When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
– Lao Tzu

The Exchange Reflections, Refreshing Our Practice: Questioning Assumptions About Teaching and Learning, based on an article by Pam Oken-Wright, invites all of us in the early care and education field to reflect on ways to rejuvenate ourselves and our work.

Oken-Wright urges us to take a deep dive into the assumptions we are holding about our practice. Are there some things we’re doing only because “that’s the way we’ve always done them” and not because they still seem best? Are there new ideas we’d like to consider bringing into our work?

Taking the time at least once a year to thoughtfully decide what still works well for ourselves and/or our team, and what we would like to consider anew can help us feel a new sense of enthusiasm for our work. The Exchange team has been told that this Reflections has worked well during teacher meetings, in college courses and professional association meetings, and it has also been used effectively for personal, individual reflection. The questions and ideas guide deep consideration of what is most important in the work of early care and education and can lead to a sense of renewal and new fulfillment.