What makes experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow—a state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity. —Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychologist
Flow comes to mind each time I am seated in the midst of an environment carefully prepared by skilled professionals who know children. Imagine interest areas stocked with choices to discover and manipulate in a myriad of ways: books from fact to fantasy at my fingertips and a willing adult eager to read me a story, sand and water to explore and combine, enough dramatic-play props to pretend anything, art materials to inspire exploration in all media and an easel at the ready. In this kind of environment where teachers have explained expectations for the care and use of materials and where children have long, uninterrupted play, one can feel flow.
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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