Today, I observed a colleague of mine who I have been working with for about six months. I noticed that she does not do a lot of reading with the children nor does she provide a print rich environment. These two things are key factors in literacy development. Her main focus, I learned, was projects and play. She believes that children should be allowed free play as often as they want. The only time they are not playing is when they are doing art which she focuses on the product rather than the process. This means there is a lot of unnecessary chaos at all times.When I approached her about her advocacy and what she advocates for, she said "I have no idea what you mean." I then explained to her what it meant to be an advocate and she then replied, "I have children of my own, there is no time to be an advocate for something." I was respectful and shrugged it off, but how can you work in the child care field without being passionate about something and making a difference? It amazes me how little we know about someone until we sit down and talk with them. When I leave work everyday, I take work home with me. Sometimes it is unfinished lesson plans and other times it may be unfinished projects, but she refuses to take any work with her because she has children. I may be single with no children of my own, but I still have a life.
At the end of this observation, I learned that when giving her control of the classroom as I have for the last tow weeks on account of this assignment, the whole room falls apart. Children need structure and they need to know that someone is in their corner for them and I do not believe it is my colleague. There has to be some sort of desire or passion to make a change and be an advocate and she does not have that.
It seems like your colleague is just there to make a paycheck. She doesn't seem to have a true love and passion for education. A lot of educators out there have this maintality because it may require to much work to provide the necessary learning experiences that children need. I do agree that play is important but it is not what education is founded on. Children need guidence and a routine of activities is the best way to help them learn. I am sure it has been very hard for you to sit back and watch her take over the classroom. She seems to have total opposite ideas about what should be done in the classroom. You may have a different view about her now that you have given her rule of the classroom, but I hope this doesn't interfere with your classroom relationship once you return to your role. Good Luck!
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