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With minimal transitions and a complete Reggio Emilia approach to play based learning. Our flow of the day allows students to self regulate their learning and fully engage in their inquiry play. In our class, our students have created their own flow of the day board. Visuals with a purpose. They help everyone! Their nutrition breaks are self regulated along with their inquiry play. Students are encouraged to bring toys to various centres and use them in different ways.
This week, students were given pieces of fabric to create what ever their imagination would bring. This provides student with an opportunity to critically think about their play and expand on their interests! “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ― Pablo Picasso Last week we welcomed families of next year's FDK classes to our school. We thrived to express how the FDK can truly benefit the whole child. The photo on your left is what our classroom looks like in the morning, before all the activities and research begins. Please note, the chairs on the carpet were for the parents' presentation. FDK students are free to position their chairs and seats anywhere in the classroom during inquiry. We answered questions such as... Are they sleepy? Do they get homework? They "just" play? When do they eat snack? What should I teach my children this summer? What is the washroom routine like? I enjoyed teaching parents more about the Reggio Emilia education philosophy and showing them our students' inquiry binders in our inquiry classroom library. We strongly emphazied the important role the families of the students play in their child's education. Our students did a wonderful job ensuring our classroom looked just like play time. Did you notice where our carpet is positioned? Yes... in the middle of the room! Our carpet area acts like a hub linking our inquiry centres together and inviting students to bring their learning and connections amongst all centres. Take a look at our bulletin boards, all our walls are presented by the works of the FDK students. Students are in charge of their area and their work shows their confidence and inclusivity in the classroom. Did I mention, families enjoyed our real tree stump lounge and nature area? I can build that! Structures around the world... Teaching students to make a "building plan"!5/21/2014 This week we asked our FDK students to create plans about something they wanted to make, a structure maybe? Many students have been interested in a new book I brought into the classroom about places around the world. The FDK team brings in weekly photos of places we have travelled and photos that interest us and the children. We read the news and learn about new discoveries all the time. I believe, keeping students up to date about discoveries is an important part of the FDK program. Here for example, several students used pictures kept in our structures inquiry binder and were free to use any classroom materials. This activity is self regulated throughout the day, importantly... students are welcome to save their work with a save my work sign and come back to it later. It is truly amazing the details they take so much pride in! Take a look and let us know what you think? Among the many living things we care for, our class decided to par take in caring and assisting in the lifecycle of a butterfly. It took eight days for the caterpillars to eat all their sugar water, we even had to clean up their "washroom" and their skins when they pupate. Everyday we had to ensure we were gentle and followed the farmer's instructions about caring for our little friends. They are almost ready to transform into butterflies! Our sunflower inquiry is always thriving to expand. Before and after planting our various seeds, our students became interested in soil. Not knowing where the students wanted to take this inquiry, behold... it rained one morning. As the students were dropped off, they could hear Ms. Deluca telling them to "watch their step"... not because they could trip... but they could step on all the dozens of worms in the kinder area! Look at how our inquiry evolves in a quick 5 minutes upon morning entry! Dialogue: student: grose worms Ms. D : wow, why are they are? student a: because they needed a drink student b: no, because they wanted air student c: because they like rain Ms. D: rain? why do they like rain? student c: because every time it rains worms come, I think it is because it is their favourite weather Ms. D: We should collect some worms in our insect container (collecting 4 worms) student c: we need to feed them! Ms. D: What do we feed them? Our frog food? student d: Worms like eating dirt, I mean soil... |
Photos used under Creative Commons from pstenzel71, Rod Waddington