Beauty
Beauty is whatever gives joy.
—Edna St. Vincent Millay
Environments where you and children spend the better part of your days together should be places of beauty, wonder, and delight. Think about the colors, textures, and objects that bring you joy and happiness. Every teacher should have a “beautiful things” shelf filled with photos, knickknacks, and collections that tell about that individual. My beautiful things include a picture of my mother as a little girl, a few sets of salt and pepper shakers from my grandmother’s collection of 300, mementos from travels abroad, and favorite books. When days get hectic, I need only gaze upon these reminders of happy times. Children often want to handle the beautiful items and to hear the stories about them over and over.
In loving memory of Gryphon House author Leanne Grace, MEd, we are sharing pieces of her inspirational writing every Wednesday.
Leanne was the director of professional development at Hildebrandt Learning Centers and a lifelong advocate for early childhood education. She inspired the early childhood community to prepare children as lifelong learners with her ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. One person can make a difference, and Leanne did just that. She will be sorely missed.
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