Choosing Boards and Center Wheels

While reading in Serious Players in the Primary Classroom Selma Wassermann talked about a classroom procedure that she used along with her classroom co-teacher, choosing boards. During their 90 minute center time students are allowed to use the choosing board to self regulate and choose their "centers"although they call this choosing time.  I just love this idea! This gives students such a sense of responsibility and allows a sense of independence for them while their "choices" are all teacher driven. In my classroom of preschoolers I use a center wheel to choose centers. Students pick a clothespin that corresponds to a specific center and stay in that center for our 45 minute play block. Once the initial procedure was implemented students began recognizing immediately when their classmates were in the wrong area...and calling them on it! Whether it is choosing boards or center wheels choice is an integral part of student development.

PLAY ON!

I myself am very fortunate that the curriculum implemented in my classroom directly supports play in a very realistic way. We "play" for about 40 minutes each day where children are set loose into centers and expected to delve into roles as they are appropriate. Each center is in turn changed from the traditional block center, art center and dramatic play to incorporate pretend play themes such as the post office, the fire station and the newborn nursery. In the article Chopsticks and Counting chips the authors reference a change in play. Play has certainly changed in the 20 or so years since I was a child, yes I played outside and yes I played in forts and created far away worlds in my treehouse, and no I did not go to preschool and yes I did attend a half day of kindergarten. All of these factors may be true for children of this generation but are clearly not the norm. Several of my students arrive at school before I do, attending before care and getting to school at 7:15 am and are at school long after I leave the building often times staying until 6:30 pm. This is not middle school or high school folks, these children are three years old! In scenarios such as this, who are we to tell teachers and children that school is a place for learning and home is a place for play? It is quite clear that school during the early childhood years has become a safe haven for children to develop into learners and students this process must be embraced on a developmentally appropriate level.

young... love && sweet love

My sunshine for the day ... children with one "Best Friend" ... in this particular situation the two students in question are a boy and a girl and she is extremely overprotective not allowing any others ( girls) to talk to her "friend" I am always finding them together at lunch, center time, and on the playground. whether they are hugging, playing or holding hands they are my sunshine :)

think...invent...PLAY!

I love the creativity that my children exhibit together...they have created an obstacle course with the hula hoops masterminded by the child in the first picture. The great part was the way they worked together including anyone that wanted to join as long as they didnt take any hoops :) a day filled with sunshine...

REPORT cards?

So my dilemma today is the pre kindergarten report card... the new system that we use is a great system...comprehensive and aligned to widely held expectations...but do 4 year olds need a 3 page report card? Im questioning the amount of time taken to document these in depth objectives and the affect it has on student growth and parent involvement...food for thought.

Creative Cooking

I bet you didnt know there was a three layer cake in that bucket! :) ...I was asked politely to "go away" while it was cooking and come back later. I gladly obliged my students as their creativity inspired me.

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles!

So correct me if im wrong but two of my least favorite words are... INDOOR RECESS :) I've learned that ecspecially for my little the time that they spend on the playground developing gross motor skills is invaluable. Given our last week of rain an ((indoor recess)) I have tried to come up with some fun "outdoor" things that we can do inside...the favorite? You guessed it...bubbles! I set myself up at a back table in our room and we blew bubbles until our hearts were content. This exciting outdoor fun led to "soapy spelling" as children began to spell their names on the table covered in soap...fun and educational?? who knew :)