The name “kindergarten” comes from the German “child’s garden” and suggests a place where children are nurtured and grow in a natural way. I love this word. It reflects my philosophy that teaching is like tending a garden by planting, watering, pruning, and patiently watching for signs of growth. We often call children who are in their first year of elementary school “kindergarteners”, but in the German kindergarten, the teachers were the kindergarteners, or the true gardeners who encouraged and enabled the growth to take place. I hope that this blog will serve as an encouragement and a forum for discussion for those who are nurturting and educating children, whether at home or at school.
