Member-only story
The Art Of Framing
My wife and I recently looked at a nursery for our young son. We had heard good things and were excited to see it.
But our guide was not a natural salesperson. She walked us through the rooms making deprecatory remarks while shrugging her shoulders. The garden contained all kinds of fun-looking items. She explained that staff like to reclaim and re-purpose random discarded objects. “They bring in all kinds of junk,” she said apologetically.
As we approached the exit, she casually mentioned how their rooms and activities were designed to cater to the different schemas children use to understand the world. She told us of their global penpal project that helps the toddlers learn about different global cultures and mentioned their weekly baby signing classes.
Now she was saying things we liked the sound of, but as an afterthought. We left unconvinced.
Imagine if our guide had framed things differently, highlighting how they prioritise structuring a child’s learning around their schemas. Or how they have the best garden and a wider range of activities than other local nurseries. How they encourage children to use their imagination and develop their creativity by re-purposing items. How they promote equality and diversity from an early age.
