Not Following Where They Don’t Lead

I’m always on the lookout for things the kids seem interested in so I can offer them new activity ideas. I think of it as following where they lead.

For example, a couple of the kids wanted to make paper airplanes one day. We grabbed paper and tried some designs, but they didn’t fly very well.

Later that night I thought about how to build on this interest and started getting excited. As both a passionate educator and an avid crafter, the possibilities are endless. I could print and laminate a paper airplane folding flowchart. Find some folding guide printables! Add perforations! Prepare a lesson on aerodynamics! Or about symmetry and angles! Design some flying challenges! How high, how far, how long!

Fortunately, I got busy and didn’t do any of these things.

The next class day I folded a couple more airplanes based on a quick google of a better design, and…… not a single child took notice. I flew them outside and cheered on my own success, and…. crickets.

Following where they lead, yes.

But also, NOT following where they DON’T lead.

It’s an important balance, because the latter can start to look like pushing or pressuring.

I do my best to inspire the kids and collaborate with them without injecting too much of my own agenda.

Turns out paper airplanes weren’t a budding deep interest. Not a spark in need of immediate nurturing.

Some ideas are just passing, fleeting thoughts, which is perfectly okay. I don’t have to jump on every little thought that floats by.

At the very least, I try not to laminate anything until I’m sure it’s really needed!