The Importance of Flexibility and Understanding
In the past month, I have discovered that I have had teachers with wisdom in all shapes and sizes. A toddler gave me a hug because I apparently looked sad. A student-teacher taught me to look at an assignment for the first day of school with new eyes and interpretation. An experienced principal taught me a very simple way to do professional development that was rich in content and collaboration.
My favorite lesson came from watching a preschool classroom with a special needs child. The teacher prepared the class for a walk outside to discover signs of fall.
As they crossed the street, the child focused on an animal that was not moving at all. He started asking questions and his persistence eventually got the rest of the class focused on the animal. The student-teacher did not miss a beat and refocused the lesson on what type of animal it was and how they could figure it out.
When I returned six weeks later, they were still discussing this animal, but they had expanded their focus on to why it was crossing the street, where it lived in and what it ate. This was all because one student had a question, and the educator valued that question and built a lesson to support it.
Valuing people and working with them – for me, that’s what it’s all about. If you believe that everyone has value and input, then it becomes natural to work with them.
This type of support and attention to individual needs is what I have seen come from Grand Canyon University. GCU provides support and tools to help each individual be the best they can be because we are all in this world together.
Learn more about GCU by contacting us today.
More about Bobi:
Bobi White is a site supervisor for the Grand Canyon University online teacher preparation program, serving students in the Nebraska area. Bobi is also an educational consultant for two statewide programs (PTAN and BOOST) that provide training and technical assistance to child care centers and after-school programs.
Bobi is an adjunct for several colleges in New Hampshire, Maine and Texas, in both online and traditional classrooms. She has past experience as principal of a private school, serving children in pre-K through eighth grades, and as an early interventionist for Easter Seals, providing cognitive and language therapy. Bobi is a past writer for the “What to Expect” online blog for new mothers.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.