Natural Learning Academy

There's an argument against truly play based learning (meaning 100% genuinely led by the child versus traditional teaching with clear adult expectations that just appears more "fun") that it is just an excuse for the adult not to have to do anything.

WOW if that couldn't be further from the truth.

For the children to spend any moment "working as if I did not exist", there is so much that has already had to happen to make that possible.

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Among these are:
✨ Relationships - There has to be an established relationship of trust, not only between the adult and each child, but also between the children.

Children need to have full trust that their ideas and work are valued and respected (by both children and adults). Trust that help is available only if and when they need it, and trust that they are always safe.

The adult needs to completely trust that each child is fully capable of leading their own learning and that their work is important.

The adult also needs to have a close enough relationship with each child to know when they are being invited in by each individual child, and to know what the child's abilities and play needs are.

✨ Children's needs - Children's needs must be fully met. Physical, emotional, connection, sensory, environmental, etc. Every single one.

The environment has to be set with materials that allow them to engage in their own ideas. Materials that meet their specific play needs/themes must be present. There should be materials available that are challenging/interesting enough to be stimulating while also not so challenging as to be completely overwhelming.

✨ Empowerment - Children must be EMPOWERED.

Empowered to lead their learning.

Empowered through their environment - materials are within their reach and the environment is set up where everything within their reach is available to them and their ideas. Items can be moved, materials can be mixed. They need to be empowered enough to know this and do this without any doubt/fear of being corrected for doing the "wrong" thing.

If something they need is not present, they need to be empowered enough to ask for it. Relatedly, they should be empowered to advocate for any needs they have, with both children and adults.

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And to be clear, the children are not always "working as if I did not exist". Some moments/days, they need a whole lot of me. But boy, those minutes/hours/days where they are.... It's so beautiful. You can see so clearly every single second that went into making it possible, and just how valuable each of them were.

Photo quote: "The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'" - Maria Montessori