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unsure of my direction; still I was determined to forge my path alone. Until I took a view
of learning that was supported by others, my perspective was restricted.
In my teaching experiences with children, I focused on the environment and
facilitated my students’ learning through the materials that were provided. Within this
material-intensive environment, I left children to learn on their own. In tandem, my own
development as teacher was limited by a solitary view. Artress (1995) describes the act of
walking the path of a labyrinth as “realistically and symbolically the act of taking what
we have received out in to the world” (p. 78). It is both empowering and integrating in its
embrace of others.
Work Experience
Shortly after the birth of my third child, I graduated and began to work. As a
nursery school teacher working without having a clear pedagogical orientation, I became
influenced by colleagues, adapting the accepted scripts for action based on principles of
active learning. Wien (1995) refers to scripts as repeated routines that are embedded in
teacher actions.
While I was eager to expose children to the wonder of new experiences and
discoveries, I looked for recipes and plans without critically examining teaching practice
in relation to theory. I accepted a theme approach to curriculum development. A theme is
usually a broad concept or topic like seasons or animals and is often based on holidays.
In theme work, children are rarely involved in posing questions to be answered or taking
initiative for investigation (Katz, 1994). Themes are teacher-directed and teacher-owned.
As I embraced the practice of early childhood education where theory was
dismissed, the excitement of using a curriculum based on themes quickly evaporated. I