If this moment had happened a few years ago, the experience would have been much different. I probably would have said,“ Ah, you have a pinwheel! Let’ s blow on it!” Then, I likely would have blown air directly onto Noli’ s pinwheel, showing her how to make it move. I never would have known that Noli already knew how to make the pinwheel move. I would have been thinking about what I should do or say, rather than pausing and observing what she knew and could do.
Over time, I have learned that one of the most powerful practices we can cultivate as educators is the discipline of waiting, which for me means creating intentional pauses that let children show us what they already know and what questions they are carrying. I have found that this small shift can transform learning experiences. Giving myself permission to wait has also allowed me to better recognize how children need to be heard, even when no words are exchanged. Did you notice in the pinwheel story that Noli never said anything? And yet, her thinking was vibrant and clear. I offered language to accompany what I observed but not to direct her learning in that moment; rather, to affirm it. I gave voice to her thought process. The interaction also provided me with important information I could use for future moments, both planned and spontaneous, teacher-guided and child-guided.
The Transformative Work of Teaching
So what happens when we allow children to truly be seen and heard? I have found that they begin to believe that their questions matter, that their ways of thinking have value, and that their voices— even before they have all the words— are worth listening to.
This inquiry began with a small, joyful moment and grew into a deeper question about how we as educators create conditions for empathy and children’ s sense of belonging, which can bloom in the quiet spaces between an educator and child.
When a child feels that their joy matters to someone else, that their discoveries are noticed, they begin to feel at home in the world.
I recall as a child hearing the phrase,“ Children should be seen and not heard.” That message lingered in me far longer than I’ d like to admit— constricting my voice and convincing me to align with a story that was never mine to begin with. My work with young children has helped me reject that belief entirely. Children must be seen and must be heard— through their bodies, their gestures, their silences, and their laughter. I carry that with me every day, ensuring that no child I encounter feels written into the same story I once believed. In embracing this truth, I’ ve learned not only how to support children’ s growth, but how to reclaim my own. This is the quiet, transformative work of teaching.
About the Author
Amie A. Perry, MA, is a doctoral student in early childhood education at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. She is the assistant director of EC STEM Lab, where she designs innovative professional learning for educators. Additionally, she leads the Morning Glory Program at Seedkeepers Forest School for infants, toddlers, and families to explore inquiry-based, nature-connected STEM learning. perryaa @ etsu. edu
References
Cigala, A., E. Venturelli, & M. Bassetti. 2019.“ Reflective Practice: A Method to Improve Teachers’ Well-Being. A Longitudinal Training in Early Childhood Education and Care Centers.” Frontiers in Psychology 10. doi. org / 10.3389 / fpsyg. 2019.02574.
NAEYC. 2019.“ Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education.” Position statement. NAEYC. naeyc. org / resources / positionstatements / equity.
NAEYC. 2020.“ Developmentally Appropriate Practice.” Position statement. NAEYC. naeyc. org / resources / position-statements / dap / contents.
Perry, A., & A. A. Lange. 2024.“ Exploring STEM with Infants and Toddlers: A Long-Term Study of Bubbles.” Exchange 274.
Vygotsky, L. S. 1978. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Photographs: courtesy of Amie A. Perry Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
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