INSPIRATION-CONTAGION

"I'm looking at the way you made it so I can make it"

Zoey to Berkley

Learning from each other is basic, and it is important for reasons that may not be immediately apparent.  Contagion, as we like to call it, is where one child's idea catches the eye of another, and sometimes another and another.  With it we see the development of new skills, the sharing of knowledge and the spontaneous growth and transformation of an original idea.  Adding one to another, sparks fly.  The creative process is made into visible steps as it is shared between children.  

But the part that is not so obvious is that an idea passed on to another child increases our shared experience and thereby our connection to each other. Before long there are common mythologies in the room, familiar props for play, and joint investigations into new concepts.  It creates a culture in the classroom that ties us together.  It is dynamic and continuously evolving.

It starts with a moment of noticing and being inspired by someone else's work.

"Can you help me draw what Cal drew?"  Kai

Bridges inspired by Berkley's trip to California:

True Valentines

At Sabot, we treat Valentines day as other holidays: the teachers do not plan activities around the holiday, but we do embrace what the children bring to us, and so card making and valentine greetings are quite often part of February for the oldest preschool classroom.

This past week happened to be “random acts of kindness week”.  I don’t know who gets to declare such things, but we thought we would share this idea with the children.

Part I

At circle the children told us some of their ideas of kindness:

     Give a present

     Make a valentine

     Give your mom some flowers

     Make cookies for someone

     Give someone a toy to play with

     Make a feel-better-card 

     Make a present

     Make a card for all your friends

     Go somewhere with your friend

     Make your mom a necklace

     Make something with your friend

     Make a bracelet for your mom

     You can give hugs

     Share

     Make cards and hide them for people to find

     Let someone play with the magna tiles if you are using them

     I could build a wooden house for my friends

     Use good manners when you eat

Part II

The children had homework to notice as much kindness as they could, in themselves or others.   Noticing kindness may not seem like a big deal, and you may wish that your child had done a nice thing instead of noticing one.  But noticing will build empathy and lead to doing.  Kindness is contagious.   noticing is required for gratitude, and gratitude is essential for happiness. 

They noticed the things that you parents do for them, and kindnesses between siblings.

Millie: “My dad sang my song to me and my mom read my book last night”

Part III

 What Robyn and I noticed:

Julianna to a teacher: “I don’t know who to play with.”

Brian, overhearing this: “I’ll play with you.”

Madeline let Dylan in front of her in the hand-washing line. (not being first is a BIG deal!)

Tavish gave up the cherished red stool at snack for Dylan who had never gotten a turn to sit there.

Caroline: “When Millie’s not here it makes my heart sad.”

Waiting for Millie

Caroline when Freddie was sad: “I can give him an act of true love, a hug.”

Miles: “Dylan gave me a kindness sign; he let my ship be in front of his.” (remember that Madeline had let Dylan be in front of him in line earlier)

Caroline: “We’re hiding, waiting for Millie.  I don’t want her to see the special valentine I’m making for her”

Miles: “can I help”  offering to help set up the clay

Kiri made a necklace for her mom

Noah to Indie: “Can I put something on your airplane?”

Indie:  “Yes, because you are my best friend.”

These are the true valentine gifts, the ones that happen everyday.  How fortunate we are.

The Forest

 

We are so fortunate to have the beautiful forest right at our doorstep.  It is here, more than any other place, that the children challenge themselves physically, engage their imaginations in pretend play, extend friendships, and explore treasures from nature.  This year we noticed the children's ease and comfort, even on our first outing into the wilderness.  In most years, the first few times we go into the forest we hear many references to scary things - Are we too far away? Do we know the way back?  Are there bears in this forest, or wolves?  They also often recall people and things that bring them comfort, like parents and stuffed animals and blankets at home.  This fear that we usually hear, and can even feel, draws us closer together.  

But this year we did not hear those questions about scary things and so we wonder what is different.   Is the feeling of connection that we noticed in the classroom at the beginning of the year extending into the forest as well, and providing a sense of comfort and safety?  

For the teachers, our love of the forest started years ago at our Grace Street campus.  In that tiny wooded area adjacent to the parking lot, we noticed how differently the children played than on the playground.  The wild space provided a completely different landscape both external and internal.  It sparked so much rich and varied creativity, imagination, and enthusiasm. 

 

We see every year, in the natural environment, that children willingly push and test themselves.  

They take on just enough challenge, not being too risky, but definitely going to the edge of their own comfort.  We marvel at their intuition and bravery in choosing challenges that seem to suit their individual needs.

And we see them work together on big challenges, moving heavy branches to build bridges and dams.  

We see their persistence and resilience as they try again and again on their way to mastery.  Is it because nature is impartial?

"children come to know themselves through their transactions with both the physical and social worlds. Unlike people, the physical world does not change in response to a child's actions, but simply reflects his manipulations, so it offers a particularly valuable domain for developing his or her sense of competence"

Hart, Volkert and Walch, 1983

This blog was written in collaboration with Robyn, (who always makes it better).  And thanks to Anna for providing the above quote.

 

 

 

CHANGING MODES OF REPRESENTATION

 Have you ever drawn a plan to build something and thought you understood all the variables only to find,  not long after beginning, a whole new set of problems that were not evident in the drawing?  Changing materials for representation can interject new challenges, and so new discoveries, around an idea that has grown stale or lost it's inspiration.

The children in the Meadow Room are very proficient at building with our magna tiles. 
Magna tiles are popular every year;

                  

                     


  ... they are versatile and open-ended, 
                                             ....beautiful, 
                                                             and with magnetic sides, simple to connect.  

But they can become repetitive, and if they do -  are they still vehicles for creative thinking?

Robyn commented the other day "they don't seem to be very satisfying".   
Me: "Are they just too easy?"
                                           Children like challenges, (we all do). 

What if... we offer the same shapes cut out of card stock (old folders actually), with tape for connecting. 

I showed the children in the mini-studio, that if they laid the pieces on the table and taped them first, their ships and buildings would be easier to construct.  I thought they needed this scaffolding to be successful in their constructions and not lose interest from frustration.  It is always a question "how much do I help?  What do I want them to get from this experience?"  I decided to show them this basic technique to make their constructions successful.

They helped each other and the constructions grew and changed.  
                                      
                                             









They flew their ships 

                                                              and embellished their buildings.

    

Paper and tape are not too different from the plastic they had used, though they bend and are harder to connect.  We plan to change materials again, as long as their interest holds, to see how many ways they can represent their ships and buildings, and increase their skills with various media at the same time - wood?  wire?  drawing?  paint?  shadows?

Changing modes of representation promotes creative thinking, problem solving, new skills, and collaboration.  Gaining proficiency with a material, and seeing what you have created is a source of pride, and so becomes a force for self-motivation.

Enjoy the children's work.

CONNECTING THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

Our first week of school is always about connection with each other, space, and time. Although getting ready for any new school year at Sabot is a caring and thoughtful process, it is a time of transition. For the most part children old and new arrive happy and eager to begin their experience and exploration in the Meadow Room. As teachers we are also eager and excited about the unlimited possibilities of growth and learning for the children and ourselves.

The sense of community that evolves within a group is never a question, but usually it takes time. This year there is  already a keen sense of connection and belonging for the children with each other and with Nancy and me. This feeling is quite palpable and notable.  We both independently noticed this feeling in the first week of school.

Over the summer, Nancy and I moved our classroom from a downstairs/upstairs floor plan to the lovely classroom we have now; we are enjoying being together.

We wonder, did changing our space from a downstairs/upstairs classroom to one floor make the significant difference we are experiencing?

Did the change create a space that opened up and allowed a deeper sense of connection and belonging in, what feels like, a much shorter amount of time?

As we explore the school-wide Umbrella Project - Time - we are already off to an intriguing start.  We are revved about taking the journey with the children, in our new space, and being a part of the exciting twist and turns that will unfold.

Will the children's play reveal the elusive qualities of time?