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

domino highway

Gotta love dominoes of any kind. Once you start playing, it is sort of addictive!
Try different kinds of BLOCKS, or CEREAL BOXES, or rectangular SPONGES, or LEGOs or actual DOMINOES: line them up - or design in a swirl or make a race with friends - then give them a little PUSH...
These boys took the challenge to new heights.
I had never seen children put dominoes up on a second level like this.
The boys worked together, steady hands, and repeated their attempts again and again (just like we all do when getting a focus for a game of dominoes!).

"I'll work from this end, you work from that end..."

"I think that domino in the middle started by itself!"

"Here we go! We used dominoes in our hands to give the PUSH and the whole top of the highway went down!" Please note that none of the pieces even fell off the highway! wow!

Great for:

• small motor
• hand-eye coordination
• space planning
• problem solving
• creative design
• cause & effect (IF I push this, THEN these will fall over...)
  
• indoors or outside
• done alone, with partner or in a group
• varied complexity depending on age, interest,  & objects used

Read for a game of Dominoes?

Have fun, be patient, and see how far your domino highway 

- or ground level road - 

can travel!

today I'm going yesterday

where are YOU headed? summer? adventure? new, great things?

Some of you know that I have been on a sort of sabbatical this year. I had had surgery last year on my ankle and it was not up for the demands that working with young children requires - up, down, criss-cross, dash, squat, and sitting in 12 inch height chairs.

So, ironically, with a push from a colleague, I started Zella Said Purple to give me an outlet, a place to shove my brain and create and think and share about my journey thus far as an early childhood educator.

So, ironically, BECAUSE OF the blog, an opportunity came to me to teach a college level course on integrated curriculum at one of our state colleges. And, I am thrilled that they asked me to teach again this fall.

Ok, so, I couldn't quite teach young children due to some of the physical demands, but I COULD teach college students. I was pleased to be in the classroom again this term, January to end of May, yet the classroom - of course - wasn't quite the same.

However, in the end, I had the same feelings (well, pretty close) that I have at the end of a "regular" school year with young children. That feeling you get of knowing you will miss these particular students and knowing that this group will never form the same again. A bittersweet feeling and one of the reasons that I love being part of SCHOOL, EDUCATION, TEACHING so much:
The butterflies in September as you take a deep breath to start yet another school year...the "this is the longest month ever" feeling in March...the melancholic feeling that hits you somewhere in May when you or the students start counting down the days til The Last Day of School.
Sigh. 

Usually, at the end of the school year, my class would have a big celebration with families to present the children their  large binder portfolios - full of their self-directed work - over-filled and over-flowing. They would also have a photo memory book (maybe via iPhoto or Shutterfly) of classroom events, routines, celebrations -  all photos, no captions. The portfolio binder and the photo book would contain one page from the teachers, this poem by Jack Prelutsky, because it says it all and so much better than I could ever articulate. Perhaps YOU would like to use it, also, as you wrap up your year...

 TODAY I'M GOING YESTERDAY

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.

-jack prelutsky-

'yesterday' poem and others!

cheers to all for a wonderful end of school!

(you KNOW September will be here in a blink...)