This observation comes from the Reggio listserv. As we come up on spring break and the end of the school year, I hope you will find some inspiration for your work through this spring.


Isabelle

Several weeks ago I was in the nap room in the process of trying to get
children to sleep. There are windows high up that let a small amount of
light on the sides of the window shades. We try to move the cots into the
darker areas of this large room.

As I sat by one child, I observed from across the room that Isabelle was
reaching up from her cot to touch the shaft of light that fell from the
window. There were dust mites floating in the light that she was attempting
to catch. It made me smile to see her fascination with the light. I sat by
her later until she fell asleep.

Isabelle had not been a child that I felt particularly close to. Her speech
is difficult to understand and she often copies what others do. I have had
very little indication of her internal thought process. Seeing her
captivated by the tiny swirling dots in the light made me feel a connection
with her that I hadn't felt before.

I observed her on subsequent sunny days to see if she would again notice the
light shafts. She was the only child that took delight in this. One day she
began to try to trap the light in her cupped hands. She brought her hands to
her mouth. She was eating sunbeams!

As I watched her, another teacher walked by Isabelle, unaware of the
fantastical world that she inhabited. The teacher roughly pushed her hands
down and told her to go to sleep. I wanted to cry. I felt that I was the one
who got shut down. I have not seen her eat sunbeams since that day.

I know it could have been me that was the unobservant teacher. We can do so
much harm in the very slight things we do without even knowing, and we can
greatly impact lives for the good when we notice and are aware.