back to the roots
I remember the first time I walked into a Threes/Fours classroom. It was at a preschool on the Upper East Side in New York City, and I was a student teacher. I’m not sure what I expected, but upon entering the space, I remember feeling completely underwhelmed.
It was all so basic, labeled, and uncomplicated.
The furniture was small. The walls were empty, waiting for masterpieces to be made.
You knew where to get messy, where to build, where to sit crisscross applesauce, where to get paper and crayons, and where to put them back.
It was all right there, intentional, every bit.
I spent that school year witnessing children successfully use the space independently to explore, collaborate, play, and grow.
And quickly realized that my impression of being underwhelmed was that I had no appreciation for how much research, development, compassion, and expertise went into creating that classroom, all on a budget.
You might even say it was inspiring.
