Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
~Albert Einstein
~Albert Einstein
Without warning, the kindergarteners exclaimed that a ladybug was taking a walk all over their teacher's shirt! Of course, the camera was sitting inside. We would not be caught off guard again! Would this ladybug stick around so we could play with it that afternoon? On our way to our Forest classroom this last Thursday, we checked out a tree famous for having ladybugs. Even with the magnifying glasses, we still could not spot a single ladybug! Guess who showed up when we were supposed to be doing our work? A ladybug, of course! What a brave soul it was as we swarmed around it like wasps. We could not get enough of that ladybug. After a while, it had had enough of us so it flew off. Would another one come to visit? As Forest Friday unfolded, our hunt resumed. Was it too cold? Maybe it was too shady? While we waited, we made a map marking each ladybug siting. No matter where we looked, it seemed like the ladybugs had disappeared. Just when we were preparing to go for a walk, someone spotted a ladybug! After the pandemonium subsided, we transported it to the other end of the playground so we could listen to a ladybug story. Somehow, it disappeared again! After returning from our walk, to what seemed like the ends of the earth, we went back to our play. One more ladybug joined us just before the very end of the day. It didn't stay too long. I guess it had to go home just like we did! That was one busy, but successful hunt!
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Often times teachers wonder if the work they do with children actually makes a difference. Do the students internalized the concepts we cover? Do their lives change as a result?
This year, the kindergarteners spent time with Miranda, our Indigenous Liaison Facilitator. She brought to us the Seven Grandfather Teachings. All of the teachings apply to kindergarten work; however, there is one that all of us needed this year. This was the teaching of Bravery. In fact, the very day Miranda presented this teaching, we used what we learned. It was a bit chilly outside, which means that some students get cold. What do we do when this happens? We have two choices--stay cold or do something to warm up. That day, these students made up their minds to be brave about being cold and continue to work through the chills. At the end of the day, these students were proud to have made it through the day despite being cold for a short while. Sometimes we have to push ourselves before we can see results. What I did not expect was how the students turned this learning back on me, their teacher. Do you remember the snake event a few postings ago? Well, let me recap. It was April, there was snow straddling the sides of a fairly deep puddle and students were fishing for none other than SNAKES!!! They had no idea that their teacher absolutely, positively hates snakes! It seemed like the students were interested in snakes. Would they want to learn more? How could we keep this topic alive? What would happen if some snakelings happened to appear in our forest? It didn't take long to find out. The afternoon after I hid the snakelings in what I thought was a cozy little hole, a student came up to me, holding a handful of snakelings in his hand and asked, "What's this Mrs. McKinnon?" "AHHHHHH! Snakes!" came the screech as Mrs. McKinnon dashed from the forest. Shock appeared on this boy's face! His teacher was fleeing from a bunch of woolly brown things?! The chase was on once he realized there was one thing in the world that could get his teacher! Much to his teacher's surprise, some other students came over to ward off this youngster who was trying to put snakes all over her. Later, in a class discussion, the kindergarten class mentioned that a good thing to do when scared was be around someone else who is brave. They can help you to become braver. That's what the teacher got--a bunch of brave kids helping out. On other days when the snakelings appeared to be flying into Mrs. McKinnon's backpack and pockets, students continued to help her out. Even Teddy was enlisted to keep the snakelings at bay. Pretty soon, with the end of the school year drawing to a close, Mrs. McKinnon's original body guard got an idea. All year Mrs. McKinnon said that she was not the only teacher in the room--students were, too. Why not teach Mrs. McKinnon to be brave around snakes? The Plan Step One: Teacher and her aide plays with Mrs. McKinnon by being a snake and telling Mrs. McKinnon that they is going to get her! (Animal Allies Play) Step Two: Colour some of those colouring pages on the table and cut out a snake. Take it to Mrs. McKinnon, put it on her and walk away. (Fine Motor Skills Practice) Step Three: Keep reminding Mrs. McKinnon that she needs to be brave. Also, don't forget to reassure Mrs. McKinnon that she can do it. (Emotional Learning) Step Four: Make Mrs. McKinnon watch snake movies, so we can learn all about them. (Listening, viewing, and notetaking) Step Five: Find Mrs. McKinnon's red snake, Sammy and put him all over Mrs. McKinnon. (more Animal Allies Play) With each step, Mrs. McKinnon seemed to be more desensitized as compared to that fateful day of the snakeling discovery. What will happen if Mrs. McKinnon comes eye to eye with a real snake? Who knows, but she certainly should be more at ease around them as compared to the beginning of the year. If not, maybe she should practice what she teaches and decide to be brave. Not only did this student and her friends understand what it was like to be brave, they also worked on helping others learn these concepts. Teaching impacts not only the student, but the teacher, too. Next time, if you teach something to someone, get ready. You just might learn something, too. The secret is out. Our painting field trip was for you, Dad! We hope you love our paintings for years to come. In case you were wondering, we did the painting ourselves! Our work even impressed Tina Bourassa, our teacher from One Stroke at a Time Art. Check out below to see some of the process. A Closer Look at the Learning Once I got over the fact that a snake, whether real or imaginary, could be in the schoolyard, I began to see that this play session held greater meaning than what might appear at first glance. Initially, I saw students fishing for a snake. It was tickling to hear “seaweed” when a stick came up with a bunch of vegetation on the end. My students knew about fishing, most likely because they had gone fishing before. Then there was the jumping from snow bank to snow bank. This took balance and an understanding of where one’s body was in space not to mention coordination. Walking through the puddle didn’t initially appear to be difficult; eventually boots became suctioned to the bottom. This takes balance and just the right movement to become free. Sometimes, falling in is the only way out of the problem especially if your legs want to do the splits! There were commands for those wading in the water to bail. Other times, students reasoned why they could go in the water (because they had rubbers) and still others just decided they were going in the water. Throughout, students not only used language to express their thoughts, they also had the opportunity to listen to language and respond. The oral language serves as a basis for future learning especially in terms of reading and writing. Later, issues arose between members of the group. Some sticks were special to certain students and they wanted them returned. Learning to fulfill one’s own needs through negotiation became a part of this situation. Even though one student asked me, the teacher, to intervene, I resisted at first, as I wanted her to attempt to retrieve her own stick. Eventually, I did step in, as it seemed that the other students were going to damage her stick. Knowing when to intervene into the situation and save a student is always a touchy decision. If teachers get involved all the time, when will the student learn to fix a problem on his or her own? It’s a fine line that requires continual reflection. This imaginary situation definitely encountered some naysayers. No one seemed to notice that snow and snakes don’t go together. Weren’t you taught in school that it had to be warm for snakes to survive otherwise they would be hibernating? Eventually, the newcomers shared their disbelief about snakes being in the water. Even with a plethora of reasons why a snake couldn’t be present (the academic side of our play) the original players were unconvinced. These new students missed that this was an imaginary scenario. No one clued them in either. Deeper Learning From a teacher standpoint, the students spent their time learning about themselves as they navigated the natural world and their social world. There is another side of this scenario, however. If we studied play for a living, we would see a different perspective of this picture. Take David Sobel, for instance. Sobel (2008) wrote about seven categories to describe play--“Adventure, Fantasy and Imagination, Animal Allies, Maps and Paths, Special Places, Small Worlds, and Hunting and Gathering” (Loc 890). Of these seven categories, three occur in our snake situation. Below is a chart explaining our play situation including a description of the category according to Sobel (2008). Two other contemporary play theorists, namely Bob Hughes and Stuart Brown, would also have an opinion of our work. Hughes (2012) told of sixteen different types of play, six of which I highlight below. The following table includes explanations of these six play categories according to Hughes (2012) and Brown (2010). Where’s the teacher in all this?
If you haven’t guessed by now, snakes are something I prefer to leave for other people to enjoy! What would have happened if I entered my students’ play and told them there was no way a snake could possibly be on our school grounds? My students would have missed a huge opportunity to not only learn about themselves, but also the natural world in our school’s backyard. This event showed me interests my students had and the importance of our play environment. A water table in my classroom would not have created as rich an environment to play as this puddle did. Throughout the week, this puddle turned into a learning experience of getting wet and jumping into water. It is a lesson on being soaking wet, feeling the cool spring breeze blowing across one’s body, and learning to be brave when the chills come. There are small insects that have now joined us, which allowed our class to invite others to experience life in a wetland. More importantly, this play has made snakes not so bad anymore. I guess, in the end, it is like Siviy claimed when he said “…playing is important because it enables children to learn to ‘roll with the punches of life’ and by so doing, keep sane and balanced” (Hughes, 2012, p. 114). This works for the teacher, too. Play truly is child’s work, so Mrs. McKinnon, take a step back, but watch out for the snakes!! References: Brown, S. (2010). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul. New York, NY: Avery. Hughes, B. (2012). Evolutionary playwork (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Sobel, D. (2008). Childhood and nature: Design principles for educators [Kindle 6.4 version]. Retrieved from Amazon.ca “SNAKES!!! THERE ARE SNAKES IN THE SCHOOLYARD!!” thought the teacher as she began to shake in her boots. How is that possible with the snow still around? Sure there are puddles everywhere, but isn’t it too cold out? After all, it is the middle of April not to mention the longest winter on record for Alberta.
That didn’t stop seven kindergarten students from pursuing this snake in a local watering hole. Some bravely entered the water while others went fishing. Rods moved in and out of the water. Lucky for the teacher, they caught seaweed and not the snake! “Ah!” shrieked a participant, “Something happened to my stick!” “THAT’S A SNAKE!” shouted another. “That’s probably a snake bite,” he remarked a bit calmer. Maybe there truly is a snake. Soon the lure of the water pulled a few students in. If the snake appeared, the command came and everyone ran for the cover on the snow bank. Those brave souls who entered the water sometimes found themselves sitting in it. One student in particular fell in a number of times. The usual tears were replaced by a lighthearted response today. What a surprise! This led to a greater degree of risk that eventually caught up with her when her boot got stuck. Pulling this way and that way did not budge the boot. Plop, in the water she landed, again. Eventually, freedom came. There was one student who, though in the midst of the fray, stood in disbelief. It took quite a while before she had the gumption to interject her ideas about the adventure. The information from the tracks field guide, the black garbage bag she pulled out of the water, and her understanding of snakes did not seem to jive with the events unfolding before her. Even when she told her fellow participants about her thoughts, she got brushed off as another sighting occurred; this time complete with a chewed up stick. When the final set of students showed up to get in on the action, a participant promptly stated, “You guys, there actually is a snake in here.” “No there isn’t,” came the response from the doubter. One of the new arrivals provided a little confidence when he added, “If it was a snake it would bite….” Other facts about snakes came forth from the newcomers, but still the snake finding continued. Eventually, the main group moved to a subsidiary water hole near by and then left altogether to pursue their track finding mission. Thankfully, the snake has left the area. This meant that the newcomers at the site experimented to see who could make the biggest splashes in the water. Snow chunks became airborne, as did the water! Did the snake really leave the site? Just when the teacher thought she was in the clear, the snake hunters came upon a marking in the snow that appeared to be made by a snake. Out came the tracking book to make a comparison of the snake track with what was on the ground. No zigzag, no snake. Phew! Like magic, zigzags popped out of the landscape over here and over there! Will this mysterious snake turn up to scare the teacher out of her skin? If you take a moment, and sit facing the west, your eyes might come upon a bunch of sticks. At first, it may look like a pile of dead wood, ready for a bonfire. On second glance, maybe not. For some reason, the sticks seem to have a design. After a closer look, a raised platform emerges from the fence and trees; then a helter-skelter wall pops out. As the school bell calls out, a whole host of children come rushing over to make these sticks come alive. What is this? A fort and a grand one at that! In fact, it is a fort just as grand as the people labouring on it. There are students who work hard finding stick after stick to add to the creation. Other students begin decorating the place. Still other students saw up a huge log for some purpose yet unknown. As the school bell beckons the children back inside, a band of miniature people happened upon the place. Seeing such an impressive dwelling, they decided to make additions of their own. Because of their size, they needed a workforce to complete their work. No matter what, someone took the lead to keep everyone working in sync. In the end, the hard work paid off as these little people got the chance to warm themselves by the fire, or lounge away on the couch and watch a little TV. Just imagine a life without a stick. We can't. The 2017-2018 school year is about to begin in just a few short days. What will kindergarten be like this year, you might ask. Well, stick around for the ride and we will let you know in more detail as we start to discover the wide world around us. Look here at our blog for our thoughts and reflections.
New to us this year, the Evansview kindergarteners all start on the same day; Tuesday, September 5th. This year, our kindergarten students enjoy Mondays at home with their parents, so get ready for one fun-filled week with Mrs. McKinnon! As you may remember, the supply list states that we will be spending a great deal of our time playing outside. There is a lot to learn about in our schoolyard and we don't want to miss out. Be prepared to play outside on your very first day of kindergarten. For some of us, this means get ready to get dirty! If it is raining or you think it might rain, remember to bring rubber boots, lots of socks, a cap or toque, mittens, rain coat, and if you can find it, rain pants. Of course, we will hope for a bright, sunshiny day, right! Hats and water bottles are perfect for this weather. A light jacket is a good idea for those chilly mornings. Parents, you can apply sunscreen and bug spray at home if you want your child to use these products. Later on, we will learn to use them ourselves. One more thing. Please bring healthy food for lunch and snacks. Nuts, fruits, vegetables, raisins, cheese, and meat are great choices. Sometimes, we will be eating outside, so the least amount of garbage you have, the easier it will be for us. I almost forgot something! When you come to kindergarten, be prepared to ask Mrs. McKinnon about the crazy thing she did on her holiday in Alaska. The rest of the teachers could not believe it, maybe you will!! See you soon! How shall we live? Even kindergarten students struggle with this question. How did we get here you might ask? It all started when we decided to vote on a new class rule.
While reading The Sharing Circle by Theresa "Corky" Larsen-Jonasson, we found it was our duty to care for everyone. Because of the importance of this concept, our class voted to see if this should be our class rule. We voted it down, 6 to 5. Really? Did we know what we just did? For those who voted the rule down, Mrs. McKinnon posed a question: So you don't want to care about anyone then? After some thought, all students, except one, changed their votes. What about that one person who held out? It was pretty simple. I only like some people. Should we only care for the people we like or should we care for everyone, even if it included our enemies? As we continued to grapple with this question, our class realized one thing while reading The Three Questions by Jon Muth: The most significant time we have happens right now, so whoever we are with and whatever we are doing at that moment becomes the most important. Come with us on our journey. The kindergarten students continue to struggle to convince their teacher to buy a fish for the class. How about looking at their beauty? You know, Mrs. McKinnon, fish are big and sparkly, not to mention really, really, really shiny!
"What I think… get a fish because, because they’re beautiful and I like fish and when you see a fish you’ll like it." (AR) That didn't quite do it, so the class pulled out the big stops: "Something cool about fish: They can swim really good. When you see their swimming moves, you'll want a fish..." (ACM) Just when the class thought they had it in the bag, Mrs. McKinnon told the class her secret... Should just the kindergarten students compost or should we encourage others to compost, too? This is the question we discussed today.
Our decision: Everyone in our school should compost. What will we need: 6 pails and Compost posters for each class Decide which students will look after which class' compost pail. |
Evansview Kindergarten
We're a deep-thinking, problem-solving bunch. Join us on our ride through Kindergarten. Archives
September 2018
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