What is child-led learning? Wonder Science

What is child-led learning?  

This question was posed by a potential client through email...

She was hesitant to sign up for the class, wondering, if this philosophy was something she could accept.

I appreciated her question because it pushed me further in my own thinking...What do I really mean when I say The Wonder Studio is child led?

Those of you who come to class know that I do have boundaries and limits...It's not a free-for-all.

I like the playdough to stay in the playdough table and not go into the water table.  This makes sense, right?  If it goes into the water table, then the playdough is ruined for future use and the water table is quite an ordeal to clean up.

But, as you see above...sometimes Playdough might travel...

To me, child-led means we are open to a child's logic.  Not just open, we are curious about their intentions and actions.  We are always and foremost honoring and respecting the child and believe that learning is behind their action, not misbehavior or malice.

That little girl, above... has carefully made her little ball of playdough for about a month.  Sometimes, she does it right away, sometimes she seems to forget and then she remembers to do it half way through the class...But for the last 4 - 6 weeks, it's important to her.

She is very careful with it...she will ask her Mom to hold it if she needs to do something else...or if she needs to use both hands...And she always returns it to the playdough area at the end of class.  

I know some teachers (and parents) who are believe strongly in being clear with directions for children. Life is very is very black or white.  The playdough needs to stay on the playdough table.  No if, ands, or buts.

I respect your view...I really do, and I feel the same when we are walking in the Publix parking lot and I ask my children to hold my hand.  I feel that way with light sockets, and climbing on the kitchen table.

But...At The Wonder Studio...when a child is so thoughtful and deliberate in making a playdough ball each and every class.  I see meaning making..., not "she's testing the limits."  

And as we all know, children do test limits...It is the responsibility of the adult to offer limits and boundaries and these parameters can help children to learn more efficiently.  They can sort of, free the brain to cut out the distractions and get into the good stuff.

And if she was taking that playdough ball and throwing it into the water table...I might feel so compelled to issue a limit.

But...that hasn't happened yet...at least that I know of...  And who's to say, that at that moment...
It's the last use of the playdough and the parents can all pitch in and we can see what happens if the playdough get saturated with water.

Do you know what it feels like?  I don't.

However, in studying this particular playdough mover...I suspect her intention is something else.
As her Mama walks through class holding her baby sister...she has spent the last 9 mos. observing her caretaker carefully take care of what probably seems like a little ball of dough.

One of the greatest examples of the importance of child-led Play...

Child-led helps us to understand what is important to the child.  What are they attempting to understand in their lives...?
How can we better honor that and begin to understand that with black and white comes Grey.