What I learned at Kindy this week
This past week I had one of the best days of my life. It was Grandparents Day at the World’s Greatest Granddaughters’ (WGGD) Kindy class. So, my beautiful wife and I (along with heaps of other grandparents) turned up for a concert put on by the three Kindy classes, then it was time in WGGD's classroom room and finishing up with a picnic lunch on the Kindy play area. It was a wonderful day indeed!
All the kids filed into the hall for the combined concert, WGGD was scanning the crowd looking for our faces. Her vulnerability on full display, and then the reassurance and joy at seeing us there. I’ve been to a few concerts in my time, but this was the best by far, as the kids sang with so much enthusiasm and conviction. It was magnificent.
Then WGGD escorted us on a personal tour of her classroom and a little play in which WGGD was a grandma. The classroom was amazing – so different to my Kindy experience. There were not regimented rows of desks, but instead dedicated spaces for reading, learning, painting, and even a “chill out” space which was a little tent for the kids who needed a bit of alone time and have that respected by their peers. We got to meet Turbo the Turtle and Jabba the Blue Tongue Lizard – resident classroom pets. We did some reading together, painted a picture and heard all about what happens. It is obvious how much hard work the teacher puts into thoughtfully creating such warm and inviting spaces, activities and culture. It was so informative, and I wanted to come back every day.
Throughout the whole time we were at the school I was bursting with emotions – pride, love, connection – you name it. I just wanted to capture it and hold it forever.
Reflecting on that day (including watching the videos of the concert and play multiple times) it struck me that the classroom provides so much more than I first saw. It is all so carefully constructed to ensure it is a place where the kids can have connection and build community. It has spaces for dedicated learning and skill development, Turbo and Jabba provide opportunities for responsibility and caring, there is opportunity and environments for expressing creativity, and there are safe places for managing emotional and mental wellbeing.
Why can’t all organizations do that? I am well aware of the legends of places like Google and Yahoo that have all the toys and attractions, which research has since found is a great incentive to attracting new people, but actually blurs the line between work and home for existing employees who find themselves spending way too much time at work and lose balance in their lives. But what if we got the balance right and didn’t go overboard but put a bit more thought into making our workplaces safe, community building, and where we can learn and develop? Is that too much to ask?