bakers and astronauts

Weekend Links

2012-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

My week started with this impression of Christopher Walken reading Where the Wild Things Are. I loved it.

I came across an online journal through the University of British Columbia: Educational Insights. I'm looking forward to reading a few of the pieces. The current issue is on Critical Teacher Inquiry.

We're starting a unit on Developmental Discipline in my Master's coursework, and its turning out to be pretty interesting stuff. I can see the appeal for teachers who follow a constructivist philosophy because it is not about making the children comply, but it takes the stance of compassion and finding out what children need. I'm reading Learning to Trust by Marilyn Watson...has anyone else worked with Developmental Discipline? I found an online resource here that covers the basics.

Finally, we are crazy for Anansi the Spider at school - we have read the book three times this week, and there is always someone in the book area reading it aloud to themselves. I know there are more Anansi stories at my local library, and I'm looking forward to brainstorming some new extensions for these stories over the weekend!

Happy Weekend!

map embellishments

2012-02-08T18:38:00.001-08:00

Pipe cleaners allowed us to add three dimensional aspects to the treasure maps we started yesterday. By the end of the morning, the maps had bridges, tunnels, slides, giants, and "the Coast Guard thing".

J explained the work he was doing:

Where will maps take us next? What other materials will we add? How can we use these maps?

treasures and pirates

2012-02-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

Today at the maker's table, the children worked on a treasure map. We had the paper strips, tape, crayons, and markers to work with. When we gathered together in the morning, I told the children that we should try to make a map using those things, and I asked what they knew about maps. Conversation immediately turned to pirates and treasure. Three children started out helping with the map and they stayed for about 10 minutes, adding the features in the pictures below. There were also chipmunks, babies, and cords added.

taping down roads

adding new kinds of roads

more roads, an ocean, and an airport

making pirates

and adding them to the treasure map.

I chose this prompt because of some map-making I've seen here and there online lately, and also because of the interest the children have in using a map during dramatic play. It has been a challenge for me to document and make connections across days and weeks in this setting, but explorations like this seem really positive because the children engage in something very open-ended, and I learn a lot about them as they talk and work. Our plan is to add to it tomorrow - the tape was a hit, but we'll also offer more materials, and do more to get conversation started about what this map can be for.

Weekend Links

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

You lucky readers get two weeks of links because I didn't get a post up last week! So lucky!

I loved this video that Mariah of Playful Learning made from a favorite out of print book. The message of the book is great - I can imagine revisiting this book a few times a year. And since I can't physically have it, these talented kid readers can share!

I liked this post, Do You Care? by Scott at Brick by Brick. I've just recently started reading Scott's blog, and something about this post jumped out at me. I think you'll like it, too.

It's cold out, so I'm in the mood for videos, and I was glad to come across a version of The Dot and the Line via Brainpickings. It's short and sweet, just like the book, and since I'm not much of a traditional valentine's day person, I love a good alternative love story!

Its the 50th Anniversary of a book that so many people love: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Listen to an All Things Considered (NPR) story on it right here. (via Reading Rockets)

A facebook friend led me to the Indiana Department of Education's 29 Day Web 2.0 Challenge. That's a mouthful, but I've added the site to my Google Reader, and I'm looking forward to learning about some new tools I can use as a teacher, and that students might be able to use, too.

This concept of spaces in spaces for early childhood centers is interesting - it seems so natural! When I saw the photo above, I thought of how my students would look and sound in this space, and I think it would be a perfect fit. There are many more images on the architecture of early childhood and links to more images and ideas about the concept.

Finally, you know you're curious about the ECE Dialogue we have going on! You can still join in over at the Dialogue's Wiggio page.

the creative (classroom)

2012-02-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

I recently checked The Creative Family out of the library. The author, Amanda Blake Soule, is the writer and photographer behind Soule Mama, a wildly popular blog about life and family in Maine.

I enjoyed reading it, and I think that early childhood educators, especially ones who are interested in taking a more holistic approach to education, can find useful inspiration here. A few ideas that resonated with me:

"The things we have around us and the things we see in our daily lives all greatly affect the way in which we create." (p. 29)

When we look around our centers and classrooms and schools and day cares, what do we see? What do the children see? What is valued by adults and children? Its not just about the commercial items versus the natural items: t goes deeper than that. What we present and suggest for children to use in their explorations will guide those explorations - we cannot forget that.

Soule also shares ideas on imaginative play, which you know have been at the front of my mind lately. I had a bit of a revelation when reading her suggestions for a wonderful "dress-up trunk". She lists a few key items: scarves, hats, shoes, accessories, and makeup. Although we might not have the makeup on a regular basis, I pictured the other items she lists presented carefully in the classroom, and I can see how children can use those.

The kicker is that when I was growing up, we had a dress up trunk with my mother's old dresses and shoes and bags and other second-hand things. No fancy costumes, just interesting clothes. That is how it should be. I feel as if I'm on a bit of a quest for the perfect prompts for imaginative play, and I'm glad to have a few reminders from this book.

Sculpting Again

2012-02-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, there was a simple prompt on the Maker's table: two lengths of fishing wire attached to the ceiling and then down to the table, taped into place. I strung a length of pipe cleaners between the two fishing wires to send the message: Let's put pipe cleaners on this!

The children were eager to work on the sculpture, and I'm sad that we don't have more pictures (or that we don't have quality pictures, I should say!). I'm even more sad that we had to move it at the end of the day because of the multi-purpose nature of the space we're in, but the process was a pleasure to watch.

J kept revisiting the sculpture between other things he was working on: he would walk by and thread a pipe cleaner through this particular part of the sculpture, make some movements and pull it taught, like he has probably seen so many big people tie knots.

Some preferred to work with the pipe cleaners independently, creating shapes and structures and tucking them into their cubbies to take home.

I'll even share the temporary display from the end of the morning - this will force me to think about a better way to share this work with the children. Perhaps we can try to make a sculpture that comes right out of one of the bulletin boards...and then we wouldn't have to move it.

I suppose I'm a little caught up with the idea of making the table the base for the sculpture because of some work we did that was inspired by a Turtlewings session in Brussels last year. We had a table that was dedicated to the sculpture for at least a week and perhaps longer! We'll need to think a bit more creatively here, but because of the engagement of the children, I know its worth pursuing.

Drawing on Mirrors Again

2012-01-31T16:37:00.004-08:00

This post needs few words: Mirrors, dry-erase markers, and some towels for erasing make for a very engaging morning.

(And, a bonus flashback to drawing on mirrors in 2010!)

Introducing Dialogue Number One

2012-01-30T16:24:00.001-08:00

If you follow Bakers and Astronauts on Facebook, you've probably seen the rumblings of some conversation about an article discussion group. There seemed to be some interest when I first proposed the idea, and now we are ready to give it a whirl! I thought it would be more fitting to call it a dialogue, though, because I hope that it allows for more than surface discussion.

For our first dialogue, we will be learning about documentation. There was some interest in learning more about how to document everyday, how to fit it into a routine, and how to learn more about it in general. Many of us want a better understanding of what documentation is and how it might fit into our practices.

We will begin by talking about how it fits into our settings, what it means to us, and what we want it to look like or feel like as we learn more. What do we want to do differently? What resources do we need? Why are we documenting at all?

We will se varied sources to learn more, from journal articles to blog posts and photographs. These resources will add to our understanding of what documentation is, and how is about more than Reggio Emilia style planels. Our needs are diverse, our families are diverse, and our resources are diverse. How can we make it work for each of us?

It is important to share that this dialogue is not about everyone being on the same page with pedagogy or philosophy, but instead, it is about broad topics that we can discuss and help each other and ourselves. Reflecting on what we are doing now and envisioning new ideas for the future is best done in a group, and I hope this will turn into a place where we can support each other in that process.

I hope that you'll join in! There are no specific assignments, but there will be readings available and an ongoing discussion board. We will also be having a group web conference so we can see each other and chat in real time towards the end of the month.

We will be using Wiggio as our platform for the group, and you can use this link to join in. If you're having trouble, please email me at alliepasquier@gmail.com. The articles and links to our reading will be up on Wednesday!

Making a Decision

2012-01-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have never really been one for themes in the classroom. When I started my career as a teacher, I went though a time when dramatic play would be transformed by a teacher into a post office or a doctor's office or a store, with props to match.

I have not shared much about my Action Research project that I am working on this semester. It is taking a lot of my energy, but it is definitely a positive thing. I am focusing on Children's imaginative play for my project, so I have been spending a lot of time watching children engaged in imaginative play, and the easiest place to see and capture that is in the dramatic play area. I gather videos and notes each Tuesday and Thursday as I watch children play, and for the first two weeks of this data collection, dramatic play had costumes; plates, cups, and spoons; fabric, and two giant boxes. The boxes were open ended, and they were everything from jails to houses and caves and stores. One thing I noticed was that watching that play was like watching a pinball: themes and ideas and roles changed constantly. Children often revisited the same ideas and concepts, but each idea would have about 3 minutes before switching.

This is not necessarily negative. This is how they want to play, in a way: they want to try out different things, places, roles, ideas, and more. That is why I love imaginative play, and I want to promote it constantly in the classroom.

That said, I have been getting more and more curious as I have been watching more imaginative play than average. Could I help them stick with an idea and get deeper into it? So many teachers chose a dramatic play theme, and I was curious to try and create a focus in dramatic play without giving something too definite. I think that if there seems to be just one thing to pretend in dramatic play, some children are bound to never try it out.

The children often play out home themes, with Mommies and babies and bad guys and eating dinner and changing diapers - a big mish-mash of all the ideas and themes that are salient to them. So, without making a permanent decision like purchasing something, I made a play kitchen out of one of the many IKEA Expedit Shelving units we have in the classroom.

It was all the rage when on Wednesday, the day it was first in the classroom. Children immediately started pretending to cook, and after a while they were serving it at the table in the dramatic play area. Halfway though the morning, two boys announced that it was their store, and it was open - and it turned into a restaurant, with orders being taken, prepared, and brought to the table. One of the boys who opened this restaurant has only engaged in dramatic play pretending to be either a tiger or an elk, so we're starting to expand our horizons.

I have to remember not to be afraid to suggest things to children. I cannot assume that they will just spend all their time pretending to cook and eat: I have seen them be creative and unexpected, and they will likely surprise me, even with a pretend kitchen.

On another note, I now see the potential of these shelves: I'll let you know what we turn it into next!

magnets

2012-01-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

I went on a little Goodwill shopping binge last night and spent $20. That is a lot of stuff for the classroom! Most of the $20 was spent on pots and pans for dramatic play (which I'll share more about soon), but I also spent 99 cents on something that proved to be engaging in a different way.

We have a large white board in our classroom - it used to be an elementary school classroom. We have scribbled with marker and played with some random magnets on it, but this 99 cent "Monkey Puzzle" that I purchased drew children to the whiteboard. Magnets were shifted constantly; no one was possessive about their creation after they left it, making this natural flow of work throughout the morning. I would have loved to see a time lapse of the changes on the board - perhaps that will be for another day.

How do we know what is going to be engaging for children? What can I learn from this experience today? How will the children feel about the magnets tomorrow, next week, in a month?

Monday Monday

2012-01-23T18:04:00.001-08:00

Starting our week.

Introducing the Overhead Projector

2012-01-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

I can hardly explain the magic of bringing an overhead projector into a classroom for the first time. I rescued it from a storage room down the hall, where it was dusty and unloved, and brought it into the classroom on Tuesday. We have been using the same tray of materials all week as we learn about what it can do. I spend a lot of time point out what I see and what I notice about what the children are putting onto the projector and how that manifests on the wall.

This group of children has been chatty at the projector, working in pairs to put the objects on, sweep them off, and start over. Watching the evolution of the process this week has been interesting: at the start, they dumped and swept off, or just dumped and walked away. At the end of the week, they are making up stories, chatting about the objects and the shapes, and starting to get up to use their own bodies to make shadows.

An unexpected moment this week came on Wednesday, when the attention of the pair was focused on the objects on the projector itself. Children often look at the projector as a box rather than at the wall; but here, the illuminated objects had their own fascination.

The child doing the hiding in this video is the same one I showed once before, hiding toys under cups and mixing them up, then asking others to find the object.

The projector will be a staple in our classroom as we continue getting to know this space. What objects will we try next week?

Happy Weekend!

Images from an Atelier

2012-01-19T17:04:00.002-08:00

Beautiful work from the Williamsburg Northside Preschool's Flickr page. Plus, I'm a sucker for a beautifully written backwards name.

Weekend Links

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

Industrial and Toy Designer Cas Holman has created this incredible kit of movable parts for High Line Children's Workyard (a public park on the unused elevated train tracks on the west side of Manhattan).

The website says patent pending, so hopefully this can become a reality in more places than just this park - I can see these being an asset for many outdoor classrooms. (via playscapes)

I love this flickr stream of photos taken by a fifteen month old. I have yet to break out the cameras in my current setting because we don't have the means to print proof sheets or reflect on the pictures except right in the camera, but that shouldn't deter me, right? Because photos like this are totally priceless:

Process not product, right? Its all about learning how to use the medium - and we learn a lot about what interests children at the same time.

For something a bit more "serious", we are talking about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in my coursework right now, and I'm pretty fascinated. Its all about looking ahead, seeing things from different perspectives and planning for success while understanding that every person has their own needs and learning style. There is a wealth of information on the website of the National Center on Universal Design for Learning. I'm just getting to know the ideas surrounding the theory of UDL, but I'm interested to keep learning more about it. Do you have any experience with UDL?

Happy Weekend!

Homemade Watercolors

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have seen a few things here and there about homemade watercolors, and the time came this week to make some - we were desperate for them in the classroom! I made them at home from a "recipe" that I found on Whole Living.

I had bookmarked the watercolors from One Golden Apple about a year ago, and I still plan to make those ones. Those are a bit different, using Fantastix (which are sitting in my amazon cart right now), and we'll be trying those soon. We'll probably use the ice cube tray again, putting a bit of color from a tube into each part of the tray.

Anyway, I made the paints at home and let them set overnight, and then the children used them the next day. I was almost giddy when I saw the results!

The paints create vivid colors that drew the children in, some of them remaining to paint page after page . One thing I have noticed with children and watercolors, especially twos and threes, is that they sometimes get caught up in the water aspect, ignoring or using a minimal amount of paint, and they disengage from their painting because they don't see anything on the paper. With these paints, I showed them to the children at our morning meeting, making a few marks on the paper myself and modeling how I put paint on the bristles by swiping the brush back and forth a few times. the texture of the paint deep in the pods is almost magic muck-like, acting like a solid until it is penetrated, and then allowing a paintbrush to dig in deep. As the morning went on, more and more paintings had a bit of a grit to them, adding a bit of texture.

Overall, I love these paints, and I hope that you'll try them out, too, and let me know how it goes for you! you can get the recipe over at Whole Living. With small groups of children or classrooms with extra adult hands to work with a small group, I would definitely recommend making these paints with children, perhaps making them in egg cartons so that children can have their own set to take home.

Playing Golf

2012-01-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

For ten minutes yesterday, the classroom was a small golf course, complete with instructors. Perhaps the box will become a golf cart.

How to Tell Stories to Children

2012-01-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

I got a very thoughtful gift from my Grandmother this holiday, and I'm excited to share a few photos and quotes. This book is called How to Tell Stories to Children, and it was published in 1905. The book belonged to a relative of mine 100 years ago.

I am an avid reader outside of teaching, and I loved looking through this book. As I read about the writer's personal philosophies about storytelling and thought about why she thought it was so important, her justifications were not too different from what I, or others, see as the reasoning behind using storytelling as a tool in the classroom.

"...storytelling is first of all an art of entertainment; like the stage, its immediate purpose is the pleasure of the hearer, -- his pleasure, not his instruction, first."

The book is mainly focused on the art of oral storytelling. So many of us encourage children to tell us stories - to dictate stories, to write their own stories - but I know that in my case, the stories that I tell are usually in picture books. There are often anecdotes and small stories, but not planned in a way for an audience. I put a lot of energy into reading picture books and engaging children through those, but I have not attempted the oral story. I have seen children's engagement with stories on tape during rest times, so I'm not sure why I have not considered modeling storytelling and bringing it into the classroom as a more respected art, and as a larger part of the curriculum. One quote in particular has me thinking about storytelling as an art:

"A story is essentially and primarily a work of art, and its chief function must be sought in the line of the uses of art. Just as the drama is capable of secondary ses, yet fails abjectly to realize its purpose when those are substituted for its real significance as a work of art, so does the story lend itself to subsidiary purposes, but claims first and most strongly to be recognized in its real significance as a work of art. Since the drama deals with life in all its part, it can exemplify sociological theory, it can illustrate economic principle, it can even picture politics; but the drama which does these things only, has no breath of its real life in its being, and dies when the wind of popular tendency veers from it direction."

The "classics" that we know any group of children will love might be different for each of us as teachers or parents of just people who love books, but the same underlying reasons define why children like and love them year after year and want to read and reread them. There are universal and timeless messages in those stories, and themes that children crave. Sara Cone Bryant (the author of the book) shares that "no one can think of a child and a story without thinking of a fairy tale." They are the perfect stories (for reasons we can delve into another day!)

The stories that I hear children tell in the classroom are not so different from fairy tales. Even if they are about the car ride to school or a movie they saw, they are important to the children, and contain themes and ideas that are important to every children who is listening to me read a dictation or to a child reading a book they have written. Sometimes it is more about trying literature on for size, sometimes it is about trying characters out or working though anger. We know what children's faces look like when they are engaged, and there is no time of the day with as much full group engagement as when there is an excellent story being shared by an adult or a child.

I'm thinking a lot about the role that storytelling and imagination plays in the classroom. Not just mine - I think there is something universal about it.

"The message of the story i the message of beauty, as effective as that message in marble or paint. Its part in the economy of life is to give joy. And the purpose and working of the joy is found in that quickening of the spirit which answers every perception of the truly beautiful in the arts of man. To give joy; in and though the joy to stir and feed the life of the spirit: is this not the legitimate function of the story in education?"

Not-A-Box

2012-01-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

These are some images from the end of last week - I put two large cardboard boxes in the classroom, and there was action around them for 90 minutes. Some children came and went, but others stayed with the boxes for extended periods. The play was about jail, mommies, babies, tigers, cats, amusement parks, and much more that I probably did not catch.

Today, at the start of the week, small groups were using the box as a location for playing with materials from the classroom - for example, two children spent about 35 minutes building with Magna-Tiles in the box.

Tomorrow, I am moving the box to where more of the dramatic play items are, and I'm interested to see if there is a shift in how children use it, and what for. I have been watching carefully and I have loved to hear the children talk about their plans and see how the box transforms throughout the day, depending on moods and keywords overheard and growling prompts. Totally fascinating!

Weekend Links

2012-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

I somehow ended up on this page from the University of Vermont, watching/listening to a video of Barbara Burrington talking about documentation. I have been pitying myself for a general lack of resources at my current center, and things like this help center me again: we need to remember why we teach and how we can best support children, despite the details. [The video is about halfway down the page.]

The New York Times announced the sad passing of Simms Taback, a Caldecott winning illustrator who wrote and illustrated books that are loved by many children and teachers, myself included. If you're not familiar with his work, take a little trip down to your library this weekend and see for yourself. You can also sit back and enjoy Cyndi Lauper's undeniably excellent narration of There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

Teach Preschool shared a guest post about making a light box, and the plans are affordable and doable. I am envisioning having a few small light tables in the room for different purposes: tracing, exploring colors, exploring materials...

Lastly, I've been thinking about wire, and there was a post on the subject this week at PreK+K Sharing. I have yet to use wire (besides pipe cleaners) with children, and I'm inspired by the words and photos in that post.

Next week, I'll be sharing more about boxes as we continue to explore them in the classroom, and I'll also be over on the Turtlewings blog, sharing about light.

Happy Weekend!

Box Ghost

2012-01-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

I could not help but laugh as I watched this, but reflecting on it, I'm trying to imagine what the experience must have been like for F inside of this ghostly box, sailing around the gym, as he peered out the small flap on the side.

Now I'm thinking: what is the overarching interest with these boxes? I'll be sharing more documentation on the boxes next week.

Boxes and Ladders

2012-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

We have a large gym space at the center where I work, and the children play there for about an hour each morning. There are mats, bikes, slides, a balance beam, basketballs, cones, trampolines, and more - but yesterday, the main attraction was enormous cardboard boxes that were in the corner.

The images above are just a few from a 30 minute period during which two children, Ja and Jo, continually challenged themselves to get in and out of the boxes using the ladder on the wall. The climbed up alongside the box, moved over to be above the box opening, an then dropped themselves in. Ja was exploring this independently at first, and it took him almost 5 minutes to get out of the box the first time. I talked to him as he tried, giving him ideas about where to put his hands, but never physically assisting. Jo saw him and hopped in the same box herself, and Ja modeled how to get out. Each time they both found themselves on the outside, they clapped and cheered at their success!

I wonder what possibilities these boxes might offer in our classroom?

Using Our New Space

2012-01-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

A few images of the classroom to begin the new year! It was an exciting few days planning and creating the space, and I'm pleased with the way that it looks. I'll take photos with more details soon, and we'll work out the kinks as the children get to know the space as a place to work and play.

Do you have any new plans for your space this year?

Weekend Links

2011-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

There have been what seems like dozens of repins from @pediastaff on pinterest. There are hundreds of pins on their boards - definitely worth looking through! And while you're there, you can follow me on pinterest, too.

There is a new edition of Early Childhood Research and Practice out; I'm looking forward to that reading this weekend.

We are starting jobs in the classroom in January, and I have been thinking about this article from Teaching Young Children about a "Problem Solver" job. We would have to work together and discuss the role before implementing it, but I see the potential for some children.

I got to visit family on the east coast for the holidays, and my three-year-old niece has become a book lover. I got to hear her "reading" The Night Before Christmas; we read Pete the Cat together and then watched the video; and I gave her and her sister two of my favorites: Lost and Found and Hattie and the Fox.

Lastly, I have a few ideas up my sleeve for the new year, and I hope to be posting regularly. I do, however, plan to put most of my energy towards this final semester of my Master's program. I hope you'll continue to visit and share your thoughts in 2012! Happy New Year!

Images from Boulder Journey School

2011-12-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

I have been looking at some beautiful images from the Boulder Journey School in Boulder, Colorado, as I've been thinking about the changes in our classroom environment, and I thought I might share a few here.

Our new space is very large, and balancing that is a bit tricky. We need to create different "parts" of the room, and I'd like to do that without necessarily having labeled areas that restrict how the children want to work and play.

I mentioned the alcove in my earlier post today, and this image makes me think about how different elements of light could work together, perhaps with the addition of a sensory element, like shallow trays on a table

Hanging items from the ceiling! Need I say more?

It is easy to look at photos and imagine different things in our new classroom environment, but it is important to remember the needs of the environment you are in. I have to remember to envision the children in the space.

A New Space

2011-12-29T15:56:00.003-08:00

What is it about a new space that makes it so exciting? I am always excited by space - especially when it is a blank slate for something new. After some back and forth and negotiation, we are adding another room to our school, and the preschool room is moving down the hall.

This morning was spent moving things out of the room and cleaning, and tomorrow morning will be spent arranging the new space. I have arranged and rearranged many a room in my time, but I have never walked into an empty room. There are no clues about where a sensory table might be put; there are no hints to tell me how to draw children into work and play as they enter the room each day. Part of me feels a bit rushed; but I know that I will question some of the decisions I made once the children come into the room. It is a space that is used, and as many ideas as I can have when the children are not in the room, their presence is what will drive the layout of the space.

We still have big, beautiful windows that look out over Young's Bay, letting in enough natural light that even the cloudy days seem light. The shelves in the first picture are begging to display materials in the style of a mini-atelier, and the alcove in the fifth picture has so much potential - as a dark corner for light exploration, the quieter, comfortable part of the space, or perhaps dramatic play. I have an evening of research and browsing and sketching and writing ahead of me!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T08:20:00.001-08:00

I probably will not be posting between now and the New Year- between holiday traveling, family fun, and reading lots of novels, how can I even find the time?

Thank you so much for reading the blog, for coming back day after day, and for being enthusiastic about early childhood education!

Happy Holidays!

The Baby Project

2011-12-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

As I continue to think about a project that has something to do with babies, I have been gathering inspirations and ideas.

A comment on a post here suggested the children writing lullabies, and that stuck me as something the children may be interested in. A few times over the course of the last week, we have sat together as a group and children have ad the opportunity to sing into a toy microphone. This allows me to gauge whether or not the children will sing in front of others - seeing their comfort level, really. Some whisper, some are eager and sing loudly; some do not want to sing at all. But I think the experience of singing in front of others will prepare us for the possibility of singing to the babies, where there may be adults.others watching as well. We talked in a small group about lullabies and what they are and what they are for, and it lead to a spontaneous performance of "Rockabye Baby" and some thoughts on why people sing lullabies to babies; listen to that here.

I read a post from the Yokohama Early Learning Center about children working with young visitors, and deciding to make a gift for them. They chose to "make a movie of singing and music". Its a really lovely post; head over for more of the children's words. I appreciate how the teachers reflected on the children's interest in the visitors and promoted a child-centered idea that they could support as they children executed the most creative and thoughtful aspects. The idea of making/creating a gift for the babies is interesting, and this allows us to do what is most important: extend the children's thinking and work beyond the suface level interest. The children have been interested in lullabies, and they have also been drawing pictures of babies and drawing pictures for the babes and giving them to them. We have a jumping off point.

Since thinking about the children's work from this aspect helped give me a new perspective on the potential of this project. There are a lot of possibilities, and I'm looking forward to sharing them here as the project emerges!

no words necessary.

2011-12-15T16:01:00.000-08:00

Self Portraits in our Sketchbooks

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I had made a note to myself to do self portraits with the children again at some point - we have not done them since August - but I always found a reason not to do them on a certain day, or to push it back. In this setting, it is sometimes hard to find the time, and our days can be a little unexpected.

A lightbulb went off in my head, though, when I realized we could try them in our sketchbooks. We have "free draw" at last twice a week, and on those days, the children can finish work they've done before or start something new. I've realized that if I am trying to give a specific prompt, I need to have the children find a specific page in their books using a visual cue (like the circles last year). So, to go along with the verbal prompt of "draw a picture of you", I had drawn a large black rectangle on a page in each child's book. And everyone did draw a picture of themselves. I suppose I had envisioned the rectangle acting as a frame, but (as always) the children put their own spin on it.

I could not stop smiling when I saw the ones that used the rectangle as the body.

I think that when I present the prompt of making a self portrait again, we will be able to use a separate piece of paper, but maybe we won't bother. The sketchbooks are a way to see the progression of children's work; and it is their own creative space. Perhaps we need larger sketchbooks - I have always made them this size, and I'm not sure why!

Regardless of where we make them, I see the value in this work year after year.

bakers and astronauts on google+

2011-12-14T18:33:00.002-08:00

In efforts to connect with early childhood educators and advocates in every way possible, Bakers and Astronauts now has a Google+ page! Yet another way to connect and communicate!

I hope you'll visit and add us to your circles!

Children and Novelty

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

I spent some time this weekend reading an interview with Lella Gandini in the American Journal of Play. I definitely recommend it - it is for anyone who is an advocate for children's play, not just for advocates of the Reggio Approach.

Gandini touches on a few subjects that I feel I'd love to discuss here, but she talks about one episode in particular that I felt I can relate to, especially at this point in my career. When asked if she could cite an example of a time when a teacher learned as much as a child, she said,

"Here is one I have told before. The teachers decided early one morning to create a surprise for the twelve-month-old children by lining the whole infant room with packing paper and placing some large crayons here and there on the covered floor. They were not sure what would happen, but certainly they expected great reactions and decided they would not interfere or prompt the children about the total change in their environment. They kept the door closed until the whole group of little children arrived. Then they opened the door, though quietly, to be ready to photograph the children's surprise. The children came in...they moved into the room as if absolutely nothing had changed. Some touched or pushed the crayons a bit as they moved on the paper next to them, but without paying much attention. The teachers were ready with their cameras, ready to document the children's surprise. The teachers waited and waited. Nothing happened. They were ready to pt away the cameras, but at a certain point, Francesco started to play with the end of one of the larger pieces of paper, and suddenly he tore it off with energy. The paper, which had originally been tightly rolled up, recoiled back into a long tube. Francesco looked at it and picked up the tube, exploring it with attention and pleasure. Then he looked around and grabbed a crayon that was just close enough and inserted the crayon with care into the tube. He seemed to be surprised that it had disappeared, and he looked toward the end of the tube. No, it was not there. He tried to unroll the paper tube looking for his crayon, but in doing so, the incline of the tube increased and the crayon rolled out...

The teachers were surprised and delighted by the discoveries of the new game Francesco had invented. In reflecting about the experience, they first noted the skills and thoughtfulness that such a young child like Francesco could have. They also reminded themselves how everything is so new for young children that the novelty of having a paper covering their entire floor was not something to make them particularly curious or surprised." (Emphasis added.)

This episode touched me as a teacher, as a facilitator, and as a generally reflective person. If I were to walk into my home and have the whole kitchen covered with paper, I would notice it. And some children would notice that. But they are making so many important discoveries for the first time every day that they will pay attention to what is most salient to them. And we cannot expect it to be the same thing that is salient to us. These teachers in this episode had certain expectations, and those expectations were not satisfied. But they were patient, and they did not insist that Francesco put the paper down and draw on it. I know we have all, metaphorically, told Francesco to put the paper down and suggest that he draw on it. I have been challenged by that recently, feeling like something has been missing from what I offer to the children each day. But I have to remember that the children might not approach the work like I expect. And I have to watch even more carefully for those little moments, like Francesco's discovery - it is really easy for those to slip by without noticing.

Storytelling

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, I am having children dictate stories in the classroom. Everyday, when we sit down for our meeting, I take out the storytelling notebook and ask who would like to tell a story. Out of the 10-12 children who at school by this time, most of them are eager to tell a story.

Some mornings get a bit hectic, and since I am alone in the preschool room most of the time, we don't always have a chance to tell stories. But when we do, I approach the children who have signed up for storytelling and invite them to tell me their story. I'll often ask a child who is in between activities rather than taking a child out of something they are really engaged with.

All sort of themes are shared and we touch upon just about every topic imaginable over the course of a week. But the name of the game us typically repetition - at least right now it is. Children tell the same stories day after day, or feature the same characters. Take B's stories, for example.

10/30/11

Katie fell down. And then she cried. Then she bumped her head and then shecried. Katie fell down. The teacher came and she washappy! And then she played withChip Chip. And then shecried. The End.

11/2/11

Katie fell down. And then she cried. And then she bumped her head. And then she cried. And she fell down in the chair. And then she cried. Then she bumped her head! And then she fell down on thechair. The End.

11/3/11

Katie fell down. And she bumped her head and then shecried. And then she got up, andthen she bumped her head. And thenshe fell down on the chair. Andthen she bumped…her…head. And thenshe fell on the chair. Then shebumped her head! And then shecried. Cry cry cry cry cry cry. The End.

11/4/11

Katie fell down and shebumped her head and then she cried. And she fell down on the chari, and then she fell down on thechair. Then she bumped herhead. The End.

11/9/11

Katie fell down. Mommy likes me. And she does! And then she bring me to school, and then she did. The End.

11/14/11

Katie fell down and shebumped her head, and then she cried. And then she fell down on the chair and she cried. The End!

She continues to tell that story every time she tells me she has a story to tell. J usually tells me a story about Buzz Lightyear; G tells stories about things that happen at her house. S retells Itchy Itchy Chicken Pox each time she dictates a story.

What I love about storytelling this way is how children open up as they have these opportunities for oral language. I love how excited they get when I read the stories from the day to the whole group, and the group claps for the author.

I have definitely been inspired by Vivian Gussin Paley's books, but I have not taken the plunge into the acting out of stories after they are written. I feel like that is the next step, though. Another way we can continue promoting storytelling is through pre-made books that children illustrate and then read to the class at a group time. I have seen children get really into that form of storytelling, and that also promotes more mark-making, drawing, and writing. I have documented many of the stories I've been told on video - here is one of my favorites.

It is important to remember that the children in my classroom now are significantly younger than the ones in my last class, but that makes it more exciting, perhaps - I'm not quite sure what to expect, and it is probably better that way!

Blocks and Pattern at Turtlewings

2011-12-13T08:13:00.001-08:00

You can find me over at the Turtlewings blog today, talking about blocks and pattern. hope you'll head over and have a read!

Interview : Jess from The Architecture of Early Childhood

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today I'm sharing an interview that Jess, from The Architecture of Early Childhood, as kind enough to do with me! I find her background and interest base fascinating, and she has a wonderful blog where she shares about the intersecting world of architecture, design, and early childhood education. Please share your comments and questions here, and head over to Jess' blog for loads of inspirations and links that will entertain you for days!

You are working on your Masters in Architecture. What inspired you to focus on early childhood environments for your thesis?

Well, I did a project last year re-designing/designing an addition to the Wellington Zoo, which included a circus and hotel - where I also designed a children’s camp experience (for schools, parties and holiday programmes). Here I began researching children’s play as I had also noticed a decline in children engaging in play in public spaces (my little brother being an example) and found a whole lot of research on this area and of its repercussions (for children’s health - mental, physical and social). I saw the zoo as being a perfect place for children to be once again immersed in nature - engaging with animals (and away from technology!) I also noted that there was a lack of research on the architecture for young children - and this led me to examining early learning (and care) environments.

What do you think is essential in an early childhood environment?

An environment that is both nurturing - using natural materials, soft colours, natural and varied lighting, rather than bright, artificial institutional lighting, space for children to be alone and to relax/contemplate and that is playful - engaging children in activity - this is where colour can come in (used sensitively), moving elements, ledges to jump off, steps to climb, ramps, paths, different textures...etc. Then the space should be designed to be flexible and to function well for the many activities for children to engage in freely uninhabited, as well as mediate sensitively between the indoors and outdoors (bringing nature in).

Is there anything that you prefer not to see in early childhood environments?

I see far too many contemporary examples that appear to be too institutional - with harsh lighting and artificial vinyl flooring. Children learn through doing and experiencing using all of their senses - and yet so often the environments appear cold and sterile.

Tell us about the architectural framework that you describe on your blog.

I’m currently designing a ‘framework’ which I hope will be useful in demonstrating the research I have conducted - so summarising the information I’ve stated above but in designed diagrams and drawings - showing how these ideas might be applied architecturally.

There are a number of different early childhood approaches that put an emphasis on the environment. Are you inspired by any one philosophy, by a few, or by many?

I’m inspired by them all - but differently! Reggio is inspiring for the way they have emphasised the environment as being integral to the curriculum from the beginning (where they see the environment as the “third teacher”). I like that they also often collaborate with designers and architects to “realise” their ambitions, and engage children in spatial experiments to better understand how they view their environments. I’ve also done a fair bit of research on Te Whariki - and appreciate its bi-cultural and holistic approach. I like the Scandinavian’s “forest schools” with their emphasis on outdoor learning, and in terms of architecture - I think the Japanese design really well utilising space and often think about children in their architecture (designing lofts, slides, ladders into their schemes).

I feel lucky that there seem to be more and more fantastic early childhood blogs everyday - ones that are about the whole child and more than just activities to do with children. Do you consider yourself an education blogger, or an architecture blogger?

I guess I see myself as coming from a design background (I also am a graphic designer) - yet approaching the field of education with this view - as I’m not an expert in early childhood education, I've been careful to not be too opinionated - that is why I hope to learn and understand more through reading other early childhood blogs... like yours!

How has using a blog been an asset to your research?

I’ve noticed there is a gap between the knowledge that early childhood practitioners have about young children’s learning - through observing and working with children in their early learning spaces and between architects’ understanding for designing for young children. My mum used to manage a pre-school and expressed their exasperation working with an architect for his lack of understanding and experience designing for children. The blog has been a really great tool for engaging a sort of conversation - and for quickly archiving research as I find it. It has also kept me interested in the topic and a feeling of accomplishment.

Do you feel that you’ll continue blogging when your research is finished?

Yes! I very much hope to continue, I've been enjoying it immensely - and it’s so wonderful seeing the (increasing) views and getting comments and feedback - it makes me feel like I'm really making a difference (and I’m finding my writing is getting better too!)

What are your goals for when you finish your thesis?

I don’t know yet! I hope that I can continue to share my research/knowledge and expertise - perhaps Christchurch will need some new centres for it’s (post-earthquake) rebuild... I also hope to travel one day and work overseas for a wee while.

You’ve offered that people can contact you about your work and research. What sorts of things do you hope to collaborate on?

Yes, I love that the internet allows for like-minded people to find each other - and share ideas/research. So I guess, rather than set out to find some answer to some particular question - I like the idea that the blog is open to any discussion or topic/issue... I hope when I start to post my designs that people might offer some feedback (a bit of critique).

What else would you like to share with Bakers and Astronauts readers?

Please do come and check out my blog - and feel free to add any comments that you may have :).

all images from The Architecture of Early Childhood; please visit there for the original sources.

Weekend Links

2011-12-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite blogs has some new posts - Leaves and Branches, Trunk and Roots is sharing children's versions of three fairy tales.

I love this piece from Early Childhood Research and Practice called The Lights Pre-Project. The term "pre-project" seems to have been coined in this article, and the concepts makes a lot of sense to me. What do you think of the idea?

I've probably shared this before, but set aside an hour this weekend and watch this documentary on the Albany Free School.

A TED talk on the history of storytelling, and how we are always innovating and finding new ways to tell each other stories.

Next week, I'll be sharing some storytelling from the classroom, an interview with a new favorite blogger of mine, and hopefully more!

Happy Weekend!

An Emerging Project, or a Dud?

2011-12-08T17:41:00.001-08:00

So far in this school year, we have not been focusing on any one topic. We have worked on building our community - an incredibly important aspect of the classroom - and establishing routines as we get to know each other. We spend some time emphasizing language that supports our classroom community "kind" being an important one.

Watching the children at play and work over the past few months, one theme comes back daily, day after day. Babies. I have spent time lingering over ideas, mapping out ways that I might support this interest. I have also been thinking about a workshop that I took last year on guided inquiry: what is the concept that we can focus on that encompasses this interest in babies? The concept that I keep returning to is "care", and I am still thinking about how to promote the interest in babies without simply bombarding them with dolls and baby things.

We have been visiting the babies in the infant room in small groups; and I have found it challenging to figure out what the next step(s) should be.

I think I have mentioned here that I have been trying to promote writing and drawing - mark making, basically. The children tend to engage in other parts of the room. When I first thought about promoting a project on babies, we visited the room and the children drew pictures afterwards. The baby was sleeping, and many of the groups walked around the room, looking at the baby things (which is a potential aspect of the project). The second time I had time to take groups, I just took two girls - who are often engaged in "baby" play. We brought the clipboards into the room with us, and when I suggested that we draw V, the baby, they were eager. One of the girls who is drawing, B, rarely draws representationally. They seemed motivated with the baby right in front of them!

There was also a clear interest in the baby things, from the automatic swing to the soft blocks and mirrors.

I have seen these girls, with others in the classroom, explore and experiment with showing affection to babies. Singing lullabies, rocking them as they say "shhhhh", using gentle and affectionate touch as they play with babies in the baby room, and more. There was an endearing moment last week when J lifted her baby doll high into the air and smiled big, bringing the baby down to her face to give it kisses and speak in motherese, using a high pitched voice and exaggerating her intonation.

So what does this mean for us as a whole class? Where do we go from here? We have an amazing resource for this interest in babies with a room full of them across the hall; but thinking about the concept of care might help find the real interest that lies underneath what we are seeing on the surface.

Weekend Links

2011-12-02T18:09:00.001-08:00

I need to think of a reason to use this temporary tattoo printer paper. Drawing self portraits and making them into tattoos? Making each child's favorite sketchbook picture into a tattoo? I see no reason not to make temporary tattoos out of everything.

On the topic of temporary tattoos, Tattly is a source for interesting temporary tattoos. Kids love temporary tattoos (sorry for the generalization) and I'd love to see more interesting ones. Like watches, and rainbows on skateboards!

I saw some images of the Children's Library Discovery Center in Queens, and it looks really interesting - like a hybrid of a museum and a library.

Images from Education at the Rubin

That is definitely my style - and I'd love to see it in person. I'll be making a subway transfer near there in a few short weeks after landing at JFK...maybe I can convince my husband to take a detour to go to a children's library? I'll start working on that now.

And I have to share the saddest thing I have seen in an educational catalog. I am not a fan of education catalogs - I linger over the watercolor paints and the drawing pens and the small mirrors for self-portraits and the air dry clay and the giant bags of sand for discount prices, but then you see things like this: the "no-mess indoor sandbox".

I will not release the source of that information because it makes me sad. It is a product for adults who don't like sand messes. The child has to touch the items with gloves on. I think I've said enough - I probably could have let that photo speak for itself.

Happy weekend! May it be filled with messes and sand on the floor!

Spontaneous Tower

2011-11-30T22:28:00.001-08:00

A moment of zen: using some loose materials (including our hand-painted blocks) to create a small tower.

2011-11-29T18:27:00.001-08:00

It is time for the EduBlog awards, and nominating blogs means posting them right here, and I'm happy to share who I am nominating! These are nominations for Best Teacher Blog:

My friend Anna over at atelierista is a constant source of inspiration, and this year's Tinkering focus at her school has me planning a move to Virginia so I can hang out with her everyday!

Marla is another Atelierista who shares children's words and work, as well as her own wisdom as an artist and teacher, at her blog, Marla McLean, Atelierista.

The ever-reflective and inspirational Miss Merrill, at Beyond the Classroom, is a big favorite of mine. She teaches public Pre-K in New York and shares her ideas, inspirations, and classroom experiences on her excellent blog.

For the category of Best Class Blog, I have nominate the teachers at the Early Learning Center at Yokohama International School in Yokohama, Japan. I came across their blog recently, and I love reading about the children's work and the reflections of the teachers.

Who are you nominating? See the instructions on how to nominate right here.

Observational Drawing and Studio Habits

2011-11-29T17:51:00.001-08:00

Today, at the Maker's Table, I presented an observational drawing prompt for the first time this year.

When I introduce observational drawing, I like to be able to spend time at the table with the kids, encouraging their work and talking about how they are translating what they see on the paper. For this first prompt, We used bold colors and simple items, and the only colors available were the ones that were in the items to be drawn.

Luckily this morning, there was another teacher with me, so I was able to spend my time at this table, and many of the children in the room wanted to participate; there was a waiting list on the wall before long. Some children approached it as an opportunity to draw freely:

And some children looked back and forth between their paper and the prompt as they drew shapes in the colors that they saw. One child spoke as they drew, saying, "I see red. Square, square, square."

No one created a picture that carried a true representation of what those pieces looked like in space, but that wasn't the point. There is something about the introduction of ideas and prompts and materials that is important; and teacher facilitation in an activity like this plays a big role.

I do not tell the children what to draw, but instead I ask, "What do you see? Can you make that color/shape on the paper? I see you drew the red one; where do you think the purple can go?" In this class, the children are still exploring materials independently, especially since they have been so used to more structured activities. So I sat with small groups today as they came to the table. No one stayed more than three or four minutes - they felt finished with their work, and that is fine with me.

While I talked the children through the experience of observational drawing and listened to the words and watched their actions, I thought about the importance of a place like a studio. It seems like there are endless benefits to studio experiences: children learn about new materials and are in a safe place to explore them; they are able to work at their own pace and at their own level of interest; and there is a person there who is dedicated to facilitating that hard work. An artist, or atelierista, can promote studio habits of mind, documenting children's progression as they learn about media and how they can express themselves. In my mind, a studio allows opportunities for all types of work, from drawing and painting and sculpture to construction and woodworking and photography and sound-making - and anything else anyone could imagine. I've definitely been dreaming about a place like that.

There is no one way to draw a square or hold a paintbrush or eat a sandwich, but we all do things differently. I think the point is not to show or teach children how, but rather to be there to talk and notice while they work it out for themselves.

I am going to apologize for the quality of my photographs lately - I am using a small video camera that also takes still images this year rather than a DSLR, so thanks for sticking with me!

organizational

2011-11-22T20:47:00.001-08:00

I was reading an article for grad school the other day on a pretty basic topic that I don't consciously think about all of the time. While I was reading it, I was thinking, I know this, and its just ingrained in my teaching - I don't need to make a effort to do this." There are pieces you read that go much deeper into theory and pedagogy, and you have to have some of those basic "good skills" down in order to be able to take this piece by Tom Drummond, for example. You can't exactly use the advice put forth there if you are constantly running around, throwing paper up onto the easel on one side of the room and trying to get children to engage with puzzles on the other side of the room while washing the snack dishes for lunch and making sure no one is doing the potty dance.

The point is, organization is what makes everything work - it is what allows us to get deeper into topics and ideas and work with children because we have the time. Yesterday, something happened that, I felt, was a revelation of an idea. Many of the younger children in my classroom do not write their name, and I also like to try to get some of their words about their work onto the paper. That said, I don't write on the front of a child's paper - I think of that as their workspace. So I write on the back. But when a child begins telling a narrative rather than a few words about what it "is", I cannot remember all of that for ten the child is done looking at the front of the work so I can draw on the back.

So, in steps organization to save the day, my time, and my focus. There are now small mailing labels on sheets tacked to the wall in the maker's area with a pencil on a string next to it. So if a child begins to paint before I put their name on their painting, no sweat. I just write their name and their thoughts at the end and stick it on the back. We're sculpting and keeping the product? That's cool - I just write their name on a label as they sit down to sculpt and I add their dictation later, then put it right on the parchment paper next to the clay. No more trying to write on the back of wet paintings; no more searching for a pen that I left on the other side of the room - and a lot less waiting for the children. That potentially means more time for me engaging with children in other ways.

a crochet playround

2011-11-18T18:35:00.001-08:00

A gorgeous playground made from unexpected materials. Expect the unexpected, right?

found via playscapes

Expectations, Power, and Facilitation

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

I'm noticing some trends in my posts. I'm clearly thinking about power and engagement. Those are things that are an umbrella over every moment I have as a teacher.

Last week, I talked about expectations. We need to suspend those as much as possible. We can have inklings or guesses or pictures in our heads, but we cannot be frustrated when children approach something differently than we do. We're adults - we've been in training for decades, and we are creatures of habit. Just the other day, I had put up the children's names next to a sign up sheet at the easels - we are embedding more name writing into out days, and signing up for popular activities is a way to make those marks. One girl walked up to the list, dipped the paintbrush into the orange paint, and basically highlighted her name on the list of names that was thee as a reference. Why not? She saw her name and painted on it. And in her mind, it is a valid way to show that she wants to paint. Her name is literally covered in paint.

As teachers, we can have ultimate power if we want it. Children also know how to get the power if they want it. We all have our ways. I have my agenda, and each child has their own as well. Who am I to say that mine is better?

You can picture a room where children are doing whatever they want - jumping up and down on tables, painting on the floor - whatever. The classic image is from Miss Nelson is Missing:

That is one extreme. The other extreme is children being forced to do things that they are not interested in at all. But most of what happens is somewhere in the middle - especially when it comes to preschool. There is no one way for it to look. I've never had two environments that were set up just the same; I've never dusted off last year's planner and put it all into action again; and I've never expected one group of children to be the same as another one. Not only would that be boring, but it would make teaching monotonous and repetitive.

I like that children paint in random places and have different funny names for the baby dolls and a million different stories to dictate. But I also like the common things that children do on their own, without instruction from me. Play dough with popsicle sticks always turns into a birthday cake, three-year-olds always draw people like tadpoles, and four-year-olds put more weight on the word "friend" than any other word they know at that point. Our job is to connect with children and make decisions based on that, with the input of the children. We can try to make all the decisions as teachers, but it is not going to work. But we have to facilitate and stay sane. The better we are at seeing and listening and adjusting and listening some more, the better the experience is for the children. I am thinking about preschool, but this probably applies to education in general.

I do not claim to be an expert at this - I'm writing about it because it is a challenge. We need to be able to work with children, not create a free-for-all. There would be no point in school if kids just ran around. That middle ground is my ultimate goal. Children engaged in the things that interest them, and teachers facilitating that work to help build on it and make it deeper and more meaningful. Some might call it the Project Approach, some might call is Reggio Inspired, some might call it unproductive. Call it what you wish. Engagement might be children in a forest Kindergarten, children conducting science experiments, painting planks of wood, or making bread. All of those things are able to happen because adults facilitate them.

I'll end this rambling with a quote from The Hundred Languages of Children that describes the curriculum of the early childhood centers in Reggio Emilia:

"The curriculum is not child centered or teacher directed. The curriculum is child originated and teacher framed." - Forman and Fyfe

Everyone in a classroom plays an important role. And if we're teachers because we want to provide positive experiences for young children, that is exactly what we should do - and we should try to make those positive experiences engaging, explorative, meaningful, and personal.

A year of inspiration and ideas

2011-11-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Have you been over to the bakers and astronauts tumblr? You should take a look - it is where I have been posting quick ideas and inspirations for a whole year!

I hope you'll look through some of the things that I have been saving! From music to art media to articles about education and websites for children, tumblr is a bit of a museum collection for me, and I like to think of myself as the curator.

Do you share your inspirations and ideas somewhere? tumblr? pinterest? Right on your blog? In a big binder?

Sketchbook Resources

2011-11-09T15:22:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd write a little post about the changing location of AccessArt's sketchbook resources. The website has been indispensable for me as a teacher, and was really the reason that I started using sketchbooks in the classroom.

I'll change the link on the sidebar, but you can click here and sift through some fantastic ideas about classroom sketchbooks.

There is also a wealth of information on other media that I'm looking forward to reading, also! Drawing, anyone?

thinking about...

2011-11-09T08:01:00.003-08:00

I've written another post on the Turtlewings blog - this month we're thinking about images. Won't you have a look?

And please join the conversation that began yesterday about how we support children in dramatic play.

Productivity v. Chaos

2011-11-08T17:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this topic before, but it is something I struggle with as a teacher. Although I feel like I have learned quite a bit about teaching, there are days when I feel that I don't know anything.

The photo above was taken in the middle of choice time on Monday. I have had some challenges with this particular group of children and engagement - it was a much bigger challenge three months ago. But between how the classroom environment is set up, what materials and prompts are presented, and how those materials and prompts are presented, I find that children are getting into their work. And the work that so many of them love is dramatic play.

I have written about dramatic play before, and I hope that we can have a conversation about it here. I am proponent of open-ended materials for children - I want them to make their own decisions about what they want to work on. I stopped setting up stores and post offices and doctor's offices in the dramatic play area years ago, and I have tried putting in open-ended materials : scarves, shells, rocks, squares of fabric, chairs and tables - I have made many attempts. Nothing has been the picture of success that I imagined as I presented the materials. More often than not, small items are put into bags or wrapped in fabric and carried around the room; unifix cubes become pet food and legos are poured into a construction helmet and become soup. It is very imaginative, but it ends within 3 minutes for something that draws the children in more.

My desire to support the children in my classroom as they explore the world through dramatic play is a double edged sword. Do I tell them what to play by providing an exact "play environment"? I know they are playing and exploring using open-ended materials, but I feel that I can support them better. My struggle right now is to find the middle ground between teacher-chosen prompts and open-ended materials that children are not drawn to as imaginative props.

Do you set up dramatic play for children? If you do, is it a topic that the children have seemed interested in? If not, how do you engage the children in the play?

Weekend Links

2011-11-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous, inspirational documentation from Marla McLean : nothing gets to me more than passionate teachers collaborating to facilitate meaningful work.

I love Merril's blog, and she's talking about sketchbooks. We're talking about it here, too - take a look back in the archives for some sketchbook inspiration.

I have found myself in a classroom full of these IKEA shelves, for some reason, and I love this idea of making one of them into a dollhouse. Brilliant! And in my experience, dollhouses are always an engaging prompt for imaginative play. (via pinterest)

Soundtracks for Everyday Adventures, the new album from Lullatone, is looping constantly in the classroom. Pick it up!

I'm thinking about images with the children this month, and I'll be sharing on the Turtlewings blog. Jules is already posting about images from a different perspective.

I'm following a blog written by teachers in an international school in Japan. The program is Reggio Emilia inspired, and I love the thoughtful posts from the teachers on the children's work, and their work in turn. It's a bit dear to my heart because of my own experiences teaching internationally, but it is a great read for anyone who loves a good early childhood blog.

Happy Weekend!

a few things of late

2011-11-02T18:58:00.001-07:00

I haven't been posting much, but I thought I would share some images from the classroom last week to bide the time! The last picture is one of my favorite recent discoveries : paint mixing on a big piece of butcher paper, then drawing on the painting with sharpies.

Expectations v. What Actually Happens

2011-10-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

We painted small wooden cubes. I found a box full of cubes that all had "J." written on them, and I had not prompted children with a 3D painting experience yet this school year. This became a real example in expectation and vision versus the children's agenda.

My expectation was that the children would paint the blocks different colors, getting paint on their fingers as they turned them around and over and tried to get all sides. Then, they would dry, and we would use them for some tabletop construction, or combine them with another material as a prompt.

But from the very first child that sat down, the agenda was different. Children began using the paint as a sort of glue, creating towers and other connected structures.

One of the reasons that I was surprised was because we do not have blocks in this classroom. It makes me a bit sad that we do not have blocks because it has to be my favorite open ended material. And when we use small table top blocks, like these or others, the children have not been engaging with them. I have not found the reason why, and it only aded to my confusion when the children began making structures out of these cubes with the paint.

Many of the sculptures fell apart as they dried, and they have become the painted blocks I was expecting, and we'll use them again. I have to remember that I can plan for our hours and days and weeks, but there will always be an unknown. Maybe this is because I strive to make all of the opportunities open-ended and there will never be 15 worksheets traced and colored in, looking the same. For me, this is better. No one was forced to stay at this table and work for 20 minutes - they did that on their own accord. They made the material more engaging than I could have planned for!

Ramble on

2011-10-27T16:56:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, a teacher has a bad day. It happens in any profession - things are a little off; a few things combine to make work harder for some reason. If you're sitting at a cubicle, it might be a frozen computer or things on the wrong forms and the beginnings of a cold. Whatever your job, bad days happen.

For me, today was a bad day. I could even quote the title of this book as an example of what I mean. It starts with no breakfast and an especially cold morning on the Oregon coast and escalates to paint everywhere and miscommunication with colleagues and a commitment that requires a 45 minute drive in the afternoon when still, nothing has been eaten yet. I was really having a pity party today. And when a teacher is having a pity party, it turns out things get even worse because selfishness is not a positive trait in a teaching and learning environment. It makes things harder than you can imagine. But most of you out there reading are teachers, so perhaps you can sympathize.

The point of the story, though, is what got me out of that funk. First, I had to realize that I was throwing a pity party and being selfish, and the child who was dropping pumpkins on the ground to "see if they bounce" was not doing that to get on my nerves - it was nothing personal. My attitude had created a touch of unproductiveness in the classroom, so I sat down and made some notes about the pumpkin experiment. And when it broke, it went into the sensory table with our other pumpkins that we have been dissecting. Problem solved. I left school and stopped by home, where I cried about fairness and sadness and everything else I could think of that has been bothering me. I got an excellent hug from my husband and he listened to my hysterical storytelling of my morning. That helped. Then I got in the car with an apple and a big bottle of water to drive to another school, where I was scheduled to do some schoolwork - an observation of a Kindergartener for a presentation on assessment that I'm working on this semester for grad school. I listened to sad music and realized that was not helping, so I changed it and sang along to the radio. I drove down the coast and saw big expansive views of the Pacific Ocean and literally let out deep, calming breaths.

Then I got to the school to find that there were no children inside; no teacher either. I started to panic that my day was not on the up and up, like I thought. But I saw some movement outside, so I went out to find the children collecting mushrooms in the forest outside their door. They were putting them in paper bags, one "kind" of mushroom for each bag. They were planning to bring them inside and classify them, sketch them, weigh them, and measure them. I was given a bag and they asked me to join in. So one hour after leaving work in a stressed tizzy, I was standing on a Pacific Northwest rainforest hillside collecting mushrooms, with the ocean roaring nearby and the care and affection of children right next to me. I stayed with them until the end of their school day and said I would be back in two weeks - and one boy asked why I wasn't coming again everyday.

He didn't ask me that because he knows me as a teacher. He did not ask me that because I am some fantastically phenomenal person, or a celebrity. Maybe he just likes playing with pattern blocks, which we did while I was there. But he was being kind and affectionate. I thought that I was cured my the mushroom picking - but I think that statement really cured me. Before visiting that school today, I had planned to spend the evening in bed by the time we hit morning snack. But I am reenergized. I'm humbled by children - right now it is that one little guy in particular - but it is the attitude that I need to start every day with. Our job is about the care and nurturing of children, no matter what the situation. And with their attention and questions and eagerness, they are caring for us, too.

If you are still reading, thank you for letting me ramble. And I would love to hear about your day, too.

sketchbooks encore

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

We started using our sketchbooks on Monday. The process of introducing them is something I always forget about - it takes scaffolding, explanations, answering questions, reminding children that they don't go home until they are full...

Although the children have been engaging with drawing and writing, it is not widespread. The writing and drawing table is small and I don't think that the materials are presented in as engaging a way as they could be. It is something to work on - but bringing sketchbooks into the mix is a way to promote drawing. I think it is important for children to explore. In my experience over the past few years, I think that children approach drawing in their sketchbooks as an experiment. Each child's picture/scribble/letter/poked holes in the page will always differ from their neighbor's, and everyone quickly learns that its okay if it doesn't represent something, or if you can't label it. We're just exploring.

On the first day, I showed the blank books at the start of the day and said that we would be using them right before lunch...every day. When we cleaned up after work time, I put the books out and the children sat down and opened their books. The prompt was to draw "anything". Most children got right to it. Some just looked at the book. Some made a line and closed the book. Some drew on every page. We transitioned to wash our hands for lunch after sketchbooks, and some had to have numerous messages that we had to put them away soon. This is a challenge I have had before. If you type "sketchbooks" into the search bar on your right, you'll get some musings on how this has worked in the past.

On day two, the children were asked to "find the circle" in their sketchbook. Some started drawing circles on the cover, one child ripped a page out of the book, others found the circle and started using it as a prompt for something"circle-like" (my expectation when planning the activity). Most children used the prompt eventually. Some just stared for the second day in a row.

So, as we embark on our sketchbook journey once again, I'm giving myself a few tips. First, these belong to the children and they should decide whether or not to follow the prompt. In my experience, eventually, most will. But they need time to explore what it means to have a sketchbook. I need to be patient. Second, planning prompts on a regular basis is important. We had lots of free draw last year, which was good, but some children, who would not normally choose to draw during work time, would make a mark, close the book, and move on. Prompts helped. Third, I need to observe and reflect on how this group uses sketchbooks to think about time. How do we decide how long we work in them? Does there even need to be a time limit? This is something I've struggled with in the past. Fourth, we need to make time to celebrate and share our sketchbooks as a group. In pairs, in small groups, as a large group - the children's reflections on the experience can deepen the whole project.

Does anyone else use sketchbooks on a daily basis? A weekly basis?

(I have used the UK project Sketchbooks in Schools for inspiration - I highly recommend it!)

Pins and Paper

2011-10-18T21:47:00.001-07:00

The writing I'm doing for Turtlewings does have me thinking about paper! Old-fashioned clothespins and a long piece of lace were a prompt in the corner of the room last week.

I've been on a kick of planning prompts for this area of the room that change daily or every few days. These prompts have been combinations of materials that I think the children might find interesting, and combinations that they may not have experienced together. I'll make a point of taking photos of some of the prompts and sharing them here.

We are definitely interested in ripping and cutting paper, so we have amassed quite a pile of little paper bits. And as interesting as gluing can be, the novelty wears off. All of the children made attempts at pinning paper to the line; the ones who were independently successful stayed and added paper for longer periods of time. I thought the lace would provide a more visual cue than string for this prompt, and the old fashioned clothes pins don't require any squeezing; they do require some thickness from the objects you're attempting to hold, though!

We may have more success with something like this against a wall, where the lace won't flip upside-down. I think that the possibilities for pinning things to a line are endless! As long as the materials are appealing and the children can do it with some independence, it can be engaging.

Think About Dimension

2011-10-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be writing for the Turtlewings Think About Blog! I'll be sharing thoughts on monthly topics from an early childhood educator's point of view. Each topic will be looked at through different lenses, including art, education, and design.

This month, we're thinking about paper. I hope you'll take a look!

Colorful Circles

2011-10-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

A two day creation; everyone helped. Tracing, tracing attempts, tempera cakes, spilling water, ripping paper, laughing, more painting, more spilling water, much more ripping - it really is all about the process. But the product is on the wall.

As a side note, I LOVE Tempera Cakes. I cannot recommend them enough! I bought one tray to try them out with the children, and it went really well. In the future, I'd like to use ones that are just the cakes to mix and match in the tray so that children and teachers can pick and choose a few colors rather than have all of them. But these were great.

Weekend Links

2011-10-07T23:23:00.002-07:00

I'm really enjoying this blog, Make and Play, written by a mother and art educator in ~~Russia~~ Serbia (thanks vera!). It is filled with children's work that is truly open-ended and carefully facilitated to make it meaningful and engaging. The painting wall at their home and the banging wall in the woods are amazing!

Since I am clearly obsessed with TED talks, I'll share this one : The idea of "the balcony" is one that we need to embrace as early childhood educators. It is so easy to act on our own feelings or assumptions about children's behaviors (and adult behaviors as well!), but stepping out and taking an outsider's perspective is worth the extra time. I can see this being a real tool in problem solving with children.

I checked The Magic Hat by Mem Fox out of the library, and we have been reading it over and over again. The teeny tiny stop sign is especially popular.

It is my niece's third birthday today, and I got her one of my favorite games for preschool : Snails Pace Race, made by Ravensburger. It is a competition-less game: everyone takes a turn rolling the colored die and moving the snail corresponding to the color rolled; and the goal is to get all the snails across the finish line. So no one "is" the pink snail, but you sure can predict it will win and cheer for it. Someone even made a little video about it:

Happy Weekend!

round and round and round...which one?

2011-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is another moment from Wednesday that made me stop and look. The children were tracing cups onto a big sheet of paper, but F used the cups in his own way. He engaged the other children at the table with this game for 10 minutes. At the start, he had two cups, and he kept track of the red lego and would not life the cup if the guesser guessed correctly. When the third cup was added, children guessed until the lego was found and then they all celebrated...then put the lego under a cup and did it over and over again.

I can't plan this. I can provide open-ended materials, and I can make suggestions, but I honestly believe that I cannot predict what will be most meaningful. I can think about helping to expand ideas; I can document and help children revisit their work and support them with time, materials, and other resources they might need. It is more work than choosing a theme for the children and planning activities on that theme, but the results are rewarding for everyone involved!

water + laughing

2011-10-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have had moments when I have told children to stop something like this - pouring water on someone else. These girls are clearly enjoying the pouring, the repetition, the sensory aspect of cool water on their arms - this is work. An adult might stop them because they assume a child wouldn't want another to pour water on her arm; because it is to loud for the teacher's taste; because there is a "keep to yourself" type rule at the sensory table.

I love seeing things in the classroom that I have never seen before. I'll share another moment that made me stop and think later today.

So far, this week

2011-10-05T22:03:00.001-07:00

Working and playing are one and the same.

2011-10-05T08:12:00.002-07:00

"Making a successful project is like making a campfire. The child's interest is the spark. Your job is to run around a collect little twigs and sticks and offer them up. Also to say, "Can I get you anything?"

(recognizing interest, camp creek blog)

interlocking planks + independence

2011-10-04T08:00:00.001-07:00

These interlocking planks are in another part of the building that I work in. I can't help but wonder if children saw a pile of them with no prompt except the planks (not made into a house) would they make them into a house? How much adult support would children need with a material like this? How much "coaching" to make the pieces fit together?

I miss the hollow blocks.

Weekend Links

2011-09-30T20:26:00.001-07:00

Here are some things that caught my eye this week.

Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times about redshirting. And they propose the right question in their opposition to the practice : "What approach gives children the greatest opportunity to learn?"

Another TED Talk, of course, on Studio Schools. I couldn't stop thinking about early childhood during this talk, and it was very relevant.

["Work and learning are integrated...you work by learning and you learn by working."]

I read this paper a few weeks ago because I came across it and it is very relevant to my work setting. Its a quick read and its an interesting one, asking of there is a place for commercial materials in schools, and if they should be considered "child interests" in an emergent curriculum. Read it here.

I miss Brussels a bit, and I was looking at the Turtlewings website again yesterday. So many wonderful ideas for a wide age range.

A good story:

(via flickr)

Happy Weekend!

A New Phase for Bambini Creativi

2011-09-28T19:50:00.003-07:00

18 months ago, I wrote a post about Bambini Creativi, a project in Kansas City. I've followed Brianne's work as she travelled around the city with her exhibit, I saw her on America's Next Great Restaurant, and now I get to share these photos of the beautiful new space she has in Kansas City.

Brianne had lots of photos to share, but I only grabbed a few that I think are real conversation pieces. The spaces are well planned, and I can't wait to see what they look like after the children have been in them, also! I can't help but think about the schools I saw in Reggio Emilia, especially the International Centre Loris Malaguzzi, when I see this space.

Congratulations and good luck to Brianne and her teachers!

More Photos : Smugmug

More information : Website

More Social : Facebook

a wipe-off board and a typewriter

2011-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

More tools to encourage the exploration of writing through play, along with some of the things children are making with them.

2011-09-26T17:25:00.001-07:00

weekend links

2011-09-23T17:03:00.002-07:00

Here are some things that I've enjoyed this week that you might enjoy thinking about this weekend!

Stop yourself next time you want to tell a child to "just use one":

The blog from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. This is a place I need to go. And we need to put a pasta machine near the makers space.

This archived article from ECRP about the importance of pretend play for cognitive development.

Maurice Sendak on Fresh Air, talking about his new book, BUMBLE-ARDY, and about his life.

And an excellent TED talk about doodling, creativity, and learning (and my new favorite term, "visual literacy").

a space for writing and play

2011-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Its almost silly how beautiful this room is. Look out the window, and you see Young's Bay, Saddle Mountain and the rest of the Oregon Coast Range, bridges, fishing boats, Coast Guard Helicopters - those are some exciting windows. I'd like to figure out how we can get the kids up to window level so that they can see a bit more. Stepstools? Crates? Giant blocks?

I don't think I've gone without a place for writing and drawing in the classroom in six years. Once I made it part of the environment, I never dismissed it. It can be an amazing gathering place - especially in a mixed age grouping like this one.

There is more to do to make this as inviting as it can be, but including a place for the to share the children's work is important. Hopefully this radiator cover will become that place for sharing. It is at the children's level, so they will be able to put things up and take them down. But for now, we're getting into the routine of using this as a writing and drawing space : the children go and get the materials they need (a variety of papers, writing tools, tape, glue, and the hot item of the moment, scissors) and they bring them to the table to write and draw and create - whatever they please. I sometimes forget that getting children into the routine of choosing for themselves and getting the items that they need takes a bit of time at the start. But we're definitely getting used to it. I'm really missing those black felt tip pens that we were up to our ears in at my last school! But the space comes together, little by little, and the more I watch and listen, the more I notice what we could add to promote writing. The right materials for will encourage writing through exploration.

For now, we're cutting up a storm!

those little animal figurines

2011-09-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

My favorite moment:

I'm hungry for some fish! Can you get me fish? From the sea?

This was one of my favorite moments of the day, and I was happy to capture it on video. Just one of the many ways that imagination manifests itself among threes and fours.

*

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

"when we adults think of children, there is a simple truth which we ignore: childhood is not preparation for life, childhood is life. a child isn’t getting ready to live – a child is living. the child is constantly confronted with the nagging question, “what are you going to be?” courageous would be the youngster who, looking the adult squarely in the face, would say, “i’m not going to be anything; i already am.” we adults would be shocked by such an insolent remark for we have forgotten, if indeed we ever knew, that a child is an active participating and contributing member of society from the time he is born. childhood isn’t a time when he is molded into a human who will then live life; he is a human who is living life. no child will miss the zest and joy of living unless these are denied him by adults who have convinced themselves that childhood is a period of preparation.

how much heartache we would save ourselves if we would recognize the child as a partner with adults in the process of living, rather than always viewing him as an apprentice. how much we would teach each other…adults with the experience and children with the freshness. how full both our lives could be. a little child may not lead us, but at least we ought to discuss the trip with him for, after all, life is his and her journey, too.”

– professor t. ripaldi

found via regarding baby

more things to write across the sky.

planning for engagement

2011-09-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about the level of engagement that the children have with their environment in my new setting.

What pulls children in? What makes them choose an activity or material and really engage with it?

I think that children are engaged when they are the ones who choose the outcomes - they can be finished quickly or linger on, depending on why they have chosen something. We introduced a sensory table the other day, and eight children played with the sand for 30 minutes. Part of that is novelty; part of it is true engagement. Piles were made and destructed, animals were buried and unearthed, and some serious space negotiations happened. Those kids were really busy.

The space is really really important - I feel like I've always known that, but it is so true right now. The children don't need to be told what to do, but we (as teachers, parents, caregivers) need to throw out a few ideas and give options. Children want to be quiet, loud, fast, slow, messy, and deliberate with careful actions, sometimes all within a span of 10 minutes. And the right space encourages that in a way that doesn't make the adults want to rip their hair out.

We've added a bit of structure to the morning, none of which was there before, and that has been positive. We sit down together twice - once at the start of the morning, and once before lunch. We have been listening to stories and singing some songs; one day we drew self-portraits; another day we read Not a Boxand then each child drew an idea for pretending with a box on a piece of paper with a square drawn on. Over the past 4 weeks, my main goal has been to get to know these children and understand what to expect from them, the other teachers, the parents, and the culture of the school in general. With that information, I can understand my role much more clearly.

I need to support the children as they engage in deep and meaningful play. This involves so much - the environment, the materials, planning experiences, exploring alongside them, and listening. I hope that I can listen and then use that information more purposefully than I have in the past. I have a track record of listening and documenting and then ending up with folders full of photos and little projects that stopped soon after they started. I've made a heavy goal for myself, but it is one of the most important ones I have made in my eight years of teaching.

piano notes and letters

2011-09-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am pretty lucky to have a piano in the classroom again - it is an amazing instrument for the children to explore independently. J explored with her whole body, rocking to the tune that she made, and then creating her own meaning by labeling different notes with letters corresponding to her friends' names. This abstract labeling system for the notes is fascinating to me because it is how the notes are labeled according to musicians. I have to ask myself, what other ways might the children choose to represent the notes on the piano?

different strokes for different folks

2011-09-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

I am amazed by the number of news stories on children's brain development and the powerful role that play has in a child's development - its wonderful to see and hear. I heard Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt on Fresh Air today, and Dr. Wong made a statement that I would love to see written in the sky or everyone to see.

"There are windows of opportunity during which the ground is most fertile - things that developmental biologists call 'sensitive periods', when its really the best time to learn a particular thing. And its important to be mindful of the fact that children become ready at different times for different things."

If there is one thing I want to communicate to parents, this is it. It does not matter that one three-year-old is writing the first letter of their name and another one is writing their whole name and another is not interested in making marks on paper at all and another just scribbles. It doesn't matter that one four-year-old likes to try and read the words in a familiar book by saying the words and patterns they remember from a read-aloud and another child makes up a totally random narrative using the pictures as cues and another child does never chooses to look at books independently. We can encourage children, but we cannot change what they are ready to do, especially in the early years. Why rush?

Wand and Aamodt's book, Welcome to Your Child's Brain, seems to be about the importance of social-emotional development in the early years over the push for early academics, and although I haven't read the book, that is an idea I can agree with.

Listen to the interview on Fresh Air :

2011-09-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

I'm inspired by the post-it war in Paris.

I found the French site via lilla a, where the children are using post-its on windows, creating patterns and designs. The material is open-ended if we think outside of the box and let children make the choices about how to use them. That natural light of the window adds to the appeal, I think.

There is so much we can buy for children to use, and so many ways that they can be instructed to play. the simplest things go the distance, though.

Planning the Environment

2011-09-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

I think I spend as much time planning and thinking and writing outside of the classroom as I spend interacting with children in the classroom. In the past three weeks I have been writing constantly, and trying my best to get a feel for the space so that I can make the environment engaging and inviting.

The children have not been confused by a few things changing each day as we try different arrangements out to see how they feel. With some new things for the classroom, we'll make some final decisions, and that feels good. I have been mapping for weeks, getting ideas at the most random times.

I do believe that the environment is the third teacher, and the children's thinking and work should be celebrated and documented in the space. This plan is meant to give children different kinds of spaces for their work and make the classroom theirs - less rules, more interaction and engagement. I don't want the children to feel like it is a teacher's space; I want to say "no" less. In Reggio Emilia, the teachers refer to the environment as the third teacher; that says a lot. I don't take the planning of a space lightly.

I'm looking forward to sharing more about our environment as it progresses. In the meantime, take a look at our gigantic chair! I have to admit that I did not like it when I got into the classroom - it seemed like a novelty item, really. But it has about a million uses, and it is very popular. And it is definitely too big to move out of the room, so it will stay.

the real life of a wind tube

2011-09-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

Want one of your own? All you need is a fan, some flexible plastic, and embroidery hoops.

Things To Try : Wind Tubes

(found via The Tinkering Studio Blog)

compromise

2011-09-08T15:04:00.001-07:00

I have been in this new environment for two weeks, and I have to say that (as always) the kids are growing on me. It is amazing to me that someone can walk into a room full of four-year-olds anywhere in the world and make connections with them, and their entire job is know them as well as they can. That's my job. And getting to know this group is an adventure (in a good way).

I have been getting in early, standing in the middle of the room and in all of the different corners making maps of what we might want to do with the setup of the space. I'm looking at the materials in the space and moving those materials around. Regardless of what I now, though, these children have been spending every day of the last 8 months in this room, so they know where things are and what they can find to use. Even if the materials are not exactly on the top of my list.

I have really had to reflect on materials in the classroom. In the past, I have had the "luxury" (if you can call it that) of putting certain things away or donating them to the Goodwill, tucking plastic toys in closets and taking out more natural materials. But here, the teaching dynamic is different. I'm the new girl. Is it polite to drag everything out? No. And the more time I spend around these materials, the more I notice that we can find some compromise. The baby dolls, the bottles, the Dora the Explorer books, that car rug - where is there room for the children's imaginations? We have to find balance.

That said, I have not found that balance with the environment yet. I put things away, and children take them out. But I'm also bringing in new things and giving them a range of open-ended choices by simply making things available to them. And I think it's going well.

On another note, I walk to and from work, and this is what I get to look at. Hello, Washington! Love, Oregon.

From All Angles

2011-08-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

In with the new

2011-08-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

A new space and new children means spending time getting to know those things as well as I can before trying to implement anything. I have been watching children draw and write - it always seems to give me a lot of information. We'll keep doing this in the coming days, using new surfaces and materials.

fairy houses

2011-08-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

This is beautiful - it is such a personal look into the imaginative play of children. I'm finding lots of interesting links from little creatures films.

2011-08-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

When working with little or no budget, the public library and the recycling bin become a preschool teacher's best friends. Understanding how to source materials for free is important; and those materials can often become a valuable part of the classroom. It looks like my constant goal to use simple materials may take a step forward this year.

I may have to splurge for my own copy of Beautiful Stuff for a bit more inspiration!

Transitioning

2011-08-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

I am transitioning into a new position in my work - in reality, it is a position I have had before, but I am definitely rediscovering it.

I am working in a place that meshes day care and preschool - children from six months to five years are served in three classrooms. Staff work across rooms, getting to know all of the children. I'll have the pleasure of working with the preschoolers, and I am looking forward to a new kind of setting.

The job will bring its challenges, as any job does, and it is really important to approach those as learning experiences. Reflection will continue to be important this year, as I find myself in new surroundings with different ideas and spaces and people. I'm looking forward to it.

wooden track mind

2011-08-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

This blog, wooden track mind, is kind of blowing my mind. What great documentation for these kids! I feel like there are so many things that a parent could document like this for their child to reflect on, from paintings to block building and more. The shapes that are created by these train sets are really appealing!

2011-08-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

via wee saw

a friendly wolf

2011-08-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

"But I'm a friendly wolf...That's the kind you can pet. They're very nice to be."

from Mollie is Three by Vivian Gussin Paley

Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds

2011-08-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

I think I just spent the past 5 minutes staring at the computer screen with my mouth open, amazed that I was looking at something that I think I have had inside of my head for a year. Pop-up play. Totally brilliant.

The term "Pop-Up Adventure Playground" is a term that is free for anyone to use, as long as they are working within the principles and beliefs of the meaning. the idea is to remove barriers to child-led free play, inspired by the principles of playwork in the UK.

I read about this via let the children play - always a great source for information. Her post will give more information about similar initiatives in the UK and Australia.

I'm buzzing with ideas about how this can work where I am. Have you ever seen anything like this?

Safety and Boredom

2011-07-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

Have playgrounds become too safe for kids?

An article that came out this morning features an interview with Alex Gilliam from Public Workshop and talks about the lack of opportunities for risk-taking that children have.

Amazing how a big chunk of the hard earned funds that a school or a town obtains for play space can end up buying boring and expensive plastic. It doesn't take much to engage children with outdoor play, and simplicity and open-ended materials are key, I think.

I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Teacher Tom has created an outdoor space that encourages risk-taking and experimentation; The Children and Nature Network is dedicated to getting children outside into natural spaces; and I'm sure there are countless others.

How can we convince others that we need to offer something beyond slides and swings? The more trouble you can potentially get into, the more you learn, I imagine.

2011-07-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

As this semester winds down to a close, I am looking forward to getting back to writing more. I have been so sporadic about writing this semester that I hope I am able to get back into the swing of it! Here are some topics that have been on my mind that I plan to visit in the near future:

language and literacy: books, talking, music, writing, reading aloud...

the different ways that storytelling looks

using natural and recycled materials in meaningful and purposeful ways

how do schools find the money that they need?

how do you balance the commercialism and materialism with the curriculum?

(I have a journal article on this that I have been itching to read!)

How do schools find their identity, and balance that with inspiration from other schools and curricula?

where do community building activities come into play in the preschool classroom?

Also, if you are in Northwest Oregon, I'd love to hear from you! I am hoping to visit classrooms and meet some more teachers (and early childhood education enthusiasts, no matter what your "job") and see some programs in the area.

Giveaway Winner

2011-07-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Abiyoyo book giveaway is Danielle! Congratulations - I'll be in touch to find out where you'd like me to send your book.

Thanks for everyone who entered! There were some great book suggestions that are new to me that I will check out, and there were some real classics mentioned, too.

Cheers!

A Thank You for Reading Giveaway!

2011-07-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

It seems that more and more people are reading the blog, and that is pretty exciting! I'm glad that you're looking around and sharing your thoughts and ideas. Although I have not been the most regular poster, I imagine that once we settle into our new home, I'll be writing more again.

To thank you all for reading (and for passing on the word about this site), I went to one of my favorite bookstores, Elliot Bay Book Company, in a place I used to call home - Seattle. I looked around for a long time, debating what would be best. There are way too many books that I would call "essential" for an early childhood classroom. I thought about something about teaching, but I don't think we get the best inspiration from books for teachers. We get them from children. And so, the giveaway is a FANTASTIC book that always gets children talking, playing, and interacting.

I'm giving away a copy of the Abiyoyo Book and CD by Pete Seeger. He is a wonderful storyteller and musician, and this story has the imagination and magic that so many children connect to. I have seen some fantastic retellings of the story as children browse the book themselves. It would be a great addition to your classroom or home bookshelf.

To win, just leave a comment here about reading with children. What do you love to read with children? Why? Perhaps we can get some ideas to talk about in the coming weeks in this space.

The contest ends next Sunday, July 24th, at 8pm PST. I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 25th, and ship the book from Oregon to wherever the winner is.

Good Luck!

Bakers and Astronauts on Facebook

2011-07-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

Its great to see that there are some new followers on the Bakers and Astronauts Facebook page! We've reached 102 followers, and I'll be posting something special to celebrate soon.

Right now we are in limbo a bit, traveling around the west coast, having just moved back from Belgium last Sunday. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to be in more classrooms here, seeing more interesting things and meeting more teachers!

If you haven't joined the Bakers and Astronauts Facebook page, you can do it right here. We can discuss and share in a way that is easier than the blog.

Happy Summer!

2011-06-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

An apartment building for bears, made from clementine boxes.

Storytelling Inspiration

2011-06-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

I just came across this blog post about Hoxton Street Monster Supplies in London. This really seems like a wonderful way to promote the young writer's imagination.

Inspired by 826 Valencia and founded by Nick Hornby, the Ministry of Stories runs the monster supply shop as an inspiration for writers. Volunteer teachers and writers mentor young writers at the Ministry of Stories. A lovely quote from their website: "The best results are achieved by making writing seriously playful".

I love storytelling in the classroom and the way that young children's imaginations create stories, combining their experiences in real life with stories they have heard and their own fantastic ideas and word explorations. It makes me wonder - why does 826 only start working with children from the age of six, and why does the Ministry of Stories only start working with children from eight?

Teachers of young children promote writing in different ways, trying to spark creativity. Some take down children's dictation in the form of oral stories and then read them aloud again to the children. Some write the children's words down on a picture that the child has drawn and then talks about. In the past few years, I have been providing pre-made books that the children write and draw their stories in, and then they read their books at the end of the day to the class (if they want). I try to pull children aside to read them to me, also, so I can get a preview. I'm also really interested in the way that some children keep the same story - sometimes verbatim - every time they read. Other children make a story up as they go along and change it each time. I find that is most common when the children make marks or shapes on the pages that are not meant to be "something" - they often write stories for the pleasure of getting up in front of the class and sharing. I obviously can't make these generalizations about all children - this is how writing works with the children I work with right now.

Below is a story from today - this is the very youngest student in the class, 4 years and 2 months old. She read the story again later, to a friend, and she told it just the same. Tomorrow she'll be sharing it with the class, and I'm interested to find out if it stays the same or changes.

pete the cat

2011-06-08T01:13:00.000-07:00

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

think about water

2011-05-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Thinking about water means thinking about mud, paste, floating, spraying, flowing...

2011-05-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

expanding on work by reflecting

2011-05-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

The same materials from my documentation conundrum were on a table today, along with photographs from T's work. When I asked her what she was doing in the photos with the cylinders and the rubber bands she said, "putting it together". She did not come back to the materials, but the children who did used the photos as a jumping off point for their constructions. Some paired in colors, like T; others made new combinations. No one had much to say, but their actions spoke loudly.

cameras in the children's hands

2011-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

2011-05-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

I took some time today to watch a child use materials in a new way. This was important for me to see from a teacher perspective because I think I have become more flexible with materials. It was also important in the perspective that I saw T active and engaged in this. Even though she did not have any words to go along with it, she said so much with her actions. I hope I'm on the road to more meaningful documentation.

2011-05-18T23:33:00.000-07:00