A little thought on
our Personal Experiences
by Saima Yasin
We are shaped by our own childhood - where we grew up, who we were
surrounded by and the politics and culture are all big factors.
Our childhood experiences inform who we are and how we make decisions
about what to do when we work with children. Let me take an example from my
childhood playing outside on a hot summer day (I am referring to UK summer),
building dens, making daisy chains or just lying on the grass cloud spotting.
These memories ignited a passion for outdoor learning, which drove me to seek
opportunities for the children who were in my care.
The memory of a first teacher for example, may have been accompanied with
the feeling ‘If only I could be like her” if the experience was positive. Every
experience, I feel, is equally important, as you never know when they can
support you in a given situation. They become a basket of knowledge which we
can rummage through to inform how we can work with children, how to
support families and how to best interact within the early years team.
Take time to reflect on your own personal experiences and how they can
support you to becoming a more effective practitioner.