Expressions of Understanding

Expressions of Understanding are personal attempts to represent and communicate to others the deep significance of the experience of six investigations, dialogue with others, and listening to other’s implementation projects — the two-month-long investment in stopping demands and talking informatively. Participants use any form or media they wish to convey their new way of being generated by talking informatively.

Poem by Fubuki Ishii

Don’t tell me what to do
I can see what you do
Don’t tell me what to do
I can see what my friends do
Don’t tell me what to do
I know what is going on around me
Don’t tell me what to do
I know what I need to do
Don’t tell me what to do
I am a smart person who knows what to do
Don’t tell me what to do

A Myth by Jenn Featherstone

Once upon a time it was time to get dressed for school, but Kayla, a spit-fire at 4 years old, had other plans. On the floor of her room a building was being erected with the help of 2 bears and a giraffe. Kayla’s mother stuck her head in the bedroom door and said, “Kayla, it is time to get dressed.” She smiled at Kayla and closed the door. After pausing to think about it for no longer than 2 seconds, Kayla got back to work, balancing a block on top of the tower, which was not quite yet up to her belly button.
Ten minutes later Kayla’s mom returned to the bedroom door and knocked. “Yeah?” said Kayla without looking up from her work.
Her mother entered the room noting that no progress had been made on getting dressed. She sat down on the bed deciding how to proceed. “I put your green pants in the dresser last night. I washed all the mud off of them.” Kayla ignored her, continuing to build.
“It looks cold outside today, so I put on the sweater you gave me, with the big butterfly buttons on it.”
Kayla looked up, saw the sweater and jumped up with a huge grin on her face.
“Oh, Dad picked it out, but I helped. It looks nice on you, Mom.”
“Thank you, Kayla! It feels good to wear clothes that are special.”
“Yeah. You know what?” Kayla responded. “My green pants are special, because I got them with Grandma.”
“I remember when you and Grandma went shopping when she was here last month,” said Kayla’s mom. “But I don’t remember how they look on you. You haven’t worn them in a while.”
“Wait a second!” said Kayla as she jumped up off the floor and ran to the dresser. She pulled out her green pants, a t-shirt, a sweater and some underwear. “I’ll be right back.”
Kayla dashed out of the room to the bathroom to change her clothes. She soon returned fully dressed.
“I need help with the button on my pants,” she said.
“I’ll show you how I buttoned my pants. The buttons on your pants are the same as mine.”
Kayla watched as her mother undid and redid the button on her pants.
“I hold this part in my fingers like this. It helps the pants not move while I push the button through the hole. There.”
Kayla took a second to make sure she understood and then went to work on her button. She got it through after three tries.
“Buttoning pants is very tricky! You did it so fast!” said her mother.
“I did it!” shouted Kayla, and she hugged her mom.

Haiku by Yumiko Kozumi

Personal Story by Sany Jo, Indonesia

Aiko, my niece who was 2 years old, always tried to get down the fish shape glass jar, because she knew that it was where she could find candy. My response to her was, “No Aiko! You’ll break it.” Sometimes I hid the jar or put it on a higher shelf, so she couldn’t reach it. Did Aiko stop trying? No. Aiko never stopped trying until the day when she broke that jar.

Aiko loved to play in the water, so it was difficult to get her out of the bathroom. To get her out I pretended to leave her alone or try to frighten her by saying there was a worm in the bathroom. Did it work? Yes, at the beginning, and never onward, because Aiko knew I had lied to her.

I have come to understand that no matter what language you speak or what culture you come from, Informative Talk is the ideal way to communicate with young children. I have totally changed after taking this module. I am committed to use this way of talking with children and even with adults. I never liked to be given too many directions by others, so why would a child like to be given directions, too? Yes, I do agree children need direction, but how we communicate that is very essential. By informing what we want them to do we are showing what to do without stopping/limiting their eagerness and curiosity, which are the spirits of their life.

News Broadcast by Erik Wallin

Good evening, this is Erik Wallin with KIDS News. We interrupt this episode of Celebrity Boxing to bring you more Breaking News.

Teachers across the country are no longer demanding that children do things. They aren’t giving directions and they aren’t asking questions.So, you ask, have teachers just stopped talking to their students all together? Actually, No! Teachers are trying an unprecedented approach to get children to do what they want. They are using complex vocabulary and are talking informatively. Teachers are enriching the lives of their students by expanding their vocabularies, allowing them to achieve high levels of academic and social success. They are using their expansive vocabulary to describe things to the children in more detail and to expand on their current knowledge.

Also, instead of making demands on their students, teachers are using statements that solely inform their students of tasks that need to be done or what is already being done. They are saying things such as: “It’s time to clean up,” “there are markers on the floor,” and “John is picking up the blocks.” Students apparently are responding very well to this approach. They are leaming self-help and problem solving skills and are no longer depending upon adults for these. One teacher, speaking through tears, said “My job is so much easier now, but more importantly, we are empowering children.”

This has been Breaking News from KIDS News. We now return you to Celebrity Boxing.

Haiku by Jonathon Mitten

Informative words
In likeness to a prism
Craft colorful minds