a child's plan in a play-based school

Children's ideas are supported inside the classroom and outside.

I was speaking with a colleague, Maria, yesterday after school. Maria had been extending an interest of the children by offering musical instruments and music books on our outside patio. Our school had had a community event over the weekend where the university band came and played. The children had been mesmerized and inspired during the party.

Maria shared about Lance deciding to make his own Drum on Monday using cardboard and paper. Maria then shared the most special part: The next day, on Tuesday morning, Lance had made a plan at home before school with his mother. He had told his mom that today when he went to school that he would create a trombone and that she should come to the end of class when Storytime (meeting time, circle time) normally happened because he would play his trombone then.

Lance's first trombone. He made 4 others in following days.

Lance DID make a trombone at school out of huge recyclable tubes and milk caps for the buttons and lots of tape. 

Lance DID perform the university song during Storytime - with 8 other children who also invented instruments that day.
Lance's mother DID make sure to arrive for Storytime (parents are always welcome to join) to see and hear the trombone.

THIS is the beauty of a Play Based School. 
Lance knew that his ideas and plans would be supported and encouraged at school. 
Lance knew that school was where he made his own choices about where he played, with whom to play, and what materials with which to engage.
At our school, if Maria had not had music items or recyclables set out the next day, the teachers would ensure Lance could access whatever he needed to complete any plan he made.
 
Lance's dedication to his lengthy project, the pride he felt to complete it just how he wanted, and commitment to work along side 8 other friends who were designing flutes and tubas and drums - priceless. This exact play and plan could only happen where the teacher role is facilitator. We are there to uplift the work, ideas and world of the children.

Can you hear the trombone?

grab an iPad, hit Pause, then Draw: a 4-year-old IN ACTION

I am always in search for the Next Story for my blog. As in, the Next Story that tweaks my interest when I see or hear something about young children's innovative methods for learning.

I had the good fortune last week to be speaking with a parent in the 3-5s class in which I teach. The dad, Vlada, and I were talking about his 4-year-old daughter Zoe and  - voila! - my Next Story. How amazing that this creative technology story came right to my lap when Vlada told me about how Zoe had been exploring with her iPad at home.

Zoe working at home with her iPad - pausing a scene so she can use her sketch paper to draw a favorite character.

Vlada shared with me how Zoe uses her iPad to watch short children's shows and also do other games on the iPad. A couple weeks ago, Vlada said Zoe started using her iPad - along with paper & pencils - in an unique way:

Zoe would be watching a favorite show on her iPad, then Pause it at a certain point, then turn to use blank paper and pencils to draw details of her favorite characters from the show. Zoe would view her iPad, hit Pause, draw, hit Rewind for a different detailed freeze frame, Pause, and draw further. Zoe would engage this way for long periods of time and has returned to this invented activity many times since Vlada first witnessed Zoe's iPad + Paper art experience. [genius!]

As an educator, I was particularly struck by Zoe's seamless integration of technology, small motor, choice-making, representational efforts with drawing tools, self-direction, and being an agent of one's own learning.

Of course, it is no surprise that children are the best teachers to show us HOW things can be used, turned, pushed, pulled in ways that we as adults would never dream up.
Of course this tech idea came from the best source - a 4-year-old in action.

* Technology use by early learners has been a hot topic for a number of years. Earlier this year, NAEYC put out its statement on Tech + Media. Here is a link to a previously written blog about technology and young children which includes links to the NAEYC Statement: Authentic Ways to Use Technology.

Special thanks to Vlada and Zoe for allowing me

to share their story and photo. 

What do YOU think of Zoe's inventive way

to incorporate technology with her interest in art?

Do you have other children's examples of playing with

or incorporating technology?

a work of [robot] art

Wow. 

Sometimes that just sums it up. Wow.

Please admire the tremendously creative, talented, fuzzy-soft work of Wendy Tsao of the ever-fabulous Child's Own Studio . Wendy has a gifted eye for taking a child's art or drawing work and allowing it to come to life via her fabrics and sewing talents.

I had put in a request for one of her one-of-a-kind productions by sending her a drawing of a Robot Monster done by 4-year-old Cole. I let Wendy know that Cole loves friendly things and he loves Where The Wild Things Are...and then Wendy did the rest.

Thank you to Wendy for making me smile when I think of adults living a life that is full of the joy and invention that is Childhood. Wendy's work is just that.

drawing of a friendly robot monster by 4yo Cole

Wendy of Child's Own Studio invented this softie model

Don't you love that the robot has 4 arms? Wendy posed him with 2 arms crossed :)

The details and furry fabric chosen by Wendy are perfectly suited for Wild Things!

Arrived at our house and ready to be gifted to the artist!

Talent talent talent

to make a Robot Monster look friendly and cheerful.

What do you think of the drawing turned softie?

for the love of dirt

Mariana, age 25 months, helping with the gardening at home.

Where does the love of dirt begin for a child?

Are certain children more likely to love the FEEL, the coolness, the texture, the color, and the DIRTiness that comes from dirt?

Maybe it is learned? Maybe it is innate? Because - let's face it - dirt is so very dirty.

My friend and teaching colleague Vanessa posted a "hands-on, body-in" photo of her 25 month old daughter Mariana.
Mariana is focused in her garden at home, working at transplanting with  the vigor and finesse of a two-year-old : hand in a fist and giving a good yank to the start up plant from the small container.

Gift #1: Mariana is dressed for getting into her work and contributing her efforts to the family garden.
Gift #2: Mariana is allowed by her parents to sit right in the middle of that garden patch - right in the middle or the corner or wherever she plopped herself down.
Gift #3: Mariana was offered the plants to grasp [good luck, little plants!] and had the opportunity to experience for herself the feeling of the dirt dirt dirt.

From the early childhood educator lens, I loved this photo so much that I had to ask for permission to use it for a blog post.

Consider: Many educators are in favor of offering no-mess experiences because  - well - it is easier.
Consider: Many educators are in favor of directing children exactly "the right way" something needs to be done (whether 2 years old or older).
Consider: Many educators have a whole List Of Rules of  how and when and why not and don't. 

In YOUR classroom:
Can you allow for exploration?
Can you allow for the child to lead her own discovery?
Can you allow for a little dirt to be the source of an invaluable sensory experience?
Maybe the experience might look like this:

boys hands-on in the muddy sand.

outside mud kitchen

*Thank you to Vanessa and Mariana for inviting us into the middle of their garden to feel the wonder of dirt.

got dirt?

the girl at the motorcycle museum

What if you could always self-select your activities to determine your own enjoyment and engagement? Sounds good, right?

What if then you were surrounded by people who also self-selected That experience on That day? Hmm, that could work out well.

Likely, it would turn out like my own family adventure over holiday...

My 8 year old niece Megan is a choice maker, an experimenter, an inventor.

She is sharp witted, she is colorful, she is action packed.

She is 'I can keep up with my 4 older brothers' AND she is 'I love sparkly things.'

Megan 'test rode' every demo bike at the Museum!

So, it really shouldn't have surprised me when my husband and I visited Wisconsin over holiday and planned to go on a field trip to the Motorcycle Museum one hour away from my niece's city.

I called my sister, Megan's mother, to find out if any of the big brothers or Megan would like to join us the next day at the Museum.

My sister's answer was 'Yes, Megan wants to go.' 

I said 'You are kidding?' 

My sister said 'Oh, no, really, Megan wants to go. She is already counting her money so she can go to the gift shop.' 

I said 'Really...really?'

My sister says 'Do you want to talk to her so you'll believe me?'

Me: 'Yes, Absolutely, I'd like to talk with her.'

Megan gets on the phone.

I said 'Meg, your mom said you'd like to join us to go the Motorcycle Museum?'

Megan: Oh, Yes I would.

Me: So, you know this is a different kind of museum. It doesn't have Dinosaurs nor Fancy Artwork nor Experiments for Kids to Play? It is only Full of Motorcycles.

Megan: Yes, I know. I'd like to go!

We left the next afternoon for a most memorable museum experience.

It is highly possible that Megan was more engaged and delighted by the Harley-Davidson Museum than even my engine-loving husband or my younger sister and her teen-age son!

We all wore the usual motorcycle casual attire: blue jeans and other things that are black or gray.

Gotta get low in the Race Position!

Megan wore her Mrs. Santa dress - long sleeved red velour dress that went mid-calf and had a white furry collar. She also wore the fluffy cuffed toe-socks that we gave her for Christmas. She carried a blue jean purse with special zippers. She was all set. Period.

The HD Museum actually had an amazing Scavenger Hunt for children when we entered: Megan got a clipboard, a pencil, and a photo flip chart of 12 cool motorcycles with clues to find them throughout the museum. She was focused and completely rose to the challenge to find these specific motorcycles to complete her game. Megan read clues and read signs and re-read clues. She got some "help" in the search from my wonderful nephew Dan and my sister Jeri.

Later, Megan got a prize of stickers and a wash-away HD tattoo for completing the Scavenger Hunt. Megan shopped in the Gift Shop with her special money from her special purse. She bought something for herself and gifts for her whole family. She was all set.

Megan could be a poster child for "How to Love Going to a Museum."

Megan, clipboard & purse: Studying the Robot that makes special moto parts!

The Harley-Davidson Museum was a huge success.

It was a huge success because an 8 year old girl named Megan Self-Selected to go with us to unlikely place.

I could write more, more, more, but really, Megan had a great time because she Chose to be there.

It is that simple.

Red sparkle dress, furry socks, blue jean zipper purse = Ready for the Motorcycle Museum.

The clear connection to our Early Childhood Education practice: 
Trust children to choose their own experiences. Trust children to want to engage in experiences that interest them. Trust children.

the dinosaur that might be dead

It was a surprise - this "dinosaur that might be dead" - a big surprise.
It was a gift on many levels.
The exploration that occurred on this day literally changed my teaching.

"we need to figure out what happened to this skull...!"

It changed how I understood, introduced and valued materials.
It changed how I understood children's engagement with materials as the children seamlessly integrated rich role playing within an exciting scenario that lasted for many days and included many other children.

Also, it became the spin off point for my masters thesis in graduate school (no worries, won't share that whole thing here! :)

Here's the Very True Story of "The Dinosaur That Might Be Dead" :

It was bigger than an Aha! moment that comes along in teaching. I stood frozen for just a few seconds until I realized that this event that was just beginning to unfold in front of me was going to be special. Sometimes you just know. There was energy present among these 4-year-olds that I knew would bring something beyond unique or amusing as they began to engage with the science materials.

Without saying a word, their actions were telling me "Look at this! Look at us! We are teaching you right now. We are giving you a gift." (and they were!).

Starting to examine the skull with shells and magnifiers.

In the science area in our 4s/5s classroom, all the exploration tools and equipment are available for the children to use as they wish. 

I usually have introduced the different materials in large group so that children have some sense as to how they might engage with them, yet they can discover new ways on their own.

One particular day, I introduced a deer skull - teeth, bones, cracks and all. I shared with the children how a family had given this skull to our Room 5 classroom many years ago. The family had found it at their grandparents farm as they went on a walk way back behind their barn. They thought we might like to use it to further our then-study of fossils and bones.

I offered to the children, "It seems that bones are pretty interesting for children to investigate. If you would like to plan to work in Science today, perhaps you'll be able to make some new discoveries about the skull."

Three children - Cara, Lucas and Nolan - all planned to work in the Science Area.
"We want to use the deer skull," they each said to me.

The three children took the deer skull to an open table...
then the children turned around and proceeded to take out everything else from the Science shelves, as well, and bring it all to the table. 
They had kaleidoscopes, magnets, shells, pinecones and magnifiers.
"Oh, yes," Lucas says to me, "we need everything so we can figure out what happened to this skull!" Claire and Nolan agreed quickly and spread all their equipment out. I sat nearby to listen to their discussion as the 'examination' of the deer skull began. 


The children used

• shells to tap into small gaps of the skull.
• magnifiers for all areas of the skull, especially to examine the cracks which they quickly pronounced as quite important to whatever happened to the skull
• magnets were slipped into the eye holes
• kaleidoscopes were used for looking at teeth

While all three children used the equipment in unique ways to examine the skull, the dialogue between the children was lively, creative and quite dramatic.

The children turned themselves into Doctors of various kinds - "I am the Doctor Wizard,", "I am the Doctor Princess" and "I am the Doctor of Bones." 

The children agreed that they were not dealing with just a deer skull, but actually
 A DINOSAUR THAT MIGHT BE DEAD!

More friends examine the "dinosaur that might be dead" with kaleidoscopes, magnifiers, water/oil blocks, and shells

Cara: We are going to make him back alive!

Lucas: I am checking the eye and the nose...

C: It is getting worse!

Nolan:  I think we should check his head! There might be a rock in there or something!

C: His brain is not thinking - that is wrong!

N: It is getting worse!

C, N, L: We must check his eyes and his nose again!

N: There is an infection on his horns!

C: We have to wash his eyes to make him alive! Or he might have to stay in heaven forever...

L: I think he needs some medicine!

C: We have to help him die, that is the only way!

N: We need kaleidoscopes to help him!

L: Yes!

N: Uh-oh, he is getting power in his nose, there must be a lizard nearby! Maybe he swallowed a snake or a lizard!

N: Come on, we got to do this fast, no time to talk, he is getting worse fast!

C: He is going to die!

L: Inside is really bloody now...

N: Uh-oh, he is cracking more...

L: I need to wash his teeth...

N: Yes, that will take away the cracks.

C: No, no, no, something else was happening. I think the snake killed him with his teeth...

N: ...with his tongue!

C: He has killers in his teeth, that means he is really dangerous!

N: Like a boa constrictor!

L: No, a rattle snake, no a rattle scorpion, or a dinosaur!

N: It was a rattle snake because they are dangerous, very dangerous. They live in the desert. This is very serious. Hey, both the scorpion and the snake live in the desert, maybe they both killed him...!

N: This is a big discussion we are having!

L: We need to kill him or else he will kill the whole world!

N: This is serious, way serious. Maybe he got shot by an arrow, or maybe he got burned by fire...

Testing and examining continues with shells inserted through holes and cracks of the "dinosaur that might be dead."

The dialogue was rich with theories about life and death. There was diverse tool use, inventive role play, and engagement with peers.
There was depth of interest in the investigation and quick, open thinking to participate in this conversation together.

Light Bulb: This experience with Cara, Lucas and Nolan is more than creativity, more than role playing, more than exploring with materials. What this experience brought to light for me was that the materials that are seemingly separate on science shelves are actually not separate at all. The children were driven by an inquiry about this skull that opened up the possibilities of how to use materials. In turn, I found that the children were driven to come back to Science to follow up their own work with the dinosaur from previous days.
Aha!: It was the first time that such a complex scenario was invented in an area of the classroom that is not known for role play to be meshed with inquiry.

For a combination of reasons on this day The Dinosaur That Might Be Dead the children looked at the materials in a new way. Cara, Lucas and Nolan didn't give a second thought to having all the equipment all over the table.
After all, you never know what you may need to bring a dinosaur back to life:  "Come on we got to do this fast, no time to talk, he is getting worse fast!"