Can We Just Talk?

Having a genuine conversation around a book with a toddler, pre-schooler or elementary age student can be much more difficult than we might think.  What is a genuine conversation?  Is it a conversation with an agenda, such as teaching the child a concept?  Is it a conversation that is really more like an interrogation, such as "Where is the bear?" or "What was your favorite part?" or "Who was the main character?"  Maybe your version of a genine conversation is more demands of the student to tell you what they are thinking or wondering.  Sounds like fun for the child. :)

What if we shared with THEM what WE were thinking about the words of the author in the book?  What if we just talked with them about connections we made from the book or things the book reminded us of when we were their age?  Or even better, what if we shared with them ideas or dreams we gleaned from the book?

A genuine conversation volleys back and forth.  It is not a one-sided conversation where the adult is doing "unto the child", rather than a two-sided conversation where both participants are learning and growing from each other. 

If we believe that the child/student is worthy of respect and that he/she has something to offer in the dialogue, the result will be growth for us AND them.  They will feel respected and will learn that the PROCESS of conversation and the relationships and connections are the GOAL, not just a one-sided seemingly victimizing of the weaker by the stronger.

Want to talk about this?