Otako: 1:14

Children.

Otako: 1:15

Working with children is an adventure, I'm telling you, my dear listeners.

Otako: 1:20

They observe everything around them and their questions reflect their curiosity and a desire to understand the world.

Otako: 1:28

You know, here is a fun example, something that happened to me. You know, it was a day the sun was outside shining and you know, when the sun is out shining we go outside with the kids. So I was sitting outside on a playground bench watching the kids in the playground playing, running, climbing. Other kids were digging in the sand, trying to build their own things that they like, trying to discover things. Each child was happy, engaged in their own little world of discovery. I'm telling you, suddenly, a kid came and sat next to me. We chatted a little bit and then, out of the blue, this kid asked Otako. I said yeah, why do you have a dark skin? This is your favorite time of the week with your number one podcast, hear my true story. Hello, my dear listeners of the Hear my True Story podcast, yeah, well, my dear listeners, welcome back this wonderful week. Wow, I'm so happy and so excited. Sitting behind this microphone, it is Otako, your host. Well, I am happy to share with you my wonderful experience every week. Let me tell you, every time I sit behind my microphone here and I try to record something, let me tell you, every time I sit behind my microphone here and I try to record something to share with you, it makes me so happy and excited. I can tell you, my dear listeners. So what is so special? Today I want to share with you my wonderful experience of working, working with children and the curious questions they ask. Trust me, kids have a lot of questions. They can ask a lot of questions, open-minded and amusing questions, and I have learned a lot with the three years I have been working with children. I have learned a lot from them. I'm telling you so, before we start, I want to share with you a little bit about me. Yes, my dear listeners, right now I am a satisfied educator in Germany. For the past three years, I've been working in a kindergarten while training to be a satisfied educator, been working in a kindergarten while training to be a satisfied educator, and you know what? Recently, last week, 26th of June 2024, I passed my exams and I'm officially allowed to work with young people and children in various settings. It could be kindergartens, it could be schools, could be youth centers, even children homes. I can work there in Germany, so I'm a satisfied educator. Wow, what a wonderful achievement.

Otako: 4:25

Well, my dear listeners, if you're listening for the first time, for the past three years I've been constantly sharing with you my personal stories. At the same time, I've been also training to be officially certicified as an educator. That is the most exciting thing. That's my exciting news today. Well, I deserve a hand clap for that. Well, my dear listeners, if you are listening, clap for me. Yes, I'm so happy that I've made this.

Otako: 4:56

I am now a certified educator in German. Let me tell you. If you don't know the story, I'll share it another day. So today I'm sharing with you my personal experience of working with children. You know children. Working with children is an adventure, I'm telling you, my dear listeners. They observe everything around them and their questions reflect their curiosity and the desire to understand the world.

Otako: 5:23

Here is a fun example, something that happened to me. It was a day the sun was outside shining, and when the sun is out shining, we go outside with the kids. So I was sitting outside on a playground bench watching the kids in the playground, was sitting outside on a playground bench watching the kids in the playground playing, running, climbing. Other kids were digging in the sand, trying to build their own things that they like, trying to discover things. Each child was happy, engaged in their own little world of discovery.

Otako: 5:53

I'm telling you, suddenly a kid came and sat next to me. We chatted a little bit and then, out of the blue, this kid asked Otako. I said yeah, why do you have a dark skin? Well, what a question. As a black educator in Germany, I have learned to expect such queries. I simply explained. I simply explained my skin is dark because I have more melanin. Everyone has melanin in their skin. The more melanin you have, the darker your skin tone. The less melanin you have, the lighter your skin tone. Melanin gives us different skin tones. Just like we have different hair, we have different eye colors. You know what? The kid was happy. He nodded thoughtfully, satisfied with the straightforward answer that I gave. Never to answer what he was not asked. The kid never asked any other question. He was happy. I was happy.

Otako: 7:23

And there's this another day, so, so interesting. There's another time it was a time when we are doing a movement circle, where we go with the kids in the circle and then do some movement songs. We do some movement, go with the kids in the circle and then do some movement songs. We do some movement uh games with the kids and you know, everyone was not putting on their shoes, I was putting on stockings. All the kids were just in their stocking somewhere, bare barefoot. Then there's this um kid. He observed, he noticed, and then he came to me and said Otako. I said, yeah, why do you have one red stocking and a blue stocking? Yes, I of course observed it and then I asked the kid. I said yeah, because I felt like today I would like to put on different color stockings. So I decided to choose the red stocking and the blue stocking. The kids appreciated my straightforward answer and we kept on doing our movement games with the kids in the circle period. And that's the interesting thing.

Otako: 8:36

And yes, and there's another thing I've remembered is a day very early in the morning I entered the group with the children. They are sitting, they are playing. I came in, I was putting on my nice pink t-shirt. I had this pink t-shirt, it was summer and I like pink and I dressed up in a pink t-shirt with blue jeans. So I entered the group and the kid looked at me and said Otako, you are putting on pink. Why are you putting on pink? I said because I like to put on pink. The kid said pink is for girls, you are a man. I said where did you hear that? For girls, you are a man? I said where did you hear that? The kid said no, pink is for girls. My sister has pink and me I put on other color, blue. I said okay, that's nice to know, but for me, as Otako, I like pink. Pink is my favorite color and I put on pink. The kid appreciated, I was happy, the kid was happy and we left. Of course I didn't go into so many details, I just wanted to know and the kid also wanted to know. So I answered the right answer for the right time, that I like pink and that's why I put on pink. Yes, I'm telling you kids.

Otako: 10:07

Kids ask open-minded questions. Now there's something that has just come across my mind. There is this common misconception that educators just come across my mind. There is this common misconception that educators just watch kids play and drink coffee. But in reality, observing children during free play is crucial. It is a time when they explore, when they create and when they learn on their own. It is the time when they become so creative, they have this imagination, it's the time when they decide to do things by their own, and that time is very important. So in that time, as we are just observing the kids discovering their own world, our role as educators is to support them and to answer questions, which can come at most unexpected times. I'm telling you, questions come up at any time, so, as an educator, you are ready to answer those questions. There's this other thing I remembered. It is so fun I'm going to tell you, my dear listeners, I hope you enjoy it too. So picture this I was in the toilet with the kids.

Otako: 11:31

Many kids go to the toilet, so I go there as an educator to support those who need my support. So as I was there trying to help one kid, and then I heard those who need my support, so as I was there Trying to help one kid and then I heard someone Calling out my name and said, yeah, otako. I responded yes, what is it? Do you need help? And the kid was like no, otako, but my poop is green. Why is it green? Why is my poop green? So you know, keeping a straight face, I asked what did you eat yesterday? So, after listening of some of the stories from the kid, the kid saying yeah, I ate some vegetables. Well, that's true. If you ate green vegetables, that might be why your poop is green. You don't have to worry about that. Everything is okay, I'm telling kids. Kids are curious about everything, even their own poop. Why is it green? Today, and yesterday it was another color. This is what I can tell you.

Otako: 12:39

Questions from kids come at most unexpected times and that is what I have learned, and be ready to answer them in the right way. I remember there is this one memorable day while the children were playing in their free time play. Some of them were in different corners. Some of them were building stuff on the mat. Others were playing role play. Others were dressed up in costumes. Others were painting on the table. Others were playing with the balloons.

Otako: 13:20

Then one kid, as I was sitting with other adults in the group, the kid came to me and said Otako. I said yes, where do you come from? I replied I come from Uganda. The child didn't say but my mother said you come from Africa. I said no, I come from Uganda. And the kid said Otako. My mother said you come from Africa. I clarified and I said yes, uganda is a country in Africa. Then the child smiled, he was happy. I said yeah, uganda is a country, but it is found in Africa. Africa is a continent.

Otako: 14:18

Simple answer the question the way it is asked, unless it needs the child to be able to understand what you're talking about. So these experiences, these moments, remind me why I love my job, why I like working with kids. Kids ask questions. So, as we as adults, sometimes we might shy away from these questions, but the innocence and the curiosity of these kids are refreshing, because kids want to learn, they are discovering things.

Otako: 15:01

So, as an educator, my trick is simple Answer the questions they ask without overcomplicating things. It's about being honest and straightforward, which helps to build trust, by the way, and understanding, which helps to build trust and understanding. Children get to trust you and they understand you. So, my dear listeners, remember this. This is what I'm going to tell you. Children's questions are windows into their own world of discovery. They are doors into their own world of discovery. And, as adults, our job is to nurture their curiosity with patience and simplicity. It's us to guide them, to support them, to learn the right things. So, as adults, inform yourself, don't be like one of the adults I've experienced in my life who gave a wrong answer and that made me not happy. So, my dear listeners, thank you for being part of Hear my True Story podcast and for taking your time to listen to my wonderful stories on Hear my True Story podcast. That makes my day every time someone is listening.

Otako: 16:18

And for those who are listening for the first time, this is Hear my True Story podcast and the person behind the microphone is called Otako, the host of the podcast. And for those who have not subscribed to the podcast, please subscribe. And, by the way, on the description of this episode you can find a link. You can click on it. You can send us feedback Because, to tell you the truth, feedback is important.

Otako: 16:47

It makes me create more. It makes me share more stories. It also inspires other people to share their personal stories. So, if you like what we do, send us some feedback. You can tell us thank you, or you can say even negative feedback. We take it too, and it can help us to improve where there is need to improve. So, my dear listeners, it has been me Otako, your host of Hear my True Story podcast. Keep listening, as I keep podcasting and sharing my personal stories. Thank you for listening to Hear my True Story podcast. Till next time. Bye, for now, we not only have voices for a podcast, but also faces for YouTube. Don't miss your next episode, hear my true story.