My head is so full – millions of excited thoughts and ideas looking for a way out. Things that had me pacing the floor last evening. Things that kept me awake through the night. So many things I want to do RIGHT NOW!
I’m trying to do what she said…..b-r-e-a-t-h-e.
So why am I feeling like this and who is she?
Yesterday I attended an all day workshop presented by Lisa Murphy – the Ooey Gooey Lady.
I’ve known about her for a long time – I follow her on Twitter – and yesterday I got to see her in person. She also has a Facebook page and a YouTube channel.
I have never laughed so hard or had so much fun at any workshop ever! Her presentation could rival any comedy club performance but it also contained a serious message. A message that everyone there already knew because she was “preaching to the choir – the people who needed to be there were also the people who were not willing to give up their Saturday to be there.”
Those people would be the ‘resident poopyfaces’ – the rule makers — the ones who constantly say ‘No!’ in response to developmentally appropriate behaviour.
She reminded us that we don’t have children with behaviour problems – we have environments with expectation problems. Instead of trying to get the children to come to our programs we need to create environments for them to be who they are. We can’t control their behaviour but we can control the environment.
“Never underestimate the power of what you do – good or bad – crystallizing moments happen in the ‘right’ environment…..You can’t build the house of academics if there is no foundation and the foundation is built through PLAY……Facilitate don’t instigate.”
So we played. We sang songs. We created things. We played with messy stuff. We had FUN!
There were 140+ of us in a hotel conference room. If we can do it there our children should be able to do it in our programs – if we provide the right environment.
So I am re-energized and ready to provide ‘organic enthusiasm’. Thank-you Lisa!
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