Kelsey Gustafson
SLC Montlake
November 12, 2021 In-Service
What I Learned from the Respectfully Yours RIE Video
1. RIE promotes development of people who are competent, feel good about themselves
and realistically trust the world.
2. Avoid asking or making them do what they cannot do yet or be what they cannot be – as
in, support, encourage and celebrate their current skills.
3. Be sensitive to when they want to be engaged with – when they look for someone’s eyes.
Don’t simply interrupt them because we feel like we need to stay busy or it has been
quiet for too long.
4. In RIE, stimulation equates to interruption. Infants are constantly engaged with their
environments, we don’t need to prove we are there.
5. Boundaries and “house rules” are suggested at a young age. Be firm in statements like “I
don’t want you to touch that” and “I won’t let you bite” this shows them you will do
everything you can to keep them safe.
6. Magda suggests letting children “fight” through conflict. We can move close to give the
message that we think they can handle it, but be available to assist if needed. This
empowers them to figure out a resolution on their own.
7. Give them time to solve a problem when we can. The more we trust that they can do it,
the more they CAN do it. Instead of teaching them to depend on teachers and adults for
everything.
8. Don’t set out to “teach” things to children, as if we know best for their bodies. We take
away their chance of discovering on their own when we teach one way to do things.
Magda suggests that “taught children are harassed children.”
9. It is suggested for teachers to try less, be less busy and enjoy more. That way we can be
less tired and more available for observation and attentiveness. And that it is
unnecessary to “be busy” – just be still and don’t overwhelm or overstimulate them. All of
their senses are sensitive and taking in the world around them.
10. Use distraction as little as possible. In RIE philosophy it is equal to manipulation and
emotions are valid and important experiences. They must be allowed and given
permission to feel what they feel.
