Balancing Professional Growth with the Ever-Growing To Do List

10/24/2023

Balancing Professional Growth with the Ever-Growing To Do List

My teacher education work began to shift when Betty Jones gifted me with the notion of creating 'structures for openness.' ...Instead of saying, 'Here’s what I would do,' I began offering considerations for how to think through decisions to make.
Margie Carter, in From Teaching to Thinking

If you’re like me, you want to build a reflective practice, but find it hard to fit in among the growing demands on our time. Taking time out can be a challenge. Reflection is part of the equation, but equally essential is practice. Just like exercise, skills need regular repetition to become habits that influence and refine our work. This is why I’m personally excited to share with you a new feature on the Exchange Hub: Coffee Break Reflections. Included with free memberships and above, and derived from our more comprehensive Exchange Reflections, each one will include a short passage from an article and a related reflection question or prompt - a quick deep dive into ideas and issues to strengthen our practice. Our goal is to make it easier to take a short break from your to do list and focus in the deeper whys and hows of our work.

Try the first one, drawn from the article "The Language of the Senses: The Power of Sensory-Rich Outdoor Play and Learning Spaces for All Children," by Jena Ponti-Jauchius. Reflect on your own or with a friend, or perhaps at the start of a meeting or class. Let us know what you think, and what topics you’d like to see in future Coffee Break Reflections.

A reminder: The Exchange Hub is designed for you, for all of us, as a community of early childhood professionals. It’s a growing and responsive space and we welcome your ideas and feedback so we can better serve you and your colleagues in the essential work of supporting young children as they grow.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.