Skip to main content

Bubbles, Our Class Pet - 4 Hour Class

Hello Families, you have probably heard about Bubbles by now and may have even had him visit your home. He is our adorable pet dog who loves to go home with your child for a sleep over and then comes back to class with fond memories of his visit away. Your child then tells us all about their time together during our circle. There is also a book that is getting filled with photos and drawings showing us what Bubbles has gotten to do.



Before Bubbles was allowed to go visiting, the children made up rules of what Bubbles may do and may not do. We then wrote the list into the book that is brought home with Bubbles. The children discussed what they could do with Bubbles and what may happen if Bubbles did the things he shouldn’t do. But before anything could be done, the children had to come up with a name for the class pet. It was done very diplomatically with suggestions of names and then voting on it. Bubbles was almost called Patricia, it was a very close vote.

 
Dayna took Bubbles on a fun bus ride and also had a great time playing with him. Bubbles also accompanied Jaden to his swim class and got to sit on Jaden’s sister, Niko’s back as he watched on. Sofia took Bubbles to the playground to have some fun in the sun and her brother also joined them. Later on, Sofia took Bubbles on a shopping trip. Georgia made dinner for Bubbles and took him for a bike ride at Grandma’s house. These are some of the adventures that Bubbles has been on.
 
After all the fun that the children are having with Bubbles, there are valuable points to why we have show and tell in our classroom. It encourages vocabulary, self-expression and effective communication skills. Children learn to listen, speak, observe, participate, make connections and increase their vocabulary with descriptive words. It gives children a sense of importance and pride when they are sharing which then builds confidence and self-esteem. Even, children who are naturally quiet love to get up and share what they did because it is something they love and find pleasure in. Children learn to work and interact with their peers and learn positive social behaviours. The children learn to take turns, be patient and use kind words. It also provides opportunities for children to make new friendships and also a way for families to connect with the classroom.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the families for supporting your child and Bubbles by having a wonderful experience together. I know how busy life is which is why we appreciate everything that you do.
Until next time, Deanna
 


 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

4 Year Old M/W/F Class – I Hear…I See…I Wonder…

We began one of our circle discussions with a question for the children, “What would you like to learn, wonder or hear about?” Here is what they said:    “Skateboarding, Soccer, Perches” (Connor) “Bikes” (Taylor) “Going outside to see if I left my toy” (Jun)  “The Sun” (Jack) “Rollerskating and Swimming” (Daniella)"Skating” (Noel) “Ball” (Sofie) “Scooter and Tricycle” (Masaki) “Shoes” (Ashlan) “When you put something under a pillow you can find it” (Tia) “Soccer” (Kyle) From my list I noticed quite a few of the children were interested in wheels, so at our next circle discussion we looked closely at a scooter and a pair of roller skates – as well as the wheels on a long board. The conversation brought up more questions and answers, which the children confidently discussed amongst themselves. One of the questions was “What makes this a scooter?” The conversation followed with “The scooter has a handle and a brake” and “I know how to ride a long board.” ...

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...

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...