Educating the Heart

Why does this resonate so much with ECE teachers?

This has been the most engaged with quote on our Facebook page. Why does this resonate so much with ECE teachers and why has this been the inspiration for our name?

How do we educate the heart? Does the heart of each of us know who we are? When we know something to be true, we might say I know it deep in my heart. This knowing creates an unwavering belief in something.

When we educate the heart of children we fill it with the words, “I always knew I could” or more importantly, “I know I am a learner”. Quite some time ago I wrote a post for the ELP blog Tinkering with Ideas in which I talked about the goal of education being to grow learners who are resilient, who have grit and a growth mindset. Where does this knowledge sit - I think it sits in our hearts. Deep in our heart is where we know we are learners, that we are resilient and have grit.

Barton Goldsmith wrote on Psychology Today wrote,“ By feeling your heart, you sync your brain with the rhythm of its beat, and you will be able to better understand the messages that the core of your being is sending to your brain.”

Te Whāriki is such an inspirational curriculum that has moved our thinking from old fashioned notions of a prescriptive delivery of curriculum outcomes into teaching and learning that is driven by relationships, interest and passions. Education is no longer just about the head but about the heart, the knowing deeply who we are.

Te Whāriki promotes the importance of relationships between multilayered threads and stories, in the weaving of children, teachers, and families into the curriculum. Everyone of us has a story of who we are, a story that comes from our hearts. Our task is to educate the hearts and minds of children in our settings so the future of Aotearoa will flourish.

Arohanui

Lynn