The Sound of Joy
The Sound of Joy
Like most of you, I have enjoyed watching the Olympics. My favourite moments come after the athletes win a medal. The look on their faces. The expression of joy, it makes my face smile. The sound of joy is loud and expressive.
I remember times of joy in my own life. The moment after a child was born. Winning a competition. It is like senses are on alert and I can remember the place, the smell, I can think of the feeling, the amazement, the total experience.
I remember the time, when I experienced joy in teaching. I was new to using play in learning. It was an overcast day. The 5 and 6 year olds were feeling trapped inside. I opened the doors and for the first time I introduced bubbles. They went outside on the covered veranda. Overcast days are great for bubble blowing. To this day, I remember the expressions of joy on their faces. I remember the sound of joy, the shouts of excitement. I stopped and took it all in. I thought, this is real learning.
This same expression of joy can be seen on the faces of ākonga in learning. It is not like you see it every moment in the day, but it is a give away that that child is in that moment of experience deep learning. In that moment, the whole of body is engaged.
When we notice these moments, if we can stop and take notice and reflect with our learners, it can often lead to further learning opportunities. Learning about our success as learners. It is also a great indicator that our students have been learning well. We are a banking positively in the child's learner identity. The joy indicates wellbeing success.
Not all is equal. Some of our learners don't experience as much success in their learning as others. For some it is hard work all the time. Why I love play and project based learning, is because through play these learners have an opportunity to experience success and the feeling of joy in learning. This joy of being successful spurs them onwards.
If we can write learning stories about a time where joy was evident, we turn the event into a celebration. Just like when I see an Olympian, crying with joy at winning, similarly, when our learners read about a time they experienced joy in learning, those feelings come flooding back. These stories, remind time and time again of that success.
I spent Friday outside at Passion Projects. I take a group of ākonga for hut and fire building. During lunchtime, I lay on the grass, it was a sunny day. I closed my eyes and listened to the playtime sounds. I heard calm, excited, noises of children playing. I relaxed. Close to the bell going, the noise rose indicating that our community of learners are aware of the daily routines. Our routines form rituals, and these become part of giving boundaries for children to learn within.
We have worked hard to give learners the tools to enjoy their break times. It is paying off. Our learners are working hard to learn to be resilient, solve problems, have fun safely, enjoy themselves, work in a group, be innovative, be kind, be empathetic. These are the real indicators of future success.
Here is what I have noticed this week, that as we as educators are well, individually, and as a team, that ability to experience joy travels all the way around our learning community.
“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”
― Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers
What is it like at your place? Are there times of real joy in learning? Have you noticed the sound of joy and observed the impact on wellbeing?
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