If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.
—Maya Angelou
If there is one thing I do not want to be thought of, it is normal! I don’t want my days to be usual, common, and conventional. I challenge myself to be surprised, to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, and to be unconventional and surprise others. Yes, children do need routines, and their brains like patterns, but the brain also likes variety and change. Reflect on your routines, such as circle time. Children need to know your expectations; that’s what helps them to regulate themselves. But, within that normal routine are subroutines that can often become rote, dry, and boring. What variety can you add to your circle time? New songs, fingerplays, and stories can change normal days into extraordinary days filled with surprises, challenges, and changes—just enough to keep children engaged.
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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