Recycled Frame Corners

The children have been very interested in visiting our loose parts shelf. In this area there are many bins of interested found and recycled materials. One basket of particular interest was the frame corners. These vary in size, colour and texture and have become a very versatile building material during play. 

 

Today the children began joining the frames together to create along zigzag roadway. They worked cooperatively, stretching the road along the carpet.

 

Many children noticed the roadway and became quite interested in seeing what was happening.

They were curious to see how the pieces fit together and why the Velcro on the back made the corners stick to well to the carpet.

Once the roadway was complete a 'parking lot' was constructed...

...perfect for cars AND dinosaurs!

 

Our First Day

What a lovely first day we had together! The children were so enthusiastic and did a wonderful job becoming familiar with classroom space and materials. We had a large play block indoors where they become comfortable with one another and our classroom routines, remembering where to find and return classroom materials, how to locate their cubby and be responsible for their personal materials, and how to take care of their needs by visiting the snack centre. A big thank you to all for remembering to return children's forms and send in all other materials. Note totes will be coming home at the end of the day so please check that for any additional materials/information from school.

 

 

 

 

Subitizing Presentation for Greater Essex Educators

 

On September 9, I will have the pleasure of presenting 'Subitizing: How to engage children in playful opportunities that build confidence and interest in number sense' to the wonderful educators of the Greater Essex County District School Board. You can access the presentation slides in PDF form at this link: Subitizing Presentation

Some of the resources mentioned in the presentation can be accessed at the following links. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Articles

Making Math Meaningful for Young Children (Teaching Young Children) by Pecaski McLennan

Number Talks by Sherry Parrish

Blackline Masters

Domino Parking Lots

Blank Five Frame

Blank Ten Frame

Small Blank Ten Frames

Ten Frame with Dots

Blank 100 Chart

Dominoes

Dot Cards

Large Numbers

Tally Dominoes

Number Words

Numbers 0 - 100

Blank Number Cube

Number Cube with Dots

Let's continue to connect and share our math learning with one another!

deannapecaskimclennan@yahoo.ca
@McLennan1977
 'Math in Inquiry-Based Learning' Facebook group

Making the 1st Day Great!

Before the first day...

In the days leading up to school, practice walking to school or to the bus stop often so it begins to feel like a familiar routine. If you child will be riding the bus, attend the bus orientation and go over the bus safety rules a few times.

A few days before school starts, begin getting your child and yourself used to the bedtime and wake-up schedule that will be required during school.

Get everything ready a day or two in advance.

The day before, let your child pick out what they will wear on the first day of school. Let your child choose a favourite outfit from clothes that are already 'broken-in' and comfortable.

Try to get your child and yourself off to bed a bit early so you're both well rested in the morning.

The first day...

Get yourself and your child up early enough to eat a calm, unhurried breakfast. Keep things as normal as possible; if your child normally has cereal for breakfast, make cereal this morning.

When you say goodbye to your child the first day, make it quick, light, and reassuring.

Your child will be reassured by a warm hug and a reminder that you, or their usual caregiver, will be picking them up or waiting at home after school is finished.

Some parents feel a temporary sense of loss when their child goes off to school. If you're feeling that way, plan a special activity for yourself that you can look forward to during the first days of school. 

After school...

Plan a special dinner with your child's favourite foods to celebrate the first day of school.

Use the first day of school to start some routines for the rest of the school year. One of these routines is to talk with your child every day about what happened at school. Here are some questions that can help to start the discussion:

• Did your teacher read you a story today?  Tell me about it.
• What did you do in school today that you really liked?  Tell me why this activity was so special for you.
• What are you looking forward to doing tomorrow at school?

Another great routine to get started on the first day of school is displaying your child's school work. After you and your child have discussed what he or she has brought home from school, display it on the fridge or hang it on an inexpensive bulletin board hung in the hallway or bedroom at your child's eye level.

Use those precious few minutes before bedtime to snuggle with your child and read him or her a bedtime story. 

We have an open door - please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns!

First Day Anxiety

Freshly pressed school clothing, a new backpack full of supplies, and a child clinging to your legs refusing to let go...welcome to the first day of school! Although children are eager to begin kindergarten, it's understandable for most to experience first day (first week, or even first month) anxiety. Imagine what it must be like to suddenly leave the comfort of home and be dropped into a new environment where everything and everyone is different. This anxiety is normal and we will help you and your child to get through it! Please speak directly to us if you are concerned about your child's anxiety at starting school and we will do our best to provide support and strategies for helping with the transition to school.  (As a mom I know how it feels to send your baby to a new place; even if you are excited about the possibilities school is going to offer your child, it's hard to make the transition and realize they are now a 'big kid'. I've been there and can empathize. Feel free to talk to me about your questions and concerns as I want your child and family to feel secure and confident heading into the school year.)
 
Here are some tips you might also find useful:

Downplay the milestone. For some children highlighting the first day of kindergarten as a really big deal makes them more nervous than they already are. Instead of making a huge fuss about starting school, try comparing kindergarten to something your child is already familiar with, such as going to daycare, the Ontario Early Years Center, or a music or sports class.  Explain that kindergarten will be a place where he or she will make friends and have fun, just like he or she may have done with groups of kids before.
 
Connect school to home. Bring your child with you to all events that happen before school including parent interviews. This will provide your child with an opportunity to meet us and see our classroom ahead of time. Please send in a 4 by 6 inch photo of your family (all members included, pets too) that we will display around the classroom. This will help your child to feel more connected to their home life while at school. When your child goes home at the end of the day, engage him or her in a conversation about what they did during the day. Talking to your child about his or her day at school can help connect school to home life.
 
Read books together about starting school. Reading about other children who might have fears and anxiety about starting school may be comforting to kids who are experiencing the same feelings. Here is an excellent list of books about starting school.  
 
Try to minimize your own anxiety. Just as it's perfectly normal for your child to feel some anxiety on the first days of kindergarten, it's absolutely normal for you to feel anxious when you see your child upset or when a life change like your child starting school occurs. It's also understandable that you may experience some frustration when you see other children playing happily in the classroom while yours is still clinging for dear life to your legs. Don't hesitate to speak with us about your concerns and how we can help plan for a smooth transition for your child into our classroom!
 
Don't stay too long. Reassure your child that you (or another caregiver) will be back at the end of the day (or waiting at home) and say a quick goodbye at drop-off time. Lingering will only make it more difficult for your child to see you go, and he or she may cry harder the next time because he or she may see that it's an effective way to get you to stay. As heart-wrenching as it may be for you to walk away while your child is upset, chances are that he or she will be playing happily soon after you are out of sight. We recommend that you don't sneak out without saying goodbye as this may undermine your child's trust and could worsen his or her separation anxiety.
 
Identify his or her anxiety. Find out exactly what your child is afraid of. Talk to him or her and find out what he or she is worried about. Concerned that you won't return? Afraid someone will be mean to him or her? Worried he or she won't know where the bathroom is or that he or she won't know what to do in the classroom? Once you establish what the specific fears are you will be better able to address your child's concerns and work with him or her and our teaching staff to find ways to handle them.
 
Send along a favourite comfort object or reminder of you. If your child has a favourite lovey (e.g., blanket, stuffed animal) send it along the first few days. We will ask children to keep their object in their backpack unless needed to help through a transition period. Sometimes having a favourite comfort object nearby helps provide children with a sense of security. Another wonderful item is a mini photo album filled with pictures of your family and home.
 
Don't put a time limit on how long it should take for anxiety to pass. For some children, first day anxiety may not last beyond a few days if it happens at all. For others, tears and school fears may go on for weeks. Just as each child has his or her own individual set of experiences and personality, the time it takes to adjust to school will vary from one child to another.

Visit our class blog together with your child. This helps your child see what fun and exciting activities have happened in our classroom in the past and will build excitement for the possibilities that await his or her time with us this school year!  
Don't hesitate to talk to us! We are here to help make your family's transition to full day kindergarten as smooth as possible.
 
Read professional resources to help you cope. An excellent book that we have recommended in the past for families is Nancy Balaban's "Everyday Goodbyes: Starting School and Early Care. A Guide to the Separation Process".

Exploring Colour and Light

"He who knows how to appreciate colour relationships, the influence of one colour on another, their contrasts and dissonances, is promised an infinitely diverse imagery."

Sonia Delaunay

 

 

Exploring colour is something our children have revisited over and over this year. They have spent time wondering about the diverse shades of nature in each changing season, appreciated the nuances of shades in natural and found treasures, and used light and colour to create their own amazing art both in and out of the classroom.

 

Last week we introduced the overhead transparency machine and the children were consumed with creating transient art using a variety of interesting loose parts. In order to celebrate the last week of school we hoped to take their interest in light and projection and combine it with colour mixing for one final artistic and scientific exploration before summer vacation. We wondered what they would do if the primary colours of water were presented to them on the overhead machine. (In order to do this safely, an adult was always present at the centre to support and encourage. The machine itself was covered with a plastic sheet and a vent in the plastic was left open for the fan vent).  

 

The children were immediately captivated; with the light dimmed in the room their attention focused on the illuminated tray and the interesting projection that was cast on the wall. The water in the tray danced as children brushed up against the table, clambering to get close and have a look. The reflection mirrored on the wall and the interesting way the water looked caught many children's attention.

 

"Why is it moving like that?"

"It's jumping; it's happy to see us."

"It's happy to have colour in it. The colours are pretty."

"I'm going to make more pretty colours. I'm going to mix them together."

"We need droppers to do this!"

 

The children have become quite proficient using droppers in their water play. Droppers are an excellent tool because they encourage persistence as children learn how to use them efficiently and also strengthen fine motor skills in little hands and fingers. 



 

 

We used a clear tray (donated by a parent who worked in a store that sold kinder eggs) filled with water. One spot had red food colouring, one had yellow and one had blue. The children used the droppers to collect the primary colours and move them from spot to spot on the tray. As they mixed new and interested shades emerged and were illuminated by the light underneath.

 

 

It was interesting to observe the children collaborate as they created new shades ("You need to add some blue if you want that to be a dark purple." "I like that colour - golden orange - it looks like your shirt.") and listen to their rich art talk. They vividly described the different shades of beautiful colours, named them (e.g., golden orange, sky blue, dandelion yellow), and explained how they created each using math language ("If you want to create golden orange you need to add three drops of red, three drops of yellow to make it equal and then add a drop or two of brown."). The process of what was being created was more important in this experience than a final product. When the tray became filled with colours and most had turned brown from overmixing, it was cleared and fresh water and new primary colours were added.

  

 

 

 

The overhead machine worked as a light source to illuminate the tray from below and also projected the creations on the wall. Because the tray was clear the different shades of colour were projected onto the white board and cast an interesting hue to that corner of our room. Children who were playing at centres nearby would often stop to watch as new colours were projected - it was interesting to hear their observation as well as they watched the different drops of colour get added to the tray and then the new colour emerged.

 

 "Look! She just added blue to that but it's turning green!"

"I like that pink one. Pink is my favourite."

"I'm going to go play there next. I like to mix colours too!"

 

Anytime invitations can be offered to children that integrate unique curriculum expectations in unexpected ways, learning becomes magnified as children use previous experiences to form a base of knowledge both from which to draw and as inspiration for next steps. We love combining art, technology and science into captivating provocations that help children create transient artwork. These precious fleeting moments of beauty and wonder shape our space and make learning fun! The overhead machine has proven to be an indispensable piece of technology for our room - leave comments below to tell us how you have used it in your space!



Each One My Child: An Open Letter of Healing and Hope

I have spent much time these last two days grieving for a child not my own, for a family I don't even know. By now news of the tragedy from Disney World has spread across news outlets and social media. And although it has been one of the most upsetting situations in recent months, it's hard for me to not read the latest information as I try and make some sense of this horrible tragedy. In my online travels I've been touched by how complete strangers have reached out to one another to offer shared sympathy and support. On her blog Scary Mommy shared something today that absolutely brought me to tears. In her plea for parents to stop judging one another and instead follow a path of kindness and understanding she wrote:

"To the mother and father who went for a walk on vacation for the last time with their little boy yesterday, I am deeply sorry that you had to experience the worst kind of tragedy possible, an accident. I grieve with you. Your baby was my baby. Your son was my son. I have nothing but love for you, love to help you get though the pain yesterday, today, and for what is gonna seem like a thousand tomorrows. I wrap my thoughts and prayers around your aching heart and soul. May the God of this universe in some miraculous way bring peace to you and your family."

Scary Mommy summarized perfectly what I have been feeling in my heart. An unbearable pain for a child and family miles away. And although we do not know each other, I carry their anguish with me. You see, I am an educator of young children. And although those in my care are not biologically mine, they are like my own. I love and care for them and want the very best for them. So when there is a devastating event that affects the lives of young children, even those I do not know, it personally affects me because I cannot help but imagine how I would feel if it were one of my children or students. It causes me to hug my own children a little tighter, and smile a little brighter in the classroom.

         

My sorrow drives me to do what often brings me solitude and reflection; write. Writing is a way for me to share my passion for early childhood with others. It helps me reflect upon my practice and consider how I might continue to better myself while advocating for the lives and education of young children. And as I was at school today, looking around at the classroom and considering how the last few weeks of school might look as we enter the middle of June, I was drawn to the idea of crafting this blog post. First as a way of releasing the emotions I have held within for the last few days, but also as a way of sharing with my families just how much I appreciate being a part of your lives. When I decided to become an educator, I could not have anticipated just how much of an impact the little children in my care would have on me. They have shaped who I am as a person, educator, and mother.

So to my cherished families, please know this. Your child's time in my classroom might be a brief moment in a long and wonderful childhood but their impact on me will last a lifetime. I am a better person for those whom I have known, whom I have cared for, whom I have loved. And although I am always thrilled when your child has mastered basics like learning to write, read or add, I am most satisfied when I see the look of wonder in their eyes in our classroom. To experience the moment of pure joy a child feels when seeing a rainbow in the sky, hearing the song of their laughter when catching a hopping insect, or quietly witnessing them caring for another are my most rewarding moments. These might not always been captured in our documentation or shared beyond the classroom but they are what make my role as an early childhood educator so magical and satisfying.

When the last day of school arrives and the walls are cleared of artwork and the centres tidied of toys, there will be an empty sadness hanging in our classroom for me. Your children are my children. Just like you, I want the absolute best in life for them. Their happiness is my happiness; your family is my family.  When that final dismissal bell rings and the children are gone, I will stand in my empty classroom and sigh, satisfied knowing that I did the best I could for them in our time together, but sad that this time is now done. Summers are a much needed way to refresh and recharge (many of you have noticed my extremely hoarse voice...) but as soon as August nears I will look forward to readying the classroom for another interesting year - with it bringing a new group of children who will become my own.

Mindful Sketching in our Special Garden Spots

"Looking at beauty in the world

is the first step of purifying the mind."

Amit Ray

We have been spending much time this year helping children become mindful of their thoughts, emotions, and bodies. Through active engagement, reflection, and focus on the immediate moments of our time together, we hope that children realize that there is much potential for growth and learning when we engage truly with the present moment.

In our room children have much choice and control over their activities. They choose what areas of the room they'd like to visit, what materials they'd like to use, and the direction and scope of their individual and collective play. Educators serve in role as attuned facilitators carefully observing, supporting and scaffolding children's experiences.

A few times a week we ask children to participate in a whole group activity, usually focused on literacy. Our individual student clipboards are a versatile tool to use when we want to engage children in reflective writing/drawing outside of the classroom. Today we encouraged children to choose a drawing tool they enjoy and headed up to the rooftop garden.

There children were asked to carefully choose an area that captivated them and then quietly observe what they noticed for a few minutes. What did they wonder about the space? What did they think happened there before we arrived? After we left? Who lived there? We invited the children to sketch a drawing to show their interpretation and tell the story of their special garden spot.

It was amazing to see the children's quiet, careful attention to their drawings. Many chose to use pencil and the details of their artwork told a rich story. Some chose to work in solitude while a few others quietly whispered, sharing their drawings and pointing out other aspects of the garden to each other.  

They carefully noticed the details and highlighted what they liked about each other's drawings. We overheard very kind words and careful, constructive feedback as children offered suggestions to one another in order to help improve the drawing in some way. 

Many FDK teachers wonder about whole group activity time - is it appropriate and meaningful to ask all children to do the same thing and at the same time? Is a program still emergent and child-centred if children are asked to participate in teacher suggested activities like drawing in the garden? 

We consider ourselves advocates for child-guided play and exploration but feel there is also a time and place for adult initiated activities such as this. We have noticed that many children have been curious about the different plants growing in our school yard and predicted that they would find the ones growing upstairs just as interesting. We also know that many of the children spend much of their play time drawing so the activity would appeal to them. The actual act of drawing is very open ended and there are entry points for every child with this activity. The process is emphasized as being more important than the product and there isn't any wrong way of participating in the activity. For those few children who don't spend much time drawing this activity helps carve some time in our day where all children have opportunity and encouragement to do so. There are entry points for everyone.

In a few days we will revisit our garden spots and compare our drawing with a new moment in time. We wonder if the garden will have changed much since our last visit and how children will enhance their drawings in order to reflect this growth and change. We predict that like the vegetation, our children will also experience growth and development each time we revisit this type of experience together. Perhaps next fall we will start this process even earlier in the year so that children can visit the same garden spot over and over again and witness the full cycle of life with the changing of each season!