Children Need a YES Environment

07/03/2020

Children Need a YES Environment

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.
Maya Angelou

“If I were to put you into an fMRI scanner—a huge donut-shaped magnet that can take a video of the neural changes in your brain—and flash the word 'NO' for less than one second, you’d see a sudden release of dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters. These chemicals immediately interrupt the normal functioning of your brain, impairing logic, reason, language processing, and communication,” wrote Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Waldman in their article in Psychology Today. They explain that everyone – adult and child alike – would benefit from moving from a “no” to a “yes” orientation to life.

In her article, “A YES Environment: Promoting Positivity in Your Classroom,” Kaila Weingarten writes:

“Everyone needs a YES environment to do their best. A YES environment is a safe, positive place that encourages personal growth by allowing the freedom of reasonable risk taking. For children, this means a place:

that is secure and childproof, so safety concerns do not hinder children’s independence;
where they can independently learn and explore;
where predictable, yet flexible, routines and schedules contribute to a warm, caring environment;
equipped with toys, supplies, and activities that are developmentally appropriate and readily available;
where no centers are off limits or ‘closed’ for the day;
where items not intended for children are placed out of reach;
where the word "no" is used in moderation; therefore, children are more likely to listen when it is said.”

The newest in the Exchange Reflections series, “YES Environments,” uses Weingarten’s article as a discussion starter for staffs, college students or individual educators, encouraging them to ponder when they are comfortable saying “yes,” and when they believe “no” is still necessary. Discussion questions and commitment suggestions center around ideas that could help programs move to a more “YES” focused philosophy.

Source: “Why This Word is So Dangerous to Say or Hear,” by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Waldman, Psychology Today, August 1, 2012

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