Books + Social |Emotional Awareness a Reflection

Reading children’s books and sharing them with my students and daughter has been one of my favourite past times both at home and in the classroom. I find it very calming and pleasing to share a storybook. After reading various titles, I have come to appreciate the authors careful and intentional story writing, its fascinating to read a story and be so moved by their writing… even as an adult! This blog post is dedicated to three stories I have read and been moved by.

Social-Emotional Intelligence:
the ability to understand ourselves and other people, and in particular to be aware of, understand and use information about the emotional states of ourselves and others with competence. It includes the ability to understand, express and manage our own emotions, and respond to the emotions of others, in ways that are helpful to ourselves and others.

Book: “What I Like about Me”

By Allia Zobel, Miki Sakamoto (Illustrator)

Kinde Korner “All About ME Provocation!”

During the first month of school, Kinde Korner’s goal as educators is to learn more about the children they will be working with over the year. In addition to completing assessments, interviews, and observations of the children during play, they set up a provocation or invitation to learn “About Me.”

Personal Reflection:

This is one of my favorite books. I enjoyed reading this book to my group of ECA/ECE students. The books central theme is diversity and uniqueness (it is okay to be different since that’s what makes us, who we are). At the end of the book there is a mirror children could use this as a learning experience or an opportunity to facilitate discussion. In my classroom I passed around the book and had my students look in the mirror while sharing what the liked about themselves.

Book: “Only One You”

By Linda Kranz’s (Author and Illustrator)

Metal Insects “There’s Only One You (2011 art show)”

This book quickly became an art show choice for the educators teaching 3-6 Montessori in Maitland, Florida. Its overflowing beauty instantly captivated them from the beginning with the uniquely painted (rock) fish placed against the vibrant blue seas and picturesque skies. In addition to visual beauty they mentioned how enchanted they felt by the endearing message the story delivered. It carries an uplifting message of hope and goodness and offers simple but invaluable wisdom. The principles in this book are ones they have always tried to nurture in the children.

Personal Reflection:

Only One You, is a beautiful story about the lessons parents share with their children. Adri is a young fish that is ready to begin his own life and his parents want him to take with him the wisdom they have learned. My favorite part is when Adri’s mother says, “We hope you will remember” and the young fish circles back to let them know that he will not forget. The life lessons that children will learn from reading Kranz’s book include the importance of individuality, how you can change paths after making a mistake and the respect that parents deserve.

Book: “Stick and Stone”

By: Beth Ferry

Diane Kashin Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research 

In one of Diane Kashin’s inspiring  workshops was an invitation to engage in experiences based on the book, Stick and Stone, in her blog post she discusses her reflections on invitations– and why not all of her invitations are responded to – leading her to reflect on which are and why?

Personal Reflection:

Stick and Stone is the perfect picture book for teaching children about using words that uplift versus words that hurt. It communicates how to look out for friends and take a stand and how friendship should be a balance of give and take. The simple language and rhyming words make it easy for young children to understand. Even though there are few words on each page, Stick and Stone introduces vocabulary such as “vanish, wander, explore, and laze” to children. This book exemplifies a story of true friendship, and helping one another. I would use Stick and Stone to start a conversation with my class about how to treat others.

Patterns and Loose Parts

Pattern: When items are in a repeated sequence, they form a pattern.

Children will recognize and create patterns.

For example, when coloring they may shade a shirt in a “blue-red-blue-red” pattern. As they mature, the patterns will become more complex. When playing with blocks they may be able to put them in a “triangle-circle-square-triangle-circle-square” sequence.

Working on pattern recognition is an important area to practice with children in childcare. The ability to recognize, follow and predict patterns is an important early math skill. Understanding patterns helps children to understand and deal with the chaotic environment around them, as they learn to do things in the correct order.

The ECE’s role involves posing questions that alert children to patterns which occur naturally in the sequence of the day, such as in the songs sung, the books read, and the games played in outdoors and indoors. This is an ongoing and natural process. Activities should highlight patterns that are visual, kinesthetic, and auditory.

Tip: Experiences with sorting and classifying may help with the learning of patterns. The ability to work with patterns is strengthened by the recognition and identification of attributes such as colour, size, and shape.

Patterns are everywhere in math!

I have discovered the art of setting out materials in the classroom to be so inviting, and encourages children to explore with all their senses.

Math Language: Repeating pattern, position words (after, between, beside, before, next), attribute vocabulary (colour, size and shape).

Loose Parts = More Complex Play

Architect Simon Nicholson used the term “loose parts” to describe materials with varied properties that can be moved and manipulated in many ways. He theorized that the richness of an environment depends on the opportunity it allows for people to interact with it and make connections.

The term loose parts relates to any object which was can moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up and taken apart and put back together. Playing with loose parts is a popular activity in preschools and upwards to help children develop their skills in creativity, flexibility and independence.

Love the open ended nature of these activities. The children can be as creative as they want and all approach it in their own way. Very inviting and so gorgeously place loose parts.

When children are encouraged to use loose parts and try their own ideas, they are driven to learn. They are driven to not only ask their own questions, but also discover their own answers and create new possibilities. A child’s play with loose parts even begins to match their developing skill level (Daly and Beloglovsky, 2015), providing opportunities for divergent and creative problem solving.

Daly, L., & Beloglovsky, M. (2015) Loose parts: Inspiring play in young children. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press

Thank you to all the Early Childhood Educators and Elementary Teachers who have worked so hard to create activities for children. –credits to the photographs

 

A Welcome Stone: A Sense of Belonging

Arrival stones for attendance at a child care, fosters a sense Belonging. 

Belonging happens when a child has a sense of connectedness. Forming strong, trusting relationships are important to feel safe, explore and learn.  Children need to feel part of a community within their family, friends and the natural world.

Introducing Rocks to Children: Classroom Belonging Activity

“Everybody Has a Rock.”  Each child blindly selects a pebble from the basket.

Share with the children that their rock is waiting for them and that it will choose them.

Each child is responsible for putting his or her rock in the basket each morning and afternoon. Take attendance from the rocks remaining on the table.

“It is symbolic of their presence and gives them a little more responsibility.”

This is a wonderful nostalgic book for adults who collected rocks when they were children; I’ve observed my daughter collect rocks. And, some children who enjoy the natural world might appreciate it because it stresses their autonomy in the pursuit of choosing a rock of their very own. I also like how the girl stresses play with her rock can be more fun than playing with the kinds of things that have to be purchased.

Love this rock name idea from Stimulating Learning with Rachel.

Making the surroundings welcoming for all children and families

Welcome stones …

• Children take the lead; actively shaping their day right in the morning.
• Invite and engage others in the continuing process of program development including parents, the children themselves.
• Educators listen and learn from the children as much as the children listen and learn from the educators.
• Educators encourage children to explore nature and their natural environments.

Routines and activities to help children develop a sense of belonging in a child care program.

Looking at the environment and our practices with a critical lens can help us to strengthen our programs and thus foster positive development in the children we care for.

Questions to consider:

• How do I foster relationships within my program to create a sense of belonging with both the families and the children?
• How does the environment I provide support belonging?
• Are there policies or practices I might reconsider?

“Growing” belonging

A sense of belonging doesn’t just happen; it takes time and effort to grow. Focused, planned ideas are important. Growing with your families creates not only a positive sense of belonging, but also helps foster the circle of nurturing: “You’ve taken such good care of me; I want to take good care of you.” This adds to what is special and unique about your program.

OMG Reading Aloud!

Reading children’s storybooks is one of my [OMG!!] absolutely personal favorite activities, so it’s only fitting that I dedicate this blog to the BEST ACTIVITY–READING ALOUD!

Before I get into some of what I’ve learned about reading children storybooks I would like to share how this passion for reading stories developed.

While I was in the Early Childhood Education Program at Sheridan College one of my professors Cathy Coulthard said “Anytime is a great time for a story!”, this resonated with me ever since, it was such a powerful statement one that at the moment didn’t mean much to me but has become one the truest parts of who I am as a mother, educator and instructor.

Around the age of 3 months I started reading aloud to my daughter Sophia (now 7 years old). I can confidently say that for the past 6 years of Sophia’s life she has had a book read each night (give or take a couple late nights). I think that for any parent who wants to cultivate a love of reading it has to become a “lifestyle choice.”

How it all started…

I started off by buying a low shelve for her to easily access books independently, I researched best titles for babies, toddlers and preschoolers (the librarians can help with this if your not sure where to begin). I placed all the books so she could see the covers. Use a front-facing book rack or stand some books up on a table or shelf. Setting out many books for children to choose from can be overwhelming for young children, so limit the number of books, surprise children with books by placing them around the house or incorporate them into different areas of the classroom or your home (I would bring some along for car rides.)

Plan a book area that is cozy and inviting, away from distractions and busy traffic flow at home. Place soft items, so children can feel a sense of security and so they can lean and sit on — pillows, blankets, or cushions — and a bean bag chair, love seat, small mattress, and/ or rocking chair. Make the area cozy!

I also made it a point to read to her during down times, or anytime (getting ready for naps, sitting around at the doctors office, at home, riding in the car)–I literally started off taking books everywhere. As she grew the interests in different stories also changed, the stories and how she understood them began to evolve. –Reading was simply for pleasure. After years of reading stories she now independently looks for books to read.

Tips for Reading Aloud

“The Read-Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease, I have the pleasure of sharing chapter 4 with you which is titled “The Do’s and Don’ts of Read-Alouds”

Do…

• Begin reading to children as soon as possible. The younger you start them, the easier it is.
• Choose books for infants and toddlers that include rhymes, songs, and repetition to stimulate language and listening.
• Read as often as you and the child have time for.
• Start with pictures books with only a few words on the page then gradually move on to books with more and more text and fewer pictures.
• Before you begin to read, always say the name of the book and introduce the author and illustrator, no matter how many times you have read the book.
• The first time you read the book, discuss the illustrations on the cover of the book and ask the child(ren) what they think the book will be about.
• Occasionally, read above children’s intellectual levels and challenge their minds.
• Allow your listeners a few minutes to settle down and adjust their minds and bodies to the story.
• Mood is an important factor in listening. The authoritative, “Now stop that and settle down! Sit up straight! Pay attention!” doesn’t create a receptive atmosphere.
• When reading a picture book, make sure the children can easily see the pictures.
• Remember, reading aloud comes naturally to very few people. To do it successfully and with ease, you must practice.
• The most common mistake in reading aloud is reading too fast. Read slowly enough for the child to build mental pictures of what he just heard you read.
• Slow down enough for the children to see the pictures without feeling hurried. Reading quickly allows no time for the reader to use vocal expression.
• Preview the book before reading it aloud to your children. This will allow you to know ahead of time if there is any part of the book you want to shorten, eliminate, or elaborate on.

It’s okay … the motherhood journey

Motherhood is many things. It is hard, and it is rewarding. It is exhausting, and it is enlightening. It is messy, and it is full of endless surprises.

Some days Sophia will sleep until 8:30 a.m. and I decide to wake up early on these days to sip tea in silence, browse Pinterest, answer emails or take a shower–of course once she hears the shower she immediately wakes up and decides to jump in too, she’s too worried I’ll get ready without her–yes she’s almost 7 and sometimes takes showers with me! Yup, I know…but the excitement she expresses to share in this moment with me all to quickly stops me from saying no. I also know I’m going to miss feeling needed like this one day.

So what are my thoughts about motherhood… well… it is about feeling guilty, then feeling victorious. It’s being tired, but somehow mustering the energy you need to smile and get through the day. My blog post has been inspired by this weeks events. I have been at work from 10am to 6pm, this rarely happens but since we are orientating new students into the program, duty calls. Even though, I am aware these work hours are the norm for many mamas I can’t help but express the frustration and uneasiness I feel being away this long from Sophia.

So what do I tell myself…

By following my passions I am a happier person

I get very excited when I accomplish things at work and push myself to grow and I take this excitement home with me.  Sharing my passion with my Sophia shows her that it is good to pursue her passions and be responsible for her own happiness.

This blog post is also about saying, that it’s okay to yearn for days when a quiet, peaceful shower or tea time alone is okay.

It is okay to feed your children chicken nuggets for dinner because you feel like you have nothing left inside to give and you just need to survive bedtime so you can watch The Handmaids Tale in bed when it’s over.– FYI The Handmaids Tale is seriously brilliant and terrifying all at the same time!

It is okay to want to run for the hills once bedtime approaches, but also to be sad when you missed bedtime stories and kisses. 💋 It is okay to miss your ‘pre-motherhood’ self and the independence you often took for granted, but at the same time, to not even be able to fathom who you would be without your children. Or what you would do.

Okay, so to conquer the day with a positive attitude because you’re the best mom ever!

No one ever said motherhood was easy, but it sure is an experience. When you want to scream, laugh, cry, or hug, or when you’re feeling all alone, just remember, we’re all out there in the trenches with you.

Mirror, mirror everywhere

I’ve noticed that mirrors are the newest trend in childcare classrooms (of course… Reggio Emilia preschool centres have been using them forever, infant classrooms have always had a mirror and the AQI states we must have a full length mirror in the dramatic area), so because of the fascination with mirrors I have decided to incorporate them into my classroom activities with ECE/ECA students. Now, before I  started using them in the classroom I had to first research the rationale for including them in play-based learning, “How do mirrors support children’s development?”, “What are some simple ways to get started using mirrors–students would need to know?”

Mirrors have an important place in the history of child development.

Jacques Lacan, a psychiatrist, noticed that when babies between 15 and 18 months old look into a mirror they recognized themselves (the mirror stage). This developmental milestone is regarded as an essential marker of the baby’s self-awareness and emerging identity as a distinct and unique individual.

Mirrors provide the opportunity for kids to explore:

• symmetry,
• reflection,
• perspective,
• angles,
• their own movement, and
• self-awareness.

Mirrors and other reflective surfaces are fascinating tools for exploration, discovery, and creativity. *Ding, Ding Ding!!

How to support exploration:

Location of Mirrors for infants and toddlers. Plastic mirrors mounted to walls, crib sides, and the ceiling over the diaper-changing station-would be a great place to begin. (Check the edges and if sharp, wrap in cloth tape)

Show your emotion. Invite a child to sit next to you in front of a mirror. Demonstrate facial expressions that express a range of emotions—sad, happy, surprise, frustration, fear, or anger, for example. Challenge the child to name the emotion and to mirror it in the mirror.

Getting dressed or blowing your nose. Invite children to put on dress-up clothes in front of a mirror. Allow ample time for trying on hats, wigs, scarves, and aprons.

Playing with mirrors to reflect light and wondering how our image is reflected teaches children a beginning understanding about the properties of light.

Bounce light off of different surfaces. A large plastic “baby” mirror, held freely, is especially good for this. Have children use mirrors to look behind themselves. “Catch” some sunshine and reflect it to another surface outside or inside. Children can use a mirror to examine their face to draw a self-portrait.

Draw yourself. Place mirrors in the art area. Children are more likely to draw from the observations they see in the mirror and not from memory if they are encouraged to focus on parts of their face they don’t usually begin with, such as their nostrils. Ask, “Do you see the holes in your nose? How many are there?”

Reflections of loose parts. Use a framed mirror as a tray for table-top sensory exploration. Gather a variety of soft, textured, loose parts. You might choose materials from nature (leaves, twigs, feathers, and grass)

Okay so where to purchase mirrors?

Mirror tiles, available at home stores, are an inexpensive. Buy mirrors at a dollar store. “Baby” or designed-for-preschool plastic mirrors can be ordered from preschool, or scientific, education supply companies. Also available at home stores are large sheets of mirrored acrylic board. Ask to have the sheet cut into 2- by 4-foot pieces—they are easy to store and open the possibility of cooperative art and socialization activities.

 

Thank you to all the wonderful teachers and programs that capture these lovely moments in their classrooms and with children, you are inspirational. 

Why I use Provocations at the College level with my students?

One of my favorite parts about the blogging world is peeking into everyone’s classrooms. I am always in awe. Whenever I am browsing teachers public classroom photographs I can’t help but think about…

• What their pedagogical values are?
• How they have implemented them into their teaching?
• In what ways are student engaged? with materials or other students/children?

This brings me back to my own [journey] pedagogical values…

There was so much to think about when I first started teaching, from how to dress and behave, to classroom policies and procedures, to what to teach and how to teach it, that it was easy to forget that without theory—without ideas about why you are doing what you are doing with your students, what you hope to accomplish with them in the class, and why it matters to you—teaching can easily become a robotic job of assign-assess-repeat, with little true value either for you or for your students. Just going through the motions of education, rather than genuinely participating in the learning process.

In Ontario, the curriculum is directed by provincial guidelines. At the college/university levels, however, in most cases I am responsible for determining what I’m teaching and how I’m going to teach it. Most importantly throughout my teaching career I have learned that the—WHY you are going to teach it —is often overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but in reality it can be the most important thinking that you do when you are structuring or revising an outline for the class. The engagement is also so, so crucial!

If your own pedagogical values are not reflected in your choices of what to teach and how you’re going to teach it, then your class will be much less authentic for you and for your students. They need the “why” as much as you do, and the more transparent you can be about the matter, the better off everyone involved is going to be, as well.

In the field of Early Childhood Education the Ontario document How Does Learning Happen? A Pedagogy for the Early Years has been so instrumental in helping me align my professional goals and educational goals for both the students and myself. Provocations have also provided me with a sense of inspiration.

For me provocations with students … are skillfully introduced  with the intent to create a spiral of learning where students construct knowledge.

• In the picture above, I have included the Assessment for Quality Improvement (AQI). I find that adult learners appreciate learning about the expectations from the city and their future employers, it helps ground their understanding.
• I also place sticky notes for students to answer guiding questions on, these notes are usually saved and revisited at the end of class.

• In the picture above, I have written two points on the importance non-fictional books in the classroom, on this day we were discussing nature/science related topics. This helps start the conversations and possibly encourage students to think up other reasons for the placement of nature/science books in the classroom.

Provocations …. give students plenty of time to talk, to think through things in small groups or together as a larger class, while I can facilitate their thinking without dominating it. Model the kind of critical thinking and reflection I want them to do, and then give them the room they need in order to do it.

In many of my classes, I structure daily lessons around a question or a set of questions or an idea or set of ideas I would like us to explore, and we work together to create meaning and find answers through discussions.

• In the picture above, I have included the Early Learning for Every Child Today (ELECT), the goal was to have students holistically connect the learning experiences to the continuum of development. In the invitations to explore materials I like to include ‘real’ photographs of the learning experience in the classroom, this helps students visually see the set up in a classroom.

I love that provocations or environmental invitations grant me the ability learn more about my students as learners, I love to observe them and listen to their conversations as they engage with materials and discuss ideas. I also think, central to the explorative process, is reflection. I feel provocations provide student teachers with a comfortable space when they do not “fully understand” as teachers. The door is open to rich dialogue and critical reflection, practices that make us better teachers/learners.

• In the picture above, I have introduced students to “small world play” I have defined for students in a simple format and in addition not pictured above I have created an album on small world play and a handout for students to learn more about.

Provocations I think poke at something more specific and defined in education and why not use them with college students! At this point in the “spirally constructivist approach to learning” (love this! It reminds me of Loris Malaguzzi’s metaphor of the brain as a tangle of spaghetti) we have figured some things out and we are consciously placing something into that identified trajectory of learning, inquiry, theory development. Since the constructivist approach involves co-construction, we often think in terms of a scaffold (something that provides a platform for the learning so the child or student can reach the next point or make sense of an idea or concept in their unique construction of knowledge). The joy of teaching is that the learning and reflection never end!

Conversations in Block Play

Teachers can encourage children to think deeply about their experiences with blocks and materials. The way in which a teacher responds can help children make connections and create meaning during their block play.

The first step is to observe children with intent.

These observations provide next steps in planning by revealing to us an insight of how to expand the children’s learning and how to nudge them forward through the asking of open-ended questions and /or the arrangement of materials. (Harriet K. Cuffaro, Block Building: Opportunities for Learning)

Beautiful Inspiring Spaces:

To unlock the benefits of block play, the children need social interaction from adults as well as peers. (Block Play Constructs a Math Mind, sixtysecondparent.com)

By giving children lots to talk about by asking questions, making I wonder or I notice comments, or directing their attention to specific content or skills, the block center can be an exciting environment in which to gain deeper understandings of their world. (The Block Center. The Institute for Childhood Education.)

Examples of open-ended questions to ask during block play:

• I noticed…
• What would happen if …
• Tell me about…
• How would you…
• How is _____ and __________ the same? Different?
• How can you use _______ differently?
• How did you…?
• What else could you try…
• What else is another way to…
• How could you change…
• What might explain…

Possible [specific] questions to ask about block play:

Concepts of Ramps:

• Which container moves down the ramp fastest/slowest?
• What is same/different?

• How can you compare…?
• How is this ramp the same/different as…?

• What doesn’t move and why?
• How can you change the ______ to have it move faster?
• What can you add to the ramp to slow down the movement?
• What angle of the ramp makes it go faster/slower?

Concept of Balance:

• How did you place the can on top?
• What would happen if we put something on top?
• How can we use these blocks to make something really tall that doesn’t fall down?

• Why doesn’t your tower fall down?
• How can we use these blocks to make something that is really long?
• How can you make a bridge that goes over part of the structure?
• If both buildings have the same number of blocks, what makes this one taller?

Concepts of Structures:

• How can you make sure _______ (animal etc) doesn’t escape?
• What will happen when the animals want to go outside and they get thirsty?

• What will the people do in your building?
• What happens when it rains on your house/castle/hotel etc.?
• What can you do to help the people inside stay dry?
• What do the people need inside of the _________, outside of the ___________? How can you build those items?

Space has to be a sort of aquarium that mirrors the ideas, values, attitudes, and culture of the people who live within it.
– Loris Malaguzzi

Sensory Ice Play with Children

Ice Play is so beautiful… the possibilities are endless.

Sensory play contributes in crucial ways to brain development. Think of it as “food for the brain.” Stimulating the senses sends signals to children’s brains that help to strengthen neural pathways important for all types of learning.

As children explore sensory materials, they develop their sense of touch, which lays the foundation for learning other skills, such as identifying objects by touch, and using fine-motor muscles.

The materials children work with at the sand and water table have many sensory attributes — they may be warm or cool, wet or dry, rough or smooth, hard or soft, textured or slimy. Discovering and differentiating these characteristics is a first step in classification, or sorting — an important part of preschoolers’ science learning and discovery

Sensory play promotes many learning experiences:

• Sensory play encourages children to manipulate and mold materials, building up their fine motor skills and coordination.
• Sensory play uses all 5 senses, but the sense of touch is often the most frequent. Toddlers and children process information through their senses.  They learn through exploring these.
• Sensory play is unstructured, open-ended, not product-oriented; it is the purest sense of exploratory learning
• Self-esteem: sensory play offers children the opportunity for self-expression because there is no right answer and children feel safe to change or experiment with what they are doing.
• Language development- experimenting with language and descriptive words.
• Develop social skills: practicing negotiation skills, turn taking and sharing. Provides opportunities for working out problems and experimenting with solutions.
• Encourages Imagination and creative play.