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.

the quiet classroom

End of the school year always brings such mixed feelings for me.

The last two years I have been an instructor at a state university in California and even closing the grades with college age students stills brings the same feelings for me.

The investment, relationships, personalities, understandings, discussions, 'aha' moments, struggles, joys...they are all bundled into the final days at a school and the days afterward when the classroom is so quiet. So very quiet.

how could you NOT miss these faces, these personalities, these people?

For now, though, it is the bittersweet tug-of-war of emotions of being glad for a summer break and also being sad that the group I just finished working with will never form together the same again. I tell people that I can compare it to a business model of work  - it is like every year my entire "department" of colleagues leaves, it just happens that my colleagues are five-years-old. Sigh.

Here is the my favorite, all time favorite, poem that I use when I work with young children and their families. This poem is usually the end paper in the children's individual portfolio books. The poem is the most lovely, quirky, exact compilation of how I feel, what I wish, how I have joy, how I have sorrow.

Here is the incomparable wordsmith talents of Jack Prelutsky:

Today I'm going yesterday as quickly as I can,

I'm confident I'll do it, I've devised a clever plan,

it involves my running backward at a constant rate of speed,

if I'm mindful of my timing I'll undoubtedly succeed.

Today I'm going yesterday I'm moving very fast,

as I'm putting off the future for the rather recent past,

I can feel the pressure fading as I hastily depart,

and look forward to arriving on the day before I start.

Today I'm going yesterday I'm slipping out of sight,

and anticipate I'll vanish just a bit before tonight,

when I reach my destination, I'll compose a note to say,

that I'll see you all tomorrow, which of course will be today.

So, maybe your classroom is Oh So Very Quiet. Yet, you can keep 'going yesterday' and you will hear the joyful noise coming from the walls.

3 ways to steal time back

Don't you love being a GUEST ?

It is such a treat to be invited somewhere to do something and to be a GUEST.

My special Guest Appearance happened today over at the ever-amazing Christie's blog Childhood 101. Christie has her energies focused on her newest adorable member of her family and has scheduled many guest bloggers over these weeks with "mom-in-the-hotseat" or "teacher-in-the-hotseat" posts.

How to get time back? GIVE it to the children.

Click Here To Read The Entire Post Over At CHILDHOOD 101. 

Here are few blog-bites from the post all about the Challenge of Time for Teachers:

Time Stealer #1: Teachers focusing on Teacher Agenda

"...a Time Stealer is when teachers are not “present” with the children in the moment to witness learning, scaffold an experience or take photos and/or document an exploration. Teachers instead have the children “busy enough” in class so that the teacher can prep the NEXT thing they want the children to be engaging in or doing. The day is a blur of next, next, next. "

Steal Time Back #1: Leave room IN your agenda for children’s discoveries to guide your teaching.

"...When you sit down nearby a group of children building in the block area, examine the materials they have chosen, listen in to their drama they created around the Cave for Dinosaurs. Your formal or informal collection of this kind of data in turn authentically informs your teaching for the next day or weeks instead of needing to hurry up to prep a butterfly art project that has no connection to what the children are really DOing."

Time Stealer #2: Teachers impose their exact way for children to do something

"...This kind of ‘teaching’ usually has a complimentary “Don’t press the brush” “Don’t dip in two colors” “Don’t use too much paint”. Not a favorite style of mine. This is a Time Stealer because children don’t require our guidance in this way."

Steal Time Back #2: The classroom environment is set for children to USE and EXPLORE materials and tools on their own. 

"...Yet, really, does paint require a How To? What if children surprised you with how they mixed and dabbled and smushed and dotted different colors? Wouldn’t that enrich your understanding about that child’s creativity and exploration with color and tools? Would all the colors being mixed to brown be the worst thing? Would smashed bristles on a paint brush be the worst thing? Would paint dripping off the easel be the worst thing? All of these can be used in a discussion of “Oh, what happened here?”...  If teachers let go of How To, there will be huge amounts of Time given back to exploration in all areas of the classroom. You don’t need to teach children how to play. We need to let children show us how they play."

Time Stealer #3: Teachers need to Prep and Clean all day

"Teachers need to wash, disinfect, sort, stack, prep, organize all day long with food, materials, and children’s items. Teachers allow this part of our job to Become Our Job all day. "

 Steal Time Back #3: Teachers partner with children to care for the classroom.

"...Children who take ownership of the classroom have a much stronger role in the care of the classroom. When children are in an environment where they choose their materials and tools, have extended choice time to play, and have authentic relationships with teachers, they in turn have an awareness of the care that is required for their classroom and desire to be caring members...

Children learn sorting, sequencing, organizing, as well as being a member of a group, helping, and recognizing what a ‘cleaned up’ classroom looks like."

Hmmm. Who would have known that the best way to GET TIME BACK FOR TEACHERS is to GIVE IT TO THE CHILDREN ?

oh, so simple...so very very simple.

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?

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.

"thinking about sharks"

maybe painting about the word HAPPY makes this child happy.

What

makes

a child

happy?

[pause...tilt your head, squint one eye, twist your mouth...ponder.]

Now, let me pose the question in a different way:

Ask a child to explain to you what makes them happy.

And Then, tell me the answer.

LIKELY ~ what YOU think makes a child happy

might be quite different than what THEY say.

LIKELY ~ your child might answer right in the moment, right then,

and tell in their own colorful way what makes them happy.

[quite likely.]

So, certainly, what YOU think makes them happy might well be true, no doubt.

sure looks like happiness to me!

YOU KNOW your child loves soccer or ice cream or all-things-glitter...

Yet, isn't part of the joy of happiness how each person can have their own sense of it? Their very own version of how life feels to them, tastes, quiet, loud, big, bright, funny, purple?

Young children know very very early on what makes them happy.

They really do know.

My former colleague, Megan, a dear friend and mother extraordinaire to 3 year old Tavo, was my inspiration for this post. She had shared on a social network about Tavo and his musings to her about what makes HIM happy. Here is the short - yet so very sweet and insightful - exchange:

Mom Megan: "Tavo, what makes you happy?"

3 year old Tavo: "Thinking, drinking hot cinnamon, and relaxing."

I imagine Tavo sitting next to Megan or maybe looking right up to her, offering this answer in a way that surprises her in a charming way and yet probably doesn't surprise her as these 3 things are likely very dear to him in his life. Likely, the relaxing or the thinking are part of his personality already. Likely, the hot cinnamon is something Megan and Tavo share occasionally (I don't know what that is, but it sure sounds good on this rainy California night!).

I imagine how wonderful that a 3 year old has a sense of "relaxing" and that it is something that he seeks out to do.

I imagine how powerful that a 3 year old has a sense of  "thinking" and that he is the boss of his own thoughts.

Makes me happy just thinking about Tavo's response.

I asked my Zella friends on FB about what makes their child happy.

Some shares included the parents' ideas about what they know their children enjoy: play time, cheese, Dora, basketball!

Hmmm, maybe the boy would also be happy swimming with alligators?

Another reader who is an early childhood teacher shared a child's answer from a class discussion [which became the short title for this post]: "The boy said he felt happy when he was swimming in a cool pool thinking about sharks."

wow. who could have known this? only the boy.

ask your child. 

and then, please share their response - you'll be happy you did :)

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?

what children hear...

Was out shopping today at a gorgeous outdoor shopping center in California.

Was sitting on a bench that had two lovely trees as bookends.

"Look! This tree has an umbrella shaped top!" -- "What? We are going to Jamba Juice?"

Each tree had been specially trimmed to have its branches arranged in a flat top that fanned out, almost like a spider web design, and also was twisted with small lights which turn on at dusk.

As I was sitting having coffee, a mother with two young boys started walking by.

The mother stopped the boys right in front of me and said:

"Boys, look at the top of this tree. When the leaves come in it will look like an umbrella!"

The youngest boy spun around on one foot and looked all around.

The older boy, perhaps five years old, looked straight at his mother and replied:

"What did you say? We are going to Jamba Juice?"

[Jamba Juice is a well known chain of juice stores  - there is one in the background of the photo.]

The mother burst out laughing, as did I. 

The mother said, "No, I didn't say we were going to Jamba Juice. I said, look at this tree and see how it has an umbrella shape at the top."

"Oh," said the older boy. "So, we are not getting juice?"

"Come on, boys, time to keep walking..."

The mother and I smiled at each other.

Off they went.

I am still smiling.

How often do YOU have the experience of the "selective listening" or the "edit to one's advantage" kind of listening by your children or students? It does happen, I know it does.

4 truly loved valentine books

Last week I posted about how our class celebrates Valentines to connect family and school. You can read that post called 'Got Valentines?' by clicking here.

I realized I need  - truly that is the word NEED - to share my favorite and best loved Valentines books...

Here are my 4 Top Picks:

1. Frog in Love. by Max Velthuijs. Sadly, it is no longer in print so I suggest you search the amazon world for it because it is the most heart felt and sweet story of Frog who falls in love with Duck. The illustrations are tremendously lovely. Perhaps my favorite book on "love" :)

2. Franklin's Valentines. by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark. You know all about the Franklin series of books. The characters are so well done with Bear, Owl and all the friends. IN this Valentine adventure, Franklin has a little mishap with his special cards for his friends and -well - I won't tell you how it all gets resolved [but it does!].

3. The Day It Rained Hearts. [also know as Four Valentines in a Rainstorm]. by Felicia Bond (the 'If You Give a Mouse' author!). Such a simple, sweet story of one girl who makes extra special Valentines for her extra special friends. Super short story and young children love trying to guess which Valentine is for which kind of friend.

4. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. by Eileen Spinelli & Paul Yalowitz. Oh, how I do love this longer story of dear, quiet Mr. Hatch who [accidentally] gets a Valentine box of chocolates delivered to his house. The delivery makes him think someone Does love him and he begins to have confidence to talk to co-workers and become a bit more connected in his neighborhood. Oh, and how sad when the box is determined to not really be his - so sad for only a moment. Mr. Hatch's new friends let him know they Do love him :)



Do you have a favorite read for this time of year?

"then, somebody created sound"

Our 4-page movie story called "Ladybug on a Bike" - with flashlight and popcorn!

Project based work makes each school year unique and exciting.

One year, we went on a fabulous journey in our Movie Theatre Project.

Stage One:

Teachers and children identify a topic worth studying.

In this case, the children realized that two of our chapter book read-aloud books were also movies they knew about: Charlotte's Web & Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This began our discussion around how books become movies and how movies can show you a story a bit different than a book.

Stage Two:

Collecting data.

We planned a visit to our local independent Theatre. The workers there were wonderful to allow us to come during a morning time when we could have the theatre to ourselves. We generated a list of questions that we would ask and brought our camera.

Here are some of the things we learned, via photos and children's memory drawings:

Stage 3:

Exploration and re-enactment.

We created our own Movie Theatre in our classroom, under our loft. We worked in groups to create large story pages and then made up our own story as a whole class. Our biggest hit was "Ladybug on a Bike" !

We studied newspapers to see how movies are promoted.

We made signage, collected items from home to create uniforms, snack area, and used time and money in our signs and announcement.

We invited other classes of students to visit our theatre, hear our movie which was told live by a student for each show, and popcorn was really "sold" to our guests.

Stage 4: Celebration.

We invited our families to come in and hear the process of our project, to "hear" our movie and to have a feast to celebrate the rich learning of the three-month Movie Theatre Project.

Don't you love how books become movies?