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