Metaphor

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A Willow Tree in the Wind

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A willow tree in the wind is a metaphor that speaks to my journey throughout my Master of Education degree, though this metaphor can also be related to a child's educational journey within the early childhood years. Within this metaphor, I believe that relationships symbolize the roots that we rely upon throughout our educational journeys - without strong relationships, or without strong roots, we cannot have a strong trunk or a strong foundation. A willow tree has a strong, solid trunk with roots that grow deep into the ground that connect both above-ground and below-ground. We cannot see much of a tree’s roots below the ground, but just because we cannot see them doesn’t mean that they are not there. Similarly, this metaphor can be related to children in the early childhood years, where the relationships that a child has symbolizes the willow tree’s roots, providing a strong foundation and level of support. I imagine the challenges and hardships that come our way to be the wind within this metaphor. When it is windy, the willow tree moves and sways from side to side with each gust of wind and is pushed in several directions. Due to the wind, being the challenges, the willow tree may lose a few leaves, but the roots and the trunk hold the tree strong and the tree remains rooted into the earth. 

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Each part of a child's life is connected, and with this, I believe that it is important to promote awareness and understanding of holistic approaches to education, to support a child's well-being and development, and that shed light on the role of relationships in a child's life. From a holistic approach, all aspects of a child's education and well-being, from sleep to nutrition to relationships and beyond, are important factors to be considered in the early childhood education setting to ensure that a child is receiving the highest level of learning and development possible for them in a safe and enriching environment, as supported by the BC Early Learning Framework, which highlights that "people learn with the mind, body, and spirit and in a relationship with others and the environment" (Government of British Columbia, 2019, p. 25). All of the elements - holistic approaches, well-being practices, and relationships - are the branches that keep the trunk of the willow tree strong and grounded. When the challenges, or wind, comes along, the branches may sway but the tree stands strongly in the ground because of these branches, or relationships.

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Each of the branches correspond to one of my goals. The first branch, or goal, represents promoting a holistic approach to education, the second branch represents highlighting the importance of well-being practices in children's education, and the third branch represents the role of relationships.

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With this metaphor in mind, and with the knowledge and foundation I have obtained throughout my Master of Education journey, I have decided to combine several elements of education together as a means of emphasizing a holistic approach that encompasses several different elements working and coming together to create an enriching learning environment for children to flourish cognitively, mentally, physically, spiritually, and holistically. More specifically, I have decided to create a project that highlights three important elements, or goals, that play on all of these factors in a child’s education - promoting a holistic approach to education, highlighting the importance of well-being practices in children's education, and the role of relationships. As mentioned, these three elements symbolize branches of the willow tree, and represent three goals that I have. 

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References

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Haslip, M. J., Allen-Handy, A., & Donaldson, L. (2018). How urban early childhood educators used positive guidance principles and improved teacher-child

           relationships: A social-emotional learning intervention study. Early Child Development and Care. 

           https://doiorg.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1080/03004430.2018.1507027

 

Haslip, M. J., Allen-Handy, A., & Donaldson, L. (2019). How do children and teachers demonstrate love, kindness and forgiveness? Findings from an early

           childhood strength-spotting intervention. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47(5), 531–547. 
           https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1007/s10643-019-00951-7