the final touch

The last day of the year. Makes me think about how things wrap up, how things become complete, how things are started and then how things have a "final touch." Today is my last post for this year, my final touch to two thousand ten.

Have been thinking about the steady hand of children who are focused in their experience. As an educator, it is brilliant to witness the thinking of a child as s/he adds "just one more bit" to their work.

 

It is all about the balance.

To observe the concentration, to observe the use of materials, to observe the assessment of space on paper or carpet as a child - in the one exact moment - decides that this final block, or dash of paint, or placement of a dot is Just Right.

Happiness is so simple.

Ironically, so many people who meet an early childhood educator - yet do not have experience with young children - have sympathy for our chosen career path because 'certainly, children create mad messes everywhere they go'. Ahhhh, well, this is not true.

This piece absolutely goes right here.

Children create the most marvelous pieces of deliberate work, sometimes independently, sometimes collaboratively, all day long in so many incredible schools.

dot, dot, dot, dot.

 Here's the secret (alright, it isn't a secret at all): if given the time and materials, if given the time and materials, if given the time and materials...we each learn how to add the final touch to our own valued work, our own masterpiece.

This should fit right here, exactly, excellent.