Atelier In Progress

I'm not exactly sure what appeals to me about helping to create spaces for learning and exploration.  On one hand, I believe that learning can happen anytime, anywhere.  On the other hand, there are optimal environments for learning.  If there is anything I am trying to keep in mind as I see the spaces and materials in this new environment, it is how to create an environment where choices are open-ended, and where all work is valued.

The first space I chose to work on was the art studio.  It is my favorite room in the school - it is where I am sitting as I write this.  This week, I have been concentrating on seeing what is in the school and organizing it.  There have been so many boxes and bins to go through, and as I see each item, I think:  is this a good material for exploration?  Does this tell a child what to do, or is there flexibility?

For example, there are two classic math materials that I love to have available in the classroom:  geoboards and unifix cubes.  When I pulled them out of the cabinet, both bins had laminated cards that suggest and challenge different arrangements.  I tucked those suggestions back into the cabinet:  I want us to get to know the material before someone tells us what to do with it.

There are, or course, materials that are meant to be used in a certain way (board games, for example), but I am also hoping to approach even those things as opportunities for exploration.  If we happen to be a community that loves to play board games, what are the implications for inquiry there?  Can we learn a new game together?  Can we create board games or card games and share them with friends and families?  What can all those little pieces be used for outside of the context of the game?

Digging through boxes and flipping through papers, there were beautiful things that were left behind from children in the past.  Some seemed like doodles, tossed aside in pursuit of something else to do.  Others were commercial works, and others seemed like finished products.  Regardless of their origins, I hope that every space in the school inspires.  If we want to value the process over the product, we should probably share more than just finished products.

As hesitant as I am to "prepare" spaces that do not have children in them yet, I hope that what I've found and shared acts as an invitation for children.  I hope to approach everything with intention, from choosing materials and having conversations to modifying spaces and personal reflections.

Using Our New Space

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?

Images from Boulder Journey School

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

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!

a space for writing and play

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!

"Areas"

I have been trying to step back from my preconceptions about how the classroom environment needs to look or act.  This is important because of our multiage aspect; but I'm realizing that it is something I should always do.  Where did I get my ideas about the setup of the classroom?  What can happen there and what can't happen there?  What it is supposed to offer?

Through observing and student teaching in college, I absorbed unspoken messages about the classroom.  No matter where I was, the typical preschool classroom always had a home area, painting easels, a block area, a bookshelf, a sensory table, and perhaps a table for art and messy things.  So my first classroom had all of these things.  And sometimes the home area became something else, like a post office or a doctor's office.

I don't think there is anything negative about this classroom setup. I think it does work for children.  My classroom right now has all everything described, save the dramatic play area being more open-ended.  But I'm really wondering if these areas are so necessary.  The children have been showing me different ideas over the past two weeks.

For example, two of the girls enjoy dramatic play, but apparently not the setting.  So they take a large basket, pack it up with everything they want from the dramatic play area, and take it all over the the piano, whch they like to it under and play "sisters".

The construction in the room is constant, and the block area is very popular.  There is not quite enough space for children to really do what they want; things are always getting bumped and buildings cannot be as big as some want because of the floor space.  I'm also interested in how their block constructions can be extended with paper and pens, fabric, tape, and more.

There is not as much drawing and writing happening, and there is a table in the room dedicated to that all of the time.  Last year's group was all about writing, and this year is a bit different.  Those materials do not seem to get used as much.

I know the importance of structure in the room and in the day.  But these rules about the classroom aren't set in stone, are they?  It's easy to fall into a habit - every teacher knows that.  But I think things could be a bit more interesting if we broke that habit.  I haven't really branched out as much as I would like to when it comes to creating an inviting environment for the children, and perhaps that's because I've been so focused on ME and the environment and what I am going to do.  Just as I try to follow children's interests and support their explorations, I think I need to look to them and figure out what they need from the environment. 

That is a big part of my journey this year.  How can the environment support our work and play?

Outdoor Classroom Links and Inspiration

I have gathered some inspiration for outdoor learning spaces. I just can't stop thinking about the possibilities for ours! Some of my favorite photos cannot be posted here, but you should go visit Imagine School Design for some really lovely photos and inspiration. I love the Auroville Kindergarten in India, especially the gymnasium type room with no walls.

The Pen Green Centre has a sand area that is much more beachy than boxy; and

The Covolo di Pederobba Nursery in Italy has an indoor/outdoor courtyard that would be ideal for meeting and conversing and trying out ideas.

We may not be able to hire architects, but at least we can look and think, and then rearrange a few things in our own spaces and look at the environment in a new light.

As of tomorrow at 3 pm, I am officially on my two week spring break! I'll still be writing and sharing, but a little less frequently due to visitors. But I'll have a special announcement about a giveaway at the beginning of May!

Happy weekend!

An Outdoor Space

Have you ever had an idea one day that is so incredibly obvious you should have had it long before? Because everything was just sitting right in front of your face, not being used, waiting for you to notice it?

Last Friday when just a few children were up from rest time, working purposefully at the writing table, I thought I would go get the unit blocks that I put outside to dry out some tree stumps in September. Those unit blocks were rotted and black, and I could see them sitting there through the large glass door in our classroom that opens up to a narrow cement walkway about 40 feet long and five feet wide. A door from the other PreK class also opens onto that walkway, and opposite from the classroom doors is a four foot wall. Between the two classrooms, the walkway widens to about eight feet, and there is a small table weathered from being outdoors.

I hope you see where I am going with this.

I have an outdoor learning space attached to my classroom.
I did not notice it until April.
I am excited beyond words.



I immediately took the tree stumps off their rotten block stands and put three at each end of the walkway. Boundaries and seating and something to explore as well! The children came out the door to see what I was doing and began running back and forth between the two sets of tree stumps. One of my four-year-olds stepped up onto a stump and could easily see over the wall -- the view is a wooded area between the main road and school. It is brillant!

height assistance:

the view:

I used to be jealous that the two nursery classes have doors that open directly onto the playground. I thought of how great it would be to give children the freedom to choose between indoor play and outdoor play during choice time. The idea of a free flow between our classroom and the outdoors was appealing as well. With this space now, the children are within view, they have more choices, and can choose a new, engaging environment. Right now I honestly feel like I could write about this for hours. And hours. So I think I should switch over to my journal and maybe fill you in with more concrete thoughts at another time. Visions of sensory tables and planters are dancing in my head.

I am excited to brainstorm abou this environment. Do you have an outdoor space that is not specifically for "outdoor play"? Would you like one? How do/would you use it?

Don't You Push Me Down

I have quite a low tolerance for recorded children's music. I do not want to be within miles of an album recorded by The Wiggles, or one of their many DVDs, for that matter. Although there is always music in the background at choice time in this classroom, there is a big range of genres and styles for the children to hear and experience.


But if I had to choose one children's album to listen to, even during my personal free time, it would be Nursery Days by Woody Guthrie. The lyrics are completely relevant to children's lives -- he was really able to put himself into a child's shoes. I have so many favorite songs on this album, but for children, I really really love Don't You Push Me Down. It's an anthem for playing nice, using your words, sharing, and fairness!

Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.
Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.

You can play with me,
You can take my hand,
We can skip together
Down to the pretzel stand.
You can wear my mommy's shoes,
You can wear my daddy's hat,
You can even get mad at me,
But don't you push me down.

Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.
Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.

You can play with me,
We can build a house,
You can take my ball,
And bounce it up and down.
You can take my skates,
And ride them all around,
You can even get mad at me,
But don't you push me down.

Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.
Don't you push me, push me, push me,
Don't you push me down.

You can play with me,
We can play all day,
You can use may use my dishes,
If you put them away.
You can feed me apples,
Oranges and plums,
You can even wash my face,
But don't you push me down.

Listen Here : Woody Guthrie: Don't You Push Me Down

Smithsonian Folkways is my mecca for music from other times, and from other places; and they have an amazing collection of Woody Guthrie's recordings.

I'll share more of my (and my students) favorites very soon.

Light Table

Today.

Dramatic Play

First, the Turtlewings meeting was wonderful. I met Julianne, who runs the organization, and her husband Peter. I'm looking forward to working with them -- we're talking about doing something with the preschool where I work starting in the spring; and my plan is to keep on attending the monthly Turtlewings meetings.



Now, dramatic play. As a university student, I learned that dramatic play is a center in the early childhood classroom that many people refer to as "dress up". There is also a wide tendency to call it the "kitchen area", I have noticed, most likely because it is typically equipped with child-sized cooking appliances. This, this, and this have all been in past classrooms of mine, and in most preschool classrooms.

I was at a workshop hosted by the University Child Development School in Seattle last spring, and Lella Gandini (from Reggio Emilia) was there, speaking about classroom environments. She said that when she and some other Italian educators first visited the United States, they wondered if everyone got their furniture and supplies from the same place, because all of the classrooms were exactly the same. Everyone in the room chuckled, out of truth and guilt.

What people need to see is that those do not authentically reflect a child's home, life, or interests. They are toys. They are not open-ended. They leave no room for creativity.


And even if you are trying to make your dramatic play area a place where children can go more in depth on a project, and it should be a kitchen, yellow plastic pots and fake stove burners are not going to inspire the children. Dramatic play should allow children to be open-ended and self motivated; and is should reflect their own lives and interests. If it is going to be a kitchen, try to fill it with containers that children would see in their own pantry at home; or with real dishes to prepare a table with.

In my first year of teaching, we would change the dramatic play area according to childrens' interests and the project or topic of study. In my recollection, it was four things over the course of the year: a kitchen, a store, a doctor's office, and a restaurant. The children were engaged in each one, but it was always a magical room transformation for them -- they would arrive on a Monday morning to new props, items, and furniture arrangement. Should children have more of a say in the arrangement of their classroom environment? I think dramatic play may be a good place to try that out.



Our dramatic play area has had one transformation already -- from a tiny area of just a coat rack and a table to a larger place for children to play. On Friday, five "kitties"and one "Mommy cat" were the center of dramatic play action. The area is open-ended, in my opinion -- there are chairs, mirrors, scarves, natural items, our fabulous painted tree stump, animal masks, and small materials like buttons, leaves, straws, paper, and pencils. These things can come and go as well -- nothing has to be permanent. But a child who wants to play as a fox does not have to be discouraged because there is just a toy kitchen -- each child can make it what they want it to be right now.


With "dress up clothes", I again am not one to close off possiblities. And, not to hack on Lakeshore, but these are plastic and polyester play costumes. I would much rather give children the opportunity to use their imaginations -- that is why we use scarves in our classroom. A nice addition, though, would be different kinds of materials, in a variety of sizes, that children can spread and fold and experiment with, or wrap around their heads, waists, feet, or whatever they are inspired to do.


Dramatic play is very popular in our classroom, and I think I will take that opportunity to allow the children to help plan how it should evolve. Our recent conversations about bats, birds, and mud can be our jumping off point.

It is not (and will not be) a carbon copy of someone else's idea for dramatic play. I have gotten many great ideas from other teachers and implemented a version in my classroom, but we're not going to make microphones out of toilet paper tubes unless the children collaborate on/ think of the idea.

So look in the corner of your classroom and ask yourself: is it dramatic play? Or is it dress up?

Threaded Leaves

I mentioned these before; I saw them over here a little while ago and I knew that they just had to be in the classroom. The children gathered the leaves and then we used a needle and thread to connect the ones we selected to hang.

Pardon the florescent lights -- I'm not sure who decided that classrooms should be lit with them, but we might make the switch to some lamps to make our environment more appealing.

A New Classroom

I am finally sitting in the corner of my new classroom, pondering piles of furniture and manipulatives. This is always an exciting time, but it is also an overwhelming one.

The environment is one of the most important aspects of early education. Children should feel that it is their space, and that it is a safe and welcoming one. Even in higher grades now, gone are the days of individual desks -- many educators now favor the idea of collaboration. This has always been a popular idea in early childhood.

It used to seem straightforward to me: block area, dramatic play, writing, art, science, books. But then I noticed that children were running through dramatic play to get to science, creating chaos and disorganization. Children who wanted to add a sign to a block structure had to walk across the classroom to get the materials, so instead of turning sounds into letters and putting that on paper, they just skipped it. I hope I am getting the point across that, below the neatly arranged surface of a preschool classroom, there is so much more to think about.

I am lucky that I have this entire week (!!!) to arrange my classroom. Today, Monday, I took things down that were left from the last teacher and moved almost everything into the hallway. There is always the opportunity to introduce more things later on on the year; I don't want to overwhelm the students as they transition into the new school year. There are new friends, new adults, new spaces, and for many of these children, a new city with new languages. As I mentioned above, comfort and safety are the main ideas for the beginning of the year.

Perhaps some of you are teachers, getting ready for the beginning of the school year. Maybe you are returning to your classroom; maybe you are prying hologram stickers off of the wall like I am. Either way, best of luck, and I'd be interested to know how it works (or does not work) for you!