We realized, over time, that Ben was perhaps frustrated with having his big, creative, and complex ideas stifled. We came to understand and appreciate that his“ collecting” wasn’ t a symptom of egocentrism, but a kind of audition for the role of creative director. He wanted to play with others, and he was willing to do the planning and scaffolding of an experience for his peers if given the opportunity. Once we took a different approach— to pause, observe, and reflect— we saw Ben’ s patterns in an entirely different way. Ben thrived in the role of creative director, his peers benefitted from his creativity, and we( the teachers) were gifted a profound lesson in what is required to support an authentic sense of belonging for each member of our community.
About the Author
Liz Braddock holds a master’ s degree in child and family studies with a concentration in early childhood education and currently works as a looping infant / toddler educator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Early Learning Center. ebraddoc @ vols. utk. edu
Voices of Practitioners
Voices of Practitioners is devoted to teacher research in early childhood education. It appears as a regular column in Young Children. Visit the Young Children archive as well as naeyc. org / resources / pubs / vop to peruse an archive of Voices articles.
Reference
NAEYC. 2020.“ Developmentally Appropriate Practice.” Position statement. NAEYC. naeyc. org / resources / position-statements / dap / contents.
Photographs: courtesy of Liz Braddock Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
Fall 2026 Young Children 75