window on learning: teacher field trip!

One of the best best best ways to invigorate my own teaching is by visiting other preschool classrooms. I had the privilege of observing a full morning at my colleague Laura's site [the site name and location remains confidential as per the director's request] which is in the San Francisco Bay Area in the beautiful state of California.

Peek through my 'window on learning':

One student glues the bones of her invented dinosaur to her paper - maybe a long neck? a t-rex? Students had "discovered" bones the day before in their sensory table and this day each child formed their own dinosaur with their findings!

Laura works with one dinosaur designer to name and explain his prehistoric discovery.

Collaboration at its best when many many hands are in on the formation of this flat block design.

Color, shapes, order, sequence, tall, low, and oh-so-organized.

This kind of math exploration is complex and intentional. Do YOU think these children have done this before?

This kind of work is no accident. Dedicated focus to stack stack stack turn turn turn.

Outside writing space under tree, slanted roof, fence-posted mirror and trays of accessible marking tools.

This is an over-sized garden planter box that is a dirt-filled construction site today!

Nature and more nature, crevices for play, large spaces for play, over, under, far and near. Makes you want to Go Play!

The teachers took apart a 'plastic play house' and attached the walls to the fence for dramatic play in the sand box - the red door swings open and the oven on the left pulls forward for all your baking needs! I've never seen this idea before!

Planters, huge trees, and of course children working with dirt and more dirt!

This huge tree is a favorite for climbing, I was told, and check out the swing attached to the pole through the tree! Love it!

Laura has a little meeting with a group in the tire building area - maybe planning a party? solving a debate? talking about their dinosaur inventions?

This girl was fascinated with these small gem of fruit from the tree above her. Laura and the girl figured out they were small "white" plums!

Approaching these tubes is quite a challenge to balance just right, to lean this way, and have your arms that way - then Let Go!  Impressive!

This Peg Board worker explained to me how the orange was "going around and around and around" the red stick.

When I came back to the Peg Board worker, she had started another "around and around" with blue pegs - and this time with a friend helping!

When is the last time YOU laid on your stomach on the carpet, grabbed a sunflower pen and started writing Right There with three pages ready for marking?!!

It is wondrous to visit another school and live the daily routine as the children navigate their way through what they know is School. Seeing my colleague Laura in action with her students was a gift for myself as she is such a talented, kind and patient educator.

Have YOU visited another school lately? It is such a rich professional development - and professional support - experience that allows you a window on learning that would be impossible via blog, article, or video.
BEING THERE amid the life of a school day is priceless.

hey T-Tom: learning is no accident

Teachers who plan amazing environments for children are absolutely influencing learning.

Here's the thing:

I adore Teacher Tom.

I admit it. His photo on his blog with his fabulous red cape make me think that he wears it everyday. He IS a sort of Super Hero for early learning educators - at least via the blogosphere. Tom is a rebel in the field of early childhood, an inspiration to help us think about This Rule and That Policy, and a never-to-be-questioned supporter of children being allowed to BE children.

One of my favorite posts of Tom's is when he wrote about 2-year-olds using hammers:  

Click here to read all about 2year-olds and Hammers.

However, in Tom's post today, I don't know that I agree with his theory that a play-based teacher steps back and lets children "learn on their own." Here's the full read of Tom's 'Teaching a Play Based Curriculum' [Tom's posting was in response to Emily at The Natural Playground who posted 'Is Free Play Teaching?']

Tom offers that he and his Co-op parents prepare the environment -  "Every day, I strive to make sure we have some way for kids to build stuff. Usually that means some sort of blocks. I also want there to be a sensory exploration going on, an art project, a couple fine motor activities, something over which to puzzle, and at least a few conversation starters. I try to make sure there's a place to learn with one's whole body, a way to get messy..."

This sure sounds like he and his parent group have intentionally planned for what they deem as important for young children to experience on a particular day or over a period of days.

This sure sounds like Tom & Parents have thoughtfully supplied - or taken away - materials and explorations that would provoke open-ended or creative interest and inquiry.

Tom writes that in his daily work with children, he thinks of himself as "an artist...a shopkeeper...a mad scientist...a game master...an interior decorator."

This sure sounds like he is intentional in what he is doing, preparing, and availing for children.

The role of the teacher is so very significant. I believe that this sort of Intentionality is one of the richest, most respectful gifts to offer to children in their play spaces. Teachers have afforded the environment and materials truly a central role (that 3rd teacher in Reggio doctrine) and in turn allow the day to mysteriously unfold with children engaged by choice and self direction.

My point to challenge what Teacher Tom was writing is that when the environment and materials are so thoughtfully offered as they have done, that learning  - in essence - IS planned.

What I mean by that specifically is that YOU KNOW that amazing engagement, curiosity, and invention will happen:

YOU KNOW that children will explore color at that art project, or explore speed and distance at that ramps with balls area, or use descriptive language like Squishy or Gloppy or Super Cold at that sensory table filled with glue, cornstarch + water.

So, sure, the exact learning is not planned as teachers look forward to children using materials in unexpected ways. Maybe children want to use pinecones or branches to paint with at that art project, or use aluminum foil hand-made balls at that ramp area, or add mud to the sensory table. Maybe.

Sure, I get what Teacher Tom was saying. The exact learning is not planned. The exact math concept of one-to-one correspondence is not taught, the exact science concept of examining the properties of liquids is not taught, the exact small motor concept of writing the letter A is not taught. However...

In the most wondrous play-based schools like Teacher Tom's - learning is no accident.

because it is your name

Came across an old photo and just stared at it.

I remembered this 4-year-old girl in this exact moment, so many years ago.

I remembered her NAME  - easily - as I stared at the photo of her water painting her own name with a stick, at our school, outside on the playground, on the side of the sand box.

Outside exploration with sticks and water and ... T-A-Y-L-O-R.

I thought about how special each of our names are to us.

How it begins so early to put our name on things we do, things we make, things we own. Putting our name on something is an action of sorts - it is an announcement that continues to announce every time someone reads our name:

This is ME, I am HERE. This is MY NAME.

Painting mostly abstractly on the easel...except for his name: can you see it TWO TIMES?

Think about your name.

Think about how people know YOU because of your name, how it sounds,

how it feels on your tongue,

how it rhymes or jolts or is lovely like a song.

one friend gives friend JACK a letter which he discovers in his mailbox: he knows it is his because it is HIS NAME.

There are so many names to know OTHER THAN our own: this girl is writing a note to someone from the class list!

Do you make sure to KNOW your students names on the first day (nearly!) of school? I have found that knowing a student's name (and their guardians, and siblings, and grandmothers...) literally changes your relationship in one instant:

"Wow? YOU know ME?" 

Has that ever happened to YOU? Didn't you feel immediately welcomed, included and "in" ?
Your name has power and grounding and vitality.

It is double-or-nothing for C-H-R-I-S-T-I-N-A as she signs her second piece of art work with HER NAME.

Personally, I remember wishing I had a different name because I wanted it to "sound" a different way - exotic perhaps, or like a famous person, or from another country. As I grew up, I realized my name was exactly what it should be and it fit me exactly right.

My name IS french and IS in songs by David Bowie and Elton John so surely I can be content with that.

My name IS part of I Dream of Jeannie and The Little Mermaid. It could be worse.

And, I am pleased with the general "magic" with which my name IS associated. 

Professionally, I have been called by my first name only, then "Miss Jeanne" for about thirteen years, then "Teacher Jeanne" (of which I am not a fan) and now, well, am back to my first name only in the college courses I teach.

My husband takes delight in hearing "Hello Miss Jeanne" on occasion as we walk through our downtown streets in the location where I taught for so many years. It does have a nice ring to it - my name ... granted, to be acknowledged usually does have a nice ring to it.

What about YOUR name? Does it fit you just right? Have you struggled with it?

A-M-A-N-D-A's name is ready to take flight with her twirly flyer any second!

special delivery of a card with 2 NAMES on it and looking for ONE NAME on the exact right mailbox.

Think about all the places we NAME IT in our classrooms: 

name tags, cubbies, clothing, shoes, blankets, backpacks, lunchboxes, mailboxes, coat hooks, charts, portfolios, writing area lists, birthday boards, sing up lists...
so many opportunities for our NAMES to be boldly present. 

a friendly monster story AND a painted I-S-A-B-E-L-L-A ... what could be better?

from a boy named W-A-L-T: "C-O-L-E you are inv - " ited to my birthday party. friendship rocks.

Think about the names that will be in your upcoming class.

KNOW that each name is important - the way it is pronounced and the respect it deserves. 

The name IS the child that you are inviting, welcoming, and including into the family that is your classroom. 

Uplift the names, uplift each child.

this says it all: L-A-U-R-E-N and then she had me write at the bottom "I put a frame around my name!" well done.

We should ALL feel this proud of our NAME [like Lauren's painting above] where we frame our name in big bold fabulous paint.

S-I-G-N  your  N-A-M-E.

be that teacher

What IF... children could DO what they wanted with whatever materials they chose?
What IF...children could THINK of an idea then try it out with whatever materials they chose?
What IF... children could INVENT anything they wanted with whatever materials they chose?

Mix mix mix all the colors on the palette...creating just the color she wants, needs, wants, needs.

What IF...teachers loved teaching BECAUSE the children invented and thought and created in their own ways? 
What IF?

Make it happen.

Be that teacher.

The joy is endless. The joy is endless. The joy is endless.

Bugs, bears, GEO boards upside-down, dominoes, 1-10 blocks, pattern rods designed exactly just so by 2 children.

KAPLA wood blocks in star shapes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and working on #9...

Bears, red and yellow counters, rods, and geometric shaped pieces to work together to cover this flannel board!

Using a ruler and black pen to make lines over a large water colored art piece.

Magna tiles, cardboard tunnels, cube blocks, cones and one traffic orange-white striped cone on top!

THINK ABOUT the amazing creations that would not have been created if children needed (needed?) to do things like adults expect traditionally?
   
   What kind of learning environment is that?
   What kind of day is that for the child AND the teacher?

I have always wanted to have a joyful, surprising, wonderful day at school...just like children want.

Be that teacher. 

Make it happen for the children and for yourself.

This block structure is NO ACCIDENT - different sized rectangles and slanted ramp blocks to exactly create this.

Magnet balls inside of shells lined up in a lovely curvy line with one closed at the end.

Hat created with tape and specially cut papers, then curved and attached just so, with bits flaring out the side.

Using their marble ramp design skills to use variety of recycled wood balls to roll simultaneously.

"There is a big difference between
having many choices

and making a choice." 
(bender)

Skills in CHOICE MAKING:

• sense of self as meaning maker
• creativity
• small motor
• hand-eye coordination
• opinions and knowledge about colors, sizes, quantities (qualities & attributes)
• design ideas
• self help skills
• problem solving
• determining what I do need or want vs. what I don't need or want
• surprise and joy in the exploration

mirror that!

math area with wall of MIRRORS, pillows and low work table.

 The idea of MIRRORS in the early childhood classroom is wondrous on a number of levels:

Light.

Reflection.

New thinking.

Looking closer.

Mimicking.

Game playing.

Color.

Movement.

geo boards, sorting bears, and dominoes in the "MIRROR cubby"

Mirrors 

can be used in small cubby spaces to open up the area.

In one of my classrooms, I had an inset area about 4 feet high under some attached upper cabiinets - I mirrored the whole space, added pillows and a low "toddler" table for kneeling use by preschool age children.

We used the space as part of our math and science center, game invention space and large puzzle building space.

We actually called the space "the mirror cubby".

this boy put together 6 large scenic puzzles BY HIMSELF in the "MIRROR cubby'!

self portrait with a TRI-fold MIRROR.

using a leaning MIRROR as a reference for his completed self portrait.

large inside MIRRORED play space for gross motor and movement

MIRRORS above a light table  - Wow!

MIRRORS as table mats for flowers and science explorations.

MIRRORS as part of drama spaces.

Here's the thing, though.

Actual MIRRORS are not the only thing to consider when using the term "MIRROR".

We can think of mimicking, matching, and reflecting back with peers and objects:

this boy's attempt at MIRRORING his watercolor art with his paper towel.

these two friends MIRROR each others' hats and cameras (and smiles that you cannot see!).

this pencil drawing is a MIRROR of the child's Geo Board design

a group of children MIRROR their hands in this sensory tablet.

both girls are trying to MIRROR the other - walking with hula-hoops!

this student is trying to MIRROR the phrase "ONCE UPON A TIME"

AND, perhaps my favorite kind of MIRROR:

this student always came to school in clothes that were seemingly NOT play clothes, yet her PLAY never was interrupted.
The most important MIRRORING that occurred was clearly her family's support of her PLAY PLAY PLAY. 


Got MIRRORS? 
They will dramatically change your environment, the materials, the relationships.
Think about mirroring part of a wall, or adding leaning small mirrors in a display area, or including hand held mirrors as props. 
Think outside the box to add light and reflection to your daily life with young children.