The Extraordinary Parent
In 1989, I began my career as an early learning professional, teaching state and federally funded preschool programs within a unified school district. At that time both programs required a member of the family to assist in their child’s program. Many of the family members volunteered to assist within the classroom. One particular year a father volunteered to assist with the outside play environment. He visited daily, first, scouting the outside grass area for any dangerous items and removing them. Then he used the electric blower to clean the cemented areas used for reading, water play, and the bike path. After conquering those jobs with expertise, he would head to the outside storage unit to bring out the play equipment. A few of the items were: bikes, water table, sand toys, wagons, balls, outside blocks, book tub, shade cover, and the free-standing climbers.
Everything would be strategically sorted and invitingly displayed, ready for engagement. Even the large sandbox area would be raked into a patterned design, swirls moving one direction then another. Each day a different artistry of sand box work would appear. What was highly unique about this welcome assistance was that the father spoke only Lao. At this time, being the late 80’s and early 90’s, many of the parents and children in our programs spoke Hmong, Khmer, Lao, Spanish, or Vietnamese. Most years I would have teacher assistants that spoke the home language of the families. This school year I did not.
The father and I primarily conversed by either modeling the needs, using hand signals, and/or drawing picture diagrams. As early learning professionals know, we were using visual aids and cues. It worked far beyond my expectations. Every day when it was outside time, we went out the door and saw a wonderland. This parent, father, had the grounds gleaming with an additional twist of presentation to each play area. For instance, the bikes would be lined up but formed in different directions, angles. The free-standing climbers would always be arranged in an inquisitive obstacle course. Though it was our large sandbox area that always created such “aw” for me and the children. It would be designed just like a labyrinth. How he used the rake to create, and design was just like a display in an art museum. You could see the children almost come to a halt just visually taking in the totally inviting environment.
I really did receive a parent gift of an outstanding outside play learning environment, so ready for children’s enjoyment and learning opportunities. It also validated for me that the hands-on and observational learning skills that we study and learn of human development, as early learning professionals, are so vital in working with all children and adults, and especially those learning English as a second language. Plus, I used the skill of stepping back and giving the children and adults the empowerment to lead.
This article is part of our Newsletter 2025 Issue 2. See all articles.
