jesus would write a glowing recommendation for Reggio on the inside cover of “Re-Imagining Childhood” by Carla Rinaldi. Maybe the second edition?
In the Reggio philosophy you often hear the word “principles” used. The definition for principles is, “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” Let’s look at the chain of reasoning for beliefs and values and put in learning (that encompasses a bazillion experiences) outside of the classroom and home as often as possible. A child should always have the opportunity to learn in, with, and from nature. And although any outdoor time or bringing the outdoors inside is valuable you have so many opportunities to take your child further. Do a little sleuthing to find some activities to create, as a family, great learning experiences in nature. As you begin “playing” toward this, remember the great wisdom naturally inherent in children and provide a spiritual playground that brings you multiple opportunities to discuss the glorious way God planned out and provided us with the many miracles of nature. As children grow, your discussions regarding the natural wonders are invaluable, educational, and so abundant with connections to His spirit. Another way of putting the verses I shared is this, “Children are capable and ready to learn and should be viewed as full of potential.” (Reggio)
Today in my classroom I put out a large container of interesting rocks and seashells and then sat back and watched their little 2-year-old hands making towers with the rocks, making circles and designs with the rocks and shells then remembering, somehow, that you can put a seashell up to your ear and hear, “rowing wader!”. Roaring water!
Another time I tied branches together with twine, making a very primitive loom. I provided ribbon, yarn, scraps of material, feathers, leaves, and flowers, and I showed them how to do a basic weaving. I can still hear us saying, “Over then under over then under...”. These were 2- to 3-year-olds! When completed we proudly displayed it and then a grandfather came back a few weeks later with two large-standing looms that I took periodically to all but the infant classroom. Little by little almost every child in our preschool added to it and loved incorporating the feathers, etc. until both were completed and displayed.
Well, it’s getting very late as I put my thoughts together on paper, and I’m weary. So I will end here, but highly encourage you to think of ways to bring God’s wonders to your children and intersperse his glorious love for us in these gifts as you explore science, art, and design.
Toni Graham
Child Care Coordinator