When I began thinking of my philosophy as a metaphor, I envisioned a child soaking up all of the things we, as educators, present to them. Knowing that they are little sponges, and absorb whatever it is that we offer, we have to be conscious of what we say and do at all times. As I reflected on my tree of life image, I thought of myself as the tree, and my falling leaves as the little pieces of knowledge and wisdom that I leave on the ground for to be consumed by nature’s little creatures.
The caterpillar represents the child eating bits and pieces of all of the good leaves that will nourish them into the independent beings they will become. As they eat and grow, they eventually become the butterfly with all of the attributes of a loved and nurtured child. This metaphor really resonated with me, reflecting on how I speak to my daughter, and other children. Everything I say and do is shaping them into what they are to become.