I had a fun morning of observation.(blog due 12/3)

Blog entry 11/18

I wasn't able to do my observation this week.  I had a bad cold/maybe flu, then took a sub teaching job for the rest of the week.  I'm taking off work next Monday and Tuesday to catch up.

Please comment here so you get credit and I'll be looking at your blog post, too. Do any of you work with special ed. kids? I'm wondering how that population is served before they get to public school. I don't see any special ed. kids in the Head Start programs I've seen.  I was just wondering where they go. Jim

Blog entry 6, due 11/11

Yesterday our classroom was closed except for the back part of the room where a papier maché “cave” was being built.  A parent supplied the metal mesh shell that looked like a big dog house, but it was slowly going to be transformed into a hideout that could probably accommodate 2 children.  At first I thought the project was a bit ambitious because--judging from the progress the team of 4 made in the half hour I observed—it was going to take several days to complete. (I was in the “immediate gratification” mode of thinking.)  I was also thinking there wasn’t much creativity involved in pasting strips of paper onto wire mesh. 

But now today as I’m looking at some pictures I took of the project in progress, I saw the potential of this being a very enriching educational experience for the children—much like a Montessori or Reggio E. type of on-going project that would involve and foster many areas of cognitive and psycho/social development:  The children are learning to work cooperatively while learning how to “create something from “raw” materials” (text, p. 273).  Other benefits of interacting with these particular art materials, as described by (Deiner, 2009, p. 673), are that they provide the opportunity to make decisions and problem solve: “How can I get this slippery piece of newspaper to stay where I want it?” 

To extend, enhance or build on this project it would be fun to show pictures of all types of shelters and homes—animal and human--so the children can make the connection between the building of their “cave” and the shelter that they live in.  Drawing and painting on the finished structure could be another way to enhance the child’s sense of competence by having his work (hopefully labeled) displayed on the walls of the cave.

Observation 6 - Due 11/6

I haven’t asked, but it seems that the teacher does yoga with the kids every morning--at least she has on the days I’ve been observing.  At first I chuckled to myself thinking:  “What a grown-up thing to do with these little kids--even though they won’t really get it; but why not try because, if anything else, it’s loads of fun.”  My expectations could not have been more wrong.

Last Tuesday as the kids were gathering around the teacher on the carpet and had begun to assume the “warrior 1” pose in pretty much total silence, the teacher looked over at me and probably read the expression on my face as I quietly said one of my favorite utterances: “Wow.”  She made a brief comment about how far they’d come, which was so true.  Many of the children performed the stance perfectly.  In a few more weeks the others would be there, too.  

Teaching the children these stances gives them a tool to calm themselves, especially in the morning after they’ve been through the commotion of getting up, dressed, fed, rushed to school; and then there’s the excitement of running around and greeting friends.  So it’s the perfect time for an activity that allows them to settle down by having them center their thoughts on their bodies.  Other benefits are the usual ones associated with gross motor control and balance.

I’m not sure what I’d do to extend or build upon the morning yoga.  How about doing some guided imagery?  This is also a very calming activity that could be done while the kids are in a seated yoga position. “You are sitting on a big puffy cloud floating high in the sky.  Look down at the beautiful green hills.  See the big tall trees.  Birds are singing….”   Oops.  I’d better stop before I drift away from this computer. ;-)