fearless water color painting by a 3yo artist

This is my 3 year old friend, Ila, as she engages with paint at home. Her mother, Alexa, knows Ila is hands and body IN when involved with paint. Alexa has paint out for Ila whenever she would like it.

Ila has great freedom at home to explore with all her senses and with all her bright spirit.

At our school, we have the indoor and outdoor areas set up with provocations or explorations for the children. The children may choose wherever they would like to be and engage with whatever materials they choose. The teacher role is well defined to support play, social function and choice.

This particular day, in the classroom we had table easels for water color paintings. Ila came over and started her own work. She began with a red swoop:

After that, Ila began her full painting journey with a lot of BLACK painted here and there, just so, and one more spot right    about    there.

Ila had already added hand prints yet seemed inspired to add more. She was very thoughtful and detailed in her efforts as she painted finger by finger, then full palm back on the paper.

Ila worked on her painting for about 20 minutes as she went back and forth with color, hands, color, hands.
Sometimes we would chat together about what her hands were doing, how the paint felt when the brush stroked over her finger or how sometimes her hand print was light or dark on the paper.

 




When Ila completed her work, I asked her if she would like to tell anything about it, that maybe something was happening inside her painting. Ila dictated her story to bring her painting to life for everyone.

"THERE IS A MERMAID SWIMMING IN THE WATER AND A SHARK BIT HER ON THE LEG BUT SHE SURVIVED."

I am not sure I can say anything else.
Ila's work - her spirit of work - says it all. 

I am inspired to live just one day just like her. [smile]






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*Alexa and Ila's family are no longer at our school. Alexa gave me permission to use her and Ila's first names and to allow Ila's face in the photos.

called to teach, called to play

I was thinking about Teacher Tom and Jenny at Let the Children Play. I was thinking about how teachers we know in the blogosphere are teachers We Know, I mean Really Know. We know what they believe in (children's right to play), we know their mission (uplifting children's play) and we know they each have been called to their work (being educators who Play alongside children). Tom and Jenny certainly Chose their work, but they really were called to it. Thankfully. Their voices in the blogosphere have changed educators and parents perspectives on Play as THE WAY for children to truly, authentically learn.

I was thinking about how each of us have a calling, really, even in the tiniest of moments. For me, when I think of children, I am pulled toward the word Choice. I realize I have written about Choice before, such as I NEED to Do This and Following Emily . I value it maybe more than most other elements of early childhood education because without it the other elements would likely fail.

Here are a few photo examples of Choices being made in children's Play. Each fascinate me in their own way as it seems these children were Called to this specific Play, at this specific moment, and remained engaged in their Choice for lengthy periods of time.

This 4yo girl starting swinging these four swings. She began at one end, gave the first one a push, then moved to the next, next, next. She then circled her way back to the first one to keep them all in motion. She worked here for nearly 15 minutes, alone, keeping all swings swinging.

Two 3yo girls collecting bark and sticks, sitting on tree seats, holding pine cones, magnifiers and - of course - one saw.

3 children with 3 ladders looking in - perhaps - 3 different directions at our neighbor classroom yard.

I observed one 3 yo girl working with a crate full of dinosaurs. First, she arranged them this way, with tails touching in a circle. Then, she aligned them in two rows. Then, partnered them up. Very intentional work.

This 3 yo boy worked for over 20 minutes in the sand area. He dug a deep hole first. Then, he spotted the tires amid the sand and - one by one -rolled and hauled them to layer over his sand hole. After 3 tires high, he peered in, asked me to look in, also, then ran off.   

This 4 year old girl worked for over an hour in the sand and water area, most of the time by herself. She became engrossed in testing out the floating properties of the pine cones. Did you know that some float and some sink? (It's true!). She also tested trying to attach a sinking pine cone to one that did float to see if they would float together. (Any guesses?)

What have you been Called to do?
Did you have a Choice?
Do you get to Play alongside Children?

 

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?