Skip to main content

And We Begin

This week marks a new beginning for all of us. And, with all new beginnings, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about what is to come. I have been going to yoga a lot this past while and one of the things the instructors mention at the onset of each class is to create an intention for your practice.  I thought a lot about this concept and decided that it would be interesting and important to apply it to my teaching on a deeper level than in the past. So, as I move into the year, I am hoping to set intentions, which I believe are different than goals. For me personally, goals are more structured and outcome driven. Intentions imply more of a journey. Balancing intentions with flexibility and openness will be the challenge.  I also want to explore the idea of children setting their own intentions. Can this work? Will they understand? Can we help support this idea without creating comparisons or pressure? I am really not sure. And so we begin....

Monday

We placed a variety of natural "loose parts"(parts that can be moved and have no specific purpose) on our riser. Twigs, leaves, flowers, bull rush heads, rosemary sprigs and clay created much play. Suddenly, a child screeched out that there was a small bug. And, believe me, it was SMALL. So small that we could barely see it. Magnifying glasses were brought out and many eyes peered through trying to recognise the insect. No identification was made that day and the bug is now foraging somewhere out in the world.

Wednesday

Since the insect generated quite a bit of excitement I decided to bring in a beautiful preserved beetle that I had at home to see if the interest in bugs would continue. I brought it out at group time with an insect book ready at hand. Honestly my first instinct was to say "Look at this beautiful beetle." But, I resisted and passed the beetle around and asked what they thought it was. Oh, the answers that were excitedly blurted out were amazing:


  • a mosquito
  • a dragonfly
  • a fly
  • a ladybug ( to which a child said "It cannot be a ladybug. A ladybug has spots!"
  • a crow (to which another child said "It isn't a bird. It doesn't have wings."
  • a bumblebee
  • a spider
  • a grasshopper
  • a daddy long legs


and lo and behold... a beetle.



I asked them how we could find out what it is. How can we find out information? Silence. Shoulder shrugs. Silence. I showed them the big book beside me. "Do you think we could use this book on bugs to see if we can identify our bug", I asked. Many children nodded or shouted out "Yes." I opened the book to the first page which had a clear, enlarged picture of a centipede. I asked them if it looked the same as our bug. They unanimously agreed that it did not. So we went to the next page. We agreed to look through more pages the next day. I then asked them to think about other ways they can get get information. One hand reached up high and the child said "The computer." Then came a stream of responses including an iPad, a Mini Ipad, and iPhone. Wow, Steve Jobs would be thrilled!

I think it is important to teach children how to access information; especially in our world where there is abundance of it. I am looking forward to looking through the book with the children and observing their ways of researching.


Emily


Comments

Unknown said…
We miss you and your class
WRCC said…
Thanks Kelli! We miss Little Emily!
Unknown said…
Jack came home today telling me that he was learning about bugs and that he got to be a thorax. I love hearing his voice tell me all the things he is doing. We are so happy that Jack is part of this amazing community of learners:)
WRCC said…
Lisa- Thanks for sharing. I am impressed he remembered the body part name! Learning with our bodies is a great way to take in information.

Popular posts from this blog

Social Responsibility: Down to the Core

Social responsibility- a term that has now become quite common in the field of education and has the potential to lose its meaning if we are not careful. As an early childhood educator, I have always placed great importance on the need to develop this way of thinking in young children. It is for this reason that we engage in activities that benefit others, such as volunteering at our local food bank, adopting an owl, or raising money for Variety Club. With the recent catastrophe in the Philippines, my mind was suddenly thrown into its own typhoon. I found myself asking questions around social responsibility and what it really means. What does it mean to me? What does it mean to my preschoolers? How far does it extend into the world around us? Can four year old children grasp these deep and complex concepts? What can they understand about their world? How can we teach them about being socially responsible to: ones self; ones family; ones community; ones province; ones country; ones worl...
On Monday, we became adopted parents of a dwarf frog. It was given to us by an alumni parent whose daughter no longer wanted it and I suppose she thought I was a vulnerable victim (clearly she was right!) and I said "Yes, we would love it,". Well, there is truth in that because the children already love this little creature. The Junior OSC children made Do Not Touch signs posted near the mini aquarium and our preschoolers made the frog pictures today and wanted to shower him/her with gifts. On Monday I asked them to go home and think about a name for the frog and bring their suggestion back to class on Wednesday. So, this morning we compiled our potential name list, with the understanding that we would be voting on the name. The name suggestions were as follows: Cynna: Badgie Colin: Jack Brooke: Flower Kayla: Froggie Luca: Penguin ( NOT Penguino) Alexa: Flower Bryn: Froggie Cole: Froggie Emily: Ella Zev: Spot Chloe: Eric Cash: Benji Wayne: Jackie The big vote ...