As you are coming back to your classrooms and your classroom communities are changing, I thought you might find this encouragement to continue the good work you are doing!
List...
This morning as I get ready to go into the classroom I have sat and reflected on my first two weeks with a new group of children. From all perspectives the year should be one full of challenges---this year we switched to mixed ages--thus 3, 4 and 5's in a classroom. To do this we wanted "mentors" for the new children, to do this we split our last year 3/4's class in half. It was a hard decision but we also put in place many things to prepare the children---however the parents were another story! That was one of the challenges. Another challenge as always in having completely new children. Add to this how do we now blend and make a community?
Another layer to this is last year I began with two new assistant teachers--one with minimal knowledge of Reggio the other wondered who he was. Now we begin with a blended classroom--those two things would be a challenge to any teacher let alone those new to Reggio!!
After much reflection and dialogue with my team over the summer-- along with LOTS of communication with the old families coming from the 3/4's classroom and with the new families our year began. To begin the year I decided to start with a provocation--a micro project on found natural materials. To transition all the children in I decided to have the parent and child find a small memento to bring in on our very first day.
As part of the morning meeting (parents have to stay with the child) the child with the parent had to share the memory of the memento. Once the memento was shared I had each child do what seemed as a small gesture--which in reality was HUGE--each child placed the memento into a basket in the center of our group meeting. One by one each child let go of THEIR object.
We have been have the children work in the studio with the their found materials around "compositions" and the composition game which they are loving as they work in groups of two and three. This gesture has set the tone for collaboration, reciprocal dialogue, and building on each ones ideas.
On the playground, last Friday, I was talking with P and we spoke about our morning’s work. I mentioned that she would be going into the studio to do the composition game. She replied: “We are going to use our found materials!” I loved how she used the words “found materials” but I was struck by the word “our.”
Children are very deliberate in the use of their words and if we slow ourselves down to truly listen we can also marvel at their “brilliance”! Ps use of “our” was significant -- and it was, also, an “aha”, if you will.
P could have used -- ”my” or “the” but instead she used the word “our” -- indicating that the materials that were brought in now belongs to the community of children -- not the individual child (even though each brought materials he or she had “found”).
Did the small gesture that we framed on our first day -- when each child shared their material and then placed it onto the tray -- set in motion this notion of “community” ----- and that “I am who we are” and WE are now on a journey into becoming a learning community. I like to think – indeed, that one small moment WAS the beginning of “we” versus “me.”
I wondered and sighed...
Yesterday I had two observers from a preschool here on the island. We (teachers and children) went through our morning while our visitors looked on. At one point during the morning while we were checking in children with their plans--I observed my assistant teachers working and listened to their conversations and questions they posed to the children. I smiled and sighed--both of them (teachers) reflected all that I hope for in teachers---scaffolding and pushing children's thinking but respecting when to let it go. I sighed (filled with joy at the image of the teachers that I see in front of me--much like a proud mom who watches their child graduate)...
When the observers were getting ready to leave I asked them their thoughts about our morning--one teacher expressed it as this, "I have goose bumps thinking and watching how your day flowed, how its as if this community have been together for an extended time vs a mere week."
The other teacher, "Leslie how did you do this as we watched the morning we kept saying these are 3's and 4's and a new community-amazing. Your morning was seamless--group meeting, to daily plans, then each child slipping into snack--independently. Each child helping the other. Very little need from the teachers at all!! Then to watch each child as they finished (not at the same time) move into work. I look around the room and every child is engaged and filled with joy. This leaves me speechless. I want my daughter here."
As I looked around the room indeed each child was engaged--but a smile came across my face as I looked every group was blended--young and old, new children with the "older" children. I had to sigh ( a sigh of joy)...
This morning I sit getting ready for a new day I sigh once again as I'm filled with joy--it is a sigh that that says--this is what it means to be Reggio inspired--pure joy as I face the day. Its not about looking at the small bumps or the challenges that each day holds--it is about the whole day...it is about the journey....it is about when walking away at the end of the day being filled with pure joy.
It is sitting here thinking about each child and holding to the image that EVERY child is indeed amazing and capable. It is about the image of the teacher--each capable and amazing. It is about the joy of my stumbling into an approach 16 years ago wonder who is Reggio....but not caring who he was just wanting what he has---the best one can offer to ALL children! That is what I wanted...this is what I am slowly find each day...
Sigh....now on to work to see what the day offers...
The joy of the journey--it doesn't get any better than that--hmmmm I hope I never arrive at the end--I would be sad to no longer have these moments to sit and sigh :-)
Sorry to ramble...just wanted to share...
Friday, August 20, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
From the Reggio listserv
I think Leslie Gleim is my hero... Keep up the good work!
I have been enjoying Vea's book--Art and Creativity. It is full of nuggets that my brain is wrapping thoughts around.
From her book a phrase captured my attention---I almost never think of "behaviors" as "behaviors" but rather as part of a child's 100's of languages. I try to think about how is a child is using "behaviors" or their actions or reactions as a way to communicate something that they can't articulate at the moment? What are they trying to tell us?
In her book Vea used what I thought was a powerful phrase that created an aha and then a hmmm...yes, she's so right!
She talked about two boys who weren't getting along rather than a behavior problem they began to study these two boys and their relationship. They thought about the boys conflicts around "a sort of iteracy in the language of relationships." Wow that was powerful! Questions began to form...
How do we begin to observe the nuances/literacy that are in a language of relationships?
Do we stop to think that the children's conflicts are about how they aren't "reading" each others messages (within this concept of a language of relationships)?
How do we (adults) support, nourish and "seed" our work with children around this idea of "language" of relationships?
What are the "literacy" components in the language of relationships? Facial expressions, body language, gestures, the turn of the head, etc.
What would this look like as a "project"? Why would this be worthy of having children unpack this idea?
How should we as teacher/ researcher try to understand and observe what this means ("language" of relationships) in our learning communities?
I began to think back to my time with my children with special rights/needs. I recalled a "strategy" that I used a lot where I would think out loud and read or interpret a child's body language to their peers. I would become the voice for the child who lacked verbal or expressive language. Often I would share what the child could be thinking and expressing through their actions (facial and/or body) to their peers-- particularly to our typically developing children (for example I would say hmmm look at his eyes I think they look like he is sad I wonder why?).
I viewed my interpretative role as a gesture in valuing all children.
What I observed was soon this simple "strategy" of my thinking out loud around children's gestures and body language became a scaffolding tool or a bridge that was a support for the relationships in our classroom community. This simple thinking out loud of mine set the stage for "silent" dialogues or conversations to occur throughout our community. The children would "read" each others nuances or gestures. This in turn created a community that valued each child. A community where relationships thrived amongst ALL the children.
This idea of a literacy in a language of relationships is rather complex and it is causing me to rethink the interactions that I have with children.
How can or do we use this idea of "literacy" as part of our conversations that we have with children around the process of a relationship?
Hmm... when we see children in conflict with one another how often do we pause and rethink our mindsets--shifting from behaviors to relationships? Do we take the time to unpack with children this idea of a "literacy" of relationships?
What would happen if we began to ask the children such questions as:
What did Suzie's body tell you about how Suzie might be feeling or thinking?
Do we take the time to scaffold what might a child's facial expressions be revealing to others?
What if we slowed the pace down as we begin to deepen the relationships by helping to support this "literacy"? What would happen if we had the children read the gestures, nuances and expressions of their peers? In slowing down the pace would it make the "literacy" in the language of relationships now readable?
How would the children's interactions change if we began having conversations such as these?
What about having children revisit images in "reading" possible thoughts of their peers?
Much to ponder upon!
Side note: This summer I was able to work in the purest form in the role of just a Pedagogista (vs.during the school year where I have a dual role of Pedagogista for our team and a Lead Teacher in the classroom). I worked with our Summer School team on a 5 week micro project on "Looking" which stemmed from the children's conversations--- where a distinction was noted in their use of and the dialogue about--hunting for and looking for. This project took us to some fascinating research and understanding around what 3 & 4 year old children internalize and know about "looking".
It epitomized how well children "read" people and each other!
We took the children out in the community (the local mall and the beach) observing people in order to have the children help us understand what they understand about what it means to "look". We (teachers) became true researchers--when a child told us someone was looking--we asked how did they know this? What told them that the person was looking? As the children shared with us what "told' them this--- we (teachers) tallied-head turns, eyes, body positions etc. as well as inferences that the children would make.
We narrowed the children's thoughts around "looking" down to body gestures (certain turns and angles of the body) and the direction peoples eyes. As one child said, "when we look one eye goes up and one eye goes down so that we see everything."
At the end of the project we had the children create looking eyes from "found" and recycled materials (with one catch--no round objects were used). The nuances of the materials that the children used in their "looking" eyes were brilliant and amazing!
It has me once again rethinking the pace and how we (adults) support and scaffold the work and the thinking of the children--around the many languages that are there.
I have been enjoying Vea's book--Art and Creativity. It is full of nuggets that my brain is wrapping thoughts around.
From her book a phrase captured my attention---I almost never think of "behaviors" as "behaviors" but rather as part of a child's 100's of languages. I try to think about how is a child is using "behaviors" or their actions or reactions as a way to communicate something that they can't articulate at the moment? What are they trying to tell us?
In her book Vea used what I thought was a powerful phrase that created an aha and then a hmmm...yes, she's so right!
She talked about two boys who weren't getting along rather than a behavior problem they began to study these two boys and their relationship. They thought about the boys conflicts around "a sort of iteracy in the language of relationships." Wow that was powerful! Questions began to form...
How do we begin to observe the nuances/literacy that are in a language of relationships?
Do we stop to think that the children's conflicts are about how they aren't "reading" each others messages (within this concept of a language of relationships)?
How do we (adults) support, nourish and "seed" our work with children around this idea of "language" of relationships?
What are the "literacy" components in the language of relationships? Facial expressions, body language, gestures, the turn of the head, etc.
What would this look like as a "project"? Why would this be worthy of having children unpack this idea?
How should we as teacher/ researcher try to understand and observe what this means ("language" of relationships) in our learning communities?
I began to think back to my time with my children with special rights/needs. I recalled a "strategy" that I used a lot where I would think out loud and read or interpret a child's body language to their peers. I would become the voice for the child who lacked verbal or expressive language. Often I would share what the child could be thinking and expressing through their actions (facial and/or body) to their peers-- particularly to our typically developing children (for example I would say hmmm look at his eyes I think they look like he is sad I wonder why?).
I viewed my interpretative role as a gesture in valuing all children.
What I observed was soon this simple "strategy" of my thinking out loud around children's gestures and body language became a scaffolding tool or a bridge that was a support for the relationships in our classroom community. This simple thinking out loud of mine set the stage for "silent" dialogues or conversations to occur throughout our community. The children would "read" each others nuances or gestures. This in turn created a community that valued each child. A community where relationships thrived amongst ALL the children.
This idea of a literacy in a language of relationships is rather complex and it is causing me to rethink the interactions that I have with children.
How can or do we use this idea of "literacy" as part of our conversations that we have with children around the process of a relationship?
Hmm... when we see children in conflict with one another how often do we pause and rethink our mindsets--shifting from behaviors to relationships? Do we take the time to unpack with children this idea of a "literacy" of relationships?
What would happen if we began to ask the children such questions as:
What did Suzie's body tell you about how Suzie might be feeling or thinking?
Do we take the time to scaffold what might a child's facial expressions be revealing to others?
What if we slowed the pace down as we begin to deepen the relationships by helping to support this "literacy"? What would happen if we had the children read the gestures, nuances and expressions of their peers? In slowing down the pace would it make the "literacy" in the language of relationships now readable?
How would the children's interactions change if we began having conversations such as these?
What about having children revisit images in "reading" possible thoughts of their peers?
Much to ponder upon!
Side note: This summer I was able to work in the purest form in the role of just a Pedagogista (vs.during the school year where I have a dual role of Pedagogista for our team and a Lead Teacher in the classroom). I worked with our Summer School team on a 5 week micro project on "Looking" which stemmed from the children's conversations--- where a distinction was noted in their use of and the dialogue about--hunting for and looking for. This project took us to some fascinating research and understanding around what 3 & 4 year old children internalize and know about "looking".
It epitomized how well children "read" people and each other!
We took the children out in the community (the local mall and the beach) observing people in order to have the children help us understand what they understand about what it means to "look". We (teachers) became true researchers--when a child told us someone was looking--we asked how did they know this? What told them that the person was looking? As the children shared with us what "told' them this--- we (teachers) tallied-head turns, eyes, body positions etc. as well as inferences that the children would make.
We narrowed the children's thoughts around "looking" down to body gestures (certain turns and angles of the body) and the direction peoples eyes. As one child said, "when we look one eye goes up and one eye goes down so that we see everything."
At the end of the project we had the children create looking eyes from "found" and recycled materials (with one catch--no round objects were used). The nuances of the materials that the children used in their "looking" eyes were brilliant and amazing!
It has me once again rethinking the pace and how we (adults) support and scaffold the work and the thinking of the children--around the many languages that are there.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
And then, think about this...
...also from the Reggio Listserv. The sentence: is it about entertaining or about scaffolding their thinking encapsulates for me what my hopes and dreams for all of you on this Reggio journey is: how are you thinking about what you offer to children?
I just want to respond to a phrase I heard mentioned that really caused me to ponder....it was said out of jest in regards to the water table...the poster casually said, "this could keep children entertained for hours...."
That casual reference to what we offer to children really caused me to stop and think ---is it about entertaining or about scaffolding their thinking?
Is it about knowing about water movement or is there something far deeper--big ideas or theories that we are wanting the children to work though or to have the children to begin to formulate?
If I were to ask what is the learning in this space--I would bet I would hear--it is about sensory, movement, motor skills, etc.--all of these are surface level thinking--if these (along with a few others I'm sure I can about guess) are our objectives we are selling children short and indeed what happens at the water table will merely be entertaining....and our documentation of what we share with families will reflect a weak image of the child and the thinking that happens in this space.
I urge us to rethink--which Reggio inspired work often asks us to do.
Much like children's work in the block area--there is a balance or tension which causes children to stay working with blocks and other materials--the tension is between function and design. When you observe children's work in blocks they go between the function of the structure and the design or aesthetics of the structure. When children work at this level they are slipping in and out of meta-cognition about their work.
If we begin with just that small knowledge of children's thinking--it will push us in providing richer "encounters" in the "water lab" and what we offer. If we think around these questions: What materials support function (movement, transformation, flow as a few thoughts)? What materials could we offer that support children's thinking in regards to design (i.e. tubes--flexible and fixed, connectors etc.)? What materials could we add that would cause provocations in their work?
From that we then begin to look at--Motion--what could we provide that stops and starts the water motion, what materials utilizes motion? What materials help the children discover and form theories around distance, force, speed, changing direction? The list can go on....
Like other mediums what is the "language of water"? How can we shift from entertainment or an activity to thinking smart and thinking about the medium of water as a language?
IF we begin with just this shift in mindset we now shift to a stronger image of the child who uses these materials to expand upon their 100 of languages....
Water lab
For those of you teaching this summer, you might be interested in viewing the following from the Reggio listserv: picasaweb.google.com/ganendy and click on the album entitled: WATER LAB
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
