Parent-Child Conversations

I decided to battle the holiday crowds at the mall today and return a few Christmas gifts that didn't fit. As I was standing in line I happened to overhear a conversation that was occurring immediately behind me. A very well-dressed, made up woman was standing with what I guessed to be her eighteen or nineteen year old daughter. The daughter teased her mother by asking her if she would buy her items for her. I was surprised by the mother's tone of voice as she said "no" with a bitter, sarcastic tone. The line was very slow moving. A few minutes later the daughter initiated conversation with the mother again by stating that she had received more Christmas money than expected, and aside from owing her friend a hundred dollars for an upcoming event, wondered what she should do with the rest. She specifically asked her mother how much money she should save. As I heard this the educator in me thought that this was a great teachable moment for the mother to discuss fiscal responsibility and saving with the daughter. But instead of this, the mother snapped at the daughter by asking her to be quiet because she wanted peace and quiet while they waited in line. The daughter stated that she just wanted to know her mother's opinion and the mother responded by telling the daughter to ask her father for his when they got home. The daughter retorted by saying that the father would tell her not to bother him if she asked for advice. Now I realize as an outsider I am not privy to the context or history of this conversation, but as a bystander I felt quite uncomfortable by the whole thing. I resisted the urge to jump into the conversation or give the girl a hug. How do parents learn to interact with their children? What can bystanders do in situations like this? How long had this toxic mother-daughter relationship existed and was the teenager spoken to like this as a young girl? What impact had this on her relationship with her family and others?

It reminded me of Raffi's notion of "Child Honouring" (see link below) and how children are our greatest gifts...meant to be nurtured and encouraged in their explorations for a safe and healthy tomorrow. I believe that as educators we must extend our interactions with parents beyond the regimented monthly newsletter. We should engage in meaningful conversations about children and their potential. However about how we delicately go about doing this I am not quite sure. Perhaps we can start by modeling loving, involved, interested relationships with our children. As the conversation between the mother and daughter ended, I used the fifteen minutes I waited in line to stroke my baby's cheek as he slept in his stroller.

The Hundred Languages of Children

The Hundred Languages of Children

L. Malaguzzi

The child is made of one hundred.

The child has a hundred languages,

a hundred hands,

a hundred thoughts,

a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking.

A hundred, always a hundred,

ways of listening,

of marveling,

of loving,

a hundred joys for singing and understanding,

a hundred worlds to discover,

a hundred worlds to invent,

a hundred worlds to dream.

The child has a hundred languages (and a hundred hundred hundred more),

but they steal ninety nine.

The school and the culture separate the head from the body.

They tell the child:

to think without hands,

do without heads,

to listen and not to speak,

to understand without joy,

to love and to marvel…only at Easter and Christmas.

They tell the child:

to discover the world already there and of the hundred they steal ninety nine.

They tell the child:

that work and play,

reality and fantasy,

science and imagination,

sky and earth,

reason and dream,

are things that do not belong together.

Art Center Idea

Curriculum Expectation: Geometry and Spatial Sense: build three-dimensional structures using a variety of materials, and begin to recognize the three-dimensional figures that the structure contains (Ministry of Education, 2006)

Learning Opportunity: At this center, children will have the opportunity to build three-dimensional structures (e.g., buildings, machines) using empty food containers.

At whole group learning time the teacher will read the story The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973) in order to introduce the concept of different shapes to students. This book introduces the notion that three-dimensional objects (e.g., people, spider webs) are made up of many shapes. After the read-aloud, the teacher can introduce students to specific three-dimensional shapes (e.g., sphere, cube, triangular prism) by displaying and discussing various plastic or wooden 3-D shapes (math manipulatives). A poster with pictures and the names of the shapes can also be shown to students (and later hung near the visual arts or math center). The teacher can first model and then children can practice building structures using the plastic/wooden 3-D shapes as a whole group. This will provide an opportunity for students to experiment with the shapes and brainstorm what they might like to build at the visual art center during center time. The teacher can then model for students how the structures that were created out of math manipulatives can also be made using 3-D materials (e.g., cereal boxes, paper towel rolls) at the visual arts center. Once the structure is made, students can discuss the different shapes that were used to create it. The 3-D shapes and Dr. Seuss book can be left on the carpet or placed in the math area for further student exploration at center time.

Students can spend time building their structures at the visual arts center. A future activity might be for students to paint and decorate their dried and completed structures so that they realistically resemble the intended object. Students can also write about their structures at the language center.

Props:

Circle Time – The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973), various three-dimensional plastic or wooden shapes (math manipulatives), poster with pictures and names of various 3-D shapes

Visual Art Center – numerous clean and empty paper packaging that represent 3-D shapes (e.g., food boxes, frozen juice cans, paper towel rolls), glue sticks, white glue in bottles, paint, paint brushes, various materials to be used as decorations for the final structures (e.g., stickers, glitter, dried pasta). Prior to doing this center, a teacher may wish to explain the center and invite families to send in clean materials that can be used by students as collecting and cleaning enough materials for this center can be time consuming for one person. By informing parents about an upcoming project, families will feel connected and informed regarding the classroom centers and activities, will have an understanding of how math experiences are incorporated into play activities, and many enjoy helping out the classroom by sending in materials for student use.

Play: At center time students would have the opportunity to use the wooden/plastic 3-D shapes together to create various structures. An adult (teacher, teacher candidate, volunteer) at the center can engage students in math talk regarding what they are building (e.g., using positional language to support oral language such as “you’re putting the cube above the rectangular prism) and how many of each shape is in the structure (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003). Students can also be encouraged to draw pictures of what they are building using the math manipulatives.

At the visual art center children can take turns to create their own 3-D structure by gluing various containers together. An adult can be encouraging children in their exploration and heightening the experience through various discussion prompts and questioning (e.g., “That’s a great tower you’re building. How can you make it even taller?” “Wow! I like your boat. How can you make a flagstaff for it?” “ I wonder how I can use the rectangular prism to build a…”)

What might children say or do: I believe that most children will want to visit this center in order to build their own structures. Kid talk might include “I want to build a house like we did at circle.” “Can you help me make a train?” “I like your car…how did you make that?” “Can I make another house?”

Assessment: This experience can be assessed in a number of ways including: a teacher recording anecdotal notes of what children say and do at either the manipulative or visual arts center; having children draw a picture of what was made and describe the structure (how they build it, what shapes were used) and this can be scribed by an adult on the picture; taking a number of photos of students in the process of structure creation (one as they gather the shapes needed, one as the structure is half-complete, one of the student holding the finished structure). Students can be shown the photos and can describe what is happening in each. The photos can be mounted on paper and the adult can record what was said next to them.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto:Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Seuss (1973). The shape of me and other stuff. New York: Beginner Books.

Online Books

A fun way to encourage children to interact with various media is by listening/viewing books online. This way children are exploring text and literacy-based activities while manipulating the Internet and computer. Robert Munsch's website has many books available online for download.

An Excellent New Blog!!!

I just stumbled upon the blog "Excellence in Early Childhood Education" and it is fabulous! Very similar in philosophy with me. Check it out! I'm going to add it to my blog links!

Homework in Kindergarten?

I was recently reading an article about whether students should have homework (http://www.windsorstar.com/Students+homework+excessive/2346291/story.html). It was an interesting read with many considerations. Having homework teaches children responsibility for completing work and returning it to school, gives them an incentive for working more diligently during school hours so they don’t have work to take home, provides them with extra language and math practice, and encourages families to become active in and aware of what is happening at school. Those against homework argue that often it is parents and not children who complete it, it is often consuming and performed in place of other activities, it often takes hours after school, it monopolizes family time, and often involved projects are sent home just before major holidays.

The article discussed children in kindergarten being assigned ten minutes of homework each night. It made me reflect on whether this was an appropriate practice for young children. I have heard it argued before that kindergarten children should have homework so that they become accustomed to it as preparation for older grades. I couldn’t disagree more with this.

As a kindergarten teacher I have sent home ‘book in a bag’ programs that encourage families to read a book together and engage in a small activity such as playing a corresponding game or drawing a picture in a communal class book. But these take home bags are only sent home periodically. These activities are not meant to be homework, but rather starting points for encouraging families to engage in literacy-related activities together.

I think that teachers must carefully consider the needs and interests of their students before assigning homework simply because families ask for it, or because it is what they have done in past practice.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

A few teacher friends of mine and I were having a conversation about kindergarten programming and what 'developmentally appropriate practice' (DAP) really looks like in an early years classroom. We talked about how hard it was for some people to nurture developmentally appropriate practices in children while trying to balance each child's individuality and standards-based curriculum and assessment obligations.

What is DAP?

Children are unique people with individual strengths, experiences, interests and needs who learn best through experiences seeing, hearing, touching, moving, and playing (Berry, 1998; Glasgow Koste, 1995). As such, kindergarten programs should provide multiple and varied opportunities for learning, self-expression, and child-led discovery in all learning domains (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006). A well rounded kindergarten program encourages the intellectual, physical, and social development of all children on a daily basis through thoughtful play, guided by a teacher (Crevola, Dickinson, Trehearne, & Worthy, 2007; Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006). Instruction and activities should be differentiated and provide opportunities for children to experience, practice, refine, and demonstrate their skills and learning in a developmentally appropriate manner. Teacher directed lessons should provide a gradual release of responsibility so that children are able to practice and experiment within the learning opportunities in a supportive environment (Vygotsky, 1978).

Engaging young children in enriching educational activities extends beyond the acquisition of simply literacy and numeracy skills. Kindergarten programs should consider the development of a whole child who is healthy, knowledgeable, motivated, and engaged (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007). Safe and nurturing classrooms encourage and celebrate every aspect of each child’s capacity for learning and provide repeated experiences observing, exploring, experimenting, and sharing within a supportive social context in order to be actively engaged in authentic personal and communal learning.

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). (2007). The learnin compact redefined: A call to action. A report of the commission of the whole child. Retrieved October 11, 2009 from http://www.wholechildeducation.org/resources/Learningcompact7-07.pdf

Berry, D. (1998). Kids and art: Learning through the senses. Principal, 77, 28-34.

Crevola, C., Dickinson, P., Trehearne, M., & Worthy, J. (2007). Kindergarten matters: Building blocks for learning webcast. Retrieved November 26, 2009 from http://curriculum.org/secretariat/january30.shtml

Glasgow Koste, V. (1995). Dramatic play in childhood: Rehearsal for life. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2009). Key messages of the position statement. Retrieved November 26, 2009 from

http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/KeyMessages.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto:Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Vygosky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Gift Giving and Art Making

We just finished up our Christmas shopping. Although we have bought many nice gifts for our family members, I think the most meaningful ones are those that my daughter has made for them. She has spent many hours creating pieces of art (ornaments, pictures, cards) that we will wrap tonight and hand out tomorrow. I know that her grandparents will treasure the gifts because she made them, but I think my daughter will be the one who benefits the most. Art making has provided her with an opportunity to think aloud as she has shaped her ideas into aesthetic representations. She has been able to discuss the process and what each piece has meant to her. And by giving others personal pieces that she has made, she will learn that gift-giving at Christmas time is not just about materialistic, expensive items. I hope this is a holiday tradition that we continue together!

Forcing Bulbs Indoors

My daughter and I picked up an amaryllis bulb from the local grocery store last week. We planted it yesterday and she has been eagerly checking the bulb every few hours to see if it has grown yet. I love that she is enthusiastic about the experience and anticipating what changes will happen to the bulb as it grows. Before she planted it, we examined it in depth and discussed how it was similar and different to the tulip bulbs she helped me plant back in the spring.

Each January I also encourage the children in my class to explore forcing bulbs indoors as we plant various ones and watch them grow. We keep them in our science area along with chart paper, measuring tapes, magnifying glasses, and markers and the children record the changes in appearance they notice as time passes. I encourage children to observe the bulb carefully, but do not suggest what they should record on the chart paper. In the past children have recorded the length of growth using numerals and drawn pictures to represent the changes as they observe them. The bulb has also become a discussion point in our classroom where children gather and engage in lively conversations with one another.

Interesting Read

"Studying Young Minds and How to Teach Them" from the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/health/research/21brain.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&hp

More evidence for why young children need to be considered capable learners and should be empowered with information and authentic experiences early in their lives.

(Another argument for why educators should not use worksheets to teach math in the classroom.)

Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Years Education

I am an Early Years educator who has been inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. My classroom environment and practice reflect the belief that the children who inhabit it are creative and capable learners who exist as equal and productive members of a larger community, where each person’s contributions and ideas are valued and nurtured.

Our Classroom

Physical Environment

The physical environment of Reggio Emilia classrooms is often referred to as the “third teacher” (Gandini, 1998, p.177) as it is considered just as important and influential in a child’s learning as the family and classroom teacher are. Personal meaning making and knowledge construction occurs when young children are provided multiple opportunities to explore, experiment, and reflect upon their experiences in a safe and supportive educational environment (Bredekamp, 1993).

Curriculum

Children are encouraged to explore and experiment with topics of their interest. Unlike Westernized systems of education where linear curriculums are delivered and followed by each student, Reggio educators are partners in the co-construction of knowledge with children and they exist as co-learners who plan and implement activities and experiences for students based on their personal interests (Bredekamp, 1993). Educators heighten learning for children by asking questions to further their understanding and by engaging directly in the activities alongside the child.

Assessment Strategies

By observing children in action in the classroom, teachers become researchers who document and analyze children’s strengths and needs in the classroom. Educators gather pieces including photos and videos of children in action, transcripts of conversations with children in regards to their learning or in discussion of a piece of work, actual pieces of work, and teacher’s anecdotal notes. These pieces are refered to as ‘pedagogical documentation’ and form a complete picture of a child’s growth and development in the Reggio Emilia program. Similar to student portfolios, pedagogical documentation is an evolving tool of assessment that is continually added to, reflected upon, and shared with families.

Relationships with Families

Parents, considered to be children’s first teachers, are integral to the success of their children and are viewed as partners, collaborators, and advocates in the educational process. Family involvement in a child’s learning is considered vital for academic success, and a strong partnership between home and school is formed through frequent and meaningful communication. Families are encouraged to continue with a child’s explorations and development at home by following Reggio’s philosophies and practices.

Bredekamp, S. (1993). Reflections on Reggio Emilia. Young Children, 49(1). 13-17.

Gandini, L. (1998). Educational and caring spaces. In C. Edwarsds, L. Gandini, & G. Forman, (Eds.). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education - Advanced reflections. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Art Idea

A great way to engage children in art is by print-making. We like to use various materials around our house like fruits and vegetables. We recently spent time cutting apples in half, exploring what they looked like, and then stamping them using the primary colours of paint.

Arts, not guns

My three-year-old daughter came home from her Montessori daycare with a beautiful poem from her teacher about how this holiday consider buying your children gifts that inspire peace and creativity instead of violence. I thought this was very meaningful. So often adults fall into the habit of purchasing gendered toys for their children - dolls and kitchen sets for girls and guns and army-type items for boys. This practice has always disturbed me. I have always tried to buy interactive, creative materials for my children that hopefully inspire them to explore the world around them (e.g., books, building sets like blocks and legos, games) but each holiday someone buys them something that I wouldn't buy myself. I like to expose my children to different cultures, experiences, and ideas that show them there are many ways of looking and 'being' in the world.

Art Idea

A great art experience for young children is to have them paint using the following mixture: 2 parts sugar or salt with 1 part paint. The mixture will have a grainy texture to it, so have children use large brushes and a heavy piece of paper. When the paint dries it will have a sparkly look to it. It's great for this time of year!

Project Love

Looking for an inexpensive, fun, easy, curriculum-friendly way to engage your students in global issues? CODE’s Project Love has been inspiring children across Canada for more than 20 years to think globally, act locally and make a difference. Through Project Love students learn about global issues through curriculum-based activities, fundraising, and making kits of school supplies for students in developing countries. Each Project Love kit includes a pencil, eraser, notebook, ruler and a personal letter from a Canadian student to the kit’s recipient in Malawi or Haiti. Through Project Love, CODE empowers Canadian children to act as global citizens. Students learn about the challenges their peers in other parts of the world face, and understand that the kits of school supplies they assemble and send can make a real difference. Project Love also enables students to demonstrate leadership, philanthropy and social justice. This year, our goal is to send 75,000 Project Love kits to Malawi and Haiti, countries where educational resources are scarce. Education is the key to reducing poverty. Every single child - every boy and girl in the world - has the right to an education that gives them a real chance in life. About 500 schools across the country participate in Project Love each year. CODE makes it fun and easy with its downloadable posters, forms, teacher resources, a DVD and an on-line interactive bulletin board where we can share your creative fundraising activities with others. Your ideas may motivate others to get involved. To register, download our teacher resources, or to learn more about CODE and Project Love, visit: www.codecan.org

Practice of Freedom

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.” (Shaull, 2003, p.34)

Shaull, R. (2003). Foreword. In P. Freire, Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30^th Anniversary edition. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc.

This is one of my favourite quotes. How do you as an early years educator encourage the practice of freedom in your classroom? Children today need to be prepared for life in an unknown future. This requires time for them to engage in long periods of self-directed, authentic, collaborative, and exploratory activities that focus on the process, and not necessarily the product.

Admission Test for Kindergarten

© Dreamstime.com

Ranking children before they even set a foot in the classroom?

This article from the New York Times discusses an admissions test that is currently in use in many areas for acceptance into kindergarten.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/nyregion/21testprep.html?ref=us

I disagree completely with this practice. Too often kindergarten is seen as the beginning step for a life-time of standards-based, quantitative, one-best-way approaches to learning. Children develop at such unique stages and come from such differing backgrounds. How can we possibly measure their "preparedness" for kindergarten with a tool? Why would we even want to? Isn't the individuality (strengths AND needs) of children what makes for rich and diverse experiences in the classroom?

10 Tips to Help Your Child with Reading

10 Tips to Help Your Child with Reading (Tips for Kindergarten to Grade Three)

(from the Government of Ontario's ABC123 Tips to Help Parents website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/)

This resource describes ten cost-effective, easy to implement ideas for how parents can support and encourage their child’s reading at home. Each idea or activity can be repeated multiple times and suggestions are made for how parents can cheaply buy, make, or borrow the materials needed. Many of the tips presented also encourage the adult to be a reading role-model. The tips include:

1. Cuddle up and read.
2. Public libraries today are worlds to explore so try to go regularly.
3. Make your kitchen part of your “reading zone”.
4. Words are everywhere – take everyday opportunities to read with your child.
5. Games can be great learning tools.
6. Computers are reader friendly too!
7. Books make great gifts.
8. Subscribe to a magazine.
9. Be a reading role model.
10. Keep books, magazines, and newspapers handy.

Parental Use of the Resource

There are a number of ways parents can utilize this resource:

• These tips encourage parents to reflect upon some of the choices they are making in terms of how they spend their time with their children. Reading together or reading alongside one another is a great alternative to t.v. watching and videogame playing during family time.
• In today’s times of economic uncertainty, the suggestions offered to parents are easy and effective without much cost. Borrowing literacy materials from the library and requesting books and magazines as gifts do not cost parents much money but the literacy gain for children is monumental.
• Adults today are busy and this resource may encourage them to unwind at the end of the day with a book instead of the internet or t.v.
• These ideas are active and hands-on, hopefully helping to dispel the idea that language (specifically reading) needs to be taught and practiced by children with rote-learning, pencil and paper tasks such as printing worksheets.

Teacher Support of the Resource

There are a number of ways teachers can support parents with using this website:

• These tips could be a great addition to a classroom or school newsletter in order to support student reading at home and introduce families to the Ministry of Education ABC123 website.
• These tips could also be specifically provided to families of students who are in need of extra support (e.g., identified or flagged on early literacy classroom tools such as DIBELS or Marie Clay).
• Families who ask a teacher for ‘homework’ or extra worksheets in order to help children practice language skills at home could also be referred to this website as it encourages developmentally appropriate reading activities that can be repeated as desired.
• Families can be introduced to this website during kindergarten registration, kindergarten open houses, and family literacy nights as a way of encouraging families to actively engage children in a variety of reading activities in preparation for the start of school.

Right to Play

I was watching t.v. last night and a "Right to Play" commercial came on. I had heard of this organization before and wanted to learn more so I went to their website. http://www.righttoplay.com/site/PageServer

Right to Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

(from their website)

Right To Play uses sport and play programs to build local capacity in four strategic areas:

• Basic Education and Child Development:
  Right To Play’s programs foster the physical, cognitive and social development of children to teach important values and life skills.
  
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention:
  Right To Play’s programs are used to educate and mobilize communities around national health and disease prevention priorities, including HIV and AIDS, malaria and immunization.
  
• Conflict Resolution and Peace Education:
  Right To Play’s programs are used as tools for teaching conflict resolution and peace building skills. Participation in regular activities encourages and facilitates the healing of communities and the reintegration of children affected by war.
  
• Community Development:
  Right To Play works in partnership with local organizations to build sustainable community infrastructure through the engagement of local staff and both local and international volunteers.
  
  
  
  

Capturing Children's Interest in Winter and Snow

Children are naturally curious about the world around them. I've noticed that winter and snow are of particular interest to little ones. There are many experiences that can be incorporated into the various classroom centers around snow and winter. Classroom centers can be used to integrate multiple real-life contexts in order to capture children's interests and imaginations and encourage them to engage in cooperative play and exploration.

Consider:

· providing students with squeeze spray bottles of coloured water to use outdoors on a snowy day in order to colour, colour mix, and create designs in the snow

· placing shredded white paper in a large tactile tub (or empty water table) along with plastic trees, rocks, twigs, and various forest animals and encouraging children to dramatize a wintry forest habitat

· placing various combinations of ice cubes coloured as the primary colours (e.g., one blue and one yellow; one blue and one red; one yellow and one red) in separate bowls at the science area and encourage students to make predictions and then observations about what will happen the ice cubes melt

· pictures of winter activities (e.g., skiing, skating, sledding), summer activities (e.g., swimming, skipping rope, jogging), and general anytime activities (e.g., driving a car, eating breakfast) can be placed at the math table and students can be encouraged to sort the pictures into a Venn chart with the headings ‘winter’, ‘summer’, and ‘both’

· incorporating various sizes and shapes of ice (frozen using a variety of containers and molds) and snow from outside into the water table so students can explore, experiment, and create with these materials

· placing a large quantity of outdoor snow in large bins at the science table so students can explore it using large magnifying glasses and observe and record in a communal journal their observations and emerging understandings as it changes state from solid, to liquid, to gas

Bird Feeding

It's a very cold day here and I've spent some time watching the birds outside of my kitchen window. It's easy to attract them by using a variety of feeders (e.g., platform, tube, cage) and seed (e.g. black oil sunflower, millet, peanuts). One of the most successful nature experiences I've had with kindergarten students has been by hanging a bird feeder directly outside my classroom window. I was working at an urban school where the majority of students lived in apartment buildings and shared dwellings. Most had not experienced feeding birds outdoors at home, so they were intrigued with the experience.

© Dreamstime.com

Within a few weeks our feeder had attracted some colourful local birds including house finches, goldfinches, sparrows, blue jays and juncos. Every student seemed interested in watching the feeder, and no one missed the opportunity to see a new bird. The bird watching inspired students to engage in much self-directed learning in language, math, and science. Students wrote about the birds in their journals, tracked the variety and number of birds at the feeder using a tally chart, created an investigation to see if various kinds of seed would attract different birds, painted pictures of the birds at the art area, and engaged in lively conversations with one another at the viewing window.

I was thrilled with the authentic learning I observed that was inspired by the bird watching, but also hopeful that this experience would help nurture a sense of care and responsibility for nature (including birds) in the children.

Class List of Rights and Responsibilities

Some teachers encourage their students to create a class list of rights and responsibilities in order to promote equality and a sense of ownership and belonging in the classroom. This is often done at the beginning of the school year, however January (at the commencement of school after the winter break) may also be an appropriate time to engage children in this shared writing activity. Similar to the more traditional "classroom rules" lists that I remember from my elementary school experiences, the class list of rights and responsibilities focuses on nurturing a democratic environment. Samples of some of the rights my previous students have crafted include:

-everyone has the right to participate
-everyone has the responsibility to share
-each person has the chance to play
-the classroom belongs to everyone
-we respect each other's differences

-each person has the right to feel safe at school

-we value each other

Once the list of rights and responsibilities is recorded, each student has the option to sign his or her name on it. It is prominently displayed and throughout the year pictures of children in action in the classroom and around the school are posted around it.

Art Idea

Children's paintings from the easel are often created using big pieces of paper that are difficult to display. Consider encouraging parents to use these paintings (with children's permission first) as holiday wrapping paper. This will save families time and money and be better for the environment. (Receivers of gifts will also appreciate getting a 'one of a kind' wrap job!)


© Dreamstime.com

New Curriculum in Ontario?

© Dreamstime.com

I read on the Toronto Star a few days ago that the Ministry of Education in Ontario has proposed modifying the existing curriculum in Grade 1 -8 in order to reflect the changing needs of people in society. The current curriculum has over 3000 objectives to be satisfied by the time a child is done elementary school, the vast majority of which are rote-learning, memorization tasks. The government is proposing changing the curriculum so that it has fewer distinct pieces and instead encourages children to think about "the bigger picture" and learn how to critically explore concepts in a more authentic manner. I'm really very excited about this as I believe it is this kind of learning that will prepare children for an unknown future. (Who needs to memorize things anymore? Isn't that what the internet and computers are for?)

Kindergarten in Ontario has its own curriculum document and it will be interesting to see if that will be revised or rewritten when full day learning is totally implemented by 2015. I'm curious to see what the Ministry of Education will advise early years teachers do in the mean time, since some classrooms will be running for a full time program (all day, every day) and others running half time (every other day).

“Today’s students must be prepared unlike any generation before to think critically and analytically while acting with innovation and creativity.” (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). (2007). The learning compact redefined: A call to action. A report of the commission of the whole child. www.wholechildeducation.org

Child Honouring (Raffi)

My kids and I were listening to our Raffi CDs tonight while cleaning the dinner dishes. Raffi's music has been a staple in my classroom for years. I've always been a fan of the rich sound of the music, the inspirational lyrics, and the mix of original and classic songs on his CDs. My three-year-old has been interested in listening to children's music for a while, so I decided to introduce her to Raffi. She was hooked. Her favourite song, Joshua Giraffe, has been played in our house hundreds of times over the last month.

I have always identified Raffi (Cavoukian) as a children's singer. However I recently learned that he is also an advocate for young children. At a town hall forum to discuss the recent decision in Ontario to move forward with full day learning in kindergarten, Dr. Charles Pascal (a leading researcher for early childhood) praised Raffi's efforts to use his music and status as an entertainer to speak on behalf of children's physical and emotional needs. Raffi calls it "Child Honouring" and describes it as adults honouring children by putting their needs first so that they might have a loving, safe, and healthy future. Raffi is also concerned about environmental issues and having a clean planet for our children's future.

Since learning of Raffi's "Child Honouring" I have made it an effort to visit his website and read through the papers and presentations he has posted. I agree completely. As early childhood educators we advocate for the safety and well-being of all of our students' futures. Each one rightfully deserves the love, time, patience, and health in order to develop according to his or her true potential. The question becomes how can we incorporate Child Honouring more fully into our classrooms and inspire families?

http://www.childhonouring.org/

Science in the Classroom

I was surfing this morning, trying to find some new blogs to read. I came across "Science and Children's Early Years Blog" and was amazed by the quality of the content. I immediately added it to my list of favourite websites. Quickly scanning the blog, I was able to learn how to engage children in authentic, meaningful whole and small group science activities and experiments. What a valuable resource for a busy kindergarten teacher!

I know from experience how hard it can be to create an engaging science program in an early years environment. Often the materials and resources are not available. Non-fiction books are hard to find in small school libraries. Science can often become a one-sided situation in a classroom, where a teacher is the one reading from science texts, demonstrating experiments for students, and displaying only readily available materials at the science center. I've fallen into this trap too.

If we want to prepare our children for the higher level thinking needed for success in their future lives and careers (who knows what kind of jobs they will have 15+ years from now) then we need to strive to engage our youngest learners in active, authentic, challenging scientific experiences that allow them to question, predict, explore, analyze, and discuss what they have done. Easier said than done, but the information at Science and Children's Early Years Blog will help teachers see how simple, everyday activities like play dough and water play have the potential for being rich scientific activities in the classroom.

http://blogs.nsta.org/EarlyYearsBlog/default.aspx

Christmas Crafts versus Art

Well, it's the last week of school before the holidays and I'm wondering how many teachers are going to be engaging their students in meaningful art activities this week in order to celebrate the upcoming holidays. I am not a fan of 'crafts' that are done in the kindergarten classroom --- activities that are teacher created and modeled where each child makes the same piece of work as another. I know this type of activity is a popular one this time of year, especially when parents like receiving cutesy things from school. I believe it's more meaningful for children to be engaging in art activities that allow them free range in exploration and expression. This way they can discuss their work with others. Some 'holiday' art you might consider doing this week include:

-putting red, white and green paint at the art easel with sparkles in it
-mixing 1 part paint to 2 parts sugar or salt at the easel (it'll create a sparkly texture when dry)
-having an assorted mix of holidays card fronts, ribbon, and wrapping paper (and other holiday goodies) for children to use in whatever way they wish
-having children stamp with holiday cookie cutters and paint
-providing various colours of clay or playdough available so children can sculpt a gift for their families

Hello world!

Well, here it is! After years of thinking about, writing, and publishing in paper format I've decided to start a blog about my passion...kindergarten! I think that it is probably one of the most important grades (and experiences) that young children will ever have. I hope that this blog will help inspire many of you to reflect upon your practice and evolve your program in order to encourage your students to explore, experiment, and reflect upon their experiences in the classroom. I believe in creating an early years classroom that encourages democratic and aesthetic exploration among young children. One of my favourite things to write about is how to create an equal, democratic early years environment. I believe in embodying Paulo Freire's problem-posing concept of education so that children are encouraged to create personal and collective understandings through active engagement with the world (inside and outside) around them.