Initially, I really wanted a clever name like 'Rainboots and Puddles' or 'Macaroni Necklaces' for my program. I've seen so many blogs dedicated to early childhood education with clever names. But the names spoke to the temperaments of the blogs: unschoolers, homeschoolers, Super Moms that were raising Super-Creative children and former hipsters turned attachment parents. And I am sooo that type of educator. I challenge the rigidity and uniformity of compulsorily public education. I know most schools are failing to produce creative, intelligent, problem-solvers that are culturally literate with confidence and know-how to positively enter society as agents of positive change. Not too much to ask for, not at all. But, that's another post for another day. I've got to finish writing essays for an exam in Educating the Young Child, due on Thursday. So, this will be brief.
The inspiration for choosing to call my program Guiding Genius came mostly from two geniuses: Lev Vygotsky and Amos Wilson. These two men approached understanding and educating young children from a cultural perspective, placing responsibility on adults for providing the tools young minds need to grow and mature in a holistic pattern. Sure, the name isn't supercool like 'Pirates and Pineapples', 'Crayon Wizards' or 'Rock, Scissors, Paper.' The name Guiding Genius reflects my teaching philosophy and the mission of this organic entity: To guide children towards awareness of, respect for, and skills to apply their individual genius, outside and within the classroom. 'Guiding' using the concepts presented by Vygotsky and 'Genius' as defined by Wilson. That's cool right?
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