Category Archives: Education Issues

Open-Ended Playing with the First Look Light Table Kit

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Look at this great resource!

So as you probably know if you are a regular reader, I am a big fan of light tables. Adding light to an activity, brightens everything, including my attention span!

This was the first time we tried out this resource, the First Look Light Table Kit so I laid it all out, showed Daisy the contents and let her explore. There are over 300  pieces in this kit and I couldn’t fit them all on the table!

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Daisy set to work matching colours:

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Clear Big Buttons were matched with colourful leaf, flower and butterfly transparencies.

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Here Daisy has matched the shapes of the Clear Big Buttons and the Fancy Stringing Rings.

I have realised the importance of letting children explore independently, without the restrictions of set tasks or outcomes. Simply playing.

The rule:

New Resource = Open Ended Exploration

The chance to fully explore a resource without the pressure of outcomes, allows children to follow their own thought patterns and investigate their own theories.

As teachers we are often too quick to narrow a resource into a set learning activity and then we wonder why students are playing with the resources rather than doing the activity we set! The pressure of following curriculum and meeting teaching targets means we often sacrifice open ended exploration.

ECE’s are wonderful at setting up explorations free from set outcomes. “Invitations” are happening frequently in daycare and preschool rooms. This carries into kindergarten where teachers still recognise the need for play based learning.

My wish: play based learning with open-ended exploration continues through elementary school.

Is this possible while still meeting curriculum targets?

My answer is yes, what is yours?

Learning to Tie Shoe Laces

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A pair of cool black and purple boots are just longing to be worn.. but they can’t… until the owner can tie her shoelaces!

As a teacher, I understand the need for children to be independent; dress themselves, do their zips, take out their own earrings for swimming (yes, yuck) and change their own shoes. Hence these lovely shoes cannot yet be worn.

Wood Lacing High-Top to the rescue!

The diagram on the bottom of the shoe helps parents and teachers figure out how to tie a shoelace. It turns out that something you do every day is actually quite a process.

We used the over, under and then introduced a big tree and a bunny who runs around the big tree, into the bunny hole and off pops he. I think it is a knitting rhyme but works well here too.

Yeah, after much practice, one lace done. Much more practice needed but it is a great start!

How do you encourage independence in the classroom or home?

Would you like to win a Wood Lacing High-Top?

All you need to do is one of the following:

Before Friday November 23rd, 2012, 4 pm Central Time.

This contest is open to Canadian residents only.

Looking forward to hearing from you and good luck!

Other great products for learning to dress include the Dress-a-pillar and the learning boards.

Preparing Parents and Children for Kindergarten

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I have been reading lots of wonderful posts on how to prepare children for Kindergarten. The count down has begun for Daisy going to school. She is getting excited.

What can we do to prepare together (yes, parents need to prepare too!).

Now:

  • Schedule play dates for your child without you being present
  • Visit the school, some schools offer staggered enrollment, open evening in June and parent conferences.
  • Practice the morning routine, getting up at school time, dressing and preparing as you would for school so children are prepared for the big day (this means going to bed at a regular time too)
  • Use the new shiny lunch bag for a picnic to the park with friends or simply in the back garden.
  • Encourage children to help with packing their own lunch, snacks and backpack (they will have to do it at school)
  • Label everything… yes everything. As a teacher I can tell you that so much time is wasted looking for things that have no labels or trying to find owners of objects that are not labelled.
  • Read, read, read, visit your library, have a book reading picnic, read whenever you can.
  • Learn how to identify first and last name and practice writing first name.
  • Memorize phone number and address.
  • We were very lucky to have a Literacy Links programme in our school district but you can do similar activities at home.
  • Allocate more responsibility; tidying toys away, making the bed, setting the table, preparing for an outing by gathering hat, shoes and water bottle. All these activities encourage your child to take more responsibility for themselves and their belongings as they will have to do in their classroom.

  • Learn how to tie bows and do zippers. If your child cannot yet tie shoelaces please send Velcro shoes! Teachers do not have time to tie 25 sets of shoelaces.

On the morning:

  • Follow the procedure you have in the week leading up to the first day of Kindergarten
  • Keep calm and try not to share your nervousness and anxiety with your child. Talk positively about the day ahead.
  • When dropping your child off say goodbye and leave quickly. Do not draw out the agony for you or your child. Advice from a friend who teaches Grade One now but has taught Kindergarten also. “When you have said goodbye. Turn around and do not look back”. Starting the day upset is difficult for child and parent. She advises as brief a goodbye as possible.
  • Take yourself off to have a nice cup of coffee or tea and a treat.
  • Give yourself a pat on the back for surviving one of the many heart wrenching moments in life.

That evening and Ongoing

  • Discuss the positive points of the day “What did you most enjoy about your day?” and “Which friends did you have fun with?”.
  • Don’t worry if when you ask the question “What did you do today?” the response is “Nothing”. Young children often don’t remember details of their day and may need down time after school. Open ended questions such as ” How was your day?”, “What did you do at recess?” are less interrogating and more inviting for children. They may not always want to talk about school.
  • Keep the conversation opportunities flowing. We will be discussing books that address school issues at home.

Taking Care of Myself is a great book for initiating discussion about personal safely. It includes information on how to be healthy, play safely, explores what feels ok and standing tall. In the first few week of school many teachers will be setting rules and expectations for school and the classroom. It is the perfect time to open up discussion about personal safety.

How do you prepare for the first day of school?