Yellow Wood

Privileged to be invited to this conference as an alumni of SUSS. Had the chance to hit the pause button today from the usual routine. This conference was a much needed break, a spark, a reminder of the community I serve — why I do what I do. Key Takeaways! First: Sirene’s Keynote — Growing up in a ludicrous century: Strengthening children’s mind-body connections through play Food for thought by Sirene’s:  When we tell parents to not use screens, what alternatives can I suggest to replace screen-time? How do we use AI creatively in our work w children? What makes us human? How can we nurture children to be ‘more human’ esp in the unpredictable future? Sense of purpose? Morality? Make-meaning out of every experience we have in life? Help them feel fulfilled in the task that they do?  Before we knew it, we are singing and moving along to Sirene’s invitation to a brain break, “She will be wearing pink pyjamas when she comes”, as we tap the person on the side knee back of hand....

"How do we want to see our children grow?" was not just a prompt extended to us by Jittamet, but a mirror held up to my own practice, my values, and the hopes I carry for the children I journey with each day. To me, the image of the child is more than who they are at the present moment. It is about who they are becoming. If I could put words to that vision, I would wish for them to be lifelong learners, curious and unafraid of not knowing. I also wish for them to be critical thinkers who question and wonder rather than accept/follow blindly. And above all, to be compassionate; gentle with themselves, kind to others, and attentive to the world that holds them. As I observed the interactions and the environment, I found seeds I could plant in my own practice. While a few seeds are already to be planted, the rest are still in the germination phase. I’ll need to sit with them before they find their space in my classroom/practice. These seeds reminded me that teaching is not about...