Pooh and the Art of Nothing

By Vanessa Fountain

Winnie the Pooh famously said, "Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something."
As early childhood educators we are often ‘jokingly’ admonished for having the best job where we get to sit or stand around doing ‘nothing’. 

We understand doing nothing is in fact a misnomer, for to do nothing, we are clearly doing something

True, it could be a stellar case of dissociation, procrastination, or a deep and urgent need to contemplate tonight’s dinner ingredients even though it’s not your night to cook! All are possible, but in the context of a Steiner early childhood educator with their class and what is being discussed, unlikely. 

So, if we are indeed doing ‘something’ rather than ‘nothing’, what are we doing?

Rudolf Steiner said... 

“Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are this book. We should not learn to teach out of any book other than the one lying open before us and consisting of the children themselves”. 

If this is true, what are the soul states by which we can read these most precious of books? For myself and my ever-evolving practice, the most important are:
• Having an openness and genuine interest in meeting this soul, who and where they are
• Creating and holding a safe space for the child, physically, emotionally and spiritually
• Making time and being truly present.

Once these states are in place we can begin to ‘read’ the child through a process of Observation - the thing that looks like ‘doing nothing’. 

Observation needs to be understood a little differently in our context. We have a formalised child study, The (Kinderbesprechung) Method, a way of studying/reading/observing a child as a Faculty or as a whole school (College), with distinct steps to follow. We also have the skills of observation that come inherently with Steiner teaching. Observation over time and imbued with the qualities above, can lead to a deeper:
• Understanding
• Trust
• Relationship
• Spiritual recognition, compassion and awe-filled love for the child and the path they have chosen.
• A connection that can be transformative and enlightening for all involved.

There are too many fundamental observations skills used by the teacher to be discussed in one article, so instead, I will generalise the process.

 If your interest is piqued, Steiner’s understanding of child development from birth to adulthood that informs our curriculum can be accessed through his book ‘The Kingdom of Childhood’. Christof Wiechert’s, Solving the Riddle of the Child: The Art of the Child Study is a wonderful read for anyone seeking to understand child study.

Initially it is important in the act of observation that the observer seeks to view the child without bringing their sympathies and antipathies, nor any information received formally or informally into their ‘reading’ of the child.  

As human beings this is difficult but something that we strive for in our ability to perceive clearly and be informed by the being before us.  

Within the classroom and in a formal child study, we are looking at (but by no means limited to) the following and how they are expressed in the beingness of the child.

• movement, coordination, eye/hand coordination, hand preference, hand skills (scissors, finger knitting, drawing)
• speech, singing, language
• thinking, memory 
• imagination
• real life skills
• play – types of play, characterisation, play spaces preferred – inside & outside, self-directed play – healthy play & challenges in play
• social and emotional behaviour
• development of the will
• evaluate - constitution, interaction, shows concern for others in distress, takes turns etc. Interaction with teacher
• challenges- physical, intellectual, emotional and social
• the child’s life situation – parents, siblings, place of child, extended family, cultural background, family issues
• the role tv/video/computers play in the household
• special events and traumas
• The four lower senses (early childhood focus) – touch (boundaries), sense of life (well-being), sense of movement and sense of balance.
• Twelve senses – Touch, life, movement, balance, smell, taste, sight, warmth, hearing, word, thought, ego
• physical appearance - The head, the trunk and the limbs are noted regarding shape, texture, colour, proportion, developmental stage and individual particularities.
• Eating and Digestion
• Sleep
• Health – general, medical conditions, allergies and regular medication
Beyond these observations which can and do change over time, we are looking at the way a child holds their body when they enter the classroom, eye contact, the way they shake hands, where they choose to sit, how they sit, can they sit? Bodily responses to different aspects of the curriculum, ability to transition, resilience to transition, holding back, observing, blustering forward, consciousness around the movement of the body, ability to remain focused, personal space, personal care, ability to read the temperature of the room, ability to regulate tempo, ability to be still, quiet, and move between them. 

 What are the child’s triggers for dysregulation, who does the child gravitate to and why. Where is the child’s happy place, what are their strengths. 

We are constantly watching micro-facial and bodily signals to let us know how the terrain and climate of the classroom, the curriculum, is affecting them on a day by day, moment by moment basis, x 24 children.
We want to be able to predict and step in to redirect where needed. To guide and support, to model and help repair as situations arise. 

These acts of presence, of observation require proximity, engagement, watching, listening and knowing all the children and where they are on their journey – their strengths and challenges. We need to have ‘read’ the book of the child.

At outside play, the early childhood teacher and the education assistant will be doing a silent but well-choreographed dance. We place ourselves to provide maximum coverage for the children. If one moves as the children move, the other evaluates and moves to the most strategic place to be able to continue to provide maximum coverage of the class. Should a child require assistance that requires one of the team, then the other member will choose the best position and if need be, relocate a few children who will fall outside our area of effective observation.

Inside, one educator will sit to anchor the room, the other will as needed move about the room or station themselves for the effective coverage of the room. 

We reverse these roles in a moment as the need arises. So many factors affect the story that a child’s being will want to tell us on any given day and how their story will interact with another child’s story. 

The teaching staff are also books to be discovered, read and cherished. 

However, as adults we strive to leave our personal lives, worries and concerns outside the door of the classroom. Our inner work serves to help us to be centered, open and receptive to the children in our care.
There are so many important aspects to the art of Steiner teaching; it is impossible to rank them. However, presence and observation are for me central to my practice. They allow us to serve the children to the best of our ability, and our hope is that they will blossom fully in their own individuality, creativity and purpose.

Observation then, is the act of seeing what is truly there, turning ordinary moments into meaningful insights through presence and careful attention. A process to the uninitiated that can look remarkably like doing nothing. 

Whilst Oscar Wilde reminds us that ‘It’s awfully hard work doing nothing’, I also agree with Pooh. ‘Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something’ and in early childhood, we wouldn’t have it any other way.