12/01/2026
I was gifted a book by my co-teacher Helen Lai, and I truly cannot put into words how profoundly grateful and joyful I feel. This book has imparted invaluable lessons that I will carry with me for life. Today, I read the very last page, and my heart is brimming with reflection. I have so much to say, but I will share just three lessons I learned about children from this book.
1. Children are not blank pages.
They possess far more knowledge and awareness than we often presume. They are closer to the spiritual and intuitive realm than we realize. When working with children, we should never assume they lack understanding. They comprehend more than we imagine, often in ways that are subtle yet profound.
2. What we teach is rarely new to them.
Children have already encountered many concepts through play, imagination, and even during rest. Learning has been integrated into their inner world long before it is articulated in the classroom. When we teach, we are not introducing novelty, but rather sustaining and giving language to what already exists within them.
3. This is the most indelible lesson of all.
Children may struggle to clearly articulate what they see, feel, or think, yet they are remarkably expressive through action. Their behavior is not arbitrary. It is revelatory. If we observe with discernment, we can often perceive what is happening at home, how caregivers interact with one another, and how the child experiences those relationships.
When a child appears disengaged, resistant, or disrespectful, it is rarely deliberate. They are communicating in the only way they know how. As educators, we are called to respond not with judgment, but with empathy and understanding. We must look beyond surface behavior and attend to the underlying message being conveyed.
This book reaffirmed why I teach and why children deserve to be seen, heard, and understood with compassion and grace.
