In my classroom, like many, the infamous lunch to nap transition can be a time where it feels like learning and relationships go out the window. The priorities seem to shift into, “Wash that yogurt out of your hair before mom comes,” or, “Let’s try to use the bathroom, we want to wake up dry.” Despite how pressing and chaotic those tasks feel, I took a risk and began using our tablet during lunch to review the day’s pictures with the children.
At an Early Childhood conference held this past May at the Clyfford Still Museum, I listened to researcher Nicola Wallis discuss what happens when we let children guide reflection. She found that adults and children can look at the same moment and take on vastly different viewpoints. I walked away wanting to implement some of those ideas. Pair that philosophy with our chaotic lunch to nap transition, and something amazing happened.
By making a choice to slow down and revisiting the day’s learning with the children, we saw huge changes in the lunchtime dynamic. Behaviors we struggled with, such as hitting, throwing food, and getting up decreased, and engagement in conversation increased. Students connected with one another through the shared experience of the day’s pictures.
”Can you send that to Dada?
”Look, he was so happy there!”
“Ew, mud.”
“That’s us!”
I know these changes occurred because there was less need for connection seeking behaviors that teachers typically find challenging. Throwing food, getting up from the table, or arguing with peers no longer served the same behavioral function for children. By showing the children that their work, ideas, and growth mattered to us, we as a classroom were able to connect more holistically.
Because the children were now anticipating reviewing pictures from their day, I realized I needed to change how I captured these moments. To keep our lunchtime reflections meaningful, I began taking pictures from the children’s level and filming children upon their request. Shifting my perspective helped me see aspects of their learning that I may have otherwise missed in a quick snapshot taken from a standing adult viewpoint.
Sometimes trying something new, especially at an already stressful time, can make us skeptical. I found incredible benefit in pausing to reflect on the learning I took away from the symposium at the Clyfford Stills Museum. Applying this thinking to the classroom made me feel nervous initially. But by showing children that what matters to them matters to us, we don’t just tame the chaos we strengthen our relationships and our entire teaching practice.
