What does the environment say to me? -- Journal #1 for 9/3/13
When I had the first initial meeting with Leslie and Robynne they told me they created the classroom environment in a way that the parents could read the environment in a certain way. They wanted the environment to speak to the parents and children in a way they prepared. They said the parents read the environment in the way they originally hoped they would. But what really did the teachers want the parents to read the classroom environment? What did they want them to notice? What did they want them to see and point out? How did the parents react to the newly designed environment?
When I first stepped foot into the classroom, I was shocked to how clean and big it was. Everything looked brand new and set up developmentally appropriate for the children. One thing that caught my eye was how much selection there was in each learning center. The block center has so many different sizes and shapes of blocks and materials to build with. The writing center has many selections to different medias the children can chose from. There is many different types of materials the children can chose from. The middle room, which I think could be called the exploration room caught my eye, because there is so much materials that can be used and explored. There are rocks, art materials, a microscope and computer, sensorial materials, etc. I didn't know that all these materials could be put out for children to explore. I feel that when I walked into the classroom I read the environment to be somewhere where children's learning is not underestimated. The learning centers are set up to invite children to explore and engage in activities on their own. They are able to be independent in their own learning.
How do I want the parents and families to read my own classroom environment? I just received eight new children in the past month. I will be having more in the next two weeks. My assistant and I created the classroom environment based on the needs of the new children. We observed them and then decided to base our environment around that. We made the pretending area larger, block center a little bit smaller, added more materials in the writing center, created a special space for the math/manipulatives center and library, and added a place for the technology gadgets (computers and electric globes), and added a music center. The children love dressing up and playing music, so we added more to those centers for the most constructive play.
A ray of light... - Journal # 2 for the week of 9/9/13
I was absolutely amazed at the light atelier in the classroom of Mid Pac. This is such a unique space that it had me wondering more about it. The teachers Jordyn, Kimberly, and Shelly really take this light learning to whole new experience for the children. This special space engages children in their own story telling and creating. The teachers create different material for the children to use to create their stories. The mirrors and lights all around the space enhance the environment to a new level that the children are really able to use their thinking skills to create something that is their own.
Last week when I was ordering supplies for my own classroom, I was specifically looking for something that I can use to create my own ray of light for the children to explore and engage in. Of course looking at the prices made me flinch. I am now thinking of making my own light table and creating a way to have the children express themselves through engaging with different forms of light. I was planning to create a big box and cover the front with some sort of see-through sheet protector and tape. I was then going to hang a sheet up on the wall and bring in a huge flashlight. I would put the flashlight behind the box so it would go through the sheet protector. I can find different things to make the wall different colors and create materials the children can use to create their own stories. I am so inspired through this that I will try to make my own in the next couple of weeks (hopefully). I actually have been looking around to find an overhead, which I found a cheap one at Office Max. I feel that this will even enhance my children's learning even more. They are able to be in charge of their own stories and development through the light atelier. It gives them opportunities to express themselves in a way that was never thought possible.
Painting for logical thinking? - Journal entry #3 for the week of 9/16/13
When I asked Robynne, "When do the children do art activities, such as painting?" she responded with, "Well we do painting when we want to teach the children about color and tone." I was actually quite shocked to hear that. I am not sure if if I like that response, because I have learned so much about painting and art projects to do with the children in my education experience. I feel to not have children paint on daily or weekly basis that they are missing out on creating something of their own thoughts and dreams. Robynne said, "The children develop their fine motor skills while playing in the centers throughout the day." My own belief is that children need to do messy art throughout the week. They need to get their hands dirty with paint to express themselves through art. Giving them a piece of paper and different selections of paint and allowing them to create their own picture is something I believe in. I have not seen the children get the opportunity to paint at Mid Pac yet. I am hoping it will be soon, because although I don't agree with what Robynne said, it will be quite interesting to listen to the teachers encourage the children while they are painting. I am a person who advocates for art activities and painting, since painting is something that I am passionate about, so I incorporate it in my lesson plans everyday. There are some teacher-directed and child-directed activities throughout the week, so they get the opportunities to follow directions and venture out on their own. Painting for logical thinking might be okay, but it has to be incorporated in everyday painting/messy art activities. Children need to be able to create for themselves, it doesn't have to be all logic and academic.
Fantastical Light - Journal entry for the week of 9/23/13...
When I came to Mid Pac on Monday, the children were bringing in their own flashlights from home. The teachers were placing black paper against the windows so the light would not come into the atelier room. During work time, the children were able to use their flash lights and other light up materials to learn about movement and light while flashing the lights in the room against the walls and sheets. I found this learning activity to be absolutely amazing. The questions Jordyn and Leslie were asking the children were effective in getting the children to talk about the light they were shining on the walls. However, when Jordyn, Leslie, and Robynne were discussing the activity later in the day, they said they needed more understanding and practice in the question-asking to the children. They said the children were not quite understanding the questions and reflecting upon them the right way. They said this was the first time doing this activity with these group of children, so they wanted to keep practicing. It was nice to see these teachers reflecting and discussing what happened during this activity, because I don't see much reflection in other preschool classrooms. Reflecting upon activities is extremely important, because it helps you as the teacher to understand what the children are interested in and what they aren't. It also helps you to practice communication with your children and encourage them in the activities.
During this week of being at Mid Pac I noticed many things the way the teachers teach or allow the children their space to learn and create. I noticed simple things such as, giving the children water with chalk so the chalk can look different while being used on the ground or giving the children water to put in the sandbox so they can create something unique with sand. These little things have such a big impact on their creativity. A lot of the teachers I work with at my workplace doesn't allow water in the sandbox or to make a "mess" on the sidewalk, which does make me sad in a way, because after I saw the teachers at Mid Pac allowing it to happen I saw the children create many different things and being social with other children. With my own practice, I want my children to be able to explore in any way they can. I don't want to refuse them the right to create and explore. If they want to put water in the sandbox and on the sidewalk and make a mess I will allow them to do that. The best part is that they have extra clothes so if they get dirty I can just change them. I want to give children opportunities to create and be explorers while they are young, because once they go into elementary school the creativity and exploration is sucked right out of the curriculum.
Journal Entry for Week 10: A question worth a thousand words....
On Friday November 1, 2013 I had observed the children during conversations and question asking for the second time. I have been waiting for a "fantastical" question from a child all week before all hope was lost. During lunch time, the civil defense sirens went off and the children at my table were so excited to hear it. The children were asking me, "What's that sound?" I replied by explaining to them what it is and why they were hearing the sound. Until Aviana, my youngest two year old, asked me a question. She asked, "Where is the sound coming from?" That might be a simple question to most people, but for the class I have it is worth a thousand words. The children in my classroom are very soft spoken and are quiet when I have group discussion with them. So to hear Aviana ask me a question like that was so amazing. I answered her question by drawing her a picture of what the sirens look like on the pole. After she was like, "Ohhh, I see." It felt very nice to answer a question of that magnatude. It was very fulfilling to hear her ask an expressive question.
At Mid Pac I observe the children drawing and writing their plans for the day. After they do this they check in with their teacher and she writes what they say about their plan. The teachers ask about every detail of their picture. I find this interaction between the children and teachers will help the children learn how to dialogue and communicate effectively with other children and teachers. It also helps them problem solve with each other as well. It gives them a sense of what happens during the day without using a calendar. Bringing this kind of activity into my own classroom could help my children learn how to communicate effectively by dialoging with each other. It allows the children to be creative and discuss what their creativity means to them. What better way to teach them!!! I really enjoy learning at Mid Pac. I feel that through all the schooling during college, I will remember this experience the most, because of the key insights and up close and personal I get to encounter with the teachers and children. I feel that the Reggio approach is such an amazing theory of practice to use, because it really allows the children to think critical and express themselves the way they want. I hope with everything that I am learning here, I can bring as much as possible back into my own classroom.
Journal Entry for 11/18/13...Reflecting and Communicating
Today at Mid Pac I got the opportunity to listen to a collaboration with the teachers in the morning. It was brief yet so productive. I have never heard teachers speak in such exciting language. The teachers were discussing phrases to teach the children when they go to the ridge. The phrases were to broaden the children's vocabulary as well as to have a sense of "fantastical" meaning in their learning. The children were put into groups that would find a certain thing in or about the ridge that had to do with the phrase. One was "rushing forest". What is rushing? How does it look like in a forest? Is it sounds? Is it animals? These are things the teachers wanted the children to discover about the ridge.
This enlightened my learning so much because it taught me to not underestimate a child. A child is capable of so much. You have to think of a child as an investigator, explorer, etc. I am really glad I was able to observe the teachers collaborating this way.
Journal Entry for 11/25/13...Videos are worth a thousand words
Today at Mid Pac Ms. Leslie was sharing with the other teachers and I the videos of some children. Some of the children in the class were have a hard time writing their daily plans and Ms. Leslie wanted to help them elaborate more on the plans they did have. The videos were so awesome, because it showed Ms. Leslie asking questions about the children's plans and elaborating on different gestures and ideas the children were coming up with. I thought is was amazing how the teachers work as a team in the children's learning process. The videos truly showed just how amazing the teachers are in what they do. Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing the children in my own class justice when I see how the teachers teach and act with the kids at Mid Pac. But then I just realize it is definitely a learning process for a teacher to become the teacher they've always imagined to be great. I am still young and willing to learn new things to be the best teacher I can be and an influential one as well.
I feel my senior project has been such a learning process to me. I have learned so much within myself that it kind of is overwhelming at first to process. Mid Pac has been amazing to me and I feel I can take so much with me when I graduate to future endeavors as a teacher. My project has been different in so many ways as I feel it has so many kinds of parts to it. As in the research and collection of data. I feel like there is so many projects in one action research question, like I could place more questions into my project. As I say goodbye to Mid Pac I feel sad in a way that I won't be able to see and observe the teachers and children in action in so many different activities that enhance the children's learning in every way possible. I am going to miss the teachers and children and seeing what new thing they discover next. Learning in a "fantastical" way is such a cool way to learn and see new things. It makes learning so much more fun. It takes creativity to the max and really allows the children to do fantastic things.
I finally was able to observe Ms.Jordan teach the children to paint. That is exactly what she did. She taught them how to use the brush, how to hold the brush, and how to use the paint colors. I have never seen a teacher teach a child how to paint. I guess we think children know how to paint already. She taught them how to use small strokes with the paintbrush and to not push down hard with the brush. It was actually quite amazing to see this activity, because I had a hard time in the beginning not seeing the children paint on a regular basis. But it worth the wait, because I even learned new ways to teach my own children how to hold the brush and how to use the brush effectively. She put the paint in glass mason jars which was interesting. I would feel like a real artist if I were to paint with glass jars. I wonder how the children felt? Probably like artists! She also had a lot of colors out for them to use, at lease 15 colors. She even taught them how to rinse off their brush when they wanted to use a different color. I feel that seeing her teach the children how to paint really makes me take a breath and thing about how I am having the kids in my class paint. I feel it is very traditional. Maybe I will work on my own skills to effectively teach the children how to use the brush and to engage in the activity more confidently.
One of the things I have learned at Mid-Pac that interest me a lot was the light atelier. I found this area so fascinating in the classroom. I am slowly bringing in more things to my own classroom to help the children learn about light and movement. I first started off with a small mirror and had the children place small round blue rocks on the mirror. This was their own creation in any way they chose how to do it. I found them using all of the rocks in creating their creation. Then I gave more materials for them to use, such as small pine trees and shells. When I saw some of the creations the children made I was amazed. It not only looked cool, but the kids enjoyed working with the materials. My director even asked how I thought of it. She really liked the activity and thought I was really benefiting from going to Mid-Pac (which I am)! The next thing I want to have the children do is explore a home-made light table that I will create. I will have them use the same materials but with light shining through the bottom. I wonder how the children will explore that activity?
The past couple of weeks the teachers put out clay for the children to explore. One thing I noticed that the clay was on top of a turn table for easy access for the children to take. There were so many natural materials for the children to use. Not once did I see a plastic object or tool. I saw sticks, carving tools, shells, and a garlic press. Why is it so hard for classrooms to get these types of materials or even have the children use these kinds of materials when working with clay or play dough. I feel the children really explore the clay when using natural materials they found in their environment. A child asked me to work with her so I was able to feel the clay and use the tools to make a turtle. I think I had more fun then the kids did. I was so intrigued with this activity, because it was simple but more engaging. I wonder how the children in my class would react to materials like this? I wonder if it would make them nervous? Would they know what to do with the materials? How would they use it?
When I look back upon my experience at Mid-Pac I am truly grateful that I was able to take part in such an amazing experience. I have learned so much in the past 15 weeks, more than what I believe any person could learn sitting down in a class listening to a teacher. Reggio Emilia really gave me a new perspective on education and children's learning. Allowing children to be their own explorers and creators is something I realized is important for children to grow and learn and develop and become critical thinkers. Being able to allow children to branch out and discover things without making so many rules and regulations about how they branch out and learn is something truly what makes every school different from Reggio Emilia. It makes me wonder what I can do to help the children branch out and discover things and encourage them to do so without so many "don't do that, put that away" kinds of language. I feel the one thing I will take away from this experience is to give children stimulating and engaging activities and materials so they are able to experience and discover these things with each other.
Journal Entry 15...What can I gain from this experience?
I feel this experience has helped me gain so much knowledge more than my first practicum. This practicum really allowed me to step back and observe new teachings and insights that other programs really don't offer. I am glad to have gone to Mid-Pac, because gaining a new insight is a life-long remembrance for me that I will cherish for a long time. Not a lot of teachers have their degrees or education behind their experience. To be able to gain this experience is priceless. I am excited to teach and enthusiastic about my experience at Mid-Pac. I am eager to share my action research project with my directors and hope they share the same excitement that I have about it. I feel I can use the action research in my everyday work with children. Being able to observe children, collect and analyze data, enacting a change, and seeing if the change was effective or not is an extremely important life skill to have. I finally understand the process and it can be done on a small or large skill project in the classroom. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you Jeanne for you of help!
What does the environment say to me? -- Journal #1 for 9/3/13
ReplyDeleteWhen I had the first initial meeting with Leslie and Robynne they told me they created the classroom environment in a way that the parents could read the environment in a certain way. They wanted the environment to speak to the parents and children in a way they prepared. They said the parents read the environment in the way they originally hoped they would. But what really did the teachers want the parents to read the classroom environment? What did they want them to notice? What did they want them to see and point out? How did the parents react to the newly designed environment?
When I first stepped foot into the classroom, I was shocked to how clean and big it was. Everything looked brand new and set up developmentally appropriate for the children. One thing that caught my eye was how much selection there was in each learning center. The block center has so many different sizes and shapes of blocks and materials to build with. The writing center has many selections to different medias the children can chose from. There is many different types of materials the children can chose from. The middle room, which I think could be called the exploration room caught my eye, because there is so much materials that can be used and explored. There are rocks, art materials, a microscope and computer, sensorial materials, etc. I didn't know that all these materials could be put out for children to explore. I feel that when I walked into the classroom I read the environment to be somewhere where children's learning is not underestimated. The learning centers are set up to invite children to explore and engage in activities on their own. They are able to be independent in their own learning.
How do I want the parents and families to read my own classroom environment? I just received eight new children in the past month. I will be having more in the next two weeks. My assistant and I created the classroom environment based on the needs of the new children. We observed them and then decided to base our environment around that. We made the pretending area larger, block center a little bit smaller, added more materials in the writing center, created a special space for the math/manipulatives center and library, and added a place for the technology gadgets (computers and electric globes), and added a music center. The children love dressing up and playing music, so we added more to those centers for the most constructive play.
A ray of light... - Journal # 2 for the week of 9/9/13
ReplyDeleteI was absolutely amazed at the light atelier in the classroom of Mid Pac. This is such a unique space that it had me wondering more about it. The teachers Jordyn, Kimberly, and Shelly really take this light learning to whole new experience for the children. This special space engages children in their own story telling and creating. The teachers create different material for the children to use to create their stories. The mirrors and lights all around the space enhance the environment to a new level that the children are really able to use their thinking skills to create something that is their own.
Last week when I was ordering supplies for my own classroom, I was specifically looking for something that I can use to create my own ray of light for the children to explore and engage in. Of course looking at the prices made me flinch. I am now thinking of making my own light table and creating a way to have the children express themselves through engaging with different forms of light. I was planning to create a big box and cover the front with some sort of see-through sheet protector and tape. I was then going to hang a sheet up on the wall and bring in a huge flashlight. I would put the flashlight behind the box so it would go through the sheet protector. I can find different things to make the wall different colors and create materials the children can use to create their own stories. I am so inspired through this that I will try to make my own in the next couple of weeks (hopefully). I actually have been looking around to find an overhead, which I found a cheap one at Office Max. I feel that this will even enhance my children's learning even more. They are able to be in charge of their own stories and development through the light atelier. It gives them opportunities to express themselves in a way that was never thought possible.
Painting for logical thinking? - Journal entry #3 for the week of 9/16/13
ReplyDeleteWhen I asked Robynne, "When do the children do art activities, such as painting?" she responded with, "Well we do painting when we want to teach the children about color and tone." I was actually quite shocked to hear that. I am not sure if if I like that response, because I have learned so much about painting and art projects to do with the children in my education experience. I feel to not have children paint on daily or weekly basis that they are missing out on creating something of their own thoughts and dreams. Robynne said, "The children develop their fine motor skills while playing in the centers throughout the day." My own belief is that children need to do messy art throughout the week. They need to get their hands dirty with paint to express themselves through art. Giving them a piece of paper and different selections of paint and allowing them to create their own picture is something I believe in. I have not seen the children get the opportunity to paint at Mid Pac yet. I am hoping it will be soon, because although I don't agree with what Robynne said, it will be quite interesting to listen to the teachers encourage the children while they are painting. I am a person who advocates for art activities and painting, since painting is something that I am passionate about, so I incorporate it in my lesson plans everyday. There are some teacher-directed and child-directed activities throughout the week, so they get the opportunities to follow directions and venture out on their own. Painting for logical thinking might be okay, but it has to be incorporated in everyday painting/messy art activities. Children need to be able to create for themselves, it doesn't have to be all logic and academic.
Fantastical Light - Journal entry for the week of 9/23/13...
ReplyDeleteWhen I came to Mid Pac on Monday, the children were bringing in their own flashlights from home. The teachers were placing black paper against the windows so the light would not come into the atelier room. During work time, the children were able to use their flash lights and other light up materials to learn about movement and light while flashing the lights in the room against the walls and sheets. I found this learning activity to be absolutely amazing. The questions Jordyn and Leslie were asking the children were effective in getting the children to talk about the light they were shining on the walls. However, when Jordyn, Leslie, and Robynne were discussing the activity later in the day, they said they needed more understanding and practice in the question-asking to the children. They said the children were not quite understanding the questions and reflecting upon them the right way. They said this was the first time doing this activity with these group of children, so they wanted to keep practicing. It was nice to see these teachers reflecting and discussing what happened during this activity, because I don't see much reflection in other preschool classrooms. Reflecting upon activities is extremely important, because it helps you as the teacher to understand what the children are interested in and what they aren't. It also helps you to practice communication with your children and encourage them in the activities.
Journal Entry #5 for the week of September 30...
ReplyDeleteDuring this week of being at Mid Pac I noticed many things the way the teachers teach or allow the children their space to learn and create. I noticed simple things such as, giving the children water with chalk so the chalk can look different while being used on the ground or giving the children water to put in the sandbox so they can create something unique with sand. These little things have such a big impact on their creativity. A lot of the teachers I work with at my workplace doesn't allow water in the sandbox or to make a "mess" on the sidewalk, which does make me sad in a way, because after I saw the teachers at Mid Pac allowing it to happen I saw the children create many different things and being social with other children. With my own practice, I want my children to be able to explore in any way they can. I don't want to refuse them the right to create and explore. If they want to put water in the sandbox and on the sidewalk and make a mess I will allow them to do that. The best part is that they have extra clothes so if they get dirty I can just change them. I want to give children opportunities to create and be explorers while they are young, because once they go into elementary school the creativity and exploration is sucked right out of the curriculum.
Journal Entry for Week 10: A question worth a thousand words....
ReplyDeleteOn Friday November 1, 2013 I had observed the children during conversations and question asking for the second time. I have been waiting for a "fantastical" question from a child all week before all hope was lost. During lunch time, the civil defense sirens went off and the children at my table were so excited to hear it. The children were asking me, "What's that sound?" I replied by explaining to them what it is and why they were hearing the sound. Until Aviana, my youngest two year old, asked me a question. She asked, "Where is the sound coming from?" That might be a simple question to most people, but for the class I have it is worth a thousand words. The children in my classroom are very soft spoken and are quiet when I have group discussion with them. So to hear Aviana ask me a question like that was so amazing. I answered her question by drawing her a picture of what the sirens look like on the pole. After she was like, "Ohhh, I see." It felt very nice to answer a question of that magnatude. It was very fulfilling to hear her ask an expressive question.
Journal Entry for Week 11: Checking in....
ReplyDeleteAt Mid Pac I observe the children drawing and writing their plans for the day. After they do this they check in with their teacher and she writes what they say about their plan. The teachers ask about every detail of their picture. I find this interaction between the children and teachers will help the children learn how to dialogue and communicate effectively with other children and teachers. It also helps them problem solve with each other as well. It gives them a sense of what happens during the day without using a calendar. Bringing this kind of activity into my own classroom could help my children learn how to communicate effectively by dialoging with each other. It allows the children to be creative and discuss what their creativity means to them. What better way to teach them!!! I really enjoy learning at Mid Pac. I feel that through all the schooling during college, I will remember this experience the most, because of the key insights and up close and personal I get to encounter with the teachers and children. I feel that the Reggio approach is such an amazing theory of practice to use, because it really allows the children to think critical and express themselves the way they want. I hope with everything that I am learning here, I can bring as much as possible back into my own classroom.
Journal Entry for 11/18/13...Reflecting and Communicating
ReplyDeleteToday at Mid Pac I got the opportunity to listen to a collaboration with the teachers in the morning. It was brief yet so productive. I have never heard teachers speak in such exciting language. The teachers were discussing phrases to teach the children when they go to the ridge. The phrases were to broaden the children's vocabulary as well as to have a sense of "fantastical" meaning in their learning. The children were put into groups that would find a certain thing in or about the ridge that had to do with the phrase. One was "rushing forest". What is rushing? How does it look like in a forest? Is it sounds? Is it animals? These are things the teachers wanted the children to discover about the ridge.
This enlightened my learning so much because it taught me to not underestimate a child. A child is capable of so much. You have to think of a child as an investigator, explorer, etc. I am really glad I was able to observe the teachers collaborating this way.
Journal Entry for 11/25/13...Videos are worth a thousand words
ReplyDeleteToday at Mid Pac Ms. Leslie was sharing with the other teachers and I the videos of some children. Some of the children in the class were have a hard time writing their daily plans and Ms. Leslie wanted to help them elaborate more on the plans they did have. The videos were so awesome, because it showed Ms. Leslie asking questions about the children's plans and elaborating on different gestures and ideas the children were coming up with. I thought is was amazing how the teachers work as a team in the children's learning process. The videos truly showed just how amazing the teachers are in what they do. Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing the children in my own class justice when I see how the teachers teach and act with the kids at Mid Pac. But then I just realize it is definitely a learning process for a teacher to become the teacher they've always imagined to be great. I am still young and willing to learn new things to be the best teacher I can be and an influential one as well.
Journal Entry for 12/2/13...
ReplyDeleteI feel my senior project has been such a learning process to me. I have learned so much within myself that it kind of is overwhelming at first to process. Mid Pac has been amazing to me and I feel I can take so much with me when I graduate to future endeavors as a teacher. My project has been different in so many ways as I feel it has so many kinds of parts to it. As in the research and collection of data. I feel like there is so many projects in one action research question, like I could place more questions into my project. As I say goodbye to Mid Pac I feel sad in a way that I won't be able to see and observe the teachers and children in action in so many different activities that enhance the children's learning in every way possible. I am going to miss the teachers and children and seeing what new thing they discover next. Learning in a "fantastical" way is such a cool way to learn and see new things. It makes learning so much more fun. It takes creativity to the max and really allows the children to do fantastic things.
Journal Entry...Painting for reason
ReplyDeleteI finally was able to observe Ms.Jordan teach the children to paint. That is exactly what she did. She taught them how to use the brush, how to hold the brush, and how to use the paint colors. I have never seen a teacher teach a child how to paint. I guess we think children know how to paint already. She taught them how to use small strokes with the paintbrush and to not push down hard with the brush. It was actually quite amazing to see this activity, because I had a hard time in the beginning not seeing the children paint on a regular basis. But it worth the wait, because I even learned new ways to teach my own children how to hold the brush and how to use the brush effectively. She put the paint in glass mason jars which was interesting. I would feel like a real artist if I were to paint with glass jars. I wonder how the children felt? Probably like artists! She also had a lot of colors out for them to use, at lease 15 colors. She even taught them how to rinse off their brush when they wanted to use a different color. I feel that seeing her teach the children how to paint really makes me take a breath and thing about how I am having the kids in my class paint. I feel it is very traditional. Maybe I will work on my own skills to effectively teach the children how to use the brush and to engage in the activity more confidently.
Journal Entry...Light Learning
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I have learned at Mid-Pac that interest me a lot was the light atelier. I found this area so fascinating in the classroom. I am slowly bringing in more things to my own classroom to help the children learn about light and movement. I first started off with a small mirror and had the children place small round blue rocks on the mirror. This was their own creation in any way they chose how to do it. I found them using all of the rocks in creating their creation. Then I gave more materials for them to use, such as small pine trees and shells. When I saw some of the creations the children made I was amazed. It not only looked cool, but the kids enjoyed working with the materials. My director even asked how I thought of it. She really liked the activity and thought I was really benefiting from going to Mid-Pac (which I am)! The next thing I want to have the children do is explore a home-made light table that I will create. I will have them use the same materials but with light shining through the bottom. I wonder how the children will explore that activity?
Journal Entry...Exploring Clay
ReplyDeleteThe past couple of weeks the teachers put out clay for the children to explore. One thing I noticed that the clay was on top of a turn table for easy access for the children to take. There were so many natural materials for the children to use. Not once did I see a plastic object or tool. I saw sticks, carving tools, shells, and a garlic press. Why is it so hard for classrooms to get these types of materials or even have the children use these kinds of materials when working with clay or play dough. I feel the children really explore the clay when using natural materials they found in their environment. A child asked me to work with her so I was able to feel the clay and use the tools to make a turtle. I think I had more fun then the kids did. I was so intrigued with this activity, because it was simple but more engaging. I wonder how the children in my class would react to materials like this? I wonder if it would make them nervous? Would they know what to do with the materials? How would they use it?
Journal Entry...A look back upon Mid-Pac
ReplyDeleteWhen I look back upon my experience at Mid-Pac I am truly grateful that I was able to take part in such an amazing experience. I have learned so much in the past 15 weeks, more than what I believe any person could learn sitting down in a class listening to a teacher. Reggio Emilia really gave me a new perspective on education and children's learning. Allowing children to be their own explorers and creators is something I realized is important for children to grow and learn and develop and become critical thinkers. Being able to allow children to branch out and discover things without making so many rules and regulations about how they branch out and learn is something truly what makes every school different from Reggio Emilia. It makes me wonder what I can do to help the children branch out and discover things and encourage them to do so without so many "don't do that, put that away" kinds of language. I feel the one thing I will take away from this experience is to give children stimulating and engaging activities and materials so they are able to experience and discover these things with each other.
Journal Entry 15...What can I gain from this experience?
ReplyDeleteI feel this experience has helped me gain so much knowledge more than my first practicum. This practicum really allowed me to step back and observe new teachings and insights that other programs really don't offer. I am glad to have gone to Mid-Pac, because gaining a new insight is a life-long remembrance for me that I will cherish for a long time. Not a lot of teachers have their degrees or education behind their experience. To be able to gain this experience is priceless. I am excited to teach and enthusiastic about my experience at Mid-Pac. I am eager to share my action research project with my directors and hope they share the same excitement that I have about it. I feel I can use the action research in my everyday work with children. Being able to observe children, collect and analyze data, enacting a change, and seeing if the change was effective or not is an extremely important life skill to have. I finally understand the process and it can be done on a small or large skill project in the classroom. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you Jeanne for you of help!
Correction - *Thank you Jeanne for all of your help*
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