Breakthrough science technology

Folks, I just want you all to know you've been parenting your children totally & completely wrong. You see, you're missing one critical element to your parenting style. You hold the key to sucess for your children--simply by paying a large sum of money (not sure how much, they don't give any information without contact info) to have a complete gene profile that will tell you all of your child's strengths and weaknesses. Does it sound too good to be true? Like something from a science fiction novel? Nope---it's for real. At least that's what he says on the website.

http://www.mychildtalentprofile.com/

Genetic profiling at it's best, folks. sign up now and I'll give you a discount on the next psycho-developmental assessment I perform. Oh wait, I don't charge extra for the psych-developmental assesment, or the speech/language assessment, or the physical development assessment--or the running records, anecdotal note taking, generalized observations, dialogue and thinking/re-thinking that goes into developing an individual education experience based on your child's interests and enthusiasm.....wonder what gene enthusiasm is correlated with?

More color mixing pictures...

Homework: Vision Questions...

I've been bouncing these questions around for quite awhile...

Who is a child?
What is childhood?
How do children learn?
What is the role of school in the life of a young child? (This is a new one)...

I've got several posts in progress relating to this. I don't think there's an arbitrary line between the questions, they all come together to form one's view of the child. I like something that came to mind in the last class session (not a direct quote, but a general idea)...Reggio is not something you can do, it's something you become.

As far as the role of the school, this is how I view it....

The environment as the third teacher communicates to the child, "This is your space. You are welcome here". It calls to the children's soul, drawing them in as a place to explore. The role of the school is a place for..

Climbing, jumping, skipping, clapping, laughing--moving...
Digging, splashing, pouring, stirring, mixing--doing...
Questioning, exploring, investigating, engaging, growing and progressing---being...

Education is the lighting of a fire, not the filling of a bucket
-William Butler Yates

Homework: Daily Schedule

One of our homework assignments for the online class I am taking is to write out, in detail, our classroom schedule. I found this a bit challenging, as ours is constantly changing and evolving! Here's a general overview of how our day goes....

8:30ish
The kids trickle in a few at a time & begin self-directed learning activities (also known in some circles as "free play", but that hardly describes the learning & exploring that goes on during this time!).

9:00ish
I attempt a morning meeting. So far this isn't going so well. The kids have just begun activities & don't want to stop. I've tried moving morning meeting up, but then the kids who show up later miss out. I've tried doing more structured activities as they come in (ie. puzzles at the table) & they're just not interested. I'm welcoming any suggestions to "fix" this problem! I love the idea of gathering to share fruit as they do in the Diana school (I think?), but I'm kind of guessing food in a room with white carpet isn't a great idea. Perhaps I should move our meeting place? Grapes or bananas may be okay. Still debating over the options.

9:30ish-10:30ish
Our self directed learning activities continue. If there are two teachers the children may move freely from our classroom to the outdoors, if it's just me they usually go out with the older kids about 10:00. I try to get everyone outside for at least 15 minutes, but this doesn't always happen--especially when it's 20 degrees outside! The kids have free access to the "studio", where I've typically set up 2-3 provocations (we have a painting table & two investigation/exploration tables) based on whatever projects or topics we are studying. They also have open access to the centers room--blocks, kitchen/dramatic play, books, various math manipulatives, writing and literacy materials, etc. For the most part I am "hands off" during this time, observing, taking notes, and occasionally bringing out materials to extend activities they seem interested in. Occasionally I'll try specifically to work math & literacy into the activities they are excited about. Often, right now especially, I'm gently guiding their conflict resolution skills and helping them learn to problem solve. I do try to do 1-2 "official" assessments each month (math/literacy, scientific knowledge, language devleopment, etc) so I also complete these during this time period--most of it can be done simply through observation.

10:30-11:00ish
I typically try to do more structured activities for about half an hour, specifially with small groups while the other children continue self directed activities. Many of the children join the primary class during this time to meet up with their "reading buddies". Right now on my "official" lesson plan I'm trying to do math on Tuesdays & literacy on Thursdays since I have a parent helper those days, but this is extremely flexible.

At about 11:00 we start clean up (I wrote a note today to remind me we really do need to stop what we're doing & clean up what absolutely must be picked up--we have been struggling with this lately, though parent helpers have made it workable). The kids help sweep, wipe tables, put toys away, etc. Then we gather for a closing group--again, I'm struggling to work this in and keep the kids engaged. I try to do songs & stories, I'm specifically focusing right now on getting at least one book in a day. The high point of our group time is 'tickle time' which I randomly stumbled across in an attempt to keep a certain child engaged while singing our closing song ("Sing Your Way Home"). Tickling one child just didn't cut it--so now everyone gets at least one turn (usually more). I've found this to be one of the more rewarding moments of the day, and miss it on the days when we don't quite find time for it.

C's been watching me type this up and insisted on adding his opinion on our schedule for the class he attended yesterday...

We cleaned up and played. I played, let's see here...I don't remember. Blocks and kitchen and that's all. We got the gelatin and colored it with paint. I want to color it with more paint. What makes green? Yellow and green and blue. Then we put it yellow and green and put that watery stuff in, then I mixed yellow and made green. Then we put flour and green and that's all, and water. We ate snacks, played. And I played with blocks, kitchen stuff, and that's all.

What I noticed about C's day yesterday (also known as "So what did he learn???)...

Social/Emotional Skills:
He came right into class, and had no difficulty joining in with B even though he has never met him before. He spent the vast majority of his time actively engaged in cooperative play with L, even though she is younger than he is. He used excellent conflict resolution skills when he wanted something she had--something we don't always see at home. He even stepped in to moderate between B & L when they had a disagreement.

Math & Science:
C. was able to identify the difference between the gelatin cups that had been in the fridge & those that we'd put in the freezer. He shared his theories about why they were different. He actively explored & experimented. He spent nearly an hour mixing, dumping, and pouring. He was able to count the number of cups, and quickly grasped the concept of 2 half cups=1 whole. He demonstrated competency in understanding the concept of conservation(the ability to recognize that there is the same amount of water in two different containers)--a key skill for geometry later on. He mixed colors and was able to tell me which primary colors produced green.

Language & Literacy:
C. worked on increasing his vocabulary, identifying "solids" and "liquids", as well as some understanding about what the word "mass" means. He demonstrates an understanding of various word endings...you add water to make something "watery".

Hmm...not at all bad for a child who "just" played for 3 hours!!!

Check in...

I put out the paint pumps, cardboard, and various "tools" for the children to use to make prints--but who wants to use tools when you can use THESE??? Anyone want to place a bet on whose little toes these are? I bet you could get it in one guess....






Our spelling lesson for the week, P. selected the words "Joy to the world the Lord has come". Wonder what songs she's been listening to over the weekend? She copied the entire phrase down all by herself, and L. decided she wanted to work on "spelling" as well. She's really getting the hang of letter-like forms and is able to copy many of the letters--quite impressive for a just-under-4 year old!






The weather is cooperating with our "states of matter" exploration, our "pond" is now frozen completely solid so the kids can stand on it. They were excited to observe the rocks that have been frozen under the water--I wonder how that happened?









Loads of fun, with more to come!

Ms. Heather

Check In...

Fun picture from earlier in November (OK, I admit it...I uploaded it by mistake and don't know how to delete it!)---BUT check out our art board, as the tinfoil collages should be replacing our autumn colors if I can finish them up tonight!

We've been focusing lately on two ongoing explorations....states of matter (primarily solids & liquids) with a bit of color theory thrown in. I put liquid watercolors at one of our exploration stations for the children to mix. The children used the three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) and mixed them together using small droppers (great for developing fine motor skills).

They poured their new colors into glass canning jars and titled them.

L: "Black"

K: "A horse black"

B: "Apple Juice" (because it smells like apple juice!) and "Black"

P: "Black"

They obviously are coming to understand the basic concept that all the colors put together create black!

When we were done mixing we took the new colors into the light room & put them on the light table to see if all the "black" was the same. I expected them to be excited about this concept....they were more interested in jumping over the crib matress on the floor. Perhaps we'll return to that idea later. In the meantime....for those of you who had babyfood jars of random colored water coming home this is what that is all about---make sure the lids stay on. That stuff does not come out!

This week we'll be doing our writing in shaving cream--B is particularly motivated to write his name after becoming frustrated with trying to label his jar today! I'm going to introduce cornstarch & water to continue our exploration on the properties of matter, I'm wondering if L. will find as much interest in the cornstarch/water concoction as she does with tempera paint! If she doesn't, I've got plenty to do in our paint station, I've set up a large sheet of cardboard with various objects to use for making prints. We'll see how messy they can get with that!

K & N will continue working on cvc words, we'll introduce the /ad/ and /an/ word families next. We'll also be working on the following sight words: I, like, see

In math we're continuing with counting in context (not by route!). We are working with this concept primarily during snack time, but also at various times during learning centers. I am also hoping to work one on one with L & D to introduce the spindle boxes and numerals/counters from our Montessori materials.

We'll be spending as much time as we can outside as well...the good weather won't last long! Please send hats & mittens/gloves as children are complaining about the cold. Remember to check the basket for random socks, gloves, and various other odds and ends.

Room Pictures

The bare minimum in our centers room at the beginning of the school year. With our recent discussion on aesthetics and color in the classroom I have to say I absolutely love the colors of the wall! It's a natural enough color that it isn't overwhelming, yet I feel it is more appealing than plain white or beige. And of course I love the natural lighting!

Transformed into the dramatic play center now. The play kitchen I selected specifically for its lighter colors, and the coordinating table I just happened to stumble across at DIs. We use my (gasps of horror!) primary colored red chairs at the table, which ties in nicely with the red burners on the stove. Last year I added a red rug (IKEA, of course) and we had a very nice, homey, and certainly not overwhelming color scheme. But the kids in my class last year made hot chocolate on the rug (literally) & it hasn't been the same since... in the picture below you can see our attempt at a KWL chart on the walls.
I finally got around to posting the resulting leaf collages from our light table experience. I get an A+ on our utilizing nature in the classroom assignment (I now have natural elements in every classroom). I put the leaf color sorting activity we'd done out, but the kids had less interest in sorting the leaves & more interest in crumbling them...and besides, they needed the table to eat on. So that didn't last long.

Our blocks center--I swear that nook was made for my shelf!
I try to always have at least one set of unit blocks out (either regular blocks or hollow blocks), along with a few manipulatives selections, props (cars/trucks/animals/people/etc), and a game or two. But it varies from day to day. I also try to use different building surfaces for the blocks area (see my previous posts for pictures).

The bright blue primary table & chairs in my art studio. As one parent said, "It looks like they were made for each other!". The table was the one piece of furniture original to the classroom (the bookshelves was there too--but it the teacher in the primary class wants them eventually) & the chairs were mine. They came from a surplus sale the BYU Child Development Lab School had when they replaced all their old chairs & tables with Community Playthings furnishings, if I had a huge grant I'd do the same. Or, maybe I would. Remember I sold all my lovely natural wooden tables and the beautiful, custom-built matching chairs since they wouldn't hold up to PAINT??? So far this table and chairs have survived just about everything, and I no longer cringe when they spill liquid watercolors. Function and cost wins out over aesthetics in this case. Of course, I haven't seen the Community Playthings furniture put to the test yet since the kids don't usually dump liquid watercolor all over the table in their theoretically "hands on" program (it is DAP, just not as much focus on creative exploration--but then I don't know of any other program aside from Bev's that shares my focus on creative exploration, which is easy to understand when I spend an hour cleaning up flour and there is still more to mop up the next day....but that's an entirely different topic altogether). When we finally get around to moving the bookshelves (sometime in the next century!) I want to use that corner for self-serve snack, I think...

Shots of the art center in our studio room, along with the "autumn colors" documentation board and my planning board (not an ideal location, but functional). This is before our new art shelf, hence the clutter on the make-shift desk shelves. I love the lighter color in this room, since it makes the children's work stand out more and I don't know how I survived without wooden floors before! It makes clean up so much easier (OK, to be totally and completely honest in some cases it makes clean up possible).

A bigger shot of our Autum Colors documentation board. I know...horror of all horrors...primary colored scalloped borders. Does it really detract from the children's work? Be honest folks, I'm open to feedback here--and ideas! I like this approach to displays vs. display panels because I can simply stick the pages in the children's portfolios when I switch out the board....but I suppose I should try some documentation panels as well. I did try to get all the "mandated" aspects of a panel in (children's photos, transcrips of conversations, and work samples--am I missing anything?). You have no idea how I stressed over the angled wording on some of those pages. Repeat after me---"It needs to be present, not perfect"...

This is our new art shelf, in it's mostly-organized state. The bins hold paint brushes & paint supplies, scissors & markers, work trays, glue, collage materials, and woodworking materials (I am working on labeling them). The kids really *really* wanted to paint this shelf, I was torn between letting them express their creativity & loving the natural wood. The love for the natural wood won out. I think this is one example of the dilemma created between desire for aesthetics vs. encouragement of creativity--was it worth maintaining the neutral colors in lieu of letting the children contribute to "finishing" the shelf? After all, in putting it together I did give them a sense of ownership. I guarentee if the shelf was painted it would include primary colors, along with bright hues of pink and orange, with the only earthy tones being the brown resulting from several children working on the same area with different colors. Maybe I'll buy the less expensive particle board shelf ($40) for them to paint & use in the light room next time I have extra funds sitting around waiting to be used.

This is one of our "exploration station" tables in the art studio, hosting the sand table in this picture. I love the frame (IKEA again...) but keep forgetting to buy 5x7 photo paper so I actually have pictures to put in it!

This shelf is loosely used as our math center, though it tends to be multi-functional. We did try to use the naturalistic materials for counting & sorting, but they didn't really take to this activity. I have, however, been surprised at the use the color boxes have had--not just for sorting and color identification, there have also been fantastic social engagements as children negotiate use of the objects inside. Perhaps because it's the only form of "commercialism" I allow in the classroom (many of the figurines are from popular, non-violent cartoons).

I've got more photos....but it's after 9 PM & I'm supposed to eliminate all blue light exposure...no computer, no TV, not even a cell phone--pure torture! The idea is it is actually supposed to make me sleep at night. Which, in theory, means I should have more energy during the day. Too bad I still won't be able to match the energy level of 6 children! I enjoy trying though!

Comments, feedback, and constructive critisism is welcome. I don't particularly mind non-constructive criticism either....I'll take whatever I can get at this point!