 |
| Cary Larson-McKay |
Let the Spirit Guide In
We recently lost the direct and immediate presence of one of our most beloved Early Childhood Educators, Bev Bos. She inspired many of us to pay attention, to pay close attention to the children, then respect them with every fiber of our being. “Our flexibility and willingness to follow a child’s lead will allow remarkable things to happen, if we let them.” She will be remembered and will continue in her role as a big time Spirit Guide for many in the field.
Whether they are with us or not, our Spirit Guides remain. Every day they speak directly to our hearts and minds. I know I cannot teach, advocate or support children without the help of my Spirit Guides. I cannot share all of mine with you. That would take too long. Every day as I visit and meet with CAEYC members up and down the state, I meet more Spirit Guides.
Of course, many of my Spirit Guides come from some of the to-be-expected names in our field who particularly speak to my mind and heart, but they also come from many other, and often unexpected, directions.
Some of my Spirit Guides have passed, some are very present in my life, some are very close to me, some are famous and very remote and for some I have simply lost direct contact, but their influence remains with me. My Spirit Guides remind me of what is possible and what is desirable for children.
I had teachers who made me believe in the importance of the development of humans and especially of children. They led me to appreciate the significance of childhood experiences and the essential nature of teaching.
My first grade teacher, long gone from this world, believed in me and my potential with such intensity that I understood her faith in me absolutely required me to accomplish things of significance in my life. She whispers to me and guides decisions I make.
Pat Rahm at East Los Angeles College introduced me to the wonder of the developing child, who, by the way, was also the first person to tell me I needed to belong to NAEYC as my professional organization.
Nancy Tither at California State University, Los Angeles showed me the many different avenues by which one can contribute to the well-being of children. She opened many possibilities for me.
These teachers and many of my students that serve as Spirit Guides remind me every day of the amount of influence teachers have and the responsibility that is attached to that task. They are part of my team of Spirit Guides.
But, there are researchers and academics who have made a difference in our field and who continually whisper guiding wisdom to my brain.
I think how the look of absolute total engagement when T. Berry Brazelton interacts with a newborn child. As a Spirit Guide his sense of intense appreciation for this new being transcends any conventional reaction; and it sets me on a path to strive for that total immersion and commitment and to value each distinct person.
Lev Vygotsky speaks to my obligation to carefully consider the development potential of each child and the need to pay close attention to that child’s individualized development, to look for and operate with the Zone of Proximal Development. Of course this directs my consciousness of the weighty responsibility to participate with that child to optimize learning.
Then there is Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who steers me toward creating quality experiences that lead to meaningful expression of a child’s individuality and individual learning process. He whispers to me whenever I begin to rush a child through an activity when doing so would restrict the learning. I cannot allow myself and my agenda to stunt that child’s dedication to his or her learning because of my own short-sighted agenda.
There are those Spirit Guides who advocate so intensely and eloquently for children they carry me to new heights by their spirit and vision.
Marian Wright Edelman as a voice for children without a voice carries those who hear her to loftier aspirations with every word she utters, “A nation that does not stand for its children does not stand for anything and will not stand tall in the future.”
Nelson Mandela for his belief in children’s education as the great future hope for his broken county who said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” He reminds me that the children must be sustained if we are to have an optimistic future.
The very young and determined Malala Yousafzai for her impassioned courage and determination to speak out for the rights of girls everywhere while she faced enormous personal odds. “We must tell girls their voices are important.” She reminds me to look beyond the horizon to a confident future because of the work I do now.
A believer in a deep and abiding promise of human potential and the infinite mysteries of the world, Albert Einstein whispers to me with his wisdom to always look beyond the obvious. “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
There are those who guide me every day. My husband who guides me to stretch and test myself and my sons who have given me very detailed feedback on which of my actions as a mother were consistent with their needs from the very first day of their birth. Fortunately they never gave up on me. And in turn I must not give up on others.
We need our Spirit Guides to give us direction, intention and adjustment as needed. They are worth their weight in gold. Listen to your own Spirit Guides. Build your personal Spirit Guide Team. Look in unexpected places. Invite them into your life. Cherish them and allow them to lead you to your good works. Listen to them.
Then, become a Spirit Guide. For the children.