tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23872029389791868772024-03-13T12:04:08.428-07:00this kindergarten lifeLaurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-59752145764947523732018-08-22T09:27:00.000-07:002018-08-22T11:26:49.249-07:00collaborative post: mapping our stories of place in clay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much learning just beyond the arrow.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Swan Lake from the hill.</td></tr>
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This year, as I have for the last three years, I attended the incredible, difficult-to-describe week of shared learning known as "The Rhythm of Learning in Nature". I say difficult to describe because ostensibly it is professional development, but it is hard to summarize the fullness of experience and knowledge that is shared among educators for whom Malaguzzi's "Nothing without joy" is part of their theory of learning. It has been made richer for me by the inclusion of my daughter in the forest school running alongside our educator experience; spending time with her and the other children in the meadow allowed me to revel in the powerful connections children make with a place when they have long, unhurried days to explore in it. Last year our group, including the forest school, were fortunate to witness the <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.com/2017/08/" target="_blank">slow, fascinating metamorphic transformation</a> of a newly above-ground cicada as it rooted into a tree and proceeded to emerge from its hard carapace. It became a symbol for many of us of how this week together changes us, allows us to break free of the "no, but" chains we bring to our teaching in our various contexts. This year was different for me, in that my daughter was now too old for the forest school site (and indeed her dear friends from the last years were likewise not returning) and as such I was making the trek to Swan Lake alone every day. I was happy, however, in that a truly inspiring friend who I had met through my volunteering with the <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature?lang=en" target="_blank">YRNC</a> was able to join us this year for the full week: Tanya Murray's handle on twitter is "<a href="https://twitter.com/InspireOutside" target="_blank">Inspire Outside</a>" and it is an apt choice. From day 1, I was excited for the learning and friendships that would grow in the process. </div>
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Beauty outdoor day with thoughtful and passionate educators. Started in a good way & explored delightful math provocations. The best part - it’s only Day 1! Let the outdoor learning retreat continue... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/messymaths?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#messymaths</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CreativeSTAR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CreativeSTAR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DianeKashin1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DianeKashin1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HopiMartin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HopiMartin</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gya9sGui4f">pic.twitter.com/Gya9sGui4f</a></div>
— Tanya Murray (@InspireOutside) <a href="https://twitter.com/InspireOutside/status/1029172150672871424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_SchoolInfoDisplay">Tanya's sketchnotes are an example of the many gifts she shared with those of us at Rhythm this week. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanya's overview sketch notes of our incredible week at Rhythm 2018. Photo by Tanya.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delight: a good way to sum up our interactions with Tanya (right) and <a href="https://twitter.com/CreativeSTAR" target="_blank">Juliet Roberstson</a> (holding her first sketchnote after a tutorial by Tanya). Photo by Tanya.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 3: Tanya's pic, looking deeply at some mathemagic happening this day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This map at the Swan Lake/TRCA nature centre fascinated me, as someone who loves riverways and watersheds. It also drove home how far I was from my daughter who'd always attended this week with me. Swan Lake is just a stone's throw away from Lake St. George, another other the kettle lakes (seen here top-middle of the coloured land on map.) Home is at the bottom of the Etobicoke Creek Watershed, near the shore of Lake Ontario. A different landscape inhabited by different flora and fauna: Swan Lake woods ring with the songs of the pewee, phoebes, indigo buntings and blue jays. I received occasional texts from my kids, showing me rabbits and raccoons, and views of the lake from various parks. I missed them but was happy to be connected from afar by our love of the outdoors.</td></tr>
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rhythm2018?src=hash&lang=en" target="_blank">week at Rhythm</a> continued to enrich my learning about learning, even though I was missing the opportunity to enjoy it alongside my daughter. Every year there are familiar faces that I honestly look forward to seeing all year, and also new people who may be strangers or often are friends through social media but never met. One of those new friends this year is <a href="https://twitter.com/fdk_donnaindra" target="_blank">Donna Indrakumaran</a>, a Kindergarten educator I'd never met but knew through twitter. We discovered that though we work for different boards in the Peel region, we actually teach quite close to another in central Mississauga, with her teaching at <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_SchoolInfoDisplay"><a href="https://www.dpcdsb.org/PPAUL" target="_blank">Sts. Peter & Paul Separate School</a> just a few minutes northeast of me at Fairview PS. Over the week I came to treasure Donna's outlook on teaching and learning alongside our children. One feature of the Rhythm that stands out is that we have a final day away from Swan Lake in which to share what we've learned with a wider outdoor-enthused audience. </span><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_SchoolInfoDisplay">This Saturday conference is held at the beautiful Kortright Conservation Centre, and our main facilitator for the week becomes the keynote, while facilitators and attendees host smaller workshops. <a href="https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/" target="_blank">Juliet Robertson</a> shared the same uplifting and mind-shifting stories at her keynote that had led us in playful discovery all week. </span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/CreativeSTAR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CreativeSTAR</a> I’m A Teacher Get Me Outside - attempt to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sketchnote?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sketchnote</a> our keynote JULIET who inspired us to be BRAVE and be the change needed in order to provide the very best education to our students. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/inspireoutside?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#inspireoutside</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/liftthelearning?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#liftthelearning</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/powerofspacetime?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#powerofspacetime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ecocentric?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ecocentric</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://t.co/YS6RHHDBAD">pic.twitter.com/YS6RHHDBAD</a></div>
— Tanya Murray (@InspireOutside) <a href="https://twitter.com/InspireOutside/status/1030975252061347840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_SchoolInfoDisplay">For our workshop, four of us combined passions and put together "Mapping Nature Connections" which included a favourite story (<a href="http://www.annickpress.com/Mattland" target="_blank">Mattland</a>), simple core routines for getting to know and appreciate the place you inhabit (including sit spots), recreating our space by using clay artifacts to map, and looking at examples of work from the children in the forest school program in the meadow above Swan Lake. The workshop was given structure and meaning by <a href="https://twitter.com/InspireOutside" target="_blank">Tanya</a> whose work supporting educators of all grades in outdoor pedagogy inspired us all. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The green oasis of Kortright's mostly maple-beech forest provided the perfect place for us to wonder about making place meaningful. Pictured top right and middle: <a href="https://twitter.com/1dominiqueleger" target="_blank">Dominique</a> reading Mattland. Bottom left: Donna's documentation and samples from the children's work at Rhythm. Right: Donna (centre) talking about the clay experience. Not pictured: Tanya, on my side of the circle. </td></tr>
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A proposal to map Nature connections using clay w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/InspireOutside?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@InspireOutside</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rhythm2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rhythm2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/getmeoutside?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#getmeoutside</a> <a href="https://t.co/a8ctA6RHRX">pic.twitter.com/a8ctA6RHRX</a></div>
— Donna Indrakumaran (@fdk_donnaindra) <a href="https://twitter.com/fdk_donnaindra/status/1030917941150138369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_SchoolInfoDisplay">Donna's documentation captured the deep engagement of the school so beautifully, I asked her if she would like to share it here. Please enjoy her story, and feel free to leave comments for her here on the post, or direct to her twitter. Note: this documentation was also shared by <a href="https://twitter.com/DianeKashin1?lang=en" target="_blank">Diane Kashin</a>, the chair of the YRNC who makes this incredible PD experience possible. To see her post about Rhythm 2018 see <a href="https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2018/08/22/knowing-it-in-our-bones-outdoor-and-nature-play-for-children-and-adults/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
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<b>Donna's Story </b></div>
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When coming to Rhythm 2018, I expected to receive PD around Outdoor Education. What I did not expect was a spiritual experience, igniting a spark which has been smoldering for some time. Rhythm brings together people, pedagogy and place at Swan Lake in a transformational way - you will not leave the same as you arrived. Through conversations, reflections, active learning, sharing of food, and sharing of personal experience Rhythm attendees came together. <br />
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Two of my children joined, playing at the Swan Lake Forest School. Each day they would share through conversations about their play, often telling me of mushrooms and frogs. They climbed trees and made paintings with mud. They quickly formed a connection with the forest, telling me about their hikes each day, and each new creature they found. They learned to rub plaintain on their insect bites, and lit fires after gathering wood. The land around them was enough. <br />
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The documentation that follows was taken on a Thursday, after the children had been at the Forest camp for four days. I had met the children a few times before sitting down to play and document their learning. The documentation is a sample - a window into the children’s thinking. Although brief, the children’s connection to place is evident in their clay representations of the forest at Swan Lake.<br />
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This documentation was shared with educators at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2058039991186787/" target="_blank">I am a teacher - get me outside</a>! Conference held by the <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature?lang=en" target="_blank">York Region Nature Collaborative</a> at Kortright during a workshop in collaboration with Laurel, Tanya Murray and Dominique Leger. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Donna <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indrakumaran</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Donna <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indrakumaran</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Donna <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indrakumaran</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Donna <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indrakumaran</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-juPvlEsx0vE/W32KK0qe-OI/AAAAAAAACMk/kiem_sY4_Uk7fAaibw4kQCw3_hW51qfmwCLcBGAs/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-juPvlEsx0vE/W32KK0qe-OI/AAAAAAAACMk/kiem_sY4_Uk7fAaibw4kQCw3_hW51qfmwCLcBGAs/s640/5.jpg" width="412" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Donna <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Indrakumaran</a></td></tr>
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Laurel here:<br />
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We would love to hear from participants at Rhythm 2018 and/or at the "I'm a teacher, get me outside!" conference. Please feel free to comment here, or wherever this post is shared (please tag participants if on social media). Thank you to my collaborators for such an incredible week!Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-56768468041561142062018-08-08T11:58:00.003-07:002018-08-08T11:58:59.231-07:00a gift on a string<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the first photos I took at Fairview PS, my new school. The possibilities of this beautiful space, with its natural climbers and magnificent willow tree, made me excited for the new year to come. </td></tr>
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It's been a long while since I've sat down to write in depth about my teaching and learning in Kindergarten. This past year was filled with new challenges and new opportunities as it was my first year at Fairview Public School. I must acknowledge that although the year brought many challenges (including the largest class I've taught to date, at 33 students by spring), I feel like I won the lottery in terms of my amazing teaching partner, Katie. I plan to introduce her here, some time soon. Today, though, I was thinking about the year we had together with our wonderful students and families, and trying to distill what it was that made it such a rich learning experience overall. In part it was the warm welcome from the families; being an outdoor and inquiry-focused educator requires some early outreach (documentation, back up with research in the form of articles and the Kindergarten document) to allay fears around risks, discomfort with being wet or dirty, plus concerns about the academic value of such learning. In late fall we invited our families to join us for a community walk through our beautiful neighbouring park. This turned out to be such a popular and successful experience, in which our students highlighted just how much they knew about their living environment, that it turned into a highly-anticipated monthly event for the rest of the year. This, too, deserves its own post. For now, when I try to distill the biggest overall impact of the outdoors, I know that much learning occurred over the year by individual student passion projects and small group inquiries. Larger studies were documented and shared with the whole class such that every student had a story sometime in the year in our bird or tree inquiry documentation books, for example. But to choose a moment that touched the whole class, I have to think of times when emotions ran high and students were compelled to communicate their distress or amazement with the larger community. There were several such occasions over the year, all in response to something witnessed while outdoors. These moments happen every day, all around us. The magic is in <b>the noticing</b>, and that's the skill I work the hardest to instill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the school as seen from Kariya Park: just beyond our fence exists this magnificent oasis with ducks, turtles, many birds, beautiful ponds and gardens, all surrounded by walking paths. Part of what made leaving a school and team I loved was knowing my new class would have this wonderful place to explore.</td></tr>
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Being in a new school meant learning the affordances of the outdoor space along with our students. New to me was a yard small enough to necessitate a plan for sharing with other classes. Due to our large classes and overall proportion of the school population (six classes of more than 30 students each), we were unable to use the school yard during e-breaks (2 40-minute periods) when the older grades were outside. This presented a welcome challenge: how could we maximize our outdoor time over the day? Before finding creative ways to extend our time in unused spaces, however, there was another new challenge for me. In order to have equitable access to the limited outdoor tools and equipment, the Kindergarten team had a structure in place to rotate classes each day through 4 distinct spaces around the yard: a hard-top area with wheeled toys, a fenced-in "pen" with balls, building toys and games, a playground structure with some shade provided by pines, and an area known as "the meadow" in which the log and stump remains of an enormous ash tree provided an inviting climber. My first thought upon learning we had to follow a schedule was along the lines of mutiny, but I was eager to make a good impression on my new team, and trusted my new partner's thoughts about how well it can work. Of course, she was right: the rotating schedule wound up providing opportunities to get to know each of these spaces intimately, and as such children began to make good predictions based on their knowledge of these mini-eco-zones. As in past years, our class participated in the <a href="https://twitter.com/OCT_OEEO/status/1015926730287181824" target="_blank">#KindergartenBioBlitz</a> weeks in fall, winter, and spring, helping to form a culture of looking closely and noticing nature in our class.<br />
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Larger inquiries emerged in response to what we noticed while outside in our different spaces: <br />
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<li>the play of light and shadow (noticing evaporation differences in shade and sunlight, building shade structures, bending and bouncing light with reflective materials or the surface of water)</li>
<li>water movement as seen in rivers forming under gushing gutters, the sometimes dry creek bed in the park next door, rain and snow </li>
<li>balance and trajectory schema play in the meadow where the large logs and stumps provided various heights for climbing, throwing, stacking</li>
<li>bird inquiry around the different species we saw in different areas of the school ground (woodpeckers and jays in the pines by the playground, swallows zipping over the field, robins on the hardtop after rain, ducks and gulls wading in the puddles forming beside the field after rain or snowmelt, orioles by the park in spring, many species of songbirds visiting our window and tree feeders)</li>
<li>plant and tree identification, particularly in fall using fallen leaves, and in spring using the emerging flowers and leaves</li>
<li>gardening in our window boxes, transplanting to the front raised beds</li>
<li>insect and invertibrate behaviour </li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students drawing pillbugs we'd collected outdoors (in our "catch and release" glass house); this "looking closely at nature" area from the first day of school gave students a place to collect and observe interesting nature artifacts. </td></tr>
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All this is preamble to share a very small moment in time: a gift that came to us on an invisible string. This beautiful day at the end of May, we headed out to the meadow lugging the "wonder wagon" (our cart with various tools for investigating and recording nature observations). Late in the fall we had adopted a tree in the meadow as our own; it was a newly-planted maple with slim trunk. It won out over other favourites, including the magnificent weeping willow that towers overhead. Each time we walked the path into this space, several students would run to greet their favourite tree in the space. This time, there was a gift awaiting us. It dangled, bobbing and twirling, on its invisible thread. A small, green caterpillar cradling a white ball of silk, dancing in the breeze as it hung from the willow tree. <br />
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This was the first thing we encountered when we went out to the meadow yesterday. AP: “A caterpillar is flying!” AZ: “It’s hanging on a string.” A big group of us gathered to watch it swing around and around as it hung from the willow tree. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lookclosely</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/noticingnature?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#noticingnature</a> <a href="https://t.co/sSJn8k7stG">pic.twitter.com/sSJn8k7stG</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@Rm19FairviewKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rm19FairviewKs/status/1002164561041088512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The caterpillar swung from a swaying branch. We gathered in a circle to observe.</td></tr>
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I managed to capture a tiny snippet of the action without also capturing student faces or identifying features. Instead of embedding I've included these videos as links below, to open in a separate window ( a friendlier format for those reading on various devices).<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Rm19FairviewKs/status/1002164794189926400" target="_blank">The caterpillar dances over our heads.</a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Rm19FairviewKs/status/1002165648317997056" target="_blank">So many wonders arise as we observe this caterpillar overhead. NS: I hope it turns into a butterfly soon.” AK: I like butterflies, (they’re) so cute.” </a><br />
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What happened next surprised us all.
Both teachers turned away for a moment, each of us to talk to different students.
When we turned back, the caterpillar was gone. We looked all around, but saw only stunned faces, and a few hands pointing to where the caterpillar had been. </div>
"What happened?" "Where is it?" asked those of us who'd looked away.<br />
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The answers tumbled out of several students all at once. As it turns out, a bird had swooped down and grabbed the thing right out of the air, flying away without stopping. I did my best to capture their explanations, and then because I was delighted by the turn of events but horrified that I'd missed it, I asked if any of them could draw a picture or diagram to show me how it happened. The clipboards and drawing materials were sorted out in a hurry. Students asked to tweet our friend and favourite "nature expert", <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley" target="_blank">Rob Ridley</a>. This is the story,
illustrated and described by the witnesses.</div>
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What truly shone in this moment was the intimate knowledge of our environment, and the communication skills of these different learners. Each picture captures important details of that split-second moment in time. By focusing on drawing, equally or perhaps even more than writing, our students became quite skilled at expressing events, opinions, desires, and other ideas. I should note that several students later added words to their initial drawings, from simple one-word labels to titles and short sentences describing the action. It is the drawing, however, that told us so much about what they noticed. This dramatic scene was over in the blink of an eye. What students chose to share, and how they expressed it, demonstrated some amazing creativity and knowledge of text conventions. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paraphrased explanation: the "string" is blue because like water, it was invisible but can also look blue in drawings. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An extreme close-up detailed the size difference of the two creatures, as well as allowing room to add the pertinent detail R noticed about the caterpillar: faint lines along the body and the white ball of silk near its head.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I drew a map of where the bird was going."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The bird flew up and the caterpillar was spinning, spinning..."</td></tr>
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AK (whose description is included in the collage above) was quite affected by witnessing the suprising event. The next day in class he suggested, "We should put something in the tree so everyone knows what the bird wants. The bird wants a caterpillar. I think the bird is hungry for the caterpillar. They have babies and they want to eat them and bring them to their nest."<br />
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Later, while holding a tiny beetle in his hand, AK remembered the event again, "I don't want it on my hand. The bird is going to get on my hand because he wants the bug."<br />
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This gift of a surprise turning into study is the best demonstration of a curiosity-driven curriculum I can think of. The thinking behind their illustrations, also the connections students made in order to identify the bird, and to why he swooped down like that... all tie into the importance of slowing down, noticing nature, and wondering together.<br />
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As I was writing, I paused to find more tweets from that day. I noticed a tweet from a friend who teaches older students, but none-the-less often inspires me in my own practice due to her use of an environmental education lens. This was exactly what I was writing about, without realizing what made that moment so illustrative of the year: it was the way children pulled their knowledge from our year together to make a whole story to share with our families and friends. The student who identified the bird as a red-winged blackbird, remembering details he'd learn in his many hours (overall) spent watching visitors to our window feeders and reading field guides. The student who used her knowledge of motion lines. The student who inspired others to use arrows to indicate "mapping". The student who surprised us with the unique perspective in the close-up drawing of the bird. The student who included herself and her friend in her picture, to describe how shocked they were as they witnessed the event, and also added the fluffy snowflake-like seeds of the cottonwood tree which blew over us later that same morning. These were seeds planted over the year of joyous curiosity in the outdoors. Thank you Emily for helping me see that. <br />
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A2: I really love the moment of shared discovery, when the seeds I’ve planted in ten different directions come together into something new that I’ve never imagined <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2PencilChat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2PencilChat</a></div>
— Emily Kissner (@ELKissner) <a href="https://twitter.com/ELKissner/status/1026971619468697601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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If you wish, leave a comment about a moment that has left an impact on your class. <br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-61156800005789586312017-08-09T22:41:00.000-07:002017-08-10T06:25:40.714-07:00a magical metaphorphosis<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wednesday afternoon I joined the forest school children and teachers for lunch. I was delighted to follow them around the meadow that they already knew so well after only two days, seeing the lovely wood frogs they caught (and then released), one of several moths flitting about the grass, and other tiny wonders. I shared my trick for calling songbirds down closer, or "pishing" and told how I love listening to birds wherever I go. I was touched, then, when T asked me, "Do you want to hear the most beautiful sound in the forest?" to which the only possible answer is, "Yes! Lead the way!" In the deep green veil of leaves (bottom right cormer of the collage) we marvelled at the loudness of the cricket chorus. I was indeed the most beautiful thing. I was honoured. </td></tr>
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Today was the third day of the fifth annual, week-long "<a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/the_rhythm_of_learning_in_nature_2017" target="_blank">Rhythm of Learning in Nature</a>" summer intensive course. It is my fifth year in attendance, my daughter's third year of attending the forest school, and my second year of attending as a facilitator for the week. <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/08/an-sensory-walk-with-reggioplc.html" target="_blank">I've written</a> about the deeply immersive experience before, from a very different perspective. I was just finishing my first year at a new school, Thornwood PS, and was writing my observations throughout the week as this entirely new sort of professional experience unfolded. I knew something amazing was happening, but I didn't yet know how important it would be for me, over the year, to reflect on those five days and find inspiration and support from fellow learners who'd become friends. <br />
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The day began with a chance to reconnect over breakfast, after which we headed outside to the lawn overlooking Swan Lake. Art invitations were set all about the small yard. There weren't instructions or expectations to visit each one. Already, the freedom to explore as broadly or narrowly as we wanted set this apart from professional gatherings many of us have attended in the past - I heard more than one person comment to this effect today, and over the last two days.<br />
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I'm not sure what I was doing at the time (watching others trace faces at the vertical painting, grinding herbs in the mortar and pestles) but suddenly I was called to come see an interesting insect that Alex had found on the ground. I immediately recognized the hard carapace of a cicada, something my students and my own kids have collected with me over the years. Then I saw that it wasn't a carapace, but in fact moving... it was a cicada that had just dug its way up from under the tree, and was likely knocked down from its climb by the ropes used to hang the vertical painting easel. I may have screamed, I was so excited. I remember the forest school children calling me last year to show me the newly emerged cicada they'd found, hours later in the process than this hard-shelled critter clinging to the branch in my hand. I remember the awe as we watched it grow before our eyes... and here we were, able to witness it from the shell. This was magical, for lack of a better word, because it was really the exact opposite of magic. It was deeply mundane, and wonderful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cicada had likely fallen from the cedar tree, so I placed it in the crook of two branches where it would be safe from all of our feet. It immediately began to crawl up the bark of the trunk. More and more of us watched as the prehistoric-looking insect clung to the tree on its way to metamorphosize.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cicada came to a rest in the grown-over hole where a limb had been cut. It seemed to anchor itself with a tight grip, and then was still, until it began to jiggle and dance. We wondered if perhaps it was pulling its legs from within the shell, like we might shake off heavy rubber boots or thick tights. I knew from seeing later stage cicada emergence last year with the forest school children that it would leave through a hole in the back, so I let everyone who would listen know to watch for this to begin. We saw the shape change (the back seemed to arch) but it wasn't until the colour subtly changed and the insect inside began to pulse (or breathe?) that we noticed it had already split its back. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It had already been at least an hour since we'd seen the shelled cicada climb up the tree, but it was still riveting. In front of our eyes we saw the creature pulse, shake, grow, arch, push, stretch its legs, and lean way out of its hard shell. No wings were visible yet, but the colour was brighter now, and the pale eyes had darkened. It was magical to watch. Many of us exclaimed how lucky we were to be present to see this unfold. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now the wings unfolded and began to pulse as the green blood flowed through the silvery veins. This process was even more magical, somehow, though the sheer effort of getting out and to this stage left us in awe. The wings stretched out to full, then a few moments later, the cicada folded them neatly along the sides of its body. This happened just before we sat down for our discussion. After we spoke, we noticed that it was now gone, perhaps adding its buzz to the chorus we heard in the trees around us. All that remained was the hard shell. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Today as we sat down after lunch to reflect together on what we'd done thus far, I was struck by how deeply moved everyone was by the connections we'd made with each other, the place, and with our deepest feelings. We sat in the shade, high above Swan Lake which glimmered in the sunlight down the hill beside our gathering. An impromptu talking stick was passed;. people spoke about where they came from, what they had been expecting, and just how incredibly different this experience was from any other professional development they'd had. People spoke of the difficulty with explaining what it was we did that was different, why this place and time each summer became something shining to hold on to during the year. As the stick was passed, I jotted down words that struck me as powerful, meaningful:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Wonder </li>
<li>Awe</li>
<li>Gratitude</li>
<li>Deep connections made</li>
<li>Perception of time in the outdoors (tapping into phenology)</li>
<li>A reminder that we learn from everyone in our path</li>
<li>Not a conference, not "pd", but a knowledge retreat (thank you Sally!)</li>
<li>Time with materials leads to deep understanding</li>
<li>We are co-constructing our learning right now</li>
<li>Sharing our time together so deeply makes this place (space and time together) into a sanctuary for us, a place where the ties that bind can't hold us back, and where we are safe to try, to fail, to share emotion (I hope to feature Nicole's story of how she came to this idea in a future guest post)</li>
<li>Teaching style is tied to learning style (so embrace learning)</li>
<li>It's okay to let go, many things are possible even when we can only attend one</li>
</ul>
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Everyone's words touched me, left me thinking about my new year (new school, new team) and what matters most to me in teaching children. Erin, however, touched me particularly because she shared both her love of what she does and the children she works with, but also how incredibly hard and draining the last year was. I understood only too well how it feels to want to BE more, to DO more when our students need more of our us (some years there's more mothering involved, and even more support of the family at home). I understood how difficult it is to express the feeling of needing a break (whether a day off when sick, time away from documentation and reporting when home with family) but also feeling the need to carry the weight for the sake of the children and families we have such a strong connection with. Nadine responded with kindness and understanding: "It is a draining position because we <i>give so much</i>. It is restorative too; I learn and gain so much from the kids. " We give because we feel the need, and because it is joyful.<br />
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It was something said in a place that was safe to express this feeling - at school we hold our head high and smile at every child, our own or in other classes, to show we are happy to see them. We are available, attentive, delighted, respectful, engaged, inspired. It is the most wonderful job there is, one I feel incredibly lucky to grow in every day. It is full of wonder, and joy. It is also full of intense emotions, and our role as supporting children to regulate those (and over time self-regulate throughout their day) requires us to constantly up- or down- regulate to meet the needs of our many learners. It is rewarding. It is also, at times, some years more than others, exhausting, and in order to keep the classroom community a safe place to learn, we show our best self every day. We hold our lamp aloft and shine. This is easier to do when the entire class team enjoy each other and when students come to school feeling ready to join in and learn. This isn't always the case, and when needs must be met in order for children to be able to join in (lack of food, sleep, comfortable clothing for all weather, or other lack) we as teachers naturally must slow down and meet the children where they are. If we can support our teaching partners, share the load (especially in large classes), make each other laugh, help each solve day-to-day problems, we can't help but feel we have the best job in world. But it is possible to give our light away, and burn down in the process... if too much is asked, or the entire load not shared. So what does coming together to play, to share joy with others (old friends and brand new acquaintances) do for us? We shine our light together, and rekindle those whose lamps are low. It is so much more than learning new skills, techniques, or ideas about pedagogy that brings us back every year. <br />
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And thus I found the shared experience of the cicada emerging to be a powerful metaphor, one I shared with the group as we wrapped our sharing circle. I had scribbled a few lines in my journal as we paused:<br />
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Like the cicada, we are reborn here. We are pushing through, shaking off our armour, the shield we need to keep strong, but also armour that we carry from our idealized image of how we should be as teachers. Here we push through, shake off the shell and trust that the time and space will be perfect, for us to spread our wings, and like the cicada, to sing the song we've been waiting to sing. </blockquote>
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At home I looked through the photos of the day, and relived the marvel that we witnessed this morning. Here is what came to me...<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Why do we feel such connection to this place, to this group of people, some of whom were strangers only two days ago?</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The cicada lives underground, under the roots of a tree, <a href="http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Insects.Cicadas" target="_blank">for most of its life</a>. It has but a few days with which to emerge (moult), unfold its wings, fly, and "sing" (though not singing as we know it because its more like a rattle in their hind end). The time has to be just right - when the connection to others of its kind are possible. Once it climbs up above ground and begins its climb, it can't turn back. Likewise, in this company in the slowed-down time spend engaging in emerging play in nature, we just have to open and trust that we've picked the right time, and space.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We live our lives underground?</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
No, that's not quite right. We do, however, keep our feelings underground while in our professional lives. Educators need the trust of parents, fellow educators, and above all our students, in order to be able to create a classroom learning community. We don't feel able to show vulnerability, instead we project our best, most strong self to welcome others in our classrooms. But educators on a journey of pedagogical learning can be lonely, disconnected from other grades (whose classes hum along at an entirely different rhythm than those of early years classes). We can feel disconnected from others like us, who see and hear the magic of children and who hold in our hearts the image of ourselves as learners, too. We work in our spaces, safe in our armour. We show outwardly that we are capable, not vulnerable; knowledgeable, not full of doubt about what we know and believed important. But at Swan Lake, at Rhythm, we may climb up, root our feet deeply in a trusted place, steady ourselves and begin to dance... we push out against our binds... the memories of our long time underground released, our wings unfurling as we breathe deeply, release the emotion of deep connection... and we may "sing" our song.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thank you, cicada, for sharing your beautiful journey with us. </blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful moment I was honoured to share with the children at the forest school at <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/71142869092590017/" target="_blank">last year's </a>Rhythm
of Learning in Nature summer intensive course. The kids had come to get
me (perhaps at my daughter's urging, or simply because I was the one
who always loved to look closely at any small creatures when with them)
when they noticed what was happening, and I was able to witness (and
document) the wondrous event with them. </td></tr>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-28554109890481465622017-01-23T15:45:00.003-08:002017-01-23T15:45:45.370-08:00saplings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are few trees more iconic that the graceful weeping willow tree. It is immortalized in art, poetry and music, used to symbolize emotion (longing, grief) and ideals (strength in flexibility). It has long been a symbol of survival: unlike the mighty oak which may snap in two in a windstorm, the weeping willow bends, yields and thus remains unbroken.<br />
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For me, the weeping willow has more personal meaning, tied to early memories. When I was three years old, my family moved to the property my parents live still. It was one of many ten-acre plots, once part of a larger farm that spread a few concessions long. Most of the mature trees were found along the fence rows: a huge cherry on the south fence where a snowy owl once perched when I was a kid, maples along the east, a grand old pine near the road, and a number of old apple trees. The house my parents helped design was build in the middle of the property, high up on a hill overlooking the road and facing west with a fantastic view of sunsets (before the trees grew in and obscured much of the view). My parents had a pond dug on the land down below the house, where a creek and plentiful, fragrant balm of gilead trees alerted us to water. I spent summers swimming in that goldfish-filled pond, and winters skating on it. Over the next few years we planted some 2000 trees, so that a forest now spreads on three sides of the house. When I walk the trails through those woods, I often spot evidence of wildlife who share the space: turkeys, deer, rabbits, songbirds and raptors, mushrooms and flowering plants. What stands out, though, is the magnificent weeping willow that droops over the pond. My mom stuck a willow switch in the ground after the pond was dug out, marking the spot where she wished to plant a tree. Being a willow, it quickly rooted and my mom's wish came true, with no more work needed. Every summer from that tree, the red-wing blackbirds scolded us and kingfishers dazzled us with their acrobatic fishing skills. We hid beneath the drooping boughs, swung from the thicker branches like Tarzan on vines, and used the fallen switches for bending bracelets or weaving. It was, and is, a most beloved tree.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trailing boughs of one of many weeping willows that line a lakefront park nearby. This beautiful tree is so ubiquitous, it's hard to imagine a time when they weren't growing everywhere in Ontario. </td></tr>
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I don't know how it was that I came across the story of how the famous willow first arrived in England. There are various versions of the story, all differing with regards to who brought the original tree, but all placing the arrival of the tree in the range of 1730-1740. If I'd read the particular fact of its origin another year, perhaps, it wouldn't have meant anything to me. But this year, with so many news stories showing the terrifying attacks and the destruction of the beautiful ancient city of Aleppo, now this resonated. The very symbol of survival came to us from a place now struggling to stay alive... <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Early Chinese <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivar" title="Cultivar">cultivar</a> selections include the original <b>weeping willow</b>, <i>Salix babylonica</i> 'Pendula', in which the branches and twigs are strongly pendulous, which was presumably spread along ancient <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_route" title="Trade route">trade routes</a>. These distinctive trees were subsequently introduced into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleppo" title="Aleppo">Aleppo</a> in northern <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria" title="Syria">Syria</a> in 1730. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salix_babylonica" target="_blank">(source)</a></blockquote>
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Many moments and memories tangled when I first thought to write this story. It was a powerful metaphor that struck me: the history of one of our most iconic trees was tied to the silk road and the very area of the world that many of our refugee students and their families had recently fled. I thought about the ugly backlash some communities saw when even small numbers of newcomers moved into the neighbourhood and the schools. I was grateful to work in a school where the opposite was true: where the community rallied to support our new families with translators, services, orientation sessions and invitations to local events. Our class had been diverse before, with speakers of varieties of Arabic, Urdu, Hindu, Tamil, Vietnamese, Marathi, Mandarin and more. For many years I've used inclusive practices in my teaching, from creating multi-lingual class books each year and using students' languages in our meeting times (while counting, greeting each other) to inviting students to learn about each others' celebrations and traditions that share similarities with their own (such as the use of light in many winter ceremonies). This year, however, it felt necessary to do more, to go beyond sharing our differences. These families had been living through a series of months, even years, "on hold". They were facing challenges greater than most families at our school. Since last winter, our community grew as many newcomers from Syria began to move into the valley around Cooksville Creek. Our school grew by 100+ students who were "uprooted" along with their families, and this year in our class there are five students whose long journeys from Syria have brought them here to Ontario. It was important to me to ensure they felt a sense of belonging in our school. When I read the story of the tree a few months ago, it stuck with me. That Monday back at school, I looked at EA, the first of the newly arrived students to join our class as a junior student last year, back in January. I thought of how far she'd come, and how much she'd grown in the months since her first day. She'd arrived on a very snowy day, and I was grateful for the beautiful weather. We spent quite a long time outdoors that day, introducing her to the joys of playing in the snow with new friends. We explored the snow forts build by older students at recess, and took our sleds to the hill behind the school where we all took turns riding with her or pushing her sled from the top of the hill. We rolled down snowbanks and stomped fresh tracks into the untouched field by the park. It was the perfect way to welcome a student whose language most of us didn't share. I remember her rosy cheeks and brilliant smile on that day.<br />
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It didn't take long before she was conversing with us in a mixture of Arabic and English. She taught me many words (including the names for our shared snack foods, but that will be another post). Soon after her arrival, two more students joined us from Syria, and she was an excellent support. She translated for her new friends and her teachers, all while her command of English grew. I was delighted to see her grow in confidence. So the story of the willow was my gift to her. She had drawn a Syrian flag a few weeks before, and it inspired another student to make one as well. It inspired others in class, and resulted in a space on the bulletin board under the banner "Our Flags" where first a few countries were represented (as in the photo below, taken in December) but where now many more flags are shown. She later painted a Canada flag, again from memory (not from looking at a sample, thus the red bars along the top as well as the sides). It was then that I remembered what I'd read about weeping willow trees. I took her to the window and gave her a step stool so she could see the towering tree across the road beside the driveway to our school. I told her how I'd just learned how those amazing trees weren't native to Canada, but instead a transplant from far away. I told her how one of those very trees was brought from Syria to make its new home beautiful, and that she was just like that tree - brought here while small, growing somewhere new to become part of our rich and varied forest. I said that she and her family would make Canada more beautiful too. She didn't say much, then. In the months since that day, however, she has pointed at it, the pale golden giant that blows in the breeze, and asked me to tell her the story again. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EA's Syrian flag, top right, inspired others to make flags representing their families' home countries. I didn't realize at first why the Syrian students drew the flags differently (black with red, green with red) but later discovered that the design is contested and thus several versions are currently in use. EA also painted the flag of Canada, seen at the bottom. An interest in flags continues in class, with more added each week as more students add their own.</td></tr>
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EA's story is what caused me to, for the nth time, look at the breadth of tree inquiry in my class over time. Every year we adopt a tree it becomes more meaningful, as younger siblings remember past trees adopted and visited by their older siblings over the summer. The sheer amount of stories tied to these inquiries has kept me from starting to write about them - every time I think I have the beginning or the end, I realize I'm wrong, that there's much more learning involved. It feels like roots, all tangled beneath the soil and purported to amount to more biomass than the huge tree above the ground. So I won't attempt to pull it all up, untangle and make sense of it. Well, maybe just a bit of it.<br />
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Over the five years I've taught at Thornwood PS, the trees have been a part of our curriculum in different ways. We have adopted trees, studying them daily, noting the amazing changes that occur all through the year. We have explored felled trees beyond the park, posing for pictures and challenging ourselves to balance along their length. We have smelled blossoms and tasted wild apples that grew along the edge of the creek that borders our school beyond the driveway. We have gathered pine cones, acorns, catkins and "shaker" seed pods. We sprouted seeds from a broken seed pod that came from <a href="https://vine.co/v/5uWOM561ijP" target="_blank">the tree our class adopted last year</a>, and those seedlings now overwinter in my parents' garden until I can take them back to school in the spring. Those seedlings are most important this year, because of the reconstruction project along the creek that resulted in the removal of 100 of small trees, including the apples we watched grow every year. Those students who reveled in the shade of those trees at the end of the year last summer were as stunned as I was to return to school to see them gone. Small, perhaps, in comparison to the loss of whole forests or entire neighbourhoods (as some of my students have witnessed) but a poignant loss none-the-less. In encouraging students to look closely and know their local environment, I hope to grow a pedagogy of place: an ever-deepening connection to the life overhead and underfoot. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the no-mow zone at the beginning of fall. A group of students carry clipboards as we go for a walk one day two years ago, gathering images and samples (bark rubbings, leaves, needles, acorns) for our list of favourite local trees. We narrowed the list down to ten for closer inspection and research before finally choosing our tree to adopt for the year. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A student reaches to grab the apple and bring it close to smell. This tree was a favourite to visit in spring because of its fragrant, showy blossoms, but only a few fruit grew to ripen. We managed to pick one apple that we washed and tasted that day a few years ago. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A question first, to inspire us to look closely at the trees in our area. This was fall last year. In the middle-left is pictured the path on the opposite side of the creek (our school is on the left, out of view). This path is now off-limits while the creek is revitalized. The pictures around it represent trees that still stand, on the far side of the path or in the park. We hope to visit them again before the end of the year, if the pedestrian bridge is reopened by then. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A deep connection made to the maple trees in our nearby park. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our proud "tree experts" hard at work last summer, identifying trees all around our adopted tree that he had identified back in the fall. He had delighted me by proving me wrong: I'd guessed black locust, but he was correct in calling it a honey locust. Back in the fall we gathered hundreds of curly seed pods under our tree, using them as shakers, ornaments, and additions to our loose parts creations. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These seeds, gathered last April from a broken pod beneath our locust tree and lovingly carried all the way back to class by TC in a large acorn cap, were later planted by T when the rest of the class planted green beans as a part of a gardening project. To our surprise and delight, her tree seeds sprouted and grew. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TC's seedlings growing tall, in June. She left them at school on the last day, and I couldn't bring myself to leave them to die. I brought them home and transplanted them. In spring we will see if they've survived winter, and perhaps find a place to plant them on or around the school grounds. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eco-literacy: students were concerned about these markings showing up on many trees in the area along the creek. We tweeted several experts and did a little research to reveal that different regions use different markings, but that most likely this tree was marked as "healthy, do no cut", while those marked with orange were to be removed. Their concern was for individual trees, for we didn't yet know the extent of the project that would soon fence off our creek and result in wide-spread removal. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A
view of the no-mow zone last June. Behind the trees is Cooksville
Creek, then a concrete-bottom waterway prone to flooding the field and
our school. Little did we know that these few last weeks of school would
be the last time we would enjoy this lively green wall that hid the
water and houses on the other side.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last month of school last June was spent exploring the rich life of summer outdoors. We noticed the fence spring up in the yard, cutting us off from the trees and dividing our no-mow zone in half. None of us imagined that we'd soon see right across the creek. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's hard to reconcile this view with the photo above, but this was taken a few months later just beyond the no-mow zone, looking across the expanse where there was once a creek (now running through the black pipe beside the fence) and trees sloping down on both sides. We were watching the bulldozer push a bundle of uprooted trees while listening to the rush of the water in the pipe. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another angle, looking further along the creek near the park. We spoke to friendly workers who gladly explained what they were doing, but it was difficult for the students to see how this big mess was actually going to make the creek a healthier one. We look forward to the reconstructed, naturalized creek banks and the eventual reopening of the path we used to take when we visited our favourite trees. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One student's illustration of the work we saw as we watched the heavy machinery and hard-hatted workers one day. This picture is one of many that help explain children's thinking about our creek inquiry, an ongoing exploration of water, the creatures we once saw living in the creek, and the need to take care of our earth. That story will be another post, as it continues to grow in our class.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of us went for a walk while the rest of the class played back in
our yard. We had stopped to watch the machinery rumble by us, then
found a pile of discarded branches that we on our side of the fence. It
was a memory of past trips for senior students who recalled the deep
shade and places to hide that once existed here, at the edge of the
park. For junior students who had no such memories, it was simply a time
to explore and enjoy collaboration while we attempted to make an
impromptu fort. EA was in the group, happily tossing leaves in the air
and gathering sticks and branches for building. It seems poetic now,
looking at this photo: the landscape changing but new life growing all
around. We will continue to visit as we can, and watch for signs of new life. </td></tr>
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I think of how much the land around the school has been a part of our learning, and how the stories of our adventures on the grounds help students feel ownership over the place. It is my hope that it leads to lifelong stewardship, no matter where they go. I looked over the years of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23treeinquiry&partner=Firefox&source=desktop-search" target="_blank">#treeinquiry</a> in our class, and saw it had a greater impact than I had realized. This fall, when I saw the size of the project underway to solve the flooding of our valley, I reached out to a few local experts to see if they would be willing to come and speak to my class about what was happening with the creek and the surrounding wildlife. We had an initial response with a contact name, and hope to follow up with a visit in spring. While creek inquiry continues this year, I couldn't help but notice how much the connection to our local trees has impacted students in all of my classes, from those early half-day years, to the last three full-day classes shared with a teaching partner. Here are a few memories from the last few years. The first image is particularly poignant as it shows the area that is now fenced and bare (very close to where the "danger" sign in the photo above). <br />
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It's official: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PM?src=hash">#PM</a> class have adopted the yellow transparent apple as our tree! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> <a href="http://t.co/tzS7LQBVLS">pic.twitter.com/tzS7LQBVLS</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/380777806767988737">September 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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This is what it looks like when I say: "Okay, meet me at our tree!" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kindy?src=hash">#kindy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/enviroEd?src=hash">#enviroEd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="http://t.co/277dVC636E">pic.twitter.com/277dVC636E</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/385585130196054016">October 3, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Can you see our favourite learning centre today? Friends <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> at things from trees <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="http://t.co/oPUHxltv1A">pic.twitter.com/oPUHxltv1A</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/402877814417797120">November 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PM?src=hash">#PM</a> class: we decorated our apple tree with our nature ice ornaments. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="https://t.co/neKnKIEJQB">https://t.co/neKnKIEJQB</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/413380405010518016">December 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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A little history is helpful to understand the next few tweets: while the PM class had adopted the apple tree pictured above, the AM class had chosen the large silver maple right at the front steps of the school. During the winter break we were struck by a massive ice storm which caused widespread power outages and damage to trees. I went to school on the break to visit, concerned that our trees had been broken like so many others around us. After sharing the good news below, I was touched to receive a tweet from the family of one of my students, who'd asked her father to check on our tree as well. I knew then that she would be a caring steward of the world around her. Though she's since moved to a new school, I wonder if she remembers those trips to visit her tree. <br />
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Hope my K friends & families are having a safe, warm holiday. I was worried about our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> - trees are fine! <a href="http://t.co/H3WPJlyuBQ">pic.twitter.com/H3WPJlyuBQ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/415612853576798208">December 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/yusraamir1">@yusraamir1</a>
that makes me happy, too. I worried about our trees, & about my
friends who were away ill in Dec. Happy Holidays, see you soon!</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/416229392746946560">December 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
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How exciting! <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> A said: "our tree has transformed!" We see pink buds & leaves. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="https://t.co/5hbT112TGc">https://t.co/5hbT112TGc</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/465917185257635840">May 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Some of us went to visit our tree from last year's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> & we found apples! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KindergartenBioBlitz?src=hash">#KindergartenBioBlitz</a> "S... <a href="https://t.co/BknuKT56mr">https://t.co/BknuKT56mr</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/512660688183914496">September 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Was this tree older than the first stump? MA & EA counts rings to age the tree <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treeinquiry?src=hash">#treeinquiry</a> <a href="https://t.co/JNECZonlUj">https://t.co/JNECZonlUj</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/802138406570622976">November 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fmfxT6mKO5g/WESvWC89Y1I/AAAAAAAACE4/-jqRFQbtiCQ/s640/blogger-image--1716647765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fmfxT6mKO5g/WESvWC89Y1I/AAAAAAAACE4/-jqRFQbtiCQ/s640/blogger-image--1716647765.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nearly-hidden egret (the large white heron) flies over the shallow water of Etobicoke Creek. I think I startled it when I came close to the edge of the water. This quote speaks to me of the learning we gain slowly by observing, as opposed to those lightbulb "aha" moments of discovery. Both ways of learning are important, and will help us understand our world. To know a tree, to see something grow that will live long beyond our years, is to learn our place in nature. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OM47kndXIP4/WESvflgqvwI/AAAAAAAACFI/oqndGi1ISsk/s640/blogger-image--588459935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OM47kndXIP4/WESvflgqvwI/AAAAAAAACFI/oqndGi1ISsk/s640/blogger-image--588459935.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom didn't have any photos of us playing in the willow tree, but my grandmother passed down many photos from my summers spent visiting her in Timmins. My grandmother is no longer alive and the house was sold long ago, but I remember eating many things from the garden that grew in the back, behind the birch, and I remember the sound of ravens in the forest further beyond. I wonder what memories my students will have of living and growing with trees. </td></tr>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-2599721955525910962016-08-07T16:51:00.001-07:002016-08-16T13:32:39.878-07:00documentation - who is it for?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ozaMVbfQqAM/V5uRu7j_B8I/AAAAAAAACB0/45NHrKjNo2Y0oRdcr3fEsfpGI1JGMQQtACKgB/s1600/blogger-image-101511281.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ozaMVbfQqAM/V5uRu7j_B8I/AAAAAAAACB0/45NHrKjNo2Y0oRdcr3fEsfpGI1JGMQQtACKgB/s400/blogger-image-101511281.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign that greeted visitors to the <a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/index.html" target="_blank">Artists at the Centre</a>
15th (and final) Annual
Exhibit this spring.</td></tr>
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The transparent sign above is a beautiful visual metaphor for documentation: how we leave traces of
our thinking matters, we must take into account the different
perspectives those reading our documentation will have. It struck me at once as both subtle and powerful. The
exhibit beyond the sign was a magnificent example of pedagogical
listening on the part of the educators and artists in the project - each
moment or time period lovingly captured and presented with the utmost
respect and admiration for these capable children. There was no photography permitted at the exhibit, out of respect for those children whose works and likenesses were displayed there. I went this year, like last year, with my teaching partner and treasured friend <a href="https://twitter.com/hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh</a> (who I am sad to say has since moved on to help start a new class in our school). We chatted about the projects we saw, several times finding extensions we could bring back for ongoing inquiries in our class. Mostly, however, we were just struck by the quality of the documentation, and the learning depicted. I left feeling so uplifted, so inspired by the vision of such rich learning by children from infancy through what we call "early years", I was sad to see<a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/project.html" target="_blank"> this wonderful project</a> come to an end. I am grateful that similar stories, overlapping the Artists at the Centre project within Mohawk College's "Together for Families" project, are shared in <a href="http://www.davisart.com/Products/427-6/documenting-childrens-meaning-engaging-in-design-and-creativity-with-children-and-families.aspx" target="_blank">the book</a> below. It presents the inherent brilliance of children as beautifully as any documentation I have seen. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xpADPjboqx0/V6eWwTOkXAI/AAAAAAAACDo/B8pUw7J6hhMKswGXsmZWjUOWilNhoR-rACPcB/s1600/blogger-image--1899195093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xpADPjboqx0/V6eWwTOkXAI/AAAAAAAACDo/B8pUw7J6hhMKswGXsmZWjUOWilNhoR-rACPcB/s400/blogger-image--1899195093.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My <a href="http://www.davisart.com/Products/427-6/documenting-childrens-meaning-engaging-in-design-and-creativity-with-children-and-families.aspx" target="_blank">favourite book</a> to pick up for a little lift - gorgeous documentation of capable learners at work.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Part of my learning journey in the last few years has involved trying to balance the expectations from outside the classroom: parents, older grade teachers, principals and many others have ideas of what should be happening in a kindergarten class, though firstly and ultimately it is the <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016?_ga=1.91508632.342308607.1470602949" target="_blank">Ministry of Ontario document</a> and reporting guidelines that we need to keep in mind. On the other side of the scale, my own learning journey, my research and collaborations with other Reggio-Inspired educators, which leads me towards uplifting the students' voices and celebrating the "<a href="http://www.innovativeteacherproject.org/reggio/poem.php" target="_blank">hundred languages</a>" of children. Carlina Rinaldi, in the two following quotes, captures those values I've been trying to cultivate.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The school has both the right and the duty to make this culture of childhood visible to the society as a whole, in order to provoke exchange and discussion. Sharing documentation is a true act of democratic participation. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Documentation is not about what we do, but what we are searching for. ~ Carlina Rinaldi
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qA2Q2NatqWA/V1daaMHNpGI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/iMfH8RBFux03nqVkAwbj98hMXY6ptfbyACPcB/s1600/blogger-image--322265540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qA2Q2NatqWA/V1daaMHNpGI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/iMfH8RBFux03nqVkAwbj98hMXY6ptfbyACPcB/s400/blogger-image--322265540.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building "body balance" challenge structures have been a part of our
classroom for years now, as older students pass this idea on to their
younger classmates. What fascinates me is the way the play evolves, and
how I see different aspects in each photo. This picture, from this year,
shows a careful placement of shoes in a special "shelf" placed there
for that purpose. None of these current students were a part of the
inquiry in which our class tweeted another about our body balance
structures (that story from 2013-2014 in <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/08/inspired-by-things-both-great-and-small.html" target="_blank">this post</a>), thus none of them know it was an idea we got from photos we received from that other
class, in which they labeled "start", "stop", and "shoes here". </td></tr>
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I have been thinking a great deal about documentation, both more recently at the end of the school year as I worked my way through reporting for the year-end summary of progress, and more generally over the year, as documentation became one of the dominant lenses by which I view my practice. It is something I've been fascinated with, along with the culture of a classroom around the view of the child as curious, capable and co-constructors of knowledge, since first delving deeper into my own Reggio-Inspired journey. It came to the foreground when I went to a provocative gathering of minds; <a href="https://storify.com/kidsconnect/forging-relationships-through-pedagogical-document" target="_blank">documentation as relationship: BECS Conference 2015 </a>where we were encouraged to question our understandings and beliefs about documentation and our roles as teacher-researchers. I <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">started</a> a series of posts about documentation, exploring <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">my own thoughts</a>, and also sharing those of <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/making-learning-visible-fostering.html" target="_blank">inspiring</a> <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/what-learning-doth-puddle-offer.html" target="_blank">friends</a> who were with me on this journey, whether near or far.<br />
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When I first thought about the idea of looking at documentation as a thing unto itself, I struggled to capture the image of what it was I was trying to share, making it difficult to put into words what I was asking for when I pitched the idea to prospective featured guests. I knew I was approaching educators whose documentation highlighted student voice, a clear image of the child, a positive view of negotiating difficult topics, or simply beautiful storytelling that illustrated the brilliance of children. I am grateful for their examples and their leap of faith to join in the conversation. As I said then:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...they all managed to clearly convey in their documentation an idea that <span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd been grappling with for ages. T<span style="font-family: inherit;">hey each created <span style="font-family: inherit;">work that I immediat<span style="font-family: inherit;">ely <span style="font-family: inherit;">connected with<span style="font-family: inherit;"> as the exemplar for the concept I'd been cha<span style="font-family: inherit;">tting about in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reggioplc" target="_blank">ReggioPLC</a> discussions, or reading about <span style="font-family: inherit;">in <span style="font-family: inherit;">various <span style="font-family: inherit;">pu<span style="font-family: inherit;">bli<span style="font-family: inherit;">cat<span style="font-family: inherit;">ions</span></span>. Ideas<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that wer<span style="font-family: inherit;">e d<span style="font-family: inherit;">eeply meaningful to me at this <span style="font-family: inherit;">point in my journey - risky play, the view of <span style="font-family: inherit;">th<span style="font-family: inherit;">e ch<span style="font-family: inherit;">ild as capable, <span style="font-family: inherit;">inquiry as a moment or a pro<span style="font-family: inherit;">cess, documentation as shared ow<span style="font-family: inherit;">nership of story<span style="font-family: inherit;">telling, inquiry as a process fraught with doubt - all ideas that suddenly had a link, for me, to these inspiring educ<span style="font-family: inherit;">ators<span style="font-family: inherit;">. (from "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/making-learning-visible-fostering.html" target="_blank">making learning visible</a>...", July 2015)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></blockquote>
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As I wrote that post introducing the series, it came to me ("aha!") that there wasn't an image in my mind, but a great jumble of images and sense memories.<br />
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That aha was this: pedagogical documentation is not one "thing", it is <i>both</i> <i>the process and the product</i>
born out of the relationships between materials, learners, and method
of documentation. The aha was that I still didn't have a big picture,
though I had many pieces giving me a wider view of what I was looking
at. In fact, there would never be a big picture, not an accurate one,
when the ongoing process meant the view was always changing. Lastly, I
realized that what made me reach out to these educators was exactly what
had made me reach out to <a href="https://twitter.com/tessaheffernan" target="_blank">Tessa</a> over a year ago to ask for her view of the teaching partner relationship (taken from my intro to her post):<br />
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There is something about the way we share a view
of children (as infinitely capable, curious, fascinating) and teaching
(as a wondrous journey, forever deepening and growing out into our
lives) that creates real friends through the ether. (from "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">looking for the big picture</a>", July 2015)</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnuHhZPb208/V5gIM-zofHI/AAAAAAAACBU/ypMu62I-72MDN6ImCmwT68CdEoVpnTfBQCPcB/s1600/blogger-image-1992723293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnuHhZPb208/V5gIM-zofHI/AAAAAAAACBU/ypMu62I-72MDN6ImCmwT68CdEoVpnTfBQCPcB/s400/blogger-image-1992723293.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two girls offer their hands to support a third student who was apprehensive to try their balance challenge. I showed the three girls the photo later that day; they all connected to times they needed help and times they were able to offer help, and spoke about pride in being capable, "strong" and "big enough". I shared this photo on our class twitter as an example for our families of the strong social skills that develop within a play-based Kindergarten classroom. </td></tr>
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Last year in spring, my teaching partner Pooneh and I spent a wonderful day in the Hamilton area, first visiting the annual exhibit by "<a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/" target="_blank">Artists at the Centre</a>", then a relaxed afternoon sipping tea in her shady backyard in what I have come to think of as "waterfall country". We were both so inspired by the depth of learning shared in the beautiful documentation at the exhibit. We felt so uplifted by the image of the child that shone through in all of the documentation, and it helped set the intention to further study our own practice in the future. <br />
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We talked about our own class (then winding down after our first year as teaching partners in a just-transitioned full-day Kindergarten class), and our hopes and dreams for the year to come. I was already planning a trip to Boston to visit Wheelock College, where the next "Cultivate the Scientist in Every Child" conference was being held at the <a href="http://www.hawkinscenters.org/exhibit.html" target="_blank">Hawkins Exhibit</a> opening weekend. My love of Frances and David Hawkins's work overlaps greatly with the ideas I was seeking out in my documentation study: the child as agent in learning through collaboration with others (teachers and children alike) and with materials. I wanted to reflect this, especially the big ideas unfolding through collaborative inquiry play, and mentioned to Pooneh I was interesting in trying something I had wanted to do for a few years - a year-long growing display of documentation, chosen in negotiation with students, highlighting their favourite moments each month. She agreed, saying something like "give it a go." Like the class twitter I started a few years before, I had one idea in mind but quickly saw it change and grow as a small group of interested students took more ownership of the content and messages shared. In the photo below, the "year of learning" wall is behind Pooneh and I, filled only up to March (the April documentation was chosen, printed, and awaiting student additions such as titles or observations). The artwork on the right was hung for our guests at the Open House; we were displaying works featuring "colours of emotions" while the next months were empty. By June the entire board was filled with photos, drawings, typed conversations and student writing. After our last day of school, I took everything down and assembled it into a large book for next year's families and students (new and returning seniors) to flip through. <br />
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Families, tonight we welcome the new families and friends joining us next year at our a Welcome to K night! <a href="https://t.co/TnvvjXMkiz">pic.twitter.com/TnvvjXMkiz</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/728342267916881920">May 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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My hope for the "Our Learning Over the Year" wall (title chosen by students) was to create something that would communicate shared experiences and values, but also that it would be meaningful to the children in the class, not just display for the adults. I worried, somewhat, that some voices might not get shared in this project, and it helped me remember to go and seek out those whose learning was "less visible" to me or my partner when we reviewed our notes and photos. <br />
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Both children and adults need to feel active and important — to be rewarded by their own efforts, their own intelligences, their own activity and energy. When a child feels these things are valued, they become a fountain of strength for him. He feels the joy of working with adults who value his work and this is one of the bases for learning. Loris Malaguzzi, <a href="https://reggioalliance.org/downloads/malaguzzi:ccie:1994.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Your Image of the Child: </span><span style="font-size: small;">Where Teaching Begins</span></a></blockquote>
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The following collage was the result of one such "close listening" moment I spent with a few students. While we encouraged larger group conversations by taking images and words overheard (anecdotals captured on clipboards) back to a group meeting to share, there were many more little moments or individual inquiries that told the learning story of certain students. These stories that students weren't always interested in sharing with their class, often they were happy to share on our class twitter, knowing they would be able to show their families at home.<br />
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During play&learn big blocks are available, but even during quiet play after lunch, many materials invite building. <a href="https://t.co/29vWAeNfGu">pic.twitter.com/29vWAeNfGu</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/700431645044797441">February 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
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In thinking about the "Our Learning..." wall as it grew, as I spoke to children at meetings and during play, I was influenced by my hope of hearing and amplifying all the voices within our large, diverse classroom. Two quotes helped ground me in this effort; shared below.<br />
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Children are competent, capable
of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential. They grow up in
families with diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives.
Every child should feel that he or she belongs, is a valuable
contributor to his or her surroundings, and deserves the opportunity to
succeed. When we recognize children as capable and curious, we are more
likely to deliver programs and services that value and build on their
strengths and abilities. p.6, <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/HowLearningHappens.pdf" target="_blank">How Does Learning Happen?</a></blockquote>
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Putting classroom to bed 4 summer, tackled the desk we shared. Found this lovely reminder about what really matters. <a href="http://t.co/PAyxHCLYw3">pic.twitter.com/PAyxHCLYw3</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/615929384847994880">June 30, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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In creating the documentation wall, I worried often if it was really "theirs". I had hoped that, like the class twitter I created but quickly found others interested in using to send messages, that this space would be meaningful to students. I didn't see much ownership, originally. I would come to meeting at the end of the month (or beginning, if a weekend intervened) and ask students if they had any ideas to share about their last month together. If few ideas came up, I would scroll back through photos and share a few on the screen, prompting conversations. Some students wanted to draw or write their stories, but I wondered if there would be enough to capture some of the bigger moments: the aha's, the break-throughs, and so I'd carefully select images to show to see if those would spark connections to other ideas shared. I had hoped to tie together big threads when I suspected a project might emerge, but I was reluctant to do so if it wasn't coming from the students first. So I armed myself with questions, photos, and my notes, and asked each month what we might share on our learning wall. <br />
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Over the year I noticed changes; some months had many drawings, other months none. Some projects faded away one month (though it continued in class) and came back into view in later months. I wondered many times if it was truly meaningful to our students, beyond the point at which we co-created it. Was it just a display for visitors? Was it alive when being created, then dying on the wall?<br />
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Then I witnessed several moments when students interacted with the documentation on the walls (as opposed to the much more popular project books or our twitter), and I realized I had to see the project through to the end of the year. I saw students seek out images of other students who'd moved away over the year (in our class we lost and gained many students this year, more than usual even for our high-transition neighbourhood). I witnessed new students ask their classmates about documentation they weren't present for. A particularly moving incident occurred when one of our new students from Syria hopped up on the counter to point out students in the photos. She had been a watchful participant for a few months, very happy to participate and demonstrate her understanding through gesture, drawing, facial expressions and few words. This day she confidently pointed and named everyone she recognized, and asked the other girl to name those students who were no longer in our class. <br />
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EA is showing RL all the peers she recognizes. They were reading our year of learning wall together. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/documentation?src=hash">#documentation</a> <a href="https://t.co/m0cOp6rqdd">pic.twitter.com/m0cOp6rqdd</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/723610226386173952">April 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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A moment which shows learning happening during play&learn: AK took over documenting when both teachers had full hands <a href="https://t.co/I8oT6S7jut">pic.twitter.com/I8oT6S7jut</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/704840871116722177">March 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Sometimes there are math explorations happening right under our noses, but we have 2 ask to understand! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/playmatters?src=hash">#playmatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/cazU53TfZi">pic.twitter.com/cazU53TfZi</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/723609011065643008">April 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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We made a stage and try to balance, it's a kind of yoga <a href="https://t.co/BgnD6J9zxN">pic.twitter.com/BgnD6J9zxN</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/740908291979640832">June 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
These examples I shared are ones I feel proud of, moments that I can look to and see evidence of our message about children's learning to families and other adults who view the documentation. (the last tweet was captured and shared by Pooneh; note the students with clipboards, one with the plans used to create the structure, the other documenting the participants in action). <br />
<br />
I was struck by a thought that occurred to me as I took in all the stories
at the Making Thinking Visible exhibit: "The
power of being seen and heard - our documentation carries weight". I
wondered about our class, about students who felt heard and seen, and
those who might not. I struggle to find ways to capture and share the
moments of breakthrough in students whose starting place was very
different from the majority of their peers - those students for whom
spoken language (English or other) is not part of their expression, for
whom we must listen and watch much more carefully in order to understand
them and take their needs and wants into account. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Documentation can serve to illuminate the thinking, a change in thinking that
occurred, what was learned or not learned, the evolution of the <span style="line-height: 17.9972px;">behaviour</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> questioning, maturity, responses, and opinions.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">"</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>- Wurm, 2005</span></span></span></blockquote>
<br />
Over the year as I reflected on the documentation we shared on our learning journey wall, as well as the copious notes and photos I used for more individual assessment and planning, I felt at some moments that I wasn't measuring up to the goals I had set myself. I was cognizant of differences in attention and relationship, and though it is natural that in a room with two main educators that students would gravitate more towards one or the other, I still sought out those students we might be missing. It wasn't an easy task in a year with such changes - six students moved in after January, and none of those had been to school in Canada before our class. We were always forging new relationships, following new inquiries, capturing clarity and confusion in our large and busy class. I looked to others who were also struggling with these aspects of documentation, reading blogs and articles and participating in #ReggioPLC chats.<br />
<br />
I appreciated "<a href="http://wideeyesandwonder.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-dangers-of-documentation-ensuring.html" target="_blank">The Dangers of Documentation: Ensuring Equity in Your Work</a>"for <a href="https://twitter.com/joelseaman" target="_blank">Joel Seaman</a>'s thoughtful look into how students might get overlooked in the larger sharing of documentation with the learning community including families. I especially appreciated his caution not to feel implicated, because this work is difficult and new, and we are all learning as we try to create our new habits of mind around this important part of our role in the classroom. Reflecting upon one's practice is at times painful though it is entirely necessary.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We need to be advocates for the plethora of authentic learning moments
that occur, even while others may just see "play". Without
documentation, these brilliant moments pass by and are completely lost.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As you look over your documentation, ask yourself - "What is being
documented?" "Who is being documented?", and "Why is this being
documented?". (Joel, <a href="http://wideeyesandwonder.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-dangers-of-documentation-ensuring.html" target="_blank">The Dangers of Documentation...</a>")</blockquote>
<br />
It was difficult to read and not immediately think about those whose stories were told quietly (to family only) or privately (in small group) for respect for privacy, or fear of being misunderstood (when the growth was enormous but not easy to share with respect to dignity, such as a success in toileting or a newly mastered form of expression). I loved the post and yet felt uneasy, always wanting every child in our class felt honoured, heard, and loved, and not always knowing how to do so with shared documentation. It is a conversation I hope to keep going, as I learn more about teaching and learning along with students with special rights. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bakersandastronauts.com/journal/2016/4/16/its-not-about-the-branch" target="_blank">This post</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/alliepasquier" target="_blank">Allie Pasquier</a> stopped me in my tracks when I read it, though, and I realized how being hard on myself wasn't a way forward. I so appreciate her honesty. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Are we giving ourselves enough time to understand what is happening in a
group or in our center? How do we get under the surface more often?</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Working with children is a creative process, and it takes an incredible
amount of time and energy - much more than we are paid for. The reward
is in the moments when you solve a problem, when you feel you have
grasped an idea, when you have stories to share with children,
colleagues, families, and the community about the work that is happening
in your space. There is no exact formula for early childhood
education, and I hope we never find one. As educators, we can’t be
perfectionists. Every child is different, every group of children,
every school, every community. As professionals, all we can do is
practice, reflect, and practice again. Let’s try to fight those
feelings of inadequacy that we all have by doing something to make our
teaching practice our own - not someone else's. (Allie Pasquier, "<a href="http://www.bakersandastronauts.com/journal/2016/4/16/its-not-about-the-branch" target="_blank">It's not about the branch</a>")</blockquote>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bK2abLLOafg/V6eXhitFNvI/AAAAAAAACDo/CHLymJvELIUfxAmexbhASaeq1CNfTKe3gCPcB/s1600/blogger-image-1958329658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bK2abLLOafg/V6eXhitFNvI/AAAAAAAACDo/CHLymJvELIUfxAmexbhASaeq1CNfTKe3gCPcB/s400/blogger-image-1958329658.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Artists at the Centre <a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/documentation.html">exhibit</a> and where our last group meeting was held. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Perhaps the biggest part of my learning journey, not in terms of time
but indeed in terms of the impact it has on my thinking, is the <a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/events.html" target="_blank">Documentation Study Group</a> meetings: "(A) group of educators and artists in Hamilton has made a
commitment to meet monthly for in-depth discussion of the Reggio
philosophy, and collaborative reflection on documentation." Our final
meeting of the school year took place beside the "Making Thinking
Visible" exhibit. We all had an opportunity to wander and take in the
documentation before we sat down to share ideas. As mentioned earlier, there was no photography permitted of the work, however there was a handout provided to visitors explaining the project. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This is not an art exhibit. These works are significant because they
show us images of what the children are thinking and how they are making
sense of the world. They show us how adults and children can think and
learn together. The show us that non-verbal languages reveal thoughts
and feelings that, once expressed, provoke further thought and
expression. They also challenge us to reconsider our view of children's
capabilities. We see evidence every day that children are born ready to
enter into relationship, engage in interaction, form theories, explore
and learn from everything the environment and their imagination brings
to them, and to do it all joyfully. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Documentation helps us see the intent and process as well as the impact of adults and children collaborating. It gives visibility to our learning, and offers others theories for consideration. ~Karen Callaghan, Project
Co-ordinator, in the "<a href="http://www.artistsatthecentre.ca/index.html" target="_blank">Making Thinking Visible</a>" handout shared at the exhibit. </blockquote>
This passage helps illustrate the importance of sharing our work, but also of getting it right. An idea we discussed that evening was that it is an intensely personal thing we do, putting kids' work in public to be viewed and critiqued. We didn't all agree on the best way to do so (some of us much less comfortable sharing identifying features and names of children, others of us seeing it as the way to honour the children best) but it was a wonderful conversation in which we all agreed we would want every child to be able to look back upon their work (as the children visiting the exhibit had done early that month) and feel pride. We referenced the <a href="https://www.hamilton.ca/city-initiatives/strategies-actions/hamiltons-renewed-charter-rights-children-and-youth" target="_blank">Hamilton’s Renewed Charter of Rights of Children and Youth</a>, which we had delved into more deeply at an early meeting. I recall I burst into tears, thinking about how powerfully we can harm a child or lift them up, with what we share when making the learning visible. It is a sacred trust we have, taking children into the world and opening their ideas and works to potential misunderstanding. Yes, our duty is to the school, the reporting deadlines and the Kindergarten Program that outlines our program expectations for learners and teachers alike, but while documentation with an assessment lens can highlight the gaps and mistakes in learning, that shared with our larger community ought to take into account a relationship lens. <br />
<br />
One particular educator, Tracey Speedie, spoke of this eloquently at our meeting. I think it was her (my notes continued onto another page) who talked about thinking of a student in terms of "his position as a citizen in your class", one with rights and responsibilities and thus our role in ensuring those rights are met and not trampled on is tantamount. She kindly agreed to let me share her words here (paraphrased as I wrote quickly but may have missed a word or two!)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The notion I'm worried about is privacy, and respect. The children are sharing with us who they are - there is no guile, no filter, but their interactions in the moment. They are absolutely authentic with us, when working with materials, when figuring out what's right and what's wrong.<br />
We are right there, seeing a true picture of these children, warts and all. If we document with an assessment lens, as opposed to showing their brilliance... we are breaking their trust. (Tracey Speedie)</blockquote>
My own thinking from this conversation, scrawled in the notebook I lug everywhere, is around the the power of documentation to link students over time, and also the importance (and difficulty) of representing students whose language is not ours (whether spoken or not).<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A pedagogy of place - students who have siblings at school, who were in our class before them, they know the stories of the land, they connect to the images and stories we keep in our project books.<br />
<br />
For younger students or those not yet using English to communicate, it is upon us to do the work to find the common language in their actions - read them, communicate, amplify their voice as we can.</blockquote>
<br />
Next year brings a brand new teaching team (both ECE teaching partner and ERF working with us to support student needs where special rights exist) and a newly-published Kindergarten Document. I look forward to exploring further, through the summer with multiple inspiring visits to the Wonder of Learning exhibit, and in the new school year as our class comes together. I also look forward to reading the new Kindergarten Program, because the glimpses I've had thus far have shown our ministry to be continuing a journey in early years that intertwines with my studies - a view of children as learners that demands we meet their unique needs and skills and allow them to participate in the way they are comfortable.<br />
<br />
The new document invites us not just to do some things differently but also to think differently and listen differently. We recognize that it would be unwise to push for quick adoption of new practices. It should take time for understanding to be constructed at a deep level. Quick change in practice would suggest superficial understanding of why and how all the aspects are interrelated. ~ Karyn Callaghan, in <a href="http://reggioalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Innov.22.1.web_.sm_.pdf" target="_blank">Inspired and Inspiring Change in Early Childhood Education in Ontario</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
I know I have wandered today as I wrote, revisiting many days over the year that have informed my understanding. I leave with some examples of from our class, of learning from and with documentation:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IL1Xz_WLAg/V5uRsbWUhwI/AAAAAAAACBs/800iFkcvpr0aIlp_564bP9sB96BjP2CewCPcB/s1600/blogger-image-831582989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IL1Xz_WLAg/V5uRsbWUhwI/AAAAAAAACBs/800iFkcvpr0aIlp_564bP9sB96BjP2CewCPcB/s400/blogger-image-831582989.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More collaboration in the big building area to create a balance challenge - inspired by our newest <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/discoverybin?src=hash">#discoverybin.</a> Click to see <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/732612508670955520" target="_blank">great examples </a> of listening our bodies (balance, stable) to materials, and to each other. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The following three examples are vine clips, as such I left them as links rather than embed here (which can in some formats result in noisy autoplay). Simply click through to see the links.<br />
<br />
These 2 students are carefully listening to their bodies & the blocks to <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/730799061150879744" target="_blank">build a stable, safe structure</a>. <br />
<br />
KU & ZA <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/728370063749861377" target="_blank">saw a ball run from last year</a> (w/ KU in pic) and revised their design accordingly<br />
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LA started today. She asked when we go home. <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/706917405604372481" target="_blank">ME is reading in Arabic for her</a>, showing what's now, what's next...</div>
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<br />
Examples of documentation with and about students engaged in play - these glimpses remind me of times when students were deeply invested in telling their stories and sharing them with others.<br />
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Yesterday we had a very fast, fascinating visitor in our class. It inspired us to do research & draw our observ'ns <a href="https://t.co/ACg6n9kmsZ">pic.twitter.com/ACg6n9kmsZ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/717367732631650305">April 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/717367732631650305">April 5, 2016</a>
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Our centipede guest came back up the pipes to our sink today! It's become a regular guest. <a href="https://twitter.com/zikmanistobin">@zikmanistobin</a> <a href="https://t.co/Db2vcdXtB9">pic.twitter.com/Db2vcdXtB9</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/717720451661869056">April 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Our seeds are growing nicely, but our vegetables are also still showing signs of change! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gardeninquiry?src=hash">#gardeninquiry</a> <a href="https://t.co/aaPsn3TCiG">pic.twitter.com/aaPsn3TCiG</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/721002637827665921">April 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Measurement can happen anywhere in Kindergarten - here's a fun way to compare height. <a href="https://t.co/paAa40Qgka">pic.twitter.com/paAa40Qgka</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/719928316283731972">April 12, 2016</a></blockquote>
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I hope to feature more guests in this series of posts about documentation. If you have questions, comments, or would like to add your voice to the discussion, please let me know with a comment below.<br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-63907613525811790732016-08-01T18:13:00.002-07:002016-08-01T18:15:34.706-07:00the seven (million) wonders of the world<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MXSR14_C71Y/V5_n4EFWouI/AAAAAAAACDE/a-OCfFTyJEcbHjfV_bbWl9HtfmBytc-VwCPcB/s1600/blogger-image-328180138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MXSR14_C71Y/V5_n4EFWouI/AAAAAAAACDE/a-OCfFTyJEcbHjfV_bbWl9HtfmBytc-VwCPcB/s400/blogger-image-328180138.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo of one of the kids (my daughter or one of the cousins) from our week with family on Cook's Bay, the shallow southern end of Lake Simcoe quite near where I grew up. A mink family was nesting in the rocks just beside the dock, and we often found evidence of their feasts such as this discarded claw.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KvrnKyk_NNI/V5_k2TLQHYI/AAAAAAAACCw/FAYSvyGx3X4DKaGIDxUNdJRXpSdn7SsVgCPcB/s1600/blogger-image--220134273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KvrnKyk_NNI/V5_k2TLQHYI/AAAAAAAACCw/FAYSvyGx3X4DKaGIDxUNdJRXpSdn7SsVgCPcB/s400/blogger-image--220134273.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While my daughter was happy to hold and examine the claw (as seen in the top photo) she was happy to leave this large crayfish alone to rest, perhaps moulting, in the rocks beside the dock. </td></tr>
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Love this <a href="https://twitter.com/nationaltrust">@nationaltrust</a> list of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/50things?src=hash">#50things</a> to do in nature - reminds me of convo with <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherMMcKay">@HeatherMMcKay</a> <a href="https://t.co/61EzwpkaiR">https://t.co/61EzwpkaiR</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/760222814939017216">August 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> I saw this wonderful list today, posted by the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Trust</a> in the UK. It was followed by links to apps to download, all to help families keep track of their activities as they completed the list. It occurred to me that this might have been in response to the now-ubiquitous Pokemon Go game that has kids and adults alike running about outside, trying to gather as many Pokemon as they can and earning points for mileage like a gaming fitbit.<br />
<br />
I rather love the list, as I see many items on it I consider "must do" activities with students in class and with my own kids. I laughed to see items such as<span style="font-size: small;">: </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/no25-make-a-grass-trumpet" target="_blank">No.25 make a grass trumpet</a> which so delighted several students in our class this spring.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-voe1n1bDbqc/V5_k53IGrjI/AAAAAAAACCw/CYE7ZVS7wasquCTh_DnrjwoEQlZqR4pxgCPcB/s1600/blogger-image--986165903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-voe1n1bDbqc/V5_k53IGrjI/AAAAAAAACCw/CYE7ZVS7wasquCTh_DnrjwoEQlZqR4pxgCPcB/s320/blogger-image--986165903.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In April, after many attempts, one student managed to get a loud sound
from her "grass trumpet". She was immensely proud of <span style="font-size: x-small;">herself, and
patiently taught her friends her strategy (which differed from mine). By
the end of the week, we had a band of three. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(click <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/725406203703115776" target="_blank">here</a> to witness 3 students sharing their new-found noise-making skills). </span></span></span><br />
<br />
</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It reminded me of a conversation I had a few years ago, with outdoor education enthusiasts and friends <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley" target="_blank">Rob Ridley</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherMMcKay" target="_blank">Heather McKay</a>. Rob is a treasured mentor of mine, an outdoor educator who gently prods us adults to go further, no matter where we start in our journeys outdoors with children. His visits to our class are a big hit - students who chorus "tweet the Ranger!" whenever we discover something surprising on our walks around the school, well those students greet Rob like a rockstar when he visits. Rob had shared a blog post back in August, 2014 about those priceless moments of childhood spent outside, which with the following invitation:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Go ahead, ask your kids – what do they feel every kid should experience outdoors by a certain age? Let me know! (see post here: <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://rangerridley.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/nature-time-before-the-age-of-as-determined-by-my-own-kids/" target="_blank">Nature Time Before the Age of...</a>) </span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Heather did just that, and wrote her own love-letter to learning outdoors, "<a href="https://ignitingcreativity.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/where-the-wild-things-are/" target="_blank">Where the Wild Things Are</a>". She invited readers to ponder:</span></span><br />
<blockquote>
What have you been thinking about trying in your life? Maybe it’s time to take that leap of faith…. </blockquote>
<br />
Heather's post was particularly meaningful to me, because our families met up for an afternoon during the trip she wrote about. We had met once before, at the Hawkins-Inspired Conference in Ontario, but while it was a playful experience it was in the company of adults. This time, with our families away from home in full vacation mode, we were making discoveries about our children alongside them as we played in tidal pools and enjoyed the vastness of the ocean.<br />
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My week just got this awesome today <a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherMMcKay">@HeatherMMcKay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/beautifulbc?src=hash">#beautifulbc</a> <a href="http://t.co/FDUWd5AVmY">pic.twitter.com/FDUWd5AVmY</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/493938792927985664">July 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
<br />
I wrote about <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/08/the-fourth-teacher-is-time.html" target="_blank">my own aha's from that trip</a>, mainly around self-regulation and the development of an environmental awareness that is possible when spending whole days on end outside. I hadn't responded to Rob's and Heather's queries, not in writing, but I had taken notes in my journal from the trip. Today, seeing the National Trust's #50things inspired me to go back, dig up what the kids had said when I asked them for their "must do by 12" submissions.<br />
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My daughter (then 7) suggested:<br />
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catch (and release) a crab<br />
eat something you helped catch<br />
climb a big tree<br />
see a falling star<br />
watch "shift change" (birds to bats: sundown, when the swifts swoop down into their chimney nests while moments later the bats come out for the night)</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
My son (then 13) suggested:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
swim "au natural" under the stars<br />
tent in a backyard<br />
bike a "sneaky path" (his name for the deer trails and narrow footpaths where a kid can travel unseen even while standing)</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
My own (2 years ago):<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
swim in an ocean, a pond, a river, a lake<br />
jump off of a cliff to swim<br />
save a bird (window strike)<br />
call a squirrel or bird out into the open<br />
follow a wild creature for as long as possible without disturbing it (mink, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, rabbit, chipmunk, heron)</blockquote>
</blockquote>
Today I add a new fascination of mine, one that has developed over the last few years as I've rediscovered my earlier love of geography:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
follow a river or creek as far as possible - discover its headwaters, its mouth, and travel its winding curves through a forest or through urban landscape</blockquote>
</blockquote>
I realize my new submission is a difficult one for younger children, but a wonderful goal to set as a group, such as a family. A few weeks ago, when we spent our time near the southern tip of Lake Simcoe, we talked about what we saw as we watched the sun go down over the bay. The kids now know much more about the larger lake that spreads northwards, our spot being like the fingernail on a large hand, pointing down towards Holland Landing, and wrist meeting Lake Couchiching in Orillia. They felt the cold waves in Kempenfelt Bay when we spent a beach day in Barrie, and compared that to the warm shallows of Cook's Bay where we were staying. We heard a loon call at night, further south than we ever thought a loon would summer. On our way home, we crossed familiar waterways marked on the roads, and sighed when we crested the last hill before home, as Lake Ontario came into view, huge and blue before us.<br />
<br />
Getting outdoors together, whether with a class or with family, allows for kids to see things they might not see if playing alone or with friends. Being in wild or near-wild spaces helps us all slow down, notice life of all kinds around us. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJfKkG2yTs/V5_k0DP_meI/AAAAAAAACCw/ylnDsjvJSuMoc8iSJFl2UqsVMAk2q7PSwCPcB/s1600/blogger-image--1122436348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJfKkG2yTs/V5_k0DP_meI/AAAAAAAACCw/ylnDsjvJSuMoc8iSJFl2UqsVMAk2q7PSwCPcB/s320/blogger-image--1122436348.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our tent being dismantled on our last day at the lake - obscured from view, the dock and rocks where the mink scampered daily. <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/755375375212044288" target="_blank">Click here</a> to see the mink on the move, or <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/755374889389977600" target="_blank">here</a> for a friendly visit from various local creatures.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LyYTLaB3QRo/V5_lag41caI/AAAAAAAACDA/if0r72Z1t1obeQC97E6jzaP3krLmVSeRACPcB/s1600/blogger-image--1457953762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LyYTLaB3QRo/V5_lag41caI/AAAAAAAACDA/if0r72Z1t1obeQC97E6jzaP3krLmVSeRACPcB/s320/blogger-image--1457953762.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "full buck moon" seen through binoculars. Photo by my daughter. We stayed out as late as we could each night (mosquitoes being quite good at chasing us indoors or beside the smoky fire) to watch the "shift change" when swallows went to roost and the fast-flapping bats came out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfRgbDiJJeI/V5_ldn5kIII/AAAAAAAACDA/kZGQCB0X0K0ccHpQkyWUysxtDRVPUQF-ACPcB/s1600/blogger-image-45247849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfRgbDiJJeI/V5_ldn5kIII/AAAAAAAACDA/kZGQCB0X0K0ccHpQkyWUysxtDRVPUQF-ACPcB/s320/blogger-image-45247849.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise as seen from our tent. Worth waking at 5 AM.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PbWXFKVIqlA/V5_kwHePbUI/AAAAAAAACCU/4Kn1-Uw8b9kYGY_iTIoejAkBlFXRcnQnACPcB/s1600/blogger-image--1062353621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PbWXFKVIqlA/V5_kwHePbUI/AAAAAAAACCU/4Kn1-Uw8b9kYGY_iTIoejAkBlFXRcnQnACPcB/s320/blogger-image--1062353621.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me replacing a poor little catfish we found on the lawn. I thought it was dead, as I found it some 3 meters from the shore on the grass, but when I picked it up to inspect it, it gave a powerful "flip!" and I nearly dropped it in surprise. We had been watching herons, osprey and terns fishing all week; it was likely one of these fishing birds that dropped its wiggling prey.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1DqqGJ_-D3g/V5_kyDCrnkI/AAAAAAAACCw/bdC424CTMckxweyox8DymsjHAX5WgrdnwCPcB/s1600/blogger-image-324390843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1DqqGJ_-D3g/V5_kyDCrnkI/AAAAAAAACCw/bdC424CTMckxweyox8DymsjHAX5WgrdnwCPcB/s320/blogger-image-324390843.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A damselfly nymph I caught (or did it catch me? It did follow me while I swam) that was very spooky while swimming, but upon closer inspection became obvious after a blue adult damselfly landed on my arm. The kids were fascinated to discover something completely new. Truth be told, I was too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
As I'm writing, my other open tab alerted me to the fact that someone had replied to my tweet, sharing the #50things list. Heather and Rob were chiming in with new ideas for how to grow and share our lists with others. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nationaltrust">@nationaltrust</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> It would be neat to display a list like this at school and annotate with photos from the year!</div>
— Heather McKay (@HeatherMMcKay) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherMMcKay/status/760246432070635520">August 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherMMcKay">@HeatherMMcKay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nationaltrust">@nationaltrust</a> This week's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnviroEd?src=hash">#EnviroEd</a> theme is Free Play in Schools ... Connections abound</div>
— Rob Ridley (@RangerRidley) <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley/status/760254826525577216">August 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
Here we are, at summer's half-way mark, and such a lovely long month ahead to try new things. Next week my daughter and I will once again spend a week at Swan Lake with the <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature" target="_blank">YRNC</a> for this year's <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/rhythm_of_learning_in_nature_2016" target="_blank">Rhythm of Learning in Nature</a>, and I will compare notes with fellow eductors from Canada and around the world. Won't you add your own "must do" or "must see" ideas here?<br />
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-67685335027435850012016-07-26T13:12:00.003-07:002016-08-01T15:27:15.584-07:00wabi sabi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oez6w7_-Sns/V5uRwxtiBCI/AAAAAAAACB0/YhdrAsJCqD4AU4lt05zy75Gq5chNcC62wCKgB/s1600/blogger-image--1534961880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oez6w7_-Sns/V5uRwxtiBCI/AAAAAAAACB0/YhdrAsJCqD4AU4lt05zy75Gq5chNcC62wCKgB/s400/blogger-image--1534961880.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter and other children climbing on the "best part of the park" after hours of walking through the spectacularly beautiful Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC. There are beaches, swimming pools and splash pads, winding mountain trails leading to breathtaking views of the ocean. The park is filled with play structures, a fantastic aquarium, and the beaches with waves. This downed tree, however, an artifact of a terrible storm that took down several "grandfather trees", was her favourite when we last visited two years ago. It took a few minutes to capture a photo without a crowd of kids, all ages, hanging from all the branches or scooting along the trunk. Here's <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/496139644619468801" target="_blank">another view</a>, complete with crowd.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvX-zcyzdYc/V5aRwDwCV0I/AAAAAAAACAQ/G1pu7SGOYtYqE3vV9lMNJ-q3piLNz-W-ACKgB/s1600/blogger-image-1918930149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvX-zcyzdYc/V5aRwDwCV0I/AAAAAAAACAQ/G1pu7SGOYtYqE3vV9lMNJ-q3piLNz-W-ACKgB/s400/blogger-image-1918930149.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The softened bricks that once were buildings, then landfill used to create the land that became Colonel Sam Smith Park - they invite visitors to touch, sort, play. Their broken edges, rounded corners, and various colours and sizes make them challenging and fascinating loose parts for building. They are undeniably beautiful, yet seen out of context, might seem broken and useless.</td></tr>
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<br />
It is a hot, indeed steamy day today as I sit to write. I spent part of the afternoon out on my bike with my daughter, riding up the local ravine through which the Etobicoke Creek flows, sometimes slowly, but today noisily after last night's wild thunderstorm. Everywhere we looked there were signs of the violence of the storm: deep brown, churning water flecked with white foam, downed boughs clogging the creek where it widens down by the lake, smashed flowers and leaves on the footpath, leafy boughs and refuse caught in branches hanging over the creek, evidence of the higher water level carrying flotsam and jetsam high above the banks. We paused awhile in the forest, up past the cascade that today rushed loudly like a waterfall, around the bend where the trees arch over and it feels like the city is far, far away. The rain was long gone, now, and a hazy sunshine beat down through humid air, but when the wind blew it dislodged droplets from the leaves overhead and it rained anew as we took refuge in the shady forest path. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJorNuuAau0/V5aMS5QQBoI/AAAAAAAAB_0/12SXiCb-rp4s8mmjXADRUzONT6p298gVQCKgB/s1600/blogger-image-70568556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJorNuuAau0/V5aMS5QQBoI/AAAAAAAAB_0/12SXiCb-rp4s8mmjXADRUzONT6p298gVQCKgB/s400/blogger-image-70568556.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The creek, usually clear, looked brown and frothy after last night's storm. Look closely at the water's edge right above the straw bale (another gift from the storm? It appeared since my last visit days ago) to see the night heron fishing in the cascade. All over this spot, one sees evidence of storms past: cracks in the pavement above, whole sections broken off and washed downstream, chunks snapped and resting precariously like the one on which the straw bale rests. It is a reminder of the power of water, and fragility of structures that seem unbreakable. The cascade is a favourite resting spot for birds and people alike. Click<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/757712062961291264" target="_blank"> here</a> to see the heron lift off and fly away, after catching a fish.</td></tr>
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<br />
I am always struck by the beauty of the ravine, though it is not landscaped or kept clean like the beautiful Marie Curtis Park at its very southern end. It is a wild place, but there is evidence of people all around, too: broken glass, plastic bags caught in trees, shopping carts barely visible below the water's surface in the shallows below the first cliff. One hears planes fly overhead, trucks rumble by on nearby roads, distant dogs barking, and occasionally music drifts down from homes high above on the eastern edge of the valley as we ride along the trail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wve_KwDLMN8/V5aRr_sd5vI/AAAAAAAACAM/HYnXUaL7CkwyERPyllJGM-zPy_EbCWqQgCKgB/s1600/blogger-image-1800483332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wve_KwDLMN8/V5aRr_sd5vI/AAAAAAAACAM/HYnXUaL7CkwyERPyllJGM-zPy_EbCWqQgCKgB/s400/blogger-image-1800483332.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the shale banks on the western side of the creek, where mink scurry, tiny bank swallows swoop in and out of holes in the wall, kingfishers fly noisily by, crayfish hide under rocks, and fish dart about around one's feet. Also here: a shopping cart (under the water, half buried in the silt), broken glass, crushed beer cans, burnt wood from campfires, a torn shirt, vertebrae from some small mammal. The cliff is a visual reminder of the passing of time, the lives that have lived here (especially those encased in the fossils found all along the creek) and the durability of life. The trees cling at marvelous angles, and it is easy to forget that the city exists just beyond these hills. </td></tr>
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<br />
There is something rather remarkable about an urban ravine, a place that is both wild and also entirely constrained. Back at home, nearby, the city trucks come by and remove the dangerous, the ugly, the roadkill, the garbage. Here in the valley we see it all, and watch it change and sometimes become something beautiful. Downed trees become a bridge to climb on, broken concrete a new challenge to explore. A bloated carcass of a raccoon loses its hair, then its shape, and much later, appears as scattered bones and teeth, often with traces of gnawing or scraping by scavengers.<br />
<br />
Our ride today wasn't a long one, as the heat was oppressive and the water too busy to stop and soak our feet at the cascade. I thought of how Cooksville Creek beside our school might look, as it is also prone to flooding after a storm. I wondered if the no-mow zone was again littered with debris from the high water, or if any students were watching the creek gush past under their feet from the bridge beside our school's driveway. Thinking about our tiny, concrete-bounded stream which gurgles past the yard with litter and wildlife alike, I thought of how lucky I was to teach at a school with something wild right beside it. Not perfectly wild, to be sure, but living water nonetheless. It made me think of an idea I'd tucked away last year, a blog post I had started by saving a storify conversation. I've long been attracted by the idea of "wabi sabi" but at the time was beginning to see how it was a part of my teaching practice. So it was last year I left myself the fragment in blue below, along with the photo of the beach glass and ceramics I'd gathered that day. I remember it struck me, as I picked up and turned over each piece I found on that sandy, stony beach, that this favourite pastime of mine was a metaphor for learning and growing, the way one turns over ideas, tosses back those that no longer make sense (and on the beach, that I always toss back the rough, too sharp pieces which need more time in the waves) and makes room for new ideas. Left in draft so long ago, now when I came to revisit I know I've forgetten many of the ideas that circulated when I left these traces. New events touched on old ideas and they became changed, grew a part of how I understood the challenges I faced over the year: saying goodbye to our beloved cat after fourteen years; seeing our class grow, shrink, and grow again as students moved away and others took their place; welcoming students whose families had fled Syria and learning so much about resilience as we played together, grieving for my uncle who passed this year but learning to appreciate him so much more as I listened to his stories from friends and family at his memorial; losing my teaching partner at the end of this year as she moved on to help open a new class. Naturally I look at the handful of glass now and see with different eyes. But my understanding of what is beautiful, what is worthwhile sharing with students and families, and what is worth celebrating... that only grows. My understanding of what matters, and how learning happens, has grown tremendously. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">the convo that led to a new understanding...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNfulNGVGFU/VuyZfau7w7I/AAAAAAAAB-M/SGJQlpsAmsYCpHFeyR1xb4I8gZriV0nog/s1600/blogger-image-1190117965.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNfulNGVGFU/VuyZfau7w7I/AAAAAAAAB-M/SGJQlpsAmsYCpHFeyR1xb4I8gZriV0nog/s400/blogger-image-1190117965.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finding
beauty at the beach - pondering the beautiful colours and mysterious
origins of the treasures I found this week at the water's edge.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know the beach glass represented, as it does for me still, the beauty
of something transformed by relationship - broken, discarded, and yet
made precious by its time tumbling in sand, stone and waves. I have
collected treasures such as this on my local shore for many years now,
for loose parts creative play and for giving away. Those pieces, each a
shard of something that was whole, now a part of a collection, represent belonging.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now I am aware that all this preamble might seem completely unrelated to teaching and learning, the stated theme of my blog. It is, however, entirely related to how I see learning and growing. As a child I was concerned with "getting things right" at school, that is to say, following instructions and getting good grades. I wasn't a success socially, not during elementary school, but academically I fit right in and it made me feel safe (recess was another matter entirely). I had glimpses of a bigger world, through travel to France and Spain as a teen. I experienced "otherness" and the feeling of not belonging, not being able to express myself in my new surroundings with my limited language, thinking teachers must think me dumb. But the stakes were low: my marks at home were fine and my time in Spain wasn't going to count against me. It wasn't until later, in university, that I discovered my ability to fail. I found it terrifying at the time, but not understanding what was expected was a gift, one that allowed me to begin to look critically at what mattered. Studying post-structuralist thought made me panic, as though the cognitive dissonance I felt was actual walls coming down around me, and not merely old ideas crumbling. I found that I couldn't look at anything the same way once my eyes had been opened to the world, my small-town view bust wide by my big city surroundings and multi-cultural friends. Most painful was a new way of looking at "whiteness", from the myriad points of view as I made friends from various continents including aboriginal Canadians. Seeing racism directed at friends made me fiercely protective and yet terribly hopeless. I didn't want to be a part of it, but didn't know where I fit. My own family home was a safe haven, a place of guests and stories and generosity and fun. But when I looked at myself with this new lens, of not-white, I couldn't see beauty anymore. I felt broken. It took time to find the beauty in that break.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1 class="quoteText" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">“There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.” <i>Leonard Cohen</i></span></span></span></h1>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Safe to say what I experienced is not uncommon for any small-town kid who goes too far from home and doesn't know where "up" is. It took time for me to connect to what matters most to me, what I missed most about home - nature. I learned to see the life heaving in every corner of the city, not just in the big parks or along the shore. I learned that I remain passionate about equity and it has a place in my teaching practice. I learned that breaking isn't a bad thing, if it means letting the light in. Learning involves letting go, and assimilating, and growing. For that reason, I connect deeply with the idea of wabi sabi, as I understand it. A few years ago I found a beautiful book written for children, touching on the meaning of wabi sabi. I was so delighted, I immediately bought more copies, knowing it was a concept I shared with others in my Reggio-inspired PLN. It resonated with me as deeply as the poem, the 100 languages. It struck me that embracing a <i>wabi sabi</i> view of learning was the only way to ensure all voices could be heard, all those 100 languages and 100 more. Being appreciative, rather than fearful, of things unexpected... leads to wonderful collaborations through playful inquiry. Being brave, that is, unafraid to make mistakes and face the consequences - that was not possible in a "lessons first, play as reward" classroom as I first saw and practiced when I began teaching back in 2003. Seeing diversity as much more than culture, language or colour, but encompassing ways of being beyond what is "neurotypical" - allows me to understand my own thinking better as I learn to understand that of others. Not having a set idea of how our classroom "should look" helps too, though I am often struck with self-doubt upon entering rooms of peers who manage to make their space showroom-perfect. Negotiating our space with students, talking about how we use our materials and our furniture and our bulletin boards - curriculum emerges as does the look of the space we share. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Back in the spring <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2016/03/it-began-with-bottle-cap-story-of.html" target="_blank">I tackled this idea as well</a>, this question I have about the meaning of beauty and how (or if) is it meaningful to teaching and learning. In describing it as one part of a "tangle of spaghetti" I was attempting to unravel, I said:</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;">One such "noodle" running through my mind was the idea of beauty: What
is beauty? What does it mean to enjoy something beautiful? Is beauty
important to play? Is beauty important to learning? Are there shared
ideas of beauty across the diversity of human cultures and across age
groups? Do our notions of beauty change as we grow and learn? </span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I continue to ponder this idea, but without a perfect description of what it is, I still think seeing beauty in what might otherwise seem mundane leads one to see possibilities everywhere. Seeing beauty in others, especially when they are unable to see it themselves, is one of the greatest gifts we can give to a child or adult.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Using spare text and haiku, Mark Reibstein weaves <a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/mark-reibstein/wabi-sabi/9780316118255/" target="_blank">an extraordinary story</a> about finding real beauty in unexpected places." </td></tr>
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Below is the conversation that grew around the idea of being a courageous educator. Being courageous, being willing to accept other ways of seeing, remains the best way to learn alongside our students and partners every day. I'm grateful to the #ReggioPLC for this (and many other) critical conversations about our beliefs. <i>Please note</i>: the story has a second page, you will need to click through after reading the first.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A favourite page from <a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/mark-reibstein/wabi-sabi/9780316118255/" target="_blank">"Wabi Sabi"</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A
favourite photo of mine, capturing fall (above and below) on my street
after a heavy rain. Autumn often evokes strong emotions, because the
beauty is so fleeting, and carries with it the poignant reminder of
life's passing. The reflection within further adds to the idea of
finding ourselves in the cycles in nature, that we grow and shed and
grow anew as we learn about life. </td></tr>
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As I think of my relationships with students, teaching partners, and the larger community that come together around our Kindergarten class, I am struck by how much reflection goes on as we examine our world together. We find meaning through our interactions, and through remaining open to a world of natural beauty, we learn so much more than is possible in an organized, sanitized version of teaching in which only the proper, good, clean, pre-made materials are considered for use. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">“We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” John Dewey </span></span></span></h1>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several days' worth of dandelions, lovingly collected by students during the first few weeks the flowers emerged. Treasures from nature always wind up on the "look closely" table under the window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dandelions, like fall leaves, become a part of play and exploration for weeks. They decorated "sand cakes", became necklaces and crown, were rubbed onto drawings to impart their golden glow, added to the snail globe to "give the snails something nice to eat and smell", places in vases, dried and ground up in the mortar and pestles, added to potions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A common description found <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__sFaAxjsvCQ/S7EUcuJq0UI/AAAAAAAACl8/9cL6-lE7fyE/s1600/wabisabi.jpg" target="_blank">online</a>. It seems a perfect way to leave a thought that I haven't finished yet. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-6994416968033052122016-03-21T20:56:00.000-07:002016-03-21T20:56:57.947-07:00it began with a bottle cap - a story of beautiful stuffThis past week was our March Break. It was a wonderful week, full of short trips with the kids and meet-ups with family and friends, such as the ever-luminous pop-up play exhibits hosted by dear friends Simone and Aviva of "<a href="https://twitter.com/thinkined" target="_blank">ThinkinEd</a>". It also gave me time away from class to pull back from the day-to-day documentation, to look back over our year so far and to puzzle away over the unanswered questions or new patterns that had emerged since I last reviewed my notes (December, in preparation for reporting to parents). I found that many ideas spiralled around to collect in this big swirl, rather like "the tangle of spaghetti"...<br />
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...learning is a process of constructing meaning while knowledge, in the
words of Reggio's co-founder Loris Malaguzzi, is like 'a tangle of
spaghetti' with no beginning, middle or end, but always shooting off in
new directions. (quoted from <a href="http://salmonspeaks.ca/articles_its_your_choice.html" target="_blank">The Salmon Speaks</a>)</blockquote>
I love the image of those tangled-up noodles, all mixed-up and crossing over multiple others with no defined starting place. It rather elegantly describes how ideas get bumped up against other ideas and begin to connect, overlap, and tangle until it's impossible to sort out where one story ends and another begins. This is a perfect image for this past weekend, when my ideas about our past inquiries got jostled (as I reviewed documentation) and tangled up with the reading I had been doing, and the patterns of thought that became illuminated throughout the week through play. One such "noodle" running through my mind was the idea of beauty: What is beauty? What does it mean to enjoy something beautiful? Is beauty important to play? Is beauty important to learning? Are there shared ideas of beauty across the diversity of human cultures and across age groups? Do our notions of beauty change as we grow and learn? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I shared this photo on facebook on Sunday. I was excited to share my new finds with the class on Monday (though a new student arriving and a busy day meant saving this treasure for the next day). A friend of mine commented: "bones are beautiful". I wholeheartedly agreed - and when I mentioned I'd been thinking about the concept of "what is beautiful?" Linda replied; "beautiful is what we all are right down to the bone.'</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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On the last day of the break, I helped out at our local beach
"spring clean-up". We filled many bags with recyclable materials and
litter, much of it unrecognizable in its broken and wave-washed state.
Most days at the beach I avoid the refuse unless it's dangerous like fishing line, nails or wire, which I always remove when I find it. I prefer to gather the beach glass and
pottery shards which are softened by the waves. Sunday, however, was a
fantastic day for finding bones: skulls, vertebrae, and parts unknown. I
was utterly thrilled to find such beautiful specimens. My partner,
Pooneh, appreciated the find but prefers to look at them from afar, much
like the snakes we find in the no-mow zone which I adore. I realize my
concept of beautiful includes things that many people find uninteresting
or even abhorrent. Thinking about this makes me wonder about what others may find beautiful that may elude me. This tangle leads me to wonder about the meaning of feeling or identifying anything as beautiful, if it is a way of giving meaning to what we begin to understand in the world. Something so subjective, what could it mean to how we learn to read, write, and make sense of the mathematical patterns around us? And if we approach our practice as teacher-researchers, making meaning alongside our students, will our own concept of beauty expand as we learn to love what fascinates our students?</div>
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Many ideas about beauty in education are surely in my mind because I've read about Loris Malaguzzi and the schools in Reggio Emilia that he helped establish. Whether direct quotes from those teachers who grew their practice in that rich democratic experiment in Italy (that continues to grow and inspire educators the world 'round), descriptions by educators who've visited the city, or even those who are simply Reggio-inspired from afar - there is always a focus on the aesthetic in learning. One incredible story which had a great impact on my learning journey was the simple and yet magnificent book, "<a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/Beautiful_Stuff.html?id=YrsDjDRbKd4C&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">Beautiful Stuff</a>":<br />
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Exploring materials is an evocative experience. It stimulates the
imagination, inspires storytelling and interactions between children,
and serves as a bridge to drawing, collage, sculpture, and construction. </blockquote>
In coming to understand what is meant by the aesthetic, I have changed my mind several times on the precise meaning of Malaguzzi's phrase, "the environment is the third teacher". I have wondered if it is the physical environment or the social, if it is the aesthetic in terms of beauty or in terms of feeling a sense of belonging, or some combination of all of those. Many North-American interpretations start with the sense of the physical surroundings:<br />
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The environment is recognised for its potential to inspire children. An environment filled with<i> natural light, order and beauty</i>. (<a href="http://www.aneverydaystory.com/beginners-guide-to-reggio-emilia/main-principles/" target="_blank">an everyday story</a>)</blockquote>
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I am drawn to this idea of a beautiful space to work or play in, and yet I don't think that's what we have going on in our classroom. It is not necessarily pretty, with matching bins or boxes or items carefully displayed to highlight the visual quality. I have visited classrooms that stop me in my tracks - so attractive is the documentation, the inviting materials in an array of jars, or colours thoughtfully curated. I do appreciate this attention to detail, but I am not particularly adept at it. No, in our room we have materials in motion - the play defines what is available (thus on display) and where various parts will go when we tidy. Some areas go unloved a while before we notice them and question what new thing should happen there. Other areas become multi-use and jumbled, which isn't surprising in a class with quite high turnover (families move in and out over the year - we have four new students since the beginning of January) and nearly 30 students. It is, however, a place wherein beautiful things can happen: loose parts come together to become shadow-patterns on the wall, ramps, mazes and balance structures built by one or two students evolve into spontaneous large-group games with rules created on the fly, and plans are drawn up, materials negotiated, and experiments conducted with or without adult help or intervention. Students following their own notions of what is important to learn, and co-creating the conditions through play in order to learn them - that is beautiful, to me. <br />
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My own experience with feeling like a bit of an oddball for what I find beautiful (what fascinates and draws my attention) helps me to remember the importance of learning what each one of our students finds appealing, interesting, boring, and frightening. It takes time to win over the most squeamish of students, those who find insects, spiders and other small creatures frightening. Modelling fascination and appreciation for tiny life forms eventually results in some understanding, if not outright interest in them. Finding value in both mess and order is another concept that takes time to develop through play. Another big idea naturally flows from the concepts of beauty, of order and chaos, and of our role in learning: life and what it means to be alive. I believe it's this idea that makes me so attracted to things like bones, fossils, fallen leaves, shed antlers, and other evidence of life's passing. So this weekend when I read the latest "teaching on the verge" post about educators recognizing their students' interests as they emerge, I realized that it was a big part of what I had been pondering, simply described in different language. Are we able to see what is interesting from another point of view? <b>Do we see the wonder in what they see?</b><br />
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They aren’t interested in anything. <a href="https://t.co/IrjZikO8oh">https://t.co/IrjZikO8oh</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rb7YSW5nsz">pic.twitter.com/Rb7YSW5nsz</a></div>
— Emily Caruso Parnell (@teachontheverge) <a href="https://twitter.com/teachontheverge/status/711315827031613440">March 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Before I delve into the story that brought me into this tangle in the first place, I first find myself pondering this trace I left myself back in November when I first starting gathering the documentation for this post:<br />
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<i>The art of listening... not a big spark but a big question...</i><br />
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I suppose I thought if I listened well the common thread would appear, or new directions would make themselves visible to me. I wonder if I was just reminding myself not to rush into a project, but to continue to play, and discuss with the group, and listen for resonance in the play. There were so many separate explorations going on at the time, including the volcano project, inquiry into building tall structures, our adopted tree, and life in the long grass of the no-mow zone. I do remember wondering if conversations alone would lead to meaning-making, because so few students were exploring the materials outside of large group meeting times. Now, looking back, I think I worried about how to extend the thinking, to make the philosophical questions explored into ideas we could tackle in day-to-day play. I don't recall exactly what I had in mind but it may come back to me so I leave it in - another noodle tangled up in with the rest.<br />
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Here, then, is the story of how a single bottle cap found outside lead to some pretty big thinking. <br />
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Back in the fall I saw a pattern emerging from several small themes being explored by students in our class. It began early in September when we were spending much of our days outside, often in the no-mow zone or taking walks around the schoolyard. When I realized that much of the notes and photos I'd been taking were coming into focus, I decided to gather glimpses to share with our families, to further the conversation outside of the classroom. The collage below was the first I shared using the newly created <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/capspark" target="_blank">#capspark</a> hashtag.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A few interests have been colliding into one big inquiry into the world around us. </span></div>
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That our students would stop and observe something so small was not unusual - indeed, <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/12/looking-closely-at-life-and-learning.html" target="_blank">looking closely</a> is a big part of our class culture for several years now, with senior students teaching their new junior classmates the skills and attitudes of young scientists exploring their world. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pooneh brought these intriguing green and brown balls (walnuts) that had fallen from her tree at home. We looked closely at them during our morning meeting, then moved them to the "look closely" centre by the window. Here students explored the nuts, looked them up in the tree guides and other resources, and observed as they changed over time in the open air. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIFkTLSOzfs/VhbZU_uNtzI/AAAAAAAAByU/Auect1NrQX4oyGciJ9q0xTM2Sio-jFKZw/s1600/blogger-image--1237419655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIFkTLSOzfs/VhbZU_uNtzI/AAAAAAAAByU/Auect1NrQX4oyGciJ9q0xTM2Sio-jFKZw/s400/blogger-image--1237419655.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of looking closely involves observational drawings. These often hang over the item being observed so we can watch for changes and compare notes using the drawings (for example, our current garden centre under the window). Here are drawings of the walnuts and an acorn cap.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These students are opening up the leaf press to see what treasures I've pressed inside. Usually they would have collected and pressed their natural items themselves, but this press had just come out of my bag from home, and as such had a nice variety of late summer finds: wildflowers like Queen Anne's lace, vetch, wild morning glory, various maple leaves and seeds.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colours of the pressed leaves and flowers were intriguing, so we turned on the light table and spread them out to look closely at their delicate details. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In September and October this basket was often lugged outside in the wonder wagon (along with magnifying glass, bags for collecting items, a little first-aid kit, and assorted tools) so that students could draw or take notes outside. This day it included the rings of colour-swatch cards and an invitation to find matching colours.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We
wondered about this bounty we found, mid-September - who gathered so
many acorns and left them here? Was it "the big kids" at recess? Was it
squirrels? Do birds eat these too?</td></tr>
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Our bottle cap story began in September, when we were all still learning about each other and discovering the boundaries of our wonderfully green school yard. In order for our newest students to gain a sense of what our school grounds have, and how we interact with nature (hint: gently and with great respect for living things), we go for many walks together before we break off into groups to follow our different interests. Below was one such day, shared here as a collage for our class twitter page. <br />
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Later this day or perhaps the next day, Pooneh took a smaller group to the far side of the school where the "tall trees" are (the oaks) while some of us remained in the kindergarten yard with bikes and ball games. Her group brought bags so that each student could make their own collection. One item collected caused us all to look closely, and think about categories such as nature, and not nature. Pooneh showed me after school and we both agreed it would be a fantastic provocation for our next morning discussion. What I captured of that talk is shared below.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how it began: a bottle cap intrigued us. We wondered how it got in nature. </td></tr>
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There were so many ideas and questions to explore after our discussion. Play and learn time follows our welcome circle (morning meeting), and students broke off to follow their interests in groups or alone. We had our notes (used to create the collage above) and I wrote "bottle cap" in our day plan under "possible sparks" for the rest of the week. Note: When I started to share the documentation with families I began by numbering the days, but somehow switched in later weeks to using dates. These first few days took place during the 3rd week of school. As well note that most of the collages will show up too small to read in many formats, so click on any to enlarge. </div>
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The next day, we discussed the bottle cap all together at our welcome circle. We had so many questions and connections! </div>
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The cap inspired to much thought. Students were talking about our exploration at home with their families, and bringing more questions to the class. We wondered: what is this made of? The request to tweet "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/12/looking-closely-at-life-and-learning.html" target="_blank">Ranger Rob</a>" came up, as it often does in our class - he is one of our favourite resources when it comes to learning about nature.</div>
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AC's idea, to ask everyone her question: "Nature, or not nature", was well-received by her classmates. She made up her chart and we all took a turn showing our opinion of the bottle cap. </div>
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AC's question about the cap showed us that we didn't all agree, that we weren't certain about what the cap was made of and that further study was needed. This reminded Pooneh of another item in our class that had confused someone (we weren't sure whom). It was a toy pear, but she had found it with a very clear bite out of it. If it wasn't a pear, what exactly was it? Now we were really challenging our categories!</div>
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A wonderful addition to our classroom conversations came in the form of tweets from other classes that follow our class twitter. These tweets below lead to more thinking, and we wondered if other classes would begin to question their environment by looking closely, too.</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> K found a piece of plastic and wanted to put it on the table with the leaves and pine cones also found outside. 1/2</div>
— Beth Woodward (@primarytweeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters/status/662745714653569024">November 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> Some Ss said it didn't belong there. What do you think?</div>
— Beth Woodward (@primarytweeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters/status/662745855536013312">November 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> K says it's not nature but we found outside like the other things. Hmmm</div>
— Beth Woodward (@primarytweeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters/status/662746195291471872">November 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> In gr. 2, D.N. said that beauty was remembering people who have died. We read Something Beautiful and The Elders are Watching</div>
— Dawn Crawford (@DawnCrawford15) <a href="https://twitter.com/DawnCrawford15/status/662749399915880449">November 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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That Friday I wondered how I might keep the conversation going, even if only at our large group meeting time. I asked my friend and our Kindergarten neighbour, <a href="https://twitter.com/ladad2" target="_blank">Lada Duric</a>, if she had any poems or songs about materials, recycling, or living vs. non-living things. She found the perfect one to help us go deeper into our inquiry. On Monday we read the poem together, then talked about the words that the poem said "we all know". Did we all know those words, know what they meant? No! Onward... </div>
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We were thrilled to see that our class conversations were leading to families conversations, too. One bottle cap, studied and considered by our class, was creating change!</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> after talking at home, we decided to send yogurt and applesauce in reusable containers to reduce garbage in WP's lunch.</div>
— katrina p (@katrigoodp) <a href="https://twitter.com/katrigoodp/status/662791251884945408">November 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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With several other questions and sparks for projects developing in our class, it was a few days before we discussed #capspark all together again. *Note: the date on the page below is wrong, it should read October 2nd. I wrote these documentation pages from my notes, a few weeks afterwards, and must not have flipped the calendar to locate the Friday of that week.</div>
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This first weekend in October, I had a whirlwind trip to Boston with two Hawkins-inspired educator friends to attend a conference about learning through play: <a href="https://storify.com/kidsconnect/cultivating-curiosity-in-all-learners-a-hawkins-in" target="_blank">"Cultivate the scientist in every child: the philosophy of Frances and David Hawkins"</a>. It was an amazing weekend that deserves its own post, but it bears mentioning here because it is the reason the documentation took a while to produce, as well the gifts I received from online friends we met face-to-face there added much to the exploration of materials and the ideas about <i>nature</i> and <i>not-nature</i>. </div>
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The 3R's poem went home and sparked family conversations, too. Students came back after the weekend bursting with ideas. The first page below documents a conversation amongst a few students who came to chat with me rather than explore the discovery bins that begin each day before our welcome circle. </div>
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We continued to look closely at materials and make connections when we came to morning meeting. I told students I'd had a wonderful time on my trip with <a href="https://twitter.com/playing_in_k" target="_blank">Helen</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/missjules1010" target="_blank">Julie</a>, and brought out the gifts from my new friends <a href="https://twitter.com/anntom200?ref_src=twsrc^tfw" target="_blank">Ann</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Btfantastics?ref_src=twsrc^tfw" target="_blank">Nan</a>, both teachers in the U.S.A.</div>
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The conversation continued as we opened and examined the next parcel, the package of "<a href="http://beautifulstuffproject.com/" target="_blank">beautiful stuff</a>" from Boston. </div>
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We examined the gifts briefly, but by now we'd been together at carpet for longer than usual. This new addition to the class, however, meant that our conversation about materials would continue into play and learn time, and become a part of the play. </div>
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The gifts lead students to make theories, sort, and arrange in various
ways, as they looked closely at the details of each piece and found the
ones that attracted them. I stayed as long as I was able, and captured
the following ideas. It was one of the days I wished I could have left a
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touching, looking closely, sorting, examining from various angles, creating with the beautiful stuff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fWgDV11keIw/VvCkznS_lMI/AAAAAAAAB-8/5qdJTFj_dFM3FvWc-sdHAmrTd2QZjr0lg/s1600/blogger-image-391570707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fWgDV11keIw/VvCkznS_lMI/AAAAAAAAB-8/5qdJTFj_dFM3FvWc-sdHAmrTd2QZjr0lg/s1600/blogger-image-391570707.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorting, identifying favourites, drawing, making connnections, explaining theories about the beautiful stuff...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
While other projects began to grow, the #capspark story continued to make us think deeply about things around us. We wondered about nature, about litter, and about health. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUjtzy5p8ik/VuwNV0WSm6I/AAAAAAAAB8g/EEwnK7hvtbQSoL6rSrTipz098UXHsBoCA/s1600/blogger-image-714531404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUjtzy5p8ik/VuwNV0WSm6I/AAAAAAAAB8g/EEwnK7hvtbQSoL6rSrTipz098UXHsBoCA/s1600/blogger-image-714531404.jpg" /></a> </div>
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Projects often grow when a few motivated students take leadership, do research, design and conduct experiments, and teach their peers what they learn along the way. The little bottle cap continued to inspire thinking about materials and our responsibilities as people in the world.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy80wj-kDd4/VuwNdkX9AaI/AAAAAAAAB8g/3luFMZ_oPk4BL7kDNPE-tpGzkU1W6Tr8g/s1600/blogger-image-1933312551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy80wj-kDd4/VuwNdkX9AaI/AAAAAAAAB8g/3luFMZ_oPk4BL7kDNPE-tpGzkU1W6Tr8g/s1600/blogger-image-1933312551.jpg" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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As our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/capspark?src=hash">#capspark</a> inquiry into materials, waste & recycling continues, we watched this <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCNews">@CBCNews</a> piece last week 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/gyejRLcV0U">https://t.co/gyejRLcV0U</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/666016144138997760">November 15, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />
We talked about what the news story meant. We agreed that to learn more, we might need to ask an expert. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GeufYFwiODM/VuyXbcshnkI/AAAAAAAAB-A/tspfjGeyOUQK8XqWfAQTnrrFA7SSj9lrg/s1600/blogger-image--124078217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GeufYFwiODM/VuyXbcshnkI/AAAAAAAAB-A/tspfjGeyOUQK8XqWfAQTnrrFA7SSj9lrg/s1600/blogger-image--124078217.jpg" /></a></div>
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AC wrote a letter 2 invite a visitor to help us learn more about ♻️🚮 We wonder who can help! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/capspark?src=hash">#capspark</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Wonderopolis">@Wonderopolis</a> <a href="https://t.co/wViDOC3VEy">pic.twitter.com/wViDOC3VEy</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/666017737093705729">November 15, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> you can share Legacy's story as an example of re-use: <a href="https://t.co/DWMf35OnlX">https://t.co/DWMf35OnlX</a> We can do a lot with the stuff we throw away!</div>
— Ken Hall (@KenHallArt) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenHallArt/status/667181127258476545">November 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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As
I revisited this part of the story, I remembered that AC and NA wanted
to record their ideas about recycling, to share with the class and with
our families. The two students started a digital book, with their
drawings and photographs of items in and around our classroom. This book
project fell dormant, needing more quiet time for recording their
story. I shared a news story (above) in hopes of sparking more interest
from others who might help with their book, but as often happens in our emergent curriculum classroom, other interests rise to the foreground and others sink, sometimes for good, sometimes just under the surface awaiting a new spark. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YluZ6ajuBUo/VuxILAyo76I/AAAAAAAAB9U/-7cK9fTNHAcALyWF1c6WGVjTxMFBggbHg/s1600/blogger-image-906440691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YluZ6ajuBUo/VuxILAyo76I/AAAAAAAAB9U/-7cK9fTNHAcALyWF1c6WGVjTxMFBggbHg/s320/blogger-image-906440691.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The legacy of many projects in our class that come back to how we love our local environment and what it means to be a good steward of nature: we care deeply about our naturalized area, the "no-mow zone". </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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These materials continue to be a part of exploration in class. <br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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We love r gift of "beautiful stuff" from our faraway friend <a href="https://twitter.com/anntom200">@anntom200</a> - looks, sounds, feels beautiful, fun to sort <a href="https://t.co/5dXAhTFWEz">https://t.co/5dXAhTFWEz</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/677190674421272576">December 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Yesterday some friends were decorating w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/beautifulstuff?src=hash">#beautifulstuff</a> & it inspired sorting, counting, collaborating <a href="https://twitter.com/anntom200">@anntom200</a> <a href="https://t.co/aETJXbfcWy">pic.twitter.com/aETJXbfcWy</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/677157055220813824">December 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
To me, this story isn't at an end. It leads me to wonder about what new questions and connections will be made over the rest of the year and beyond that, for students who carry the ideas with them. It<br />
reminds me of one of my favourite metaphors for learning in an emerging, inquiry-based way: the Japanese art of Kintsugi:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi" target="_blank">Kintsugi</a>
(or kintsukuroi) is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics
with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. The
philosophy behind the technique is to recognize the history of the
object and to visibly incorporate the repair into the new piece instead
of disguising it. The process usually results in something more
beautiful than the original. (from "<a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/05/kintsugi-the-art-of-broken-pieces/" target="_blank">this is colossal</a>")</blockquote>
<br />
How that makes sense for me is a post unto itself, but to put it simply here: everything has beauty if you know how to look. Taken as a part of the larger aesthetic, "<a href="http://nobleharbor.com/tea/chado/WhatIsWabi-Sabi.htm" target="_blank">wabi sabi</a>", kintsugi is a beautiful image for how we create gold: by mending our ideas as old concepts "break" in light of new findings. As we learn, cognitive dissonance may be difficult, or may be treasured as evidence of new wisdom. The discarded bottle cap and collection of "beautiful stuff" allowed us to examine what we think about materials, about garbage and "waste", about beauty, and about life. <br />
<br />
<br />
I wonder if you'll wonder along with me... what is beautiful? What is nature? What does it mean to be alive? What does it mean to take care of the earth? What is important to teach children? and many, more more questions.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-27048230324235228212016-03-12T19:39:00.000-08:002016-03-12T19:43:28.182-08:00when looking closely reveals a bigger picture<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlfssYkiRcA/VuSIjyxmf3I/AAAAAAAAB58/Pk7gUv0J_7UV-4q6_rHUrhdRV8FJDQpsw/s1600/blogger-image--147972269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlfssYkiRcA/VuSIjyxmf3I/AAAAAAAAB58/Pk7gUv0J_7UV-4q6_rHUrhdRV8FJDQpsw/s400/blogger-image--147972269.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students in rubber boots may explore the otherwise "off limits" (to the big kids at recess) muddy puddle just outside of our yard. These three made many observations about the quality of the mud: sticky around the edges, splashy in the deepest section, squelchy when boots were dug in deep, "creamy" like coffee, slippery when dragged along the dry pavement. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The weather has changed drastically these past few weeks. We've gone from sledding to puddle-stomping to listening for returning birds, all in March. This time of year the season's cycle seems to affect kids of all ages, whether in anticipation of March Break or simply something ancient in us that responds to the longer days much like flora and fauna around us seem to sing with spring. Inside inquiries (rolling, balance, creating noise and music, exploring number patterns, and more) seem to hold interest for less and less students, and thus we naturally respond by looking around the room for what we educators may move, remove, or enhance. Outside, the world is in a state of rapid change that is near impossible to ignore.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I05rNgYVUok/VuSIc0YFMFI/AAAAAAAAB50/G0uKcaJrBS4gHdr0rykXAvd7NsvzZ-bbg/s1600/blogger-image--1963703611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I05rNgYVUok/VuSIc0YFMFI/AAAAAAAAB50/G0uKcaJrBS4gHdr0rykXAvd7NsvzZ-bbg/s320/blogger-image--1963703611.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glorious day at the end of February. We spent a happy afternoon exploring a fresh snowfall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-maS4StImb-8/VuSL2gPqw6I/AAAAAAAAB6I/3cuwiWUPT34MgN3c1KiQ3VV0O2YWOqwfg/s1600/blogger-image--1324122804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-maS4StImb-8/VuSL2gPqw6I/AAAAAAAAB6I/3cuwiWUPT34MgN3c1KiQ3VV0O2YWOqwfg/s200/blogger-image--1324122804.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March brought a wondrous new snowstorm, providing our class fresh material to explore in new ways - a large group of us played at this tunnel, big enough for a kindergartener to slide or shimmy through, and sturdy enough to walk upon the bridge (though we only tried one action at a time in case the snow bridge collapsed). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTTdaCGPBjQ/VuSJJheiMAI/AAAAAAAAB6A/3CRlWoLwV6E0QUNSybw4ew32jBOSMZ6Ug/s1600/blogger-image-899572700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTTdaCGPBjQ/VuSJJheiMAI/AAAAAAAAB6A/3CRlWoLwV6E0QUNSybw4ew32jBOSMZ6Ug/s320/blogger-image-899572700.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next week at school followed an unseasonably warm weekend, melting all but a few large piles of snow which continued to melt into rivulets and trickle down the sloping tarmac into several drains. Our<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/what-puddle-taught-us.html" target="_blank"> favourite puddle</a> was back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This year we have had flora growing in the classroom, from our usual green plants to our more recent "garden with and without soil" under the big windows. It began with a spark, one student's idea back in December. She'd brought her gardening tools to school and showed them to Pooneh, who encouraged her to draw up a plan for how we might start a garden in the new year, as it was close to the winter holiday. Upon returning in January, we noticed our classmates down at the far end of our pod, <a href="https://twitter.com/105thornks" target="_blank">room 105</a>, had started a window garden with vegetable scraps and herbs. This reminded me that we had a sprig of mint that had been sitting up on our windowsill all winter, quietly growing roots in the jar of water it was in, hidden by the bigger plant in front of it. It all came together perfectly to engage more students in FC's gardening plan. With visits to our friends down the the end of our pod in room 105 for inspiration, Pooneh and a group of students started a gardening centre under our windows. It began with scraps
of vegetables in water (onions, garlic, carrots, anise, herbs), then some flower
seeds I'd saved from my mother's garden, then finally beans (by request
by students who remembered growing and eating our beans last year).<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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What do you think is growing in our classroom? <a href="https://t.co/Jo4PXaKMtk">pic.twitter.com/Jo4PXaKMtk</a></div>
— Duric & Azzopardi (@105Thornks) <a href="https://twitter.com/105Thornks/status/685500989072392194">January 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
The tweet above shows what inspired us to take a group of students to visit Lada and Carmen's class, to see how they were investigating growing in a different way than FC had drawn up in her plan. A small group went to see it with Pooneh and were excited about what they saw.<br />
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... so yesterday 3 friends (FC, KU and AP) made a note to ask if they could visit <a href="https://twitter.com/105Thornks">@105Thornks</a> window garden. <a href="https://t.co/hbnlqGhN2R">pic.twitter.com/hbnlqGhN2R</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/690588042244046848">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Here their garden ,, we are going to visit again <a href="https://t.co/8XEmR0SPtJ">pic.twitter.com/8XEmR0SPtJ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/690601259238301697">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Can you guess what is this herb? <a href="https://t.co/OYyzic5VDx">https://t.co/OYyzic5VDx</a> <a href="https://t.co/huRYTPcC11">pic.twitter.com/huRYTPcC11</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/690587172215361537">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Today in circle time <a href="https://t.co/WTCkvxJigR">pic.twitter.com/WTCkvxJigR</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/691692496888401922">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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And we begin our garden <a href="https://t.co/k7yHOysl82">pic.twitter.com/k7yHOysl82</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/691755150617239552">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_0DEl9ukqx8/VuTPJdJcR-I/AAAAAAAAB6w/dA0Z0C7Um0cqb4e4ESibAjwY2XnPVtxhw/s1600/blogger-image-1248771558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_0DEl9ukqx8/VuTPJdJcR-I/AAAAAAAAB6w/dA0Z0C7Um0cqb4e4ESibAjwY2XnPVtxhw/s400/blogger-image-1248771558.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We started a documentation space to share the story of the garden, first with these few images and the letter three students wrote to the Kindergarten friends in room 105, requesting a visit to see their garden. As our garden began to grow, this space filled with their drawings and observations of the vegetables and herbs. It is now full, leading us to prepare a book for further entries so that we can add to it daily and have a place for students to look over the shared documentation. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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WP: "I'm going to check the garden first thing every day when I come to school." He uses a magnifier to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> <a href="https://t.co/Di6sQe0ghf">pic.twitter.com/Di6sQe0ghf</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/692738969134563328">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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This is our Garlic, Onion and Anis <a href="https://t.co/tTTpnyDSIU">pic.twitter.com/tTTpnyDSIU</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/692730018666016769">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Our vegetable garden is beginning to grow, and we still haven't put in soil yet! What do you notice? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gardeninquiry?src=hash">#gardeninquiry</a> <a href="https://t.co/ws009TMsuB">pic.twitter.com/ws009TMsuB</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/695680946763382784">February 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Something new at the garden centre - we are adding beans to our collection of vegetables growing in the window. 💚🌱 <a href="https://t.co/LsX65tU5fG">pic.twitter.com/LsX65tU5fG</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/704377891174354948">February 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Our planting project continues <a href="https://t.co/9e6c7elRkJ">pic.twitter.com/9e6c7elRkJ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/707633244821397505">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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AV drew what he noticed at the growing table. He noticed the long eyes on the potato. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ar6NJQIPxK">pic.twitter.com/Ar6NJQIPxK</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/708007301509214208">March 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Students definitely show interest in the changes they see at this table, but gardening is patient work. Students visit the garden each day, and may talk about or draw what they see, touch the plants, even ask questions... but longer exploration and play doesn't usually happen here. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mPRxMit-1k/VuSYpGBKt8I/AAAAAAAAB6c/-QnwpWYhMqUQore9tiIJ_WR1w7oAXrvwg/s1600/blogger-image--1843419025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mPRxMit-1k/VuSYpGBKt8I/AAAAAAAAB6c/-QnwpWYhMqUQore9tiIJ_WR1w7oAXrvwg/s400/blogger-image--1843419025.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A moment of longer engagement with the gardening centre - perhaps because mint is such a delightful smell, students spend time picking leaves to rub between their fingers to release the heady scent. AC noticed something unusual in the pattern of the leaves while she looked closely to the details in order to draw the fallen and picked leaves.</td></tr>
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Gardening is patient work, but harvesting or exploring the end results is very inviting work - using a mortar and pestle to grind herbs or spices is always a popular choice in our class. In past years we've ground up dried leaves and flowers for our potions centre, while this year the ground herbs have been added to the play dough we make each week with students. It adds a lovely scent and colour that is more meaningful for those who did the grinding.<br />
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Families, do you grind your own herbs to cook? Why not have your K child help - this table had a line up 4 a turn! <a href="https://t.co/Ju1f4BO60I">pic.twitter.com/Ju1f4BO60I</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/697521311917215744">February 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Nature inquiry naturally blossoms outdoors, and this time of year, as we strip off our winter warm gear, unzip our jackets, and finally feel the warmth of the sun on our hands and faces, well, this is the time that "looking closely" pays off even more than usual. Observation skills honed in the fall (those changing leaves and chilly frozen-puddle mornings), used during quieter moments outside in the winter (catching snowflakes, digging under snow to examine grass frozen under ice, listening to the creaking of trees or the shatter of icicles), these skills are naturally called upon when every day is different, such as in spring. What magical change might we see at the park? <br />
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This morning, while out with my daughter and her friend, I walked under a huge maple tree that was dropping delicate flowers. I picked up a handful and carried them to a chair in the sunlight. The girls came over to see me after a playing a while. They wondered, what were these weird and wonderful things on my chair? Out of context, they were exotic. I explained that they were the first sign of spring on a maple tree, preceding leaves. That little tidbit of information was enough for me, as a child, to be fascinated with <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Phenology.aspx" target="_blank">phenology</a> (though I only learned the word a few years ago). I became enthralled with birds and trees, insects and wildflowers, and other flora and fauna around me that showed patterns over seasons that I could learn to read. Little clues tied to other little clues (blackbirds returning, maples flowering, sap running, days lengthening) helped me see the bigger picture of seasonal change in all its sensational glory. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QU0cBRSn1OE/VuSIhaCvNyI/AAAAAAAAB50/qYSDyJaobgoue_bPYztC4KX0YUEXJxn_A/s1600/blogger-image--1509340767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QU0cBRSn1OE/VuSIhaCvNyI/AAAAAAAAB50/qYSDyJaobgoue_bPYztC4KX0YUEXJxn_A/s320/blogger-image--1509340767.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple flowers found nearly camouflaged on brown and green grass, looking more striking against the blue chair.</td></tr>
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This moment today brought back a phenology memory from last spring. I distinctly remembered students searching and inspecting tree blossoms - delicate, tiny things that most people don't even notice amid the brighter flowers of spring. I had created the storify story below to share with our families how students in our class were developing incredible skills in observation and deduction. I was delighted and more than a little proud of these kindergarten scientists looking closely, noticing details and patterns in their environment, and creating meaning out of their experiences in nature. <br />
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<div class="storify">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/kidsconnect/looking-closely-making-connections/embed" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<script src="//storify.com/kidsconnect/looking-closely-making-connections.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/kidsconnect/looking-closely-making-connections" target="_blank">View the story "Looking closely, making connections" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
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Note: an interesting twist to this story occurred to me
when I looked up the storify link today. This was our first tweet from
that particular class at nearby Clifton PS. Our classes were linked by a
common educator "hero" to our students, <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley" target="_blank">Rob Ridley.</a> His questions and focused collaborations (like <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23kindergartenbioblitz" target="_blank">#KindergartenBioBlitz</a> and "<a href="http://www.lostladybug.org/" target="_blank">The Lost Ladybug Project</a>")
and his thoughtful responses to our queries lead many educators to
follow and "tweet the Ranger" as our students do. The teacher in this
class tweeted the query to us, in particular, because she knew of our
year-long focus on the skill of "looking closely". I didn't remember it
until now, but that teacher was Emily Krahn. We had met and collaborated
on PD a few years back, and this year she'd moved from Clifton to join
our growing team at Thornwood PS (where we now have 7 K classes). Emily
is now my neighbour, in the middle of our long pod classroom that begins
with room 105 (where the gardening investigation so inspired us) and
ends with room 109, our room. I wrote a story about making connections,
and didn't even realize how connected we were. After March Break I will
revisit the documentation from this day with senior students who took
part in the investigation. It may well spur more<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/phenology" target="_blank"> phenology</a> study amongst
our newest students who've joined our class in the last few months of
winter.<br />
<br />Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-81344424589954821682015-12-09T18:18:00.000-08:002015-12-09T19:03:27.581-08:00what a puddle taught us <div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"When a curious child
and a knowledgeable teacher explore the phenomena of the real world,
genuine science begins." Frances Hawkins </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFxkf9k11Q8/VmO3qXkJYUI/AAAAAAAAByo/3xwL8AohoWY/s1600/blogger-image-1297133541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RFxkf9k11Q8/VmO3qXkJYUI/AAAAAAAAByo/3xwL8AohoWY/s1600/blogger-image-1297133541.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water leads to wondering... wondering leads to engagement... engagement leads to learning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lkntVWbJRgI/VmY5O8EH8NI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/8uDBKqsIeIM/s1600/blogger-image--246513666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lkntVWbJRgI/VmY5O8EH8NI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/8uDBKqsIeIM/s1600/blogger-image--246513666.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love SS's story. It highlights her determination and growing self-regulation skills, the learning that happens when you look closely and observe changes in the local natural world, and most of all, the joy of playing in a puddle. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q4a-WUN4UA4/VXudbRy3B8I/AAAAAAAABoc/XGoNCJwKDm0/s1600/blogger-image--1822351957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q4a-WUN4UA4/VXudbRy3B8I/AAAAAAAABoc/XGoNCJwKDm0/s400/blogger-image--1822351957.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I've shared in the past, when describing the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Link%20to%20fave%20pic%20post%20http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/06/worth-thousand-words.html" target="_blank">"decisive moment" </a>in capturing a mood in a photo. I couldn't help but notice how many of the photos I chose to illustrate moments of learning involved water.</td></tr>
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I have long used the term "puddle jumper" to describe a certain type of person, a kindred spirit... <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/02/why-we-play.html" target="_blank">someone who embodies playfulness and joy</a> well into adulthood. Friends know I'm likely to go out when it rains, looking for snails or following rivulets that run down the street over leaves and stones. My penultimate post was an extended metaphor for documentation, <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/reflections-on-stream.html" target="_blank">seen through the lens of reflection on water.</a> It was inspired by the idea that reflection is always changing, based on one's point of view. A few days later, I shared <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/what-learning-doth-puddle-offer.html" target="_blank">the incredible learning journey </a>of a friend and colleague who embraced full-bodied exploration of a puddle with her students, and was changed by the experience. <br />
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Our class adopted a puddle last year - two, in fact. The year before, my AM and PM classes had each adopted a tree to visit weekly, but the idea just didn't catch on in our new FDK class. The water that gathered near the walkway to the buses, on the other hand, fascinated all. One puddle, near our neighbour's classroom gate, appears and disappears at the whim of the weather. It grows to a small pond after a hard rain, and dries up with nearly a trace after a day or so of sun. It is a wonderful thing - reflecting the school or the sky, depending on where you look. It grows large and deep at times, and later leaves only a darkened shadow of itself, a mere grey trace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDXbdbIvm_Y/VmY7oShvMzI/AAAAAAAAB00/Cu0BpdEnXQg/s1600/blogger-image-25391883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDXbdbIvm_Y/VmY7oShvMzI/AAAAAAAAB00/Cu0BpdEnXQg/s400/blogger-image-25391883.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In September our returning SK students quickly taught the new JK friends what our class does after a good rain - here's a group of kids well dressed to enjoy the sometimes puddle with my teaching partner, Pooneh in the back (pink boots). </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-crS9R9GwYaI/VmY7uGDXtwI/AAAAAAAAB1M/hUp61TH7ETo/s1600/blogger-image-2053944133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-crS9R9GwYaI/VmY7uGDXtwI/AAAAAAAAB1M/hUp61TH7ETo/s400/blogger-image-2053944133.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One day this fall several students were excited to discover how chalk reacts to getting wet, and conversely, how our puddle reacts to getting coloured on. The traces of this joyous play were beautiful for days afterward.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hgAjaLXY06w/VmY5RHWcgQI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/1vHAaj9a1_s/s1600/blogger-image-1318741935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hgAjaLXY06w/VmY5RHWcgQI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/1vHAaj9a1_s/s400/blogger-image-1318741935.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I find a quote meaningful and wish to share it, I look for a photo from my own experience that illustrates the idea for me. It struck me this year that nearly half of the pictures I've used in the manner have involved discoveries or exploration of water. Noticing our environment means finding patterns, traces, and surprises in nature.</td></tr>
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The other puddle, a little strip of water that forms beside the concrete
bunker just outside our gate, is affectionately known by all in our
class as the "muddy puddy". My teaching partner and I have joked that this puddle is the reason many students beg their parents to buy them rubber boots. Mud is magnificent stuff. We explore it near and far around the schoolyard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQwI4twnuJE/VmO3sTw8QuI/AAAAAAAAByw/1bwv4dwBs8U/s1600/blogger-image--1807363506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQwI4twnuJE/VmO3sTw8QuI/AAAAAAAAByw/1bwv4dwBs8U/s400/blogger-image--1807363506.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beloved "muddy puddy" is a perfect illustration of one of many quotes from Ann Pelo that speak to me of <b>eolithism</b> - learning in and from the immediate environment.</td></tr>
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The picture above rather beautifully captures our learning one day - a cold, muddy
puddle can be utterly delightful, or utterly misery, depending on how
well dressed you are, and how well you pay attention to the details: how deep the puddle, how high your boots, how thin the ice, how sloshy the
mud, how splashy the other kids in the puddle with you. By encouraging
self-regulation, we allow students to figure out for themselves whether
or not the mud puddle is an appropriate place for them to play. These
students on this day listened to their bodies and to the situation, and had a
marvelous time. Many other students watched from a safe distance on the
hard ground. We applauded both choices.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lkUfLawnJHc/Va16bfLwO2I/AAAAAAAABuc/AZYWe-Fgm3E/s1600/blogger-image--58491455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lkUfLawnJHc/Va16bfLwO2I/AAAAAAAABuc/AZYWe-Fgm3E/s400/blogger-image--58491455.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The muddy puddle exploration on this day left an indelible mark on my mind - and I believe it will be remembered by those students for a long time, too. We learned about bravery, made mistakes, and played on. It was a grand outing, even though we were only out on the yard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ-w9Xw8hzk/VmY7sZqtcBI/AAAAAAAAB1E/4fY8aNyPHhI/s1600/blogger-image-880191858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ-w9Xw8hzk/VmY7sZqtcBI/AAAAAAAAB1E/4fY8aNyPHhI/s320/blogger-image-880191858.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes the rain winds up creating new puddles, like these deep craters in the post holes around our kindergarten playground. This girl tested the height of the water against the height of her boots, and was happy to find that her feet stayed dry. Math and science was all the talk around the puddle this day. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More math play happened when this student found a cup for scooping and tried to empty the deep crater that her friend had been standing in (see above). I didn't stay long enough to capture how many scoops she had to do to fill the wheelbarrow, but it was already 15 when I left to explore elsewhere. </td></tr>
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It was the collage below that lead me to believe it was time to look back over our learning thus far this year, and try to get at the big ideas students were exploring in their fascination (and mine) with water. Several projects and inquiries are ongoing in our class at the moment, and the year is winding down towards the winter vacation, thus making new conversations harder to facilitate during our short knowledge-building-circle time. I knew there was a theme emerging, one I'd want to remember and be able to share with the children later in the year when it came up again (as naturally it does when snow melts and freezes anew). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wYk3dQNXNc/VmY5Uympc5I/AAAAAAAAB0o/R5hY_hJxvQk/s1600/blogger-image-696928980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wYk3dQNXNc/VmY5Uympc5I/AAAAAAAAB0o/R5hY_hJxvQk/s1600/blogger-image-696928980.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recent water wonder from our class. I can't help but wonder where the arrival of snow will lead us in our questioning. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgK0trMxnXE/VmY5TJRoczI/AAAAAAAAB0g/HpWeuppLPlM/s1600/blogger-image-1263363380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgK0trMxnXE/VmY5TJRoczI/AAAAAAAAB0g/HpWeuppLPlM/s1600/blogger-image-1263363380.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This wonderful day at the park last year remains another favourite memory for several students, now SKs.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Puddles seem a perfect metaphor for emergent curriculum. Even more so in a difficult year, when the social curriculum seems the most important lessons being highlighted each day, the need to "get one's feet wet" remains. Through relationships forged over messy play outdoors, friendships and trust are born. If you see a problem to solve, learning is inevitable. I thank my friend Nadine for sharing <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/what-learning-doth-puddle-offer.html" target="_blank">her puddle story</a>, and inspiring me to look back over my own. I will consider it a success if this inspires even one reader to invest in a good pair of winter rubber boots. If you've learned something from a puddle, please consider leaving a comment here. </span><br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-78207107999926220642015-12-08T17:39:00.001-08:002015-12-08T17:39:51.851-08:00what learning doth a puddle offer? I met <a href="https://twitter.com/nadine1osborne" target="_blank">Nadine Osborne</a> this summer at <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/" target="_blank">YRNC</a>'s week-long "<a href="https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/negotiating-professional-learning-in-place-vygotsky-influenced-forest-school/" target="_blank">The Rhythm of Learning in Nature</a>" course. In my role as one of the facilitators for the week, I was able to learn and explore together with a wonderful group of educators and parents, and alongside my daughter who was attending the forest-school-inspired camp. The incredible <a href="https://www.smore.com/gqzw8" target="_blank">professional learning session</a> was a meeting of minds of Reggio-inspired educators with Forest-school inspired practices, grounded in the eolithism of Hawkins-inspired learning. It was a deeply engaging week that helped us all connect more deeply with place-based, emergent planning education. I was honoured to be a part of the team and feel a strong connection to those educators who walked along the paths and talked over worries, hopes and dreams together at Swan Lake. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3wLwKQgFGPc/VmZfzkzAOKI/AAAAAAAAB2U/Qf2KasSPLY4/s1600/blogger-image-1832180614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3wLwKQgFGPc/VmZfzkzAOKI/AAAAAAAAB2U/Qf2KasSPLY4/s320/blogger-image-1832180614.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like daughter, like mother - we met up along the path and had to laugh when we saw each others' boots - I had been wading into the duckweed, and she had been playing in "the mud kingdom". </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-JWR3gwgx0/VmZf32SRRdI/AAAAAAAAB2k/uvg9T3cZqMc/s1600/blogger-image--1836596467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-JWR3gwgx0/VmZf32SRRdI/AAAAAAAAB2k/uvg9T3cZqMc/s400/blogger-image--1836596467.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding on tight as I inch along a log over the shallow water at the edge of Swan Lake. Photo by <a href="https://twitter.com/AnamariaRalph" target="_blank">Anamaria</a>.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jOVR2riNuco/VmZhs_s901I/AAAAAAAAB3A/xhRWqWrXJ28/s1600/blogger-image--1408257043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jOVR2riNuco/VmZhs_s901I/AAAAAAAAB3A/xhRWqWrXJ28/s400/blogger-image--1408257043.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of so very many frogs and other pond creatures seen during our week at Swan Lake. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We don't live near enough to bump into each other during the school year, but I often see Nadine on social media along with many other in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReggioPLC?src=hash" target="_blank">#ReggioPLC</a> who participated in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rhythm2015" target="_blank">our magical week</a> at Swan Lake last summer. One wonderful conversation took place about 6 weeks ago, when Nadine posted an inspiring story about her day at school. In it she referred to students jumping into the puddles with such force, it caused the water to go "so high it hit our faces". I burst out laughing, remembering similarly "messy" moments from the YRNC <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rhythm2015" target="_blank">summer course</a>, <a href="https://vine.co/v/ediBu9BJUWL" target="_blank">where boots got stuck in muddy ponds</a>, or stagnant puddle water splashed our clothes, or a particularly messy moment when, while following a damselfly, I slipped down a bare-dirt stretch of hill and wound up knee-deep in the mud.<br />
<br />
Reading her post, I was most touched by the following: "<span class="null">I learned that when I supervise my own students in risky play
they show they can manage risk." </span>Yes! That was so much the message of "Rhythm 2015" - that by embracing outdoor learning and trusting children to be curious and capable learners full of potential, we would discover a wealth of knowledge, passion and skill among our young learners, and ourselves. Together we could discover our limits, and push them outwards. I couldn't help but ask if she'd be willing to share her story here on my blog. <br />
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Later, in a direct message conversation, we talked about what this post could mean, in terms of the larger <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">documentation story</a> I have been working on through guest posts and my own reflections. <br />
We spoke about documentation and how different we all are in our outlook and approach. We talked about the possibility for one child (or a few children) to stand in for the learning story involving many students. By taking a magnifier look at a student's growth (as she did beautifully in her story), one can illustrate both how the larger class learns from direct experience, and also illustrate an event that many found surprising and rewarding. We discussed how the documentation can be a metaphor for learning - that some students direct the inquiry, while others partake or even just observe, but all will have a memory of that moment, and most will have made meaning from it. <br />
<br />
<span class="null">At the time I said: "...there are kids for whom true exploration is
just beginning... Handling loose parts and sharing space is about what
they can manage. Later, they begin to ask questions, or attempt to
answer those posed by provocations... Those are the meat of my shared
documentation. My partner captures different things, and I like that.
She captures snippets of events that I miss, lovely moments of art or
sensory or language play that may not connect to big ideas we're playing
with but which show a lot about the experience or the children.
In fact, I think I should tell her this." (note: I did, in fact, tell <a href="https://twitter.com/hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh</a> how much I appreciate her documentation, and what she captures from her perspective - often across the room from me). </span><br />
<br />
<span class="null">I read my quick words to her now, and realize I overstated the case somewhat - I try to listen to all voices in the classroom, no matter how they are "spoken" and no matter their interests and strengths. However I do appreciate the opportunity to think about the importance of one child's learning on any given day - that our job as teachers in a large early years classroom is to forge relationships with all students, and between all students, and to help all see themselves as learners. I think Nadine did this wonderfully, and I am grateful that she allowed me to share this here. Her words follow.</span><br />
<span class="null"><br /></span>
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<span class="null"><br /></span>
<span class="null"><i><span style="font-size: large;">What learning doth a puddle offer?</span></i> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="null">by </span><a href="https://twitter.com/nadine1osborne" target="_blank"><span class="null"><span class="null">Nadine Osborne</span></span></a><br />
<span class="null"><span class="null"> </span><br />Yesterday
we had 2 indoor recesses, one was announced before it started and the
second one it was decided to call them back in due to rain after the
first ten minutes. The children were challenged to contain their
physical energy within 4 walls and a ceiling. I had to divide and
conquer together with my teaching partner. Today after getting all ready
it was announced that it would be an indoor recess before they even got
out the door. Faces were long. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="null">I was
in the room to witness it even though it was really my lunch. I was
hosting a school club meeting so I couldn't just throw on my stuff and
go out with them. But I promised to take them out after recess was
officially over. So since we had six students away today we only had a
total of 21. Seventeen of them had rubber boots & raincoats, 3 did
not and were happy to stay inside. The remaining child had "outdoor
shoes" but dissolved in tears at the thought of staying in. He didn't
fit the spare boots that were available so I made the decision that he
needed to be outside more than the shoes needed to stay dry. I really
need to build a relationship with this student. Last year he was in a
different class with a different teaching team. I know from the way he
looks at me and from his body language and tone of voice in
communication that he doesn’t trust me yet. He doesn’t yet sense that I
am on his side. I have been trying. Today that meant understanding how
very deeply he needed to be outside. So I took 18 children outside in
the rain and into the puddles and the mud. They burst from the door like
popcorn from a hot air popper overflows into the bowl.</span><br />
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<span class="null"><br /></span>
<span class="null">When
they understood boots meant it was okay to stomp in the puddles they
did a little more than stomp. After observing their obvious delight and
assessing that they couldn't get much wetter anyway I suggested we have a
contest. YES. I suggested we have a contest to see if we jumped in the
puddle with all our might, who could make the water go the highest. That
was me. Me, the teacher, with the provocation. Never would I have
imagined it. After about 25 minutes of sheer joy the children were
starting to get a little cold. I let the first group that wanted to go
in with my teaching partner go ahead to start the process of changing
into dry clothes. Another group remained outside with me to collect wet
leaves. Then after five minutes we went in as well. We learned that most
of the children could make the muddy water go as high as their bodies.
Indeed they could splash their whole face with muddy water if they
jumped hard enough in the puddle. We learned that we won't melt in the
rain. We learned that school is not just a place with rules where we
line up all day long and get prompted to sit criss-cross applesauce. We
learned that we are strong, powerful and mighty. We learned that we can
change our clothes, and dirty clothes can be washed. We learned that the
world is a joyous place when we can explore it in ways that feel right.
I learned that dirty clothes are better than notes home about
behaviour. I learned that when I supervise my own students in risky play
they show they can manage risk. I did not have any students who needed
ice. If I made a rule they followed it because I didn't make any that
weren't essential. I learned that today one child "had the most fun I
ever had in my whole life". <br /><br />He was the child who didn't have
boots. He was the child who needed the messy outdoors more than all the
rest. I am not sure if I can express the learning in terms of the
curriculum. It might be possible. But I am sure that RELATIONSHIPS
underpin all the success I will have with these children. Today was a
day of building relationships. If it happens that they grow up and
forget the day we jumped in the puddles until our faces were caked in
mud and our hearts were ready to burst with joy, I know I never will.</span><br />
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<span class="null"><br /></span>
<span class="null"><br />EPILOGUE – Several weeks later the weather
situation was the same, if perhaps colder. My new teaching partner was
not dressed for mud, and a little hesitant. A few of the girls were
also a little hesitant. This time I gave them a mission. We were not
to just splash with wild abandon, but instead We would see if we could
find things that would float in the puddles. I didn’t figure this out
the last week of August when I was doing my long-range plans. It came
to me in the moment. It just fit. While I was thinking we would just
look for natural objects in the yard, an industrious child managed to
grab a few lunch containers from the lost and found box on our way out
the door. It was a very engaging lesson and I just had to listen,
observe, and occasionally pose an open-ended question: “Can you find
anything else that might float?” “Why do you think your leaf floats?” </span><br />
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<span class="null">When
I think back to all the planning and gathering of materials for my sink
or float lessons from previous years, I realize how far I have come.
The road ahead might still be long, but I am well on my way. I trust
the children and I recognize the value of a puddle.</span><br />
<span class="null"></span><br />
<span class="null"><i>(end of Nadine's post.)</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span class="null">I love her reflection at the end - indeed, once you have harnessed the power of learning in the moment, it can be strange to look back at how we once were taught to plan for learning without taking the students' actual knowledge into consideration (for those of us who began in theme-based programs). When I think of the moments that change us most as adults - I mean change our outlook about what is possible and appropriate learning for children, I think of this powerful statement by David Hawkins.</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We who have been involved in the study of science and children have
ourselves been changed in the process. In some ways not easy to express,
we have been liberated. Those of us who knew children before science
(are) now seeing the former, children, and ourselves as well in a new
light: as inventors, as analysts, as synthesizers, as home lovers, as
lover of the world of nature. Those of us who knew science first, and
children after, have an altered and more child-like view of science,
more humane, more playful, and even at its most elementary, full of the
most unexpected delights". <br />
David Hawkins as quoted by Karen Worth</blockquote>
<br />
A puddle reflected the world of possibility for Nadine, for her students, and for those of us who delighted in first reading her story. It was her story that brought me back to my (neglected for many months now) blog, only to discover the draft of a story about <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/12/reflections-on-stream.html" target="_blank">water as a metaphor for learning</a>, and for reflecting on our learning. I thank you, Nadine, for sharing the joy.<br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-52166311837945155592015-12-06T10:26:00.002-08:002015-12-06T12:29:13.452-08:00reflections on a stream <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3eGxOaY3Bw/VmR2rCk-DdI/AAAAAAAABzI/pfmZeKiyEtw/s1600/blogger-image-1307130006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3eGxOaY3Bw/VmR2rCk-DdI/AAAAAAAABzI/pfmZeKiyEtw/s400/blogger-image-1307130006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pause in the rain revealed this beautiful reflection in a street corner puddle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The idea for this post, the image I've had in my mind for the last year or so, is one that I cannot see in whole just yet. I feel like I keep getting glimpses of a truth, or pieces of a puzzle I haven't seen assembled but feel they belong together. The underlying theme of the ideas is the meaning of pedagogical documentation, but the big picture is elusive. It's as though when I try to grasp it, it slips through my fingers like water.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XUZc0bIW7ko/VmR2ohHcJMI/AAAAAAAABzA/fHbcKIwZiJU/s1600/blogger-image-2132393844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XUZc0bIW7ko/VmR2ohHcJMI/AAAAAAAABzA/fHbcKIwZiJU/s400/blogger-image-2132393844.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish hiding in plain sight in the shallow waters near the shore of Paudash Lake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Water is meaningful to me as a metaphor for so many aspects of life. I grew up with a fish-stocked pond which was wonderful for swimming in summer and skating in winter. We spend hours watching the goldfish darting about in the reeds, catching tadpoles, listening to frogs, or spying on the occasional great blue heron who'd dropped in to stalk the fish. I learned the names of the lakes and rivers we passed on our semi-annual trips up north to visit my mom's family in the Timmins area, or south to Philadelphia to visit my dad's family. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve faraway lakes (visiting family friends on Temagami) or nearby shores (the miles of shallows north of Gilford on Lake Simcoe). In my twenties I traveled across the province, visiting the far corners and near towns that I didn't yet know - Thunder Bay, Kenora, Ottawa, Lindsay, Port Perry, Sudbury, and many more. I've loved learning the many moods of water, from the stunning morning reflections on a still pond, to the deafening roar of a waterfall, to the eerie creak of a frozen lake singing beneath the ice-fishing huts.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yc7BKmzA9vQ/VmR2vdz-5-I/AAAAAAAABzY/V2BECjO3fYo/s1600/blogger-image-1325746669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yc7BKmzA9vQ/VmR2vdz-5-I/AAAAAAAABzY/V2BECjO3fYo/s400/blogger-image-1325746669.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great blue heron stalking prey in beautiful Stanley Park's Beaver Lake. Ducks were skimming the water's surface nearby while this enormous bird stood still for minutes, watching for movement below the lilies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Many definitions of pedagogical documentation speak about how it makes the learning visible. Documentation is sometimes likened to a mirror: reflecting what is, but also allowing one to see what is missing. As a metaphor for seeing, looking in water is not "true" reflection but moving, showing life below the surface and mirroring differently as the ripples move... searching for self but seeing much more. This makes more sense to me - learning is a social activity heightened by the questions and discoveries of those with whom we are engaging in exploration. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
... pedagogical documentation offers more than a record. It offers a process for listening to children, for creating artifacts from that listening, and for studying with others what children reveal about their competent and thoughtful views of the world. To listen to children, we document living moments with images, video, artifacts, written or audio recordings of what children have said, or other digital traces. These documented traces of lived experience, when shared with others, become a tool for thinking together. To hear others’ thoughts makes us realize there are many viewpoints. <a href="https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/Wien.pdf" target="_blank">Dr. C. A. Wien</a></blockquote>
<br />
Learning is never static, for new ideas bump up against those already
held and they require us to reorganize our thoughts to make sense on a
daily basis, in an ongoing process of cognitive dissonance and reckoning. It is not a mirror, holding steady on the wall, but all
around us as awareness. For this reason I come back to water to
understand reflection. Water changes to suit its environment. Our thoughts likewise change and reflect the ideas we hold, and as such can not be thought of as a "true" reflection of what has happened, but instead an impression formed from our particular perspective. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Kipso9JBEI/VmR2xteqJNI/AAAAAAAABzg/4WMo0XnEUfA/s1600/blogger-image-269937675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Kipso9JBEI/VmR2xteqJNI/AAAAAAAABzg/4WMo0XnEUfA/s400/blogger-image-269937675.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical winter view on Long Branch beach - waves undulate below a layer of glistening, tinkling ice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Learning a fact or a skill can be seen as a complete task. But most learning in life, and indeed in a multi-age, emergent curriculum classroom, is a much messier affair with some deep meanings taking many turns around and around the concept before any understanding is possible. Indeed, my very <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">attempt to define documentation</a> is causing me to spiral around the the concept. For that reason, I invite the perspectives of those educators around me whose documentation has inspired me, and helped me to look closely at my own practice. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SV_rx86ccHE/VmR2tAUD_yI/AAAAAAAABzQ/6TOL0EhCQTk/s1600/blogger-image--1012223072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SV_rx86ccHE/VmR2tAUD_yI/AAAAAAAABzQ/6TOL0EhCQTk/s400/blogger-image--1012223072.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A blustery day on Long Branch beach. One can feel the spray of the waves far back from the water's edge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Below is the moment I captured when these images began to swirl, much like a whirlpool, connecting various people whose work with documentation excited me. This storify, now six months old, lead to the first of my guest posts on this idea, as I was revisiting the documentation story that lead to <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/making-learning-visible-fostering.html" target="_blank">Christie's post</a>. Today I came back to create an introduction to the second guest post, by <a href="https://twitter.com/nadine1osborne" target="_blank">Nadine Osborne</a>, and discovered this artifact (the storify) saved in draft with only the title and the hope for more guests to join in. Please note: in order to see the entire story (embedded below) you will need to click on the blue "read next page" banner. This post will be edited to add the live link for Nadine's post, which is currently in draft form as well.<br />
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<div class="storify">
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/kidsconnect/reflecting-on-how-we-look-and-listen-and-what-we-v/embed" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Final thoughts - I left myself the trace (the storify link, and the title) and nothing else. Why "reflections on a stream" and not on water, or a pond? I honestly can't recall my thinking from that day in September when I created a draft and then got caught up in the swirl of a new school year. What I see now is this: when you seek reflection upon a stream, what you see doesn't appear to the others around you exactly as it does to you. Much depends upon where you stand. Your documentation is a trace of the relationship between you, the learning, and the other learners. What you remember will be what touched you, or caught your eye like the flash of sunlight reflecting on water.<br />
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<br />
<script src="//storify.com/kidsconnect/reflecting-on-how-we-look-and-listen-and-what-we-v.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/kidsconnect/reflecting-on-how-we-look-and-listen-and-what-we-v" target="_blank">View the story "reflecting on how we look and listen, and what we see, with our documentation" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-26357278040649645752015-08-24T18:09:00.003-07:002015-08-24T18:09:47.751-07:00inspired by things both great and small<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">keep moving.” Albert Einstein</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DH0DNpJkq1w/U8C6kSMQTBI/AAAAAAAABPY/opcCn4o6sLM/s1600/Photo%2B2014-06-24%252C%2B9%2B40%2B23%2BAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DH0DNpJkq1w/U8C6kSMQTBI/AAAAAAAABPY/opcCn4o6sLM/s400/Photo%2B2014-06-24%252C%2B9%2B40%2B23%2BAM.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A
and friends consider the delicate balance they have achieved. The
varied sized in the wood blocks make symmetry, and balance, a
challenge. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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This particular story has been bumping around in my brain for almost two years now, though the desire to challenge gravity in various ways seems to express itself every year in my teaching experience. Something was different in the school year of 2013-2014 (my last year teaching in a half-day program with a morning and afternoon class). I've pored over photos and documentation from that year, and it seems to me that the decisive element was the presence of a boy *referred to as A in the documentation. Note: There were five children beginning with "A" in the morning class, and three "A" children in the afternoon. I soon regretted my choice of single initial for our shared digital documentation, but students were used to it and were quite happy to tell their families at home who all the players in their inquiry stories were. In fact, I took it as a sign of pride that students were going home, asking their families to show them the class twitter, and pointing out their stories: "No, that's not my building. Yes, that's it, see my shirt there?" Last year we decided to go with full initials, thus A in this story (who is now going into grade two in a few weeks), would be AK. There were other technical challenges as well; lost dates, problems with storify, lack of hard copy documentation (locked at school for summer). This post illustrates one of my favourite inquiry stories, but also gives insight to the process of collecting and reflecting upon the story. As I delve into my learning journey about documentation, I can't help but make my learning visible.<br />
<br />
I too, like A, am fascinated with structures that seem too
precarious to stand still. I have long been a fan of a local
balance artist, <a href="http://www.rockbalancing.ca/" target="_blank">Peter Riedel</a> (mentioned in previous posts <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/05/balance-pattern-rhythm-and-awe.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sticks-and-stones.html" target="_blank">here</a>)
whom I finally got up the courage to approach and chat with one day
while he was at work on a beach near my home. I told him how I'd shown
photos taken at the beach (over several years) to my students, and how
an incredible inquiry unfolded (in previous years before A was in
Kindergarten). I asked if he minded me using my photos and his on his
website in PD, showing the beauty of exploring with loose parts. I am
grateful that he welcomed the idea. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU57u0Oc3Jo/VdsbZnm9cxI/AAAAAAAABvk/O1tlP0nLaCM/s1600/blogger-image--2077125371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU57u0Oc3Jo/VdsbZnm9cxI/AAAAAAAABvk/O1tlP0nLaCM/s400/blogger-image--2077125371.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A treasure left on my local beach this summer by stone balancer <a href="http://www.rockbalancing.ca/" target="_blank">Peter Riedel</a>. I was delighted to find it, but sad I'd missed seeing it the day it was created. Often 15-25 of these sculptures appear, and over a few days some are knocked down (by large waves or more likely by human hands). When I found this one it was one of four remaining.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kPCU7h3258/VdsbXreImfI/AAAAAAAABvc/vDIki0xsRbk/s1600/blogger-image--356695809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7kPCU7h3258/VdsbXreImfI/AAAAAAAABvc/vDIki0xsRbk/s320/blogger-image--356695809.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own rock play - not a gravity-defying tower, certainly, but the patience and perseverance required to balance the top stone gave me a thrill, when I managed to set it just so. I think I may be "catching the balance bug" - I wanted to play here all day after a family swim last week on this very stony stretch of shore in Oakville.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3WwF8Sbn5tI/VdsbboskSWI/AAAAAAAABvs/dm5c4aCTpoQ/s1600/blogger-image-1312919319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3WwF8Sbn5tI/VdsbboskSWI/AAAAAAAABvs/dm5c4aCTpoQ/s320/blogger-image-1312919319.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A structure inviting perspective taking - as I picked up the bricks to stack, I turned them in each direction to find the flat side, the slope, the holes. Peering through at each point gives a different view of the horizon and the waves. Students often relish the opportunity to include such elements in their structures, inviting their peers to look through <i>this</i> door,<i> this</i> window.</td></tr>
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In fact, it was discovering <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterRiedel7" target="_blank">Peter on twitter</a> last week that led me to revisit this story once again, after he suggested he could someday visit to do a demonstration. To say I was excited at that prospect is an understatement. I dug through old photos to find evidence of his impact upon my students. <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> Nice to hear from you again. I recall meeting you at Len Ford Park last year. I should come in to do a demo ...</div>
— Peter Riedel (@PeterRiedel7) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterRiedel7/status/633503708387610624">August 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/PeterRiedel7">@PeterRiedel7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh">@Hpooneh</a> considering all the ways <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/balanceinquiry?src=hash">#balanceinquiry</a> is explored in our class, it would be so inspiring! <a href="http://t.co/e55K6ucKbS">pic.twitter.com/e55K6ucKbS</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/633612037407571968">August 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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And so it is, re-inspired, I came back into this year-old draft and found the title, the captioned photo below, and seven point-form notes about what I intended to share (in blue).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CjB50KfBTNE/U7HDz3Pq4QI/AAAAAAAABOo/hF9KlXycap8/s1600/photo1stweek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CjB50KfBTNE/U7HDz3Pq4QI/AAAAAAAABOo/hF9KlXycap8/s400/photo1stweek.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First week of school: R's recreation of one of the "Marilyn Towers" which we can see clearly from our schoolyard.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue;">A and the building challenge</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">balance</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">representational work and whimsy</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">perseverance</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">reflection</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">audience</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">critical eye</span><br />
<br />
My words intrigue me, now. Even my title seems like a lost story: was I thinking about how students found inspiration in great works of art and their own creations? Was it a reference to materials, both enormous stones and tiny beads or beach glass? Was it a reference to "looking closely", so much a part of the culture of our class, and how students needed to both look closely and look from afar, in order to recreate those structures as challenged by their peers? I no longer know what made me think of the title, but I feel the need to honour it as part of the journey.<br />
<br />
There were so many inquiries ongoing in
the last months of school: line in design and in nature, symmetry, mandalas, birds and bird
feeders, spring change (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kndspring" target="_blank">#Kndspring</a>), beyblades, potions, nature weaving, number
patterns, and incredible <a href="https://storify.com/kidsconnect/the-visitors" target="_blank">caterpillar-to-butterfly</a> experience. I remember being amazed at how often ideas from one inquiry
would spin off into another, though the players were different. I see in
the list I'd made those themes repeated: balance appeared in so many ways,
and perseverance developed as students deepened their study of one or
another idea through the use of their choice of materials. Reflection was apparent as students
commented upon their peers' work, either finding solutions to their
problems or finding inspiration for their own work. Most exciting was
the way in which the morning and afternoon classes communicated with
each other as they looked at the documentation unfolding from each
others' work.<br />
<br />
There were other teachers, too. It was
before our school joined FDK, but I was fortunate to have a fantastic
ECE student join our class in spring. <a href="https://twitter.com/dthedudek" target="_blank">Daniel Kerr</a> was much like my
wonderful current teaching partner, <a href="https://twitter.com/hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh</a> - an adult with a serious love of
joyful learning and no fear of fully-engaged participation as a
co-learner with students. Another player in the way the inquiry grew in
the spring was <a href="https://twitter.com/kelly_m_wright" target="_blank">Kelly Wright</a>, an inspiring educator (and now friend) with an FDK class in
nearby Clarkson PS. Our classes connected often through twitter, but it
was her thoughtful action in April that transformed the building inquiry
into an exploration of design and an exercise in critical thinking.<br />
<br />
As this is an old story, many of the photos from that year are assembled in albums saved in dropbox. I was able to find only the upload dates, and thus no timeline. Physical documentation in locked up safely in class, so my next step was a visit to "<a href="http://tweettunnel.com/reverse.php" target="_blank">tweet tunnel</a>" to find old tweets. The furthest I could go back was February 2014, so the earlier photos I found can't be dated accurately. These photos give some idea of how materials and ideas came into play over the year.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWJGeEHtNtQ/Vdsbi6KbUiI/AAAAAAAABwM/nM4A5-jYyjA/s1600/blogger-image-510540390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWJGeEHtNtQ/Vdsbi6KbUiI/AAAAAAAABwM/nM4A5-jYyjA/s400/blogger-image-510540390.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A provocation from fall 2013: photos of large balance structures found
in a park near to my home. Early on A demonstrated an interest in form,
matching images and later seeking new inspiration in books we found together in the library.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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One of the reasons I so loved this inquiry was the way in which it allowed me to see A's true character. He had been my student for a full year already, but in his first year he was a quiet, cooperative boy who made friends easily and joined in a variety of explorations: a beyblade inquiry, a months-long marble-run project, indoor and outdoor cooperative games. He was not yet, however, a leader. What developed in A's second year of Kindergarten was his ability to follow his interest at great length - he was entirely happy to work on his own but equally patient when others wished to join in with his increasingly complex structures. A became a leader, though very quietly and without ever dictating roles. He demonstrated for me so very clearly the importance of embracing the theory of "the hundred languages". I had already begun to understand and relate to the theory through several other types of learners - those whose need for motion in order explore an idea, those who learned to use language later than their peers but whose mathematical understanding excelled early, those who were 'young' socially but full of ideas and mature expression when focused on their interests, those whose passion for nature made them comfortable and confident outdoors even if they experienced difficulty remaining calm while inside the classroom. These students who "stood out" in a highly-structured classroom, whose natural way of interacting with the world would be seen as "behaviour" when the student was required to do something difficult for them (such as lining up, sitting to listen to a story, completing a task such as putting on a snowsuit) were those I most delighted in seeing with fresh eyes, years ago when I first read "The Hundred Languages" <a href="http://www.thewonderoflearning.com/history/?lang=en_GB" target="_blank">poem.</a> Students like me as a child, wearing my emotions on my sleeve and interrupting constantly when an idea popped into my head. But here was A, a well-adjusted student who demonstrated interest in many things but rarely spoke about it or asked to share his ideas, showing great maturity, creativity, and capacity. It must have been there, in the year before, when he explored similar ideas with his friends, all senior students. His parents laughed to hear how he was quiet, during that first year interview. They assured me that at home he was the one who told his older brother what to do. I missed it... had he been leading the play back then, or at least influencing the direction of their explorations through the materials he brought out to use? I cannot know, but what I do know is that through "listening" to his play, watching and asking questions and supporting his communication by taking pictures as he directed ("Now from here. Let me see. No, this part.") I witnessed something wonderful: A found his voice. Perhaps it would be better to say I heard his voice. An inquiry unfolded, crossed over into other inquiries, cooled down like a dying campfire only to have a spark catch anew... and A grew, and with him we all learned so much. As an educator I am greatly inspired by the theories of <a href="http://www.hawkinscenters.org/about-frances-and-david-hawkins.html" target="_blank">David and Frances Hawkins</a>. I see how important it was for me to be present, if not actively involved at least actively listening and observing A at play.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We who have been involved in the study of science and children have
ourselves been changed in the process. In some ways not easy to express,
we have been liberated. Those of us who knew children before science
(are) now seeing the former, children, and ourselves as well in a new
light: as inventors, as analysts, as synthesizers, as home lovers, as
lover of the world of nature. Those of us who knew science first, and
children after, have an altered and more child-like view of science,
more humane, more playful, and even at its most elementary, full of the
most unexpected delights". <br />
David Hawkins as quoted by Karen Worth </blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NYr_AhpZik/VduK5Pau3_I/AAAAAAAABw8/mwUTHDmxqKM/s1600/blogger-image-1141886862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NYr_AhpZik/VduK5Pau3_I/AAAAAAAABw8/mwUTHDmxqKM/s400/blogger-image-1141886862.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some ways in which balance and symmetry came into play in our class that year: at top, A and friends on their "motorcycles", several late-in-the-year examples of balance structures, and at bottom left, an example of how an idea inspired an entirely different expression of balance in the afternoon class: body balance challenges.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItOqFQhlz0I/Vdsbn4Rr5iI/AAAAAAAABwk/T1ZUOTp_nUk/s1600/blogger-image--141633772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItOqFQhlz0I/Vdsbn4Rr5iI/AAAAAAAABwk/T1ZUOTp_nUk/s400/blogger-image--141633772.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several girls challenged each other to stack the clay curves in tall towers. J, on the left, counted each piece. N, blurry in the right corner, estimated the height of the two stacks in order to judge which was taller. I don't recall who mentioned it but there was a discussion about how they couldn't compare number of curves to decide which was tallest. The conversation gave me much insight into their understanding, as they pointed out side-by-side curves (thus not taller) and also the differing sizes of each piece. Math play happens everywhere in Kindergarten, but if you want to find it, go looking in the blocks and construction area. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YLzOMYuUHSQ/VdsbmKcBtdI/AAAAAAAABwc/LbRuZUVxBGs/s1600/blogger-image--184389813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YLzOMYuUHSQ/VdsbmKcBtdI/AAAAAAAABwc/LbRuZUVxBGs/s400/blogger-image--184389813.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A structure by A and friends. Note the printed documentation on the whiteboard, at left. This places it sometime after April, as those images are messages sent to us by Kelly Wright's class, <a href="https://twitter.com/kinderwonders" target="_blank">@KinderWonders </a>during our collaborative inquiry around balance. That story is told in more depth below.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jrTJ57IsZI/U7HDyAjdVkI/AAAAAAAABOg/L9gEOLbBox4/s1600/IMG_3868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jrTJ57IsZI/U7HDyAjdVkI/AAAAAAAABOg/L9gEOLbBox4/s400/IMG_3868.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Documentation by Daniel Kerr, made in collaboration with A. Note: due to another tweet by A on this day (see below) I know that this collage was from March 3rd. </td></tr>
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</div>
<br />
From the photos above you can see the patterns that had emerged since the beginning of the school year: play with symmetry (while using not perfectly-matched materials), balance, recreation of known structures, beauty, function and form. Below, reaching back as far as I could using tweet tunnel, I gathered examples of how A's passion for building, and in particular for balance, inspired his classmates and those students in the afternoon class.<br />
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A shows his skill at building and balance again today. He showed friends how he got the slippery curves to stay. <a href="http://t.co/NGJ5MPjQko">pic.twitter.com/NGJ5MPjQko</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/436877842530320385">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A and friends: Planning, executing, measuring, fastening, helping, protecting. Enjoying! <a href="http://t.co/UTs6NDiQ0a">http://t.co/UTs6NDiQ0a</a> <a href="http://t.co/WmmVs5hUyB">pic.twitter.com/WmmVs5hUyB</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/438357300072693760">February 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
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A worked very hard along with friends U, A, and K to make this tent. Then A made this sign to keep it safe. <a href="http://t.co/LqGfPxvIEH">pic.twitter.com/LqGfPxvIEH</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/438357117515612162">February 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Hey, A (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AM?src=hash">#AM</a> class) N in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PM?src=hash">#PM</a> class "I built your tent, I thought I could build it from my imagination" <a href="http://t.co/zxIqP25MQF">pic.twitter.com/zxIqP25MQF</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/439107970346274817">February 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs guess what, A. It fell down too! N says: "I can't build it anymore, but I can still use tape"</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/439119159536795648">February 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Three friends: A, E & A are testing balance work with big and little stones <a href="http://t.co/QTjIZYZMtI">pic.twitter.com/QTjIZYZMtI</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/438703587368386560">February 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Inspired by nature artists in a video, A and friends return to an old inquiry: stone balance art! ReggioPLC <a href="https://t.co/MWFpkEplgo">https://t.co/MWFpkEplgo</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/438724437182267392">February 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I came back from planning time to this amazing structure by A, A & A! <a href="https://t.co/O24eeV8T6E">https://t.co/O24eeV8T6E</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/439060050980909056">February 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A is testing how precarious a structure he can build. This one surprised us! <a href="http://t.co/gGsfoxtFv5">pic.twitter.com/gGsfoxtFv5</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/440503734918193152">March 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It was not long this time that I realized something big was unfolding in class and that I'd need to share it with families, beyond the tweets we'd been sharing all year. I started compiling a thread in storify, saved in draft. Now, before I can move on to that story, I need to offer an explanation, and a caution. Storify can be a wonderful tool, but it has limits. It is not able to reach back very far, like tweet tunnel (the examples above could not be found by using storify). It also requires a link for each tweet, which contains your handle (name) within. Herein lays the problem I encountered when I went to publish the story last year: when our class became an FDK class with two educators, I wanted to change the name to reflect this. My own name was the previous handle. I considered starting a new account, but this wasn't best for the families, especially those senior students who'd been with me while the account was called @FynesKs. Thus I changed the name on the active account. I only discovered later, when I originally went to publish the story, that my storify draft was no longer functional. It had a long list of these no-longer active links, such as: https://twitter.com/FynesKs/status/453243389396258816 (first tweet below). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Last year I was disappointed to see the story disappear. I'm thankful that I didn't delete the draft. I saved it<span style="font-size: small;">, more <span style="font-size: small;">for the comments I'd added at the b<span style="font-size: small;">eginning <span style="font-size: small;">of the story than <span style="font-size: small;">for the now<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>defu<span style="font-size: small;">nct links.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> This morning I copied the introduction I'd written (see in blue, below), then got an idea... just as a test, I substituted "109ThornKs" in the link where "FynesKs" was. It worked. It meant tedious copying and fixing each link in a new window, but the story came back into view before my eyes.<span style="font-size: small;"> Here then is a window into that la<span style="font-size: small;">rge <span style="font-size: small;">balance inquiry as it grew over <span style="font-size: small;">spring.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An amazing balance challenge unfolds in our class.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Balance is one of the big ideas we explore over the year in our class, and it shows up in many ways: body balance, testing materials, challenging one's self or working with friends. Students became truly proud, & even more motivated, when other classes joined in & challenged us to greater 'heights'.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> The balance and building work has gone on since September, with skills and ideas deepening each month. Storify won't allow me to reach that far back, so I pick up the story here, in early April, when my favourite clay curves (which had been sitting unused for over a month) were brought out by both my AM and PM classes on the same day. In the first tweet we were responding to class friend (an outdoor educator and coordinator extraordinaire) Rob Ridley, who sen<span style="font-size: small;">t</span> a tweet to show he'd gone to visit the source of my students' beloved clay pieces (broken and water-softened clay pipe bits from a nearby foundary). </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> how interesting: both AM&PM's chose to use these again today after not using 4 ages. Here's A balancing <a href="http://t.co/AW3XbYc2Od">pic.twitter.com/AW3XbYc2Od</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/453243389396258816">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Open-ended materials lead to many ways of exploring... <a href="http://t.co/JXLHu6PzZF">http://t.co/JXLHu6PzZF</a> <a href="http://t.co/JnrR2i5KUj">pic.twitter.com/JnrR2i5KUj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley">@RangerRidley</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chapmanks">@ChapmanKs</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/453247403962155008">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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M's thinking: "If I take this (block) off this side the other will be heavier". Then what? "It will bend" he said. <a href="http://t.co/f4IQzrCpqK">pic.twitter.com/f4IQzrCpqK</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/453630745836519424">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This morning our building area had lots of planning, talk about balance, shape, symmetry... <a href="http://t.co/REE8KN60t6">http://t.co/REE8KN60t6</a> <a href="http://t.co/WdHYcG80ZX">pic.twitter.com/WdHYcG80ZX</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/453630343128432640">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> Today we printed your structure to replicate your plan with our blocks. M. was the manager. <a href="http://t.co/G6IcjkItO5">pic.twitter.com/G6IcjkItO5</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/453928753987878912">April 9, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> here's our thinking from this morning. Yr tweet gave us so many ideas! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> together & wonder <a href="http://t.co/wqm3BfM6ai">pic.twitter.com/wqm3BfM6ai</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/454651968992989184">April 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> here is one creation A made today to inspire your builders. We wonder if you'll share your ideas too! <a href="http://t.co/HfMuNF1doB">pic.twitter.com/HfMuNF1doB</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/454648891431202816">April 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> today we read your tweet at welcome circle. Many observations & suggestions! Here's new collab by A&M <a href="http://t.co/l8wZ6Snac1">pic.twitter.com/l8wZ6Snac1</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/454621321788682241">April 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Teamwork! These friends came to help A who was finding his plans difficult to complete alone <a href="http://t.co/3vYBgsKFXE">http://t.co/3vYBgsKFXE</a> <a href="http://t.co/sFnl1qZB5D">pic.twitter.com/sFnl1qZB5D</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/454287485690847232">April 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A made another building challenge! <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> This 1 has balance, symmetry, & lights. He calls it tower height. <a href="https://t.co/W1Cz58Bi5M">https://t.co/W1Cz58Bi5M</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/456079924076744704">April 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> and pictures to show it at various stages, too. A worked very hard today. You inspired him! <a href="http://t.co/Fr5uYYvRD2">pic.twitter.com/Fr5uYYvRD2</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/456162144652775425">April 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs Dear friends, we like your creation. We are going to try to build the same thing but with different blocks and colours.</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/456426733512560641">April 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs Hi! I'll show this structure tomorrow! They will be very excited to replicate this challenge with the blocks we have in the room!</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/456191074872999936">April 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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The PM balance challenge is rather different from the AM: "Ninja" training continue <a href="http://t.co/qaJW8yDntP">http://t.co/qaJW8yDntP</a> <a href="http://t.co/2js2SBwFYS">pic.twitter.com/2js2SBwFYS</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/456163340503351296">April 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Check out how the racetracks are evolving and the intention that goes into the building... <a href="http://t.co/vBDjvPtzTD">pic.twitter.com/vBDjvPtzTD</a></div>
— Ms Niessen in FDK (@EK_Kinders) <a href="https://twitter.com/EK_Kinders/status/456439081011249152">April 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/EK_Kinders">@EK_Kinders</a> interesting how different materials are being explored in similar ways in AM: balance, symmetry, pattern <a href="https://t.co/lyhXV1wgx7">https://t.co/lyhXV1wgx7</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/456451028213174273">April 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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The balance challenge has started again in the PM <a href="http://t.co/13f43yw0LM">pic.twitter.com/13f43yw0LM</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/456494884900175872">April 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs Hi! We enjoyed reading about A's structure! Here is P and D's structure. Do you spy the puzzle piece used? <a href="http://t.co/kmFCR7lJCk">pic.twitter.com/kmFCR7lJCk</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/458813555882872832">April 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Yes! Students and guests alike were focusing hard to meet our counting/balancing challenge at our open house. <a href="http://t.co/8X6jiVEIcz">pic.twitter.com/8X6jiVEIcz</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/459362294204735488">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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C says: "I put the rocks on the bottom so it won't fall. I did the challenge!" <a href="http://t.co/GAPZ194ixo">pic.twitter.com/GAPZ194ixo</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/459393418029182976">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Dear @FynesKs, Z has a different kind of challenge that some of your friends might be interested in! <a href="http://t.co/3Pw5mCZsSg">pic.twitter.com/3Pw5mCZsSg</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/459421362889961472">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> that's a beautiful challenge, I wonder if we have the right materials. I'll ask the Ss what we have or what we need for this.</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/459459002674343936">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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We wonder if we can meet your challenge <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@kinderwonders</a> because as M says: "the big beads are going over the... <a href="https://t.co/TBaHfRQkMc">https://t.co/TBaHfRQkMc</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/459696858974400512">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> We tried today. It didn't work as we hoped but we had fun! M suggests: "Maybe we need beads that are big but small holes"</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/459712450577715200">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> Here's the pics again when they're not full of grammar errors. Clearly I shouldn't multi-task <a href="http://t.co/ShE5KgLQRH">pic.twitter.com/ShE5KgLQRH</a></div>
— Mrs. May's Class (@MayGrade1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayGrade1/status/459423396049076224">April 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@MetcalfeDeCicco <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> we didn't get the print out in time to share but we noticed this on iPad: "angry birds! Cool!"</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/459718532939657216">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs A look at this! We worked pretty hard with the little blocks. "He will think this is pretty hard work!" <a href="http://t.co/jcm9QCkdWy">pic.twitter.com/jcm9QCkdWy</a></div>
— Mrs. May's Class (@MayGrade1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayGrade1/status/459732799243960320">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A challenge 4 you: E says he used 9 pcs 2 make this. How much would the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/s?src=hash">#s</a> add up to? 9, 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 3, 2#fdkmath <a href="http://t.co/xfSvVAenB2">pic.twitter.com/xfSvVAenB2</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/461126497039056896">April 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A story of concentration, collaboration, and how we <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> when constructing... <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> <a href="http://t.co/U7xwIzVYMQ">pic.twitter.com/U7xwIzVYMQ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/461912980708659200">May 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Teamwork: several AM students worked hard to stack the waffle blocks higher than my head! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fdkmath?src=hash">#fdkmath</a> <a href="http://t.co/sUENfxmkcN">pic.twitter.com/sUENfxmkcN</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/463354508467523584">May 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Our stacking challenge took a new direct'n today, w clay curves instead of wood <a href="http://t.co/p0LhX4Icji">http://t.co/p0LhX4Icji</a> <a href="http://t.co/UsVwTVJMP7">pic.twitter.com/UsVwTVJMP7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/464043816802979841">May 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs We are making our own clay curved blocks to respond to your challenge!</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/467086435385085953">May 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This happened today: M was building, A helped. It slipped, but didn't fall. How did that happen? <a href="http://t.co/U978TqaEvS">pic.twitter.com/U978TqaEvS</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/464415401720700929">May 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A built a ramp for Lego Chima bikes to jump. R tested it out w a car. Success! <a href="http://t.co/6smZrM3Wpd">http://t.co/6smZrM3Wpd</a> <a href="http://t.co/7Wwe7KukFE">pic.twitter.com/7Wwe7KukFE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/465853896599285760">May 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Look PM friends, now the AM class are trying the body balance challenge! Such an amazing teamwork & perserv... <a href="https://t.co/Uw8yzsDT3m">https://t.co/Uw8yzsDT3m</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/471301529329467392">May 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> @FynesKs E & A say: "cool ideas. But today we're trying handstands and body balancing on one leg". <a href="http://t.co/1YdnQT54gQ">pic.twitter.com/1YdnQT54gQ</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/471651661568811008">May 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A was building a musical marble trap inspired by <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">@MsDuric</a> when he noticed E building something interesting, too. <a href="http://t.co/2cxHvHvnbu">pic.twitter.com/2cxHvHvnbu</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/473856907045007360">June 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This was just the beginning... E started, A joined in...Then it was a building bonanza! <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">@MsDuric</a> <a href="http://t.co/jCwc0Ud5jl">pic.twitter.com/jCwc0Ud5jl</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/473856689557757953">June 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Something fantastic unfolded today when some students were inspired again to challenge our friends <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> <a href="http://t.co/jSPXb3Q5ZV">pic.twitter.com/jSPXb3Q5ZV</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/473865944142708737">June 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> Hi! We liked your challenge! M. And I. recreated your block balance challenge! (1/2) <a href="http://t.co/VUmNsQJiH4">pic.twitter.com/VUmNsQJiH4</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/474428976883322880">June 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> Now I. changed the structure from balancing blocks to balancing bodies too! (2/2) <a href="http://t.co/lkHALSBHEH">pic.twitter.com/lkHALSBHEH</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/474430788570996736">June 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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"Walk the plank!", "No thanks, I'll take the ramp" AM balance challenge grows again <a href="http://t.co/ANFYNO6VoH">pic.twitter.com/ANFYNO6VoH</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/474935859285073920">June 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Look how the tweets from our friends <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> inspired the AM class to try new balance challenges! <a href="https://t.co/uqnkfWNPvx">https://t.co/uqnkfWNPvx</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/474936558840475648">June 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Kelly_M_Wright">@Kelly_M_Wright</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> that's how I feel when I see yr class has responded. It's been amazing to see the motivation, observation</div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/475298944046886912">June 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> 2/2 The four friends want to send you a tweet tomorrow of their 'balance ride'.</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/476477839685214209">June 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> Dear AM class, we like your balance challenges! One group has decided to make a balance for the rest of the class tomorrow!</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/476477301463330816">June 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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MT “<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a>: The stamina and creativity was amazing and so much to observe through interest & inquiry! <a href="http://t.co/eL9bRMBfHb">pic.twitter.com/eL9bRMBfHb</a>”</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/477033564244951040">June 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs The friends at the blocks this morning "Wow! Cool!" We think they look like motorcycles.</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/479455639245037569">June 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> funny, they ARE motorcycles! Good sleuths, K friends!</div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/479652067376902144">June 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> @FynesKs Some friends made another balance with 3 'stops' in the middle to play a game (I scribed).</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/477291844888305665">June 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs Wow! What great readers! We are glad you liked our tweet to you. Your class inspires us! We like your reading wands too!</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/479453133504913408">June 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs Our class liked the sharks! A. wondered "How many people were sharks?" J. asked "Did anyone fall in the water?"</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/479459520788193280">June 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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A said he builds symmetrical towers "because they balance that way" not just because it looks nice <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> <a href="http://t.co/1aDtMfPLoe">pic.twitter.com/1aDtMfPLoe</a></div>
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/481461329887494144">June 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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@FynesKs P, I and A started creating a maze and turned it into a maze castle city over 2 days. Take a look! <a href="http://t.co/9OfaiD7sZt">pic.twitter.com/9OfaiD7sZt</a></div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/481633673104474114">June 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/BarbMcIlquham">@BarbMcIlquham</a> @FynesKs So true! The discussion and collaboration that took place within the play was so rich. Thanks for responding!</div>
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/481919925452169217">June 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oXsDhxO1bAc/U7HEGrWEXLI/AAAAAAAABOw/evL0PErnns8/s1600/photo%2B1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oXsDhxO1bAc/U7HEGrWEXLI/AAAAAAAABOw/evL0PErnns8/s400/photo%2B1.PNG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A powerful illustration of the <a href="http://www.hawkinscenters.org/i-thou-and-it.html" target="_blank">Hawkinses theories</a>:
eolithism, "messing about with materials", "I, Thou, It", and "Teacher
as Learner"; science and math ideas are evident in deeply engaging,
socially constructed play. Their desire to share with their families and
friends in other classes made this a truly exciting inquiry. This image
repeated from the tweets above. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I look back at my original draft, my list of words and the
title I left as a trace, and I know that how I see the story now is influenced
by all the learning that has gone on since that time. I've been joined by a
truly delightful, incredibly talented teaching partner, Pooneh. I've seen another year of students, (some who were in that class as year ones) tackle the challenge of balance in their play, many of those students inspired by the work that went on the year before. I've deepened
my knowledge of the works of David and Frances Hawkins, through reading and
discussions with fellow Hawkins-inspired educators. I am constantly amazed and
delighted by the minds of the students I work with, and by those fellow
educators, like Kelly, who embrace the wonder and thus make the classroom a
place where magic can happen. Or, as I often say about our always-evolving (and
let's be honest, not the prettiest, we're always catching up with our documentation) classroom, "It's not a
beautiful place, but a place where beautiful things can happen".</div>
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“One of the very important factors in [meeting and talking
with children] is that there be some third thing which is of interest to the
child and to the adult.” David Hawkins</div>
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“In sharing enjoyment with a child there is a communication
of the fact that as observers and learners we are of the same stuff.” Frances
Hawkins</div>
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“Without a Thou, there is no I evolving. Without an It there
is no context, no figure and no heat, but only an affair of mirrors confronting
each other.” David Hawkins</div>
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The tweet below, created and sent by a student very proud of
her ability to write about her discoveries, says it well.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>S
typing: "we call it play and learn because we learn while we play"
wow, S summed it up beautifully #reggioplc</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>—
Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) May 7, 2014</div>
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And so I ponder that first quote, the one that spoke to me today:</div>
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein</div>
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and I wonder if it isn't a good metaphor for being teacher as researcher, learning from students through pedagogical documentation. To keep understanding, I must keep moving through the ideas. I must keep reflecting. </div>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-29833534721402428902015-07-22T15:21:00.003-07:002015-07-22T15:21:30.915-07:00Making Learning Visible: Fostering Reflective TeachingPracticesThroughDocumentation<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span>"Documentation is not just what we collect, it's the practice of how we observe." Daniel Wilson (see <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=FbpS987ZZEkC&pg=PT100&lpg=PT100&dq=daniel+wilson+documentation+is+not+just&source=bl&ots=nfwO-MSIt8&sig=xQ_-_5DLzXneB8XreV2rvyvXfh4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMI-bTS1_3uxgIVhWk-Ch2CXQtB#v=onepage&q=daniel%20wilson%20documentation%20is%20not%20just&f=false" target="_blank">Visible Learners</a>)</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Yesterday I wrote a<span style="font-size: small;">n introduction <span style="font-size: small;">for</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> what I inten<span style="font-family: inherit;">d to be a series of guest <span style="font-family: inherit;">posts fea<span style="font-family: inherit;">turin<span style="font-family: inherit;">g </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>ideas about and examples of pedagogical documentation<span style="font-family: inherit;"> from <span style="font-family: inherit;">people<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in my <a href="https://twitter.com/playing_in_k/lists/reggio-plc" target="_blank">PLN</a>. These guests all have something in common though the<span style="font-family: inherit;">ir contexts, <span style="font-family: inherit;">class<span style="font-family: inherit;">es, and styles are q<span style="font-family: inherit;">uite varied - <span style="font-family: inherit;">they all managed to clearly convey in their documentation an idea that <span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd been grappling with for ages. T<span style="font-family: inherit;">hey each created <span style="font-family: inherit;">work that I immediat<span style="font-family: inherit;">ely <span style="font-family: inherit;">connected with<span style="font-family: inherit;"> as the exemplar for the concept I'd been cha<span style="font-family: inherit;">tting about in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reggioplc" target="_blank">ReggioPLC</a> discussions, or reading about <span style="font-family: inherit;">in <span style="font-family: inherit;">various <span style="font-family: inherit;">pu<span style="font-family: inherit;">bli<span style="font-family: inherit;">cat<span style="font-family: inherit;">ions</span></span>. Ideas<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that wer<span style="font-family: inherit;">e d<span style="font-family: inherit;">eeply meaningful to me at this <span style="font-family: inherit;">point in my journey - risky play, the view of <span style="font-family: inherit;">th<span style="font-family: inherit;">e ch<span style="font-family: inherit;">ild as capable, <span style="font-family: inherit;">inquiry as a moment or a pro<span style="font-family: inherit;">cess, documentation as shared ow<span style="font-family: inherit;">nership of story<span style="font-family: inherit;">telling, inquiry as a process fraught with doubt - all ideas that suddenly had a link, for me, to these inspiring educ<span style="font-family: inherit;">ators<span style="font-family: inherit;">. I started t<span style="font-family: inherit;">hat post with t<span style="font-family: inherit;">he following:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> I had a lightbulb moment recently, regarding my understanding and practice of
documentation.</span></span></span></span></blockquote>
I realized after <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/07/looking-for-big-picture.html" target="_blank">publishing the post</a> that I never revealed what that lightbulb moment was, although I detailed the more-than-a-year process of examining documentation in order to better understand it.<br />
That aha was this: pedagogical documentation is not one "thing", it is <i>both</i> <i>the process and the product</i> born out of the relationships between materials, learners, and method of documentation. The aha was that I still didn't have a big picture, though I had many pieces giving me a wider view of what I was looking at. In fact, there would never be a big picture, not an accurate one, when the ongoing process meant the view was always changing. Lastly, I realized that what made me reach out to these educators was exactly what had made me reach out to <a href="https://twitter.com/tessaheffernan" target="_blank">Tessa</a> over a year ago to ask for her view of the teaching partner relationship (taken from my intro to her post):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There is something about the way we share a view
of children (as infinitely capable, curious, fascinating) and teaching
(as a wondrous journey, forever deepening and growing out into our
lives) that creates real friends through the ether. (from this <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/08/musings-on-what-really-matters-from.html" target="_blank">earlier guest post</a>)</blockquote>
<br />
Here, then, is the first feature of the series, written by a new and inspiring friend, Christie Angleton. From a tiny glimpse of her panel (in tweet below) I was intrigued. Here was a teacher making the learning visible and demonstrating a message of curious, capable learners.<br />
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Documenting our recent <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/riskyplay?src=hash">#riskyplay</a> - making learning visible! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReggioPLC?src=hash">#ReggioPLC</a> <a href="http://t.co/Nvrlptckkc">pic.twitter.com/Nvrlptckkc</a></div>
— Christie Angleton (@ChristiePlays) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristiePlays/status/611304751129563136">June 17, 2015</a> </blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ChristiePlays">@ChristiePlays</a> fantastic! You've inspired me to think ahead 2 next year... Fantastic 4 family events in fall, to see values of FDK learning</div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/611307974842318848">June 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MgNGPRz2mCU/Va-fO_EpAsI/AAAAAAAABvE/GEpCb37sUDM/s640/blogger-image--896721738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MgNGPRz2mCU/Va-fO_EpAsI/AAAAAAAABvE/GEpCb37sUDM/s1600/blogger-image--896721738.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snippets of our conversation as I introduced myself and my concept for exploring documentation together. I'm so grateful Christie agreed, and delighted by the story she tells. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: xx-small; font-weight: bold;">Making Learning Visible: Fostering Reflective Teaching Practices Through Documentation</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span class="s5" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Christie Angleton – Louisville, Kentucky</span></i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">When Laurel first contacted me about sharing in this space, I was flattered – I’m new(</span><span class="s5">ish</span><span class="s5">) to </span><span class="s5">Twitter</span><span class="s5"> and haven’t really made a lot of connections yet through the #</span><span class="s5">ReggioPLC</span><span class="s5">. </span><span class="s5">And</span><span class="s5"> when she asked me to share my thoughts about documentation, my heart soared! Documenting children’s work (</span><span class="s5">read:</span><span class="s5"> PLAY) is something I love and have been thinking about a lot of late.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">I work as a lead facilitator in a year-round preschool program. Now that the summer months are upon us, I find myself with a bit more time than I am accustomed to during the typical “school year.” While we continue with our play- and inquiry-based philosophy, things just feel more relaxed during the hot months of summer – children go on lengthy vacations, there are fewer demands on time for formal research and other endeavors, and one of my two brilliant assistant facilitators expressed an interest in leading planning for the summer term. This has afforded me the gift of time to reflect – on the </span><span class="s5">work</span><span class="s5"> we’ve done, on where we might go in the months to come – and documentation seems to be a recurring theme in these reflections.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">Most everyone with knowledge of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of teaching is familiar with the idea of documentation as a means of making </span><span class="s5">children’s</span><span class="s5"> learning visible – visible to families, to other teachers, to the community, and to the children themselves.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wusctmKvrSA/Va1ISxo6-5I/AAAAAAAABsY/ib5BQ78oIVw/s1600/blogger-image-190422989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wusctmKvrSA/Va1ISxo6-5I/AAAAAAAABsY/ib5BQ78oIVw/s400/blogger-image-190422989.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="s4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: start;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">M and J discuss a recent small group discussion about gendered toys while </span><span class="s7">observing a small documentation panel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">For me, documentation not only provides an opportunity for children and their families to reflect on their thinking and learning, but it provides an opportunity for me, their teacher, to reflect upon</span><span class="s5"> what the children are taking away from their encounters– their confidences, their strengths, their challenges, their thought processes – while they are engaged with each other, with their peers, with other teachers and community members, and even with me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">I am fortunate to act as a mentor teacher in my school and, as such, I frequently choose to create large documentation panels that are visible to many different people and serve as inspiration and an idea generator. </span><span class="s5">Luckily</span><span class="s5"> for me, several other teachers in my school also choose to display their documentation in a similar fashion – which means the inspiration is mutual and provides a wellspring for reflection and conversation. Perhaps even more importantly, it shows how much our community values the children are learners and </span><span class="s5">constructors of their own knowledge; it lets the children know we believe in them and appreciate what they contribute to our community on a daily basis.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3o11a6IaZ0/Va1I6I6R0TI/AAAAAAAABso/J3veU4NKXsc/s1600/blogger-image--297634925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3o11a6IaZ0/Va1I6I6R0TI/AAAAAAAABso/J3veU4NKXsc/s400/blogger-image--297634925.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At
the beginning of the school year, this panel conveyed the independence
displayed daily by our preschoolers – now the oldest children in our
building.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">I’ve</span><span class="s5"> been exploring and researching the importance of risky play and risk assessment for the past several months. I recently created the following display to press home one particular point: children are risk takers and even more so, they are CAPABLE.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sqUdU8zgYZ4/Va1I-QJiACI/AAAAAAAABs4/2Gmmz9Uyok4/s1600/blogger-image-2112990305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sqUdU8zgYZ4/Va1I-QJiACI/AAAAAAAABs4/2Gmmz9Uyok4/s400/blogger-image-2112990305.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">A display about some of the risky play the children </span><span class="s7">have been engaged in</span><span class="s7"> of late.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">The </span><span class="s5">really marvelous</span><span class="s5"> thing about creating this panel is that no one seemed overly surprised with what they were reading. I did have a few conversations with colleagues about how to address parental concerns about safety, but ultimately I was able to convey to the community that children ARE capable and it is our responsibility to provide them with opportunities for those capabilities to shine in myriad arenas. In this case, it was stacking and then jumping from milk crates. These carefully selected photos and quotations are enough – at least for now – to convey one way in which these children are capable. Making learning visible is a powerful experience!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">Choosing what to include in any form of documentation is a labor of love.</span><span class="s5"> The children </span><span class="s5">I’ve</span><span class="s5"> encountered are generally so marvelously brilliant that it would take multiple hallways to display all of the wonderful things they say and do! The seemingly simple process of selecting photos and quotes is actually a far more arduous process that it might seem at first glance.</span><span class="s5"> What photos will I choose to convey the children’s learning processes? What words will accompany the photos to illustrate the children’s </span><span class="s5">thinking?</span><span class="s5"> What additional support – if any – is necessary to demonstrate the heart of what the children are doing?</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">Lately </span><span class="s5">I’ve</span><span class="s5"> been letting the photos of the children do most of the talking, as it were. With four-year-olds, I do like to include direct quotes because kids are generally brilliant and full of poignant insight. </span><span class="s5">But</span><span class="s5"> photographs are powerful and often tell the story and make words unnecessary. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTdyFszflKw/VazkeUtiWSI/AAAAAAAABsI/3u08J9oS7-k/s1600/blogger-image--596743833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTdyFszflKw/VazkeUtiWSI/AAAAAAAABsI/3u08J9oS7-k/s400/blogger-image--596743833.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">Ther</span><span class="s7">e is such a story here, </span><span class="s7">wouldn’t</span><span class="s7"> you agree?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="s5" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another form of documentation I experimented with this year was child-led self-documentation. The panels below are examples of this.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x2ZD8U9qn60/Va1Jjsw5I2I/AAAAAAAABtY/rtwQww0tFLU/s1600/blogger-image--243518540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x2ZD8U9qn60/Va1Jjsw5I2I/AAAAAAAABtY/rtwQww0tFLU/s400/blogger-image--243518540.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz7gFSvhbVM/Va1JnFp7Q1I/AAAAAAAABto/MUUaMqUT3PY/s1600/blogger-image--47200920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz7gFSvhbVM/Va1JnFp7Q1I/AAAAAAAABto/MUUaMqUT3PY/s400/blogger-image--47200920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GDJ06F2oKqI/Va1JhlOM7TI/AAAAAAAABtQ/pVcciUQ5eoY/s1600/blogger-image--1405136273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GDJ06F2oKqI/Va1JhlOM7TI/AAAAAAAABtQ/pVcciUQ5eoY/s400/blogger-image--1405136273.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-diZ0o7xGcb8/Va1JlSkI1rI/AAAAAAAABtg/Ge8zlCyljRc/s1600/blogger-image-1747081268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-diZ0o7xGcb8/Va1JlSkI1rI/AAAAAAAABtg/Ge8zlCyljRc/s400/blogger-image-1747081268.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">I placed a large photo of some project the child(</span><span class="s5">ren</span><span class="s5">) had recently been engaged in on a large sheet of paper and invited them to write, draw, and/or dictate what they were doing and thinking in the blank spaces around the photo. The results were stunning! The children reflected on their work and articulated their thought processes and feelings. It was truly insightful and led me to one of those illuminating teacher a-ha! </span><span class="s5">moments</span><span class="s5">: </span><span class="s8" style="font-weight: bold;">Documentation is really a part of the process for getting to know the children more deeply.</span><span class="s5"> There is much power to </span><span class="s5">be shared</span><span class="s5"> and insight to be gained through thoughtful reflection about the abilities and challenges encountered each day by the children in our care. Documenting the work of the children helps me go deeper in my relationships with them, which encourages me to be a more thoughtful and intentional teacher.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s5">Documentation is one means for getting to know children on an authentic, meaningful level – and isn’t that really what </span><span class="s5">we’re</span><span class="s5"> all striving for?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEUiVyQWrmI/Va1I8HLdazI/AAAAAAAABsw/BFjqlugS1zo/s1600/blogger-image-491541409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEUiVyQWrmI/Va1I8HLdazI/AAAAAAAABsw/BFjqlugS1zo/s400/blogger-image-491541409.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A panel designed to show child thinking.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0AlHj7a9TUQ/Va1JfFNc3KI/AAAAAAAABtI/iX8VKbstgBU/s1600/blogger-image--1713875074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0AlHj7a9TUQ/Va1JfFNc3KI/AAAAAAAABtI/iX8VKbstgBU/s400/blogger-image--1713875074.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An invitation for children, families, and members of the school community to document their observations about seasonal changes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-06RYDqN2bxY/Va1IUuYDqEI/AAAAAAAABsg/oqEh-O_j_Bw/s1600/blogger-image--2068736272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-06RYDqN2bxY/Va1IUuYDqEI/AAAAAAAABsg/oqEh-O_j_Bw/s400/blogger-image--2068736272.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">A linear documentation display to convey our learning journey as we studied elements of the autumn season.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">I love this beautiful illustration of the power of documentation to strengthen relationships among all stakeholders in a facility such as her preschool: students, teachers, parents all enriched by these lovingly curated stories. I hope that readers will leave a comment or question here for Christie, or add more voices to the conversation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s7">A note for readers: Christie has begun to share her stories on her own blog as well. Please visit her page at "<a href="http://www.looselywondered.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Loosely Wondered</a>" for more glimpses of "Reggio-inspired, Child-inspired" teaching and learning.</span></span><br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-32583780659276526832015-07-21T12:17:00.001-07:002015-08-23T13:01:52.759-07:00looking for the big picture<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-0d2a6fcb-df27-8b31-65f9-5cf47b23f9f1" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZE2b868GI6Y/Va16qC2ozlI/AAAAAAAABu0/OMIQstVBnVI/s1600/blogger-image-1613690170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZE2b868GI6Y/Va16qC2ozlI/AAAAAAAABu0/OMIQstVBnVI/s400/blogger-image-1613690170.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quote that stood out when I watched the "Learning Stories" video. The photo is from my class of three years ago, with some of the first documentation I'd made with the class using "pic collage" hanging on the wall (top right). The two students pictured were looking back and forth from the wall to the overhead platform, while discussing the curious phenomenon of the shadows made by the opaque and colourful glass objects they were manipulating. The quote speaks to facial expressions which (though not shared here out of respect for student privacy) in the original version of this photo were quite telling; K (with the pink sleeve) had a perplexed look as she pointed at a seemingly clear glass gem which nonetheless cast a dark shadow.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: x-small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> I had a lightbulb moment recently, regarding my understanding and practice of
documentation. I had for some time been struggling with using the term "pedagogical
documentation" in reference to my own work. I'd been exploring
articles, blogs, reading books and joining in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reggioplc" target="_blank">#ReggioPLC </a>chats on the
subject. I worked this past year as part of a collaborative of Kindergarten educators,
both ECE and OCT, as we created professional development
workshops/networking opportunities for fellow <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=%23mfoeypeel" target="_blank">early years educators in our south PDSB region</a>.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> Lastly, I attended </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">professional
development including the powerful and transformative discussions at
Charles Sturt University's "BECS Conference" this spring: "<a href="https://storify.com/kidsconnect/forging-relationships-through-pedagogical-document" target="_blank">Documentation as Relationship</a>".
All of this was occurring in a year when my school transitioned to Ontario's full-day
Kindergarten Program, and thus I transitioned from being the single educator
in the room. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So many
changes in my practice: one class all day instead of two, a
fantastic new partner, Pooneh with whom to share the journey (<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/11/on-becoming-two.html" target="_blank">see here for </a><a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/11/on-becoming-two.html" target="_blank">story</a>), in fact an entire
new team of ECE teachers expanding our Kindergarten team to twelve. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> A bit of history, before this year: as mentioned above, I had read
articles defining the what and how of pedagogical documentation. The touchstone piece for me remains </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Carol Anne Wien's </span></span> </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v13n2/wien.html" target="_blank">Learning to Document in Reggio-inspired Education</a>". In the article the author refers to </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"a progression in teacher understanding of pedagogical documentation" which is outlined as "</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">five typical aspects of the progression toward sophisticated pedagogical documentation". Upon first reading some years ago as part of the Kindergarten AQ class I was taking, I felt myself solidly at the beginning phase of the journey as outlined by C.A. Wien. A few years later, the next time I read the article, I felt myself beginning to get a better handle on interpreting the messages I was seeing, and improving in how to share our stories as well. Somehow though, the reverse was also true: as I learned more and saw more examples of documentation as shared by educators in Ontario and all around the world, I became more doubtful that I was on track. I felt intimidated by beautiful or simple presentations of ideas that so succinctly told a story. I wondered what I may have missed, what I privileged with my choices, and if I was having too strong a voice (thus not raising that of the students). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In many online chats I discussed ideas around this term both with the "ReggioPLC"
and on my own, <i>but really didn't think what I was doing</i> was the
transformational work I saw in articles highlighting excellence in
practice in Reggio Emilia. I saw inspiration around me, such as the
simple and utterly <a href="https://twitter.com/LadaD2/status/469966939562192896" target="_blank">poetic visual storytelling</a> my team partner Lada
created with her students a year ago when our classes at Thornwood PS reared butterflies. I
believed I was making real connections with students through the
process, but still wondered if I was really "doing it right". </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus
my year of purposefully studying documentation began, as I finished my last year of 1/2 day teaching and thought about all the changes ahead. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> This
last year of teaching has been rich with new learning for me. I began teaching Kindergarten in 2004, yet it seemed like a steep learning curve ten years later, as we learned to navigate through so many new daily transitions. Pooneh and I watched and listened to students carefully. We saw when our students were comfortable with more time and space together, and when we needed to reel various groups back in and reflect on the social struggles we were noticing. We tweaked our meeting times, and early in the year tried splitting the class into two groups with simultaneous meetings in opposite ends of the room. We allowed for plenty of choice, and also noticed when individual students needed support in making choices. We learned along with our students how to be so many learners in a classroom. I don't think we ever had it working perfectly for every student and educator, but it certainly became a joyous learning community where many ideas came to fruition. It is a valuable thing to
look back and see how much growth and change took place. </span></span></span></div>
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particular focus of my learning has been on our shared teaching relationship. As we learned to work both together and yet separately (allowing ourselves to respond to different sparks in the room), we talked about what we were seeing and how to bring highlights from the exploratory play time back to the large group. We joined in play and looked for inquiries that could expand to include many if not all in the class (<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/02/ordinary-magic-ice-inquiry-part-1.html" target="_blank">these inquiries</a> didn't really begin to grow organically on their own until late fall/winter). </span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A post from a twitter friend about "<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/myoneword" target="_blank">my one word</a>" (a sort of New Year's Resolution for growth) prompted me to go back into a book I'd read and find a passage I remembered as particularly meaningful. I didn't think about it for more that a moment, but it wound up being an apt choice.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It doesn't surprise me that amidst so much change I would need a solid goal to anchor me. My stated goal was to work on relationships, something I shared with friends many times over the year in chats. I had entered the year with the intention to forge a partnership with my co-teacher, but it occurred to me that it was more than that, more than my relationships with students, too. In creating a community of learners who share inspiration and build upon each other's ideas, I saw the importance of relationships amongst students and with the materials in the classroom. It became evident to me that I was truly interested in examining the "<a href="https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/HowLearningHappens.pdf" target="_blank">environment as third teacher</a>" as outlined by educators from Reggio Emilia. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #378c35; font-style: oblique;">The Environment </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">The environment is the context in which learning takes place.
The environment was described by Loris Malaguzzi as “the
third teacher” and is valued for its power to organize, promote
relationships, and educate. It mirrors the ideas, values, attitudes,
and cultures of those who use the space.</span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 6.000000pt; vertical-align: 4.000000pt;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">As suggested by Karyn
Callaghan, “the environment </span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">is </span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">a teacher”.</span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 6.000000pt; vertical-align: 4.000000pt;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(13.700001%, 12.300000%, 12.600000%); font-family: 'JansonText'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">From the aesthetics
of the space, to the type of furnishings and materials available,<i><b> </b></i>to the organization of time, the environment communicates a
powerful message and contributes to shaping the actions that can
be taken within it.<b><i> <a href="https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/HowLearningHappens.pdf" target="_blank">How Does Learning Happen?</a> </i></b><i>Pg. 20</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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Seeing a relationship with the environment put me squarely in "<a href="https://www.smore.com/cjcen-hawkins-inspired-learning" target="_blank">Hawkins</a>" territory, and inspired me to go back through my readings and video clips to find more "<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hawkinsinspired" target="_blank">Hawkins-inspiration</a>". All my seemingly disparate inspirations (David and Frances Hawkins, Reggio Emilia pedagogy, the growing forest school movement) were coming together in a way that made sense. It wasn't a practice to be adopted in whole, there wasn't some "thing" I was supposed to do that would transform my teaching. It was all in the process - no different than how I knew students were learning.<br />
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"We who have been involved in the study of science and children have ourselves been changed in the process. In some ways not easy to express, we have been liberated. Those of us who knew children before science (are) now seeing the former, children, and ourselves as well in a new light: as inventors, as analysts, as synthesizers, as home lovers, as lover of the world of nature. Those of us who knew science first, and children after, have an altered and more child-like view of science, more humane, more playful, and even at its most elementary, full of the most unexpected delights". <br />
David Hawkins as quoted by Karen Worth </blockquote>
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What follow are some of the ideas that had an impact on me over the year, informing my view of what I was doing while practicing an emergent curriculum with my teaching partner. Often a quote so resonates I copy it verbatim (often from video clips, requiring multiple viewings to catch each word) and share with an image from our class that seems to speak to that idea, for me. Like the light exploration photo at the beginning of the post, the image of full-body participation in the mud play below reminds me of the importance of being fully present in learning: all senses engaged in following questions that arise. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning in a puddle: How deep is the puddle? How sticky is the mud in the middle, on the edge? If my boot gets stuck, can I get my foot back in without falling over? If I stomp, how high will the puddle splash? </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In "<a href="https://vimeo.com/36323323" target="_blank">Transforming Our Perspective</a>"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In "<a href="https://vimeo.com/36323323" target="_blank">Transforming Our Perspective</a>"</td></tr>
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And so I end here, not with any summary or final thought,
because this post was created as an introduction to a series of posts
exploring documentation through the eyes of people whose work has caught
my eye, inspired me, and pushed my thinking. Over the year I've reached
out a few times to those in my PLN whose documentation spoke clearly,
and I asked if they'd be willing to share their documentation and
stories here on my blog. A few of those I asked tentatively agreed, with
the proviso that it would be when they were ready. I was delighted. The
first of those posts will follow this, a guest post by a faraway
friend <a href="https://twitter.com/christieplays" target="_blank">Christie Angleton</a> whose <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristiePlays/status/611304751129563136" target="_blank">documentation panel</a> about "risky play" made my heart leap when I saw it. I welcome comments about documentation that inspires you, the reader, as Christie's inspired me. I welcome feedback and ideas, as well, if you're moved to share and would like to be a guest in this series too. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I found this quote as I was proofreading, and found it prophetic. A practice of how we observe. </span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
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"documentation is not just what we collect, it's the practice of how we observe." Daniel Wilson <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pzc2015?src=hash">#pzc2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reggioplc?src=hash">#reggioplc</a></div>
— Mary Anne Sacco (@maryannesacco) <a href="https://twitter.com/maryannesacco/status/623500443105271808">July 21, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-57752545400818922572015-07-16T07:45:00.000-07:002016-07-28T13:48:13.981-07:00walking in place: footsteps in the forest <blockquote class="tr_bq">
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An ecological identity is driven by a sense of wonder, the sheer delight
in being alive in a mysterious, beautiful world. David Orr, <i>Ecological Literacy</i> </blockquote>
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A group of students crouch to inspect the large family of mushrooms that emerged since our last walk to the big stump, only days before. This tree has been a stump for years now, but the children know it as a living thing, where plant and insect life is always found tucked in around its edges.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son's friend holds a very patient toad that we found in a dry creek bed section of nearby Etobicoke Creek.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter and I splash our feet in the water beneath the waterfall on the creek, upstream from where we found the toad. A week later, after heavy rains, we can't access this spot due to the high, rushing water. Our relationship with the creek means we come to expect the changes, and also anticipate what creatures we might see: a glossy mink, a stalky night-heron, dabbling ducks. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> There are many ways to go to explore the beautiful Kortright Centre grounds, but it is this path that slopes steeply into the treed valley that always calls me first. Inviting in every season.<br />
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On May 23rd I attended <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/walking_and_learning_in_place" target="_blank">an event</a>, a day so touching and magical it seems wrong to call it by its proper title, "conference". This was a gathering of educators inspired by forest school teaching, outdoor education, Reggio-inspired pedagogy, and by the incredible author, Ann Pelo. It was in the middle of a very busy week, chalk-filled with exciting events that took me far and wide around Southern Ontario. There'd been a small dinner gathering of friends of the <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/" target="_blank">York Region Nature Collaborative</a> (YRNC) on the evening before the conference, <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/06/a-time-to-learn-names.html" target="_blank">a fantastic trip</a> with my teacher partner to visit the "<a href="http://artistsatthecentre.ca/">Artists at the Centre</a>" exhibit, and a delightful gathering of educators at Sunflower School's "<a href="https://storify.com/kidsconnect/a-gift-of-play-at-sunflower-school?utm_content=storify-pingback&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter&utm_campaign=&awesm=sfy.co_h0fK7" target="_blank">Mystery of Materials</a>" conference in Orangeville on the following weekend. As such it only remained a fond memory, a collection of images, tweets and videos shared once home (where the wifi is), until I was finally able to review the penciled notes I'd take that evening. My few notes brought back the sights and smells even stronger than the photos had - it was a full-bodied sensory experience of wonder, connection, and joy. Those notes begin the story as it unfolds, below.<br />
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Today was a timeless sort of day. It arrived after much anticipation, as I'd long been looking forward to this opportunity to hear Ann Pelo speak again. Last year I'd been so moved by her keynote address at the <a href="https://storify.com/KinderFynes/nurturing-ecological-identity-in-young-children?utm_content=storify-pingback&utm_campaign=&utm_source=t.co&awesm=sfy.co_rQNs&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter" target="_blank">#BECS2014 "Unhurried Conference"</a> at Charles Sturt University where she showed slides and read snippets of her beautiful book "<a href="https://www.childcareexchange.com/catalog/product/Goodness-of-Rain/4000568/" target="_blank">The Goodness of Rain</a>". Her book sold out that day, and as I was unable to obtain a copy, I decided to wait until her next visit so that I could purchase and have the book signed. Wanting to connect with her words, recently I delved back into her earlier book "The Language of Art" which is one of those transformational reads that seems to get deeper and more meaningful with every reading. I felt so connected to her message at last year's conference: teach with open heart, open ears, and open mind. Then to re-read the description of the atelier, a place to be mindful of every action and every material, to celebrate beauty and expression, it was almost too much to bear waiting.<br />
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As I arrived this morning, I drove up the long winding driveway to the Kortright Centre with the windows rolled down in spite of the chill in the air. I wanted to smell the air, feel the moisture, and hear the sounds in the hills around me. <a href="http://www.kortright.org/" target="_blank">The Kortright Cente</a> is a special place for me, a place I've been going for many years though it's not close to home, a place I love even more these last 14 years that I've had kids to share it with. Last year's event, “<a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/a_family_adventure_walk_in_the_forest" target="_blank">A Family Adventure Walk in the Forest</a>” in October 2014, also hosted by the YRNC (which I am proud to support in any way I can) was one of the most magical days I've ever spent with children, and that's taking into account my baker's dozen years of teaching Kindergarten. I had the privilege of hosting one of the stations that day, a place to celebrate my passion for "looking closely". Mine was the pile of dirt with sticks for digging... wisely assigned because truth be told if I had been given another centre I'd had dropped what I was doing every time an interesting bird or insect came into my awareness. Allowing me to spend the afternoon looking closely around our little "mountain" of dirt was a gift. Being a supporting member of the YRNC (long distance and thus only when possible) has been a professional highlight, helping to further my own teaching practice as I collaborate with inspirational educators and ecological stewards.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jgobD4L-CE/VZM-hE1nIeI/AAAAAAAABqw/vqYQdMuKWPs/s1600/blogger-image--1982030709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jgobD4L-CE/VZM-hE1nIeI/AAAAAAAABqw/vqYQdMuKWPs/s1600/blogger-image--1982030709.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kortright splendour during the first "Family Adventure Walk in the Forest".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A moment that brought me to tears: my daughter spent much of the afternoon with a group of friends including some she'd met at the last YRNC family gathering, the "Forest School Taster" held in the summer at Lake St. George. When the group found this beautiful tree frog, they carefully captured it, created a safe transport (a leaf-lined paper bag), and ran through the woods and up the hill to my "look closely" station. Though the park was full of hundreds of people who were there for "Family Adventures", the girls decided that I was the one that would most appreciate their find. It made me very happy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the delightful creatures and people who appeared at my station during the "Family Adventure Walk". I was intrigued by the responses to this station: some adults stood back while the children climbed the hill and dug into the soft dirt, while other adults joined in with great relish, holding up worms or centipedes to the delight or fright of their children. Initial squeamishness at seeing the contents of our "mini-museum" (pictured above in the bottle sections on lids) usually gave way to fascination and even exploration.<br />
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As I got out of the car this morning for the conference, I was immediately drawn off the path and into the woods by the familiar spring sound of a bird I like to call "the monotonous robin". It returns every year and somehow every year I remember the song (like a faster, endlessly repeating robin song) but I forget the singer. I ran into the woods in pursuit of the song, hoping to catch a glimpse and thus identify the singer. No luck, it was evasive as always, but I found myself through the trees onto the great lawn, walking in warm sunshine up to the crowd gathering at the entrance. I saw so many familiar faces, both friends I've made in recent years and those faces I knew only from our twitter PLN. I likened it to being a bride: all the beloved people in one place but really wanting to dote on the groom. It was almost too much for me, as I wanted to chat with everyone but I was also in a special place that demands my full attention... a forest vibrating with life in every corner. I needed to be quiet, to listen, to slow down to be in forest time.<br />
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My nature self won over my social self before I became exhausted. I tuned my senses to the life everywhere around me.<br />
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Before the keynote I was able to ask Ann to sign my beloved copy of "the Language of Art". I thought it proper to offer a gift in exchange, and as I'd connected deeply with her idea of the belonging to a place, a <i>pedagogy of place</i>, since her keynote last year, I gave her the best gift I could think of: a small jar of beach glass and a fossil-filled stone from the shore of Lake Ontario. I find these treasures the nearby beaches along the western edge of Etobicoke, the shore where time seems to lose its grip on me. To my relief and delight, she was as curious about these objects as I am. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the story of my beach while Ann signs my book. Photo by <a href="https://twitter.com/IcsStef" target="_blank">Stef</a>.<br />
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The full name for today's event was "<a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/walking_in_place" target="_blank">Walking in Place: Cultivating Ecological Identity in Young Children - And in Ourselves</a>". The title long but reflective of the connected elements at play: by sharing a point of view, a mindful awareness of our surroundings, together with children we develop a relationship with the natural world. Ann began her keynote by describing how she was "energized and curious" by the invitation to share her story in such a unique way, "walking in place" with the conference participants. She shared observations, personal stories, and quotes. In fact, the quotes used in this post are from Ann's handout, kindly shared with participants so we might enjoy her presentation in the moment without the need to scribe.<br />
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Once the keynote began, I took some notes but was grateful that Ann had thought to include her most touching quotes in a handout so that we the audience could simply be present without needing to capture words as they flowed by. I did, nonetheless, jot down ideas and my impressions as they came to me. Ann set the tone by having us join her in reciting a traditional Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address (adapted by Karen Kerney). Greeting each other, the earth, all beings alive, all materials that sustain life (water, sun, air we breathe) we came together to see ourselves as part of an enormous, organic whole. From there she began with the first step of our journey, figuratively - she asked us to consider the origins of the word "foot" which connect to planting - planting one's foot in place. The quote below struck me as true, as both obvious and deeply meaningful. At that moment I realized why I had fallen in love with my neighbourhood, and why I'm torn by the idea of leaving it just because our family has outgrown our home. <br />
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We do this walk several times a week. It's a way for us to load
ourselves up with the feel of the landscape. The only difference between
a place to live and holy land is the number of footsteps you've put
into the ground. Marc Parent, <i>Believing it All</i> </blockquote>
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When Ann Pelo suggested we make <a href="https://twitter.com/KortrightCentre">@KortrightCentre</a> a holy place, I thought... It is already. <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/602242097027031040">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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As she continued, Ann made reference to some of the stories in her latest book, The Goodness of Rain, which is an intimate story of her year with Dylan. Dylan was a toddler, speaking few words when they first began to spend each day together. I remember being mesmerized with these stories when I'd seen Ann at Charles Sturt University last year, and was eager to hear more about that magical time they'd spend walking. As Dylan grew and developed words for what was around her, Ann captured the story of their daily walks and noticings. A particularly poignant image is that of Dylan and the apples - fruit of the tree they visit daily and thus become to know in its every state, from abundant to bare. I didn't capture her exact words, but loved her description of Dylan's joy at smelling, plucking, and eventually eating the apples. Ann alluded to the biblical tale of how apples came to be a symbol for the downfall of humanity, how we were banished from paradise after one taste. She described Dylan's astonishment and delight at finding this gift (paraphrase): "not a fall from grace, but a fall into grace... knowledge of connection to earth, to our growing... attuned to call of wild earth, we know the earth, taste it, feel it." She quoted David Orr, alluding to all that naturally grows out of being happily astonished by nature.</div>
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<div>
An ecological identity is driven by a sense of wonder, the sheer delight
in being alive in a mysterious, beautiful world.</div>
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An ecological identity encompasses these qualities of knowing and living in a place:<br />
<ul>
<li>learning how to read a landscape;</li>
<li>coming to know a place and its local ecology;</li>
<li>strengthening and being strengthened by a feeling of kinship with the living world;</li>
<li>developing an aesthetic appreciation influenced by the patterns, textures, colors, lines, forms of the natural world. David Orr, <i>Ecological Literacy</i> </li>
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Ann spoke of the importance of our role as teachers, what it means for us and what we are trying to do (paraphrase from keynote): "We teach children the languages of art, writing, reading, maths - we
actively cultivate knowledge. (We) also need to cultivate ecological identity
- sense of self belonging in place." She went on: "Our culture celebrates knowledge, not experience, of ecology, of nature. (It is a) commodification, an intellectualization of nature, of knowing versus being. For the urban teachers, nature isn't a forest, but spiders in the playground, puddles in the parking lot, ants in the crack of a sidewalk."<br />
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She proposed principles for pedagogy of place, those outlined in her book but offered not as commandments, instead as an invitation for beginning our own personal journeys. Ann urged us to develop "a pedagogy of play... present, in unfolding time".<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/km50robinson">@km50robinson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KimClark23">@KimClark23</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature">@YRnature</a> Ann's Principles: return visits/pay attention/new perspectives/silence/learn vs teach names</div>
— Sibbald Point OEC (@SibbaldPointOEC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SibbaldPointOEC/status/602316923813105664">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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It was a powerful moment, one which caused a number of us in the room to choke back tears (or brush at those that escaped our eyes). Looking at the tweets later I found examples of this.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> We must cultivate an ecological identity driven by wonder. Ann Pelo <a href="http://t.co/JMbKUm5cVD">pic.twitter.com/JMbKUm5cVD</a></div>
— Diana Fedora Tucci (@tinderforest) <a href="https://twitter.com/tinderforest/status/602745881205563392">May 25, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a>
Ann Pelo: experience holds the seeds of love. That's why experience
matters. It hold us accountable and we can love with hearts.</div>
— Christy Johnston (@ChristyGarrity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristyGarrity/status/602177988877164544">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Waiting for it to soak in. words right now can't express how thankful I am to have listened to Ann Pelo and found this community <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a></div>
— Margarita Hernandez (@smari1120) <a href="https://twitter.com/smari1120/status/602279276117946368">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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AP: To love is to protect. Let children experience the joy. See the extraordinary in the ordinary. <a href="http://t.co/Hvz0Q8vkLP">pic.twitter.com/Hvz0Q8vkLP</a></div>
— Sibbald Point OEC (@SibbaldPointOEC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SibbaldPointOEC/status/602321605830770689">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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One principle that I found deeply meaningful was that of "learning the names" of the flora and fauna all around us. In my last post, "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/06/a-time-to-learn-names.html" target="_blank">a time to learn the names</a>", I related it to my own experience growing up with a strong ecological identity, though I didn't have a word for it, or recognize it as I grew up. It was simply something that separated me from most of my peers, and as such something I kept quiet about when I was young. No-one (outside of family) seemed to want to hear that the peeper frogs had begun singing that week, or that the milkweed seeds were still green, just right for eating (before turning brown and sprouting white fluff), or that the young puffball mushrooms were delicious sauteed in butter, or that the bird they thought was an owl singing in daylight was actually a dove - a lovely bird <i>and</i> my middle name. <br />
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Giving a name to something is a way of
knowing it... People are unlikely to value what they cannot name. Elaine
Brooks, in Richard Louv, <i>Last Child in the Woods</i></blockquote>
Ann spoke about the people who "learn the names" because they fall
in love with some aspect of the whole living, breathing ecosystem
(birds, mushrooms, flowers, insects). She said, "I bought my first
field guide and poured over it like a love letter". I identified
strongly with those words. While listening to the keynote, I jotted down a note about my favourite non-translatable word, "komorebi". I wanted to share it with Ann after the keynote, though I missed the opportunity to do so. It is a word that I needed as a child, when I first fell in love with the Arctic as seen in images (<i>National Geographic</i>, at the McMicheal Gallery) and later on television (<i>The Nature of Things</i>). One day I imagined visiting the "land of the midnight sun" and talking those who lived there. I wondered what it would be like to grow up without trees. It actually pained me to think about it, life without trees: no dappled shade on a sunny day, no dazzling red fall, no sounds of leaves in a stiff breeze, no smells of pine after a rain, no boughs to climb in and hide. I wondered how on earth I could portray all this beauty and wonder with words. When, as an adult, I learned this wonderful word, it fit like a well-worn shoe. <br />
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Japanese: <i>Komorebi</i> This is the word the Japanese have for when sunlight filters through the trees - the interplay between the light and the leaves.<i> </i><a href="http://blog.maptia.com/posts/untranslatable-words-from-other-cultures" target="_blank">Def. EF Sanders</a></blockquote>
Ann spoke of names, of the importance of knowing the names, not in a studious way in which we check off boxes and call it "done", but to discover new things and acknowledge them. She quoted Robert MacFarlane as a powerful call to action:<br />
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It’s a lexicon we need to cherish in an age when a junior dictionary finds room for ‘broadband’ but has no place for ‘bluebell’.</blockquote>
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A place literacy is leaving us. A language in common, a language of the commons, is declining. The terrain beyond the city fringe is chiefly understood in terms of large generic units ("field," "hill," "valley," "wood").</blockquote>
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Why should this loss matter? It matters because language deficit leads to attention deficit. As we deplete our ability to denote and figure particular aspects of our places, so our competence for understanding and imagining possible relationships with non-human nature is correspondingly depleted. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/27/robert-macfarlane-word-hoard-rewilding-landscape" target="_blank">Robert MacFarlane, "the word-hoard"</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> Learn The Names: expression of relationship= connection of imagined intimate relationships. <a href="http://t.co/Ehu99ErdV7">pic.twitter.com/Ehu99ErdV7</a></div>
— Christy Johnston (@ChristyGarrity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristyGarrity/status/602123939691630592">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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A place literacy is leaving us. We must keep the language of nature for our children <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> <a href="http://t.co/0fqiJFUMpq">pic.twitter.com/0fqiJFUMpq</a></div>
— York Region Nature (@YRnature) <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature/status/602122519601119235">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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"What is the extinction of the condor to a child who has never known a wren?" Robert Michael Pyle <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a></div>
— Heather Ryan (@HeatherRyanTDSB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeatherRyanTDSB/status/602175345739960320">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
There was more to the story, not simply the loss of names but the loss of life - that knowing the inhabitants of our precious world would make an enormous difference in how humans treat the flora and fauna of the earth. Ann spoke of the pang of knowing the world and also knowing about the terrible impact of our human actions upon it.<br />
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Attention: the remarkable focused convergence of our senses, our intellect, and our feeling. </blockquote>
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Paying attention to the more-than-human world doesn't only lead to
amazement; it leads also to acknowledgement of pain. Open and attentive,
we see and feel equally the beauty and the wounds, the old growth and
the clear-cut, the mountain and the mine. Paying attention to suffering
sharpens our ability to respond. To be responsible. Robin Kimmerer,
"Returning the Gift" <i>Minding Nature</i>, May 2014 </blockquote>
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Ann invited us to "explore new perspectives. Name help us know but also grieve the losses. Marvel and despair". With that we were ushered out into the gloriously sunny day to enjoy time in the woods before lunch. Heads full, hearts open, we scattered into the outdoors.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the keynote we were free to wander the sun-dappled paths and flowery meadows to visit the wonderful invitations set up all around the site. Our wandering was motivated by our own fascination with the spring flora and fauna all around us, and as such we didn't get to even half of the green-signed stations. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My joyful and curious companions for the day: (me), Karen, Tanya and Kim. The company of like-minded friends sharing a walk in the magnificent rolling hills and shady forests of the Kortright Centre made this an unforgettable event.</td></tr>
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Hard 2 find a more beautiful place to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lookclosely?src=hash">#lookclosely</a> than the <a href="https://twitter.com/KortrightCentre">@KortrightCentre</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/walkinginplace?src=hash">#walkinginplace</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/phenology?src=hash">#phenology</a> <a href="http://t.co/PPvTMPc8mr">pic.twitter.com/PPvTMPc8mr</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/602420514158616576">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0rtVV2hjH0o/VWGdcN947gI/AAAAAAAABmk/EXbxLWCD4eQ/s1600/blogger-image-1994714620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0rtVV2hjH0o/VWGdcN947gI/AAAAAAAABmk/EXbxLWCD4eQ/s1600/blogger-image-1994714620.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beauty of the foliage and the delicate flowers blooming around the forest floor gave us all a sense of overwhelming beauty. It was as exciting to make new discoveries (such as this specimin above) as it was to uncover "old friends" underfoot such as herb robert, trilliums, and blood root. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vwiRBFJlJyE/VWkLZgaG9ZI/AAAAAAAABm4/l-PlMQaeTXw/s1600/blogger-image--2046857729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vwiRBFJlJyE/VWkLZgaG9ZI/AAAAAAAABm4/l-PlMQaeTXw/s1600/blogger-image--2046857729.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underfoot and overhead were many reasons to go slowly and look closely: blooming jack-in-the-pulpit lily, a swallowtail butterfly landing above us amid maple leaves, a tent caterpillar along the path, delicate flowers on as-yet unknown plants. We were hungry to learn the names.</td></tr>
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As we walked down the long, steep incline into the forest, our senses grew attuned to the life all around us. Though there were inviting activities set up for us to enjoy, we found our own rhythm following butterflies, stopping to admire caterpillars, listening to songs in the trees. Partway down to the valley floor I was stopped in my tracks by a familiar (but long unheard) sound: an ethereal, reedy song like a wooden flute. I halted our group and opened up my trustworthy iBird app, hunting the right bird. I tried veery, but no. The other forest-dwelling thrush with such a haunting voice, then: a hermit thrush. My companions were amused, and then amazed, when the song in the iPod was identical to that we were hearing overhead. I'm cautious about using the app in this way, knowing it's possible to upset nesting pairs or simply annoy the very creatures I wish to observe. Once identified, we walked on, meandering from one side of the path to the other as some new sighting caught the eye of one of us. May in southern Ontario is a spectacular time for a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/phenology" target="_blank">phenology</a> fan; everywhere leaves are fully grown on most deciduous trees, meadow and shade flowers everywhere are in bloom, frogs and birds are singing their mating songs. No words can capture the smell of the woods at this time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green in so many lovely shades. Mid-spring is a time of rapid change in nature. At the campfire station, we marveled at the textures, patterns, and variety of sizes amongst the leaves on the forest floor. At the top, bloodroot and trilliums. In the bottom-middle panels, the wondrous mayapple in bloom.<br />
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Down in the valley where the campfire was burning (and where every year my family goes to enjoy the maple syrup demonstration), we paused to rest a while. I spotted a flycatcher of some sort. Excited, I ran to get a better look. I couldn't get close enough, but underfoot was an amazing variety of plants that one can only see in mature, deciduous forest. I recognized some but many more were unknown to me. I thought of Ann's comment, falling in love with a field guide that gives her names, a literacy or a language with which to speak in the natural world. Nearby at the campfire was a fellow YRNC member and Kortright's Program Manager, Adrian O'Driscoll. I knew him to be a keen observer of the nature, so I invited him to help us identify some of the mystery foliage we were seeing. He pointed out several, but the one that I remember most vividly was the utterly enchanting "mayapple" (above). This intriguing plant had an umbrella-like circle of leaves nodding atop a long stem. From above, it was interesting, but from below, it was captivating: a single white flower presented like a face, peering out at us. We all knelt down for a better look. Then I remembered the song that had me mystified. I described to Adrian the "monotonous robin" that we had been hearing. "A vireo, perhaps?" Just like that - without hearing the bird, merely from a description, he solved my mystery. I shall never again forget the name of the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/id" target="_blank">red-eyed vireo</a>, the singer that often makes himself heard but rarely seen. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This plant
captivated us when we were out on our walk. Kim had shown me a picture
of it earlier on, asking if I recognized it. I didn't, but spotted it on
our walk. Such a delicate and complicated flower head, unbeknownst to
us, ready to bloom. It was a new find, and we had to uncover its story.</td></tr>
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As the stations closed and the call went out to go for lunch, we made our way back up the hill. Out in the meadow I was stopped again, this time by a bird I knew well and could call into view. I whistled a response to the singer, and sure enough, the brilliant orange oriole appeared from within a leafy hiding spot (click here for snippets: <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/602206788302286848" target="_blank">mayapple, leaves in the breeze, the song of the oriole</a>). We felt so much in forest time, so connected. <br />
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After lunch we re-convened for Ann's summation. It was a different mood in the room, now, a place buzzing with conversations about the morning amongst friends. It was uplifting, even before she spoke. She invited us to bring the feeling we had to our daily lives, to step out with awareness and kinship with life.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> Ann's final words: always step forward, life is in motion, beauty of renewal again and again. Amazing Day!! <a href="http://t.co/CpuMItbzYc">pic.twitter.com/CpuMItbzYc</a></div>
— Christy Johnston (@ChristyGarrity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristyGarrity/status/602181134399602688">May 23, 2015</a> </blockquote>
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It wasn't easy to leave. Many participants dawdled on their way out to the parking lot, and more still walked right back out to the paths. My companions and I took our time, stopping to <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/602209880871739392" target="_blank">chat with some chickadees</a> and enjoy our final moments in the forest. We talked about our own teaching and learning in nature, and what we hoped to do from this day forward. We thought about how we could share this feeling. Leaving Kortright was hard that day. I was still feeling very much attuned to my outdoor surroundings when I arrived home, so I took my daughter to a nearby for an evening walk along the shore. As she ran over rocked and danced along the edge of the waves, I felt hopeful that she would grow up knowing the landscape as her natural place. <br />
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The next day, stories and images from the conference continued to be shared on twitter. I had worried, during our play amongst the trees, that my companions might regret having missed all the stations set up around the centre. As I saw the beautiful pictures later on twitter, I experienced a twinge of regret that we hadn't made it to the mandala station, for example. <br />
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Reflecting on an awe inspiring day in nature. My heart is full! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReggioPLC?src=hash">#ReggioPLC</a> <a href="http://t.co/yAQnVt51XC">pic.twitter.com/yAQnVt51XC</a></div>
— CV_Kinders (@Bolton_Luba) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bolton_Luba/status/602272163375222784">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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The responses from friends changed my mind. The way it came together so perfectly for us, traveling together through that sacred space, made it magical. I am grateful to my companions on that day. <br />
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Beautiful day learning about bird songs thanks 2 a very dear/inspiring friend. She truly walks in place <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="http://t.co/oxyShuPLHJ">pic.twitter.com/oxyShuPLHJ</a></div>
— Kim Clark (@KimClark23) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimClark23/status/602288278981709824">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Here's one of the beautiful plants found at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SibbaldPointOEC">@SibbaldPointOEC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/km50robinson">@km50robinson</a> <a href="http://t.co/XALCBqe0Fq">http://t.co/XALCBqe0Fq</a></div>
— Kim Clark (@KimClark23) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimClark23/status/602452772869529600">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Got iBird app today thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> ... She enriched an already incredible day <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InspireLearningOutside?src=hash">#InspireLearningOutside</a></div>
— Karen Robinson (@km50robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/km50robinson/status/602356437180878848">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
Ripples were carried outward as our sheer delight left traces throughout our PLN. Many messages such as the one below made me hopeful for continuing the conversation. <br />
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Just ordered Ann Pelo the Goodness of Rain. Thank you all for sharing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/inspiration?src=hash">#inspiration</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DianeKashin1">@DianeKashin1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature">@YRnature</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a> so excited</div>
— Barnert fantastics (@Btfantastics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Btfantastics/status/602238395444695040">May 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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So much gratitude for a day of professional learning spent in a magical place Kortright Centre for Conservation <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIP2015?src=hash">#WIP2015</a></div>
— York Region Nature (@YRnature) <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnature/status/602442037657346048">May 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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"I bought my first field guide
and poured over it like a love letter". I remembered those words the
<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/06/a-time-to-learn-names.html" target="_blank">next day as I began to read her book</a>, and found myself fighting back
tears. Her year with Dylan was told as a story full of emotion, raw and tender and utterly reverent. I thought about it throughout the day. I thought of how the children in my class responded to scenes of injustice to their environment: litter found in the beloved "no-mow zone", plastic bags and fabric strewn along the creek's banks, park furniture broken or defaced with graffiti, trees with branches snapped in half and left dangling. I knew that they were becoming aware of the many lives with which we share the school grounds. I thought perhaps the best message I could take with me from the conference, Ann's book, and all of the wonderful experiences with children outdoors was this:<br />
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We do this walk several times a week. It's a way for us to load
ourselves up with the feel of the landscape. The only difference between
a place to live and holy land is the number of footsteps you've put
into the ground. Marc Parent, <i>Believing it All</i></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A spring walk: we're peering into the gently moving water of Cooksville Creek.</td></tr>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-11780064335362615762015-06-28T18:49:00.000-07:002016-07-28T13:46:14.211-07:00a time to learn the names<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One Sunday last month, I hopped a train to visit my teaching partner, Pooneh, for a trip to the annual <a href="http://artistsatthecentre.ca/catalogue.html" target="_blank">"Making Learning Visible" Exhibit</a> by the <a href="http://artistsatthecentre.ca/" target="_blank">Artists at the Centre</a>. I was excited to finally make the trek to Hamilton to see this work, inspired by the glimpses shared at the <a href="http://sfy.co/q0HcR" target="_blank">"Documentation as Relationship: #BECS2015 </a>Conference at Charles Sturt University back in March. I was also still full of images and ideas from the day before, Saturday May 23rd (the post about that day, a conference featuring Ann Pelo, will be written next). I had a wonderful time with Pooneh, first at the powerful little exhibit where visiting families and educators alike were warmly greeted by <a href="http://artistsatthecentre.ca/articles.html" target="_blank">Karyn Callaghan</a>. Karyn had just returned that weekend from traveling with a group of educators on a tour of Reggio Emilia. Evidence of Reggio-inspiration was all around: beautiful invitations for the visiting children to create works of art, photos of children deeply engaged in projects, stories beautifully told by their teacher-collaborators, and most fascinating to me, a group of educators who were sitting together looking at a video and discussing the content. The video depicted a small group of toddlers or preschoolers playing with paper. They weren't sitting at a table drawing or using scissors, but instead engaged in full-body exploration of large sheets of paper. It was boisterous and joyful and messy. I was immediately drawn in (and thus also a bit embarrassed because I knew I shouldn't intrude on their sharing) by the way the teachers were critically discussing the materials, the student relationships, the way it might look to a visiting parent or other adult. Here was an example of what I'd heard and read about in Reggio Emilia preschools: teachers engaged in research, decomposing experiences together. It was entirely energizing to be there with my teaching partner, with whom I've begun a journey of co-teaching and co-learning about sharing pedagogical documentation. I have no photos of the exhibit because this was documentation of children's words and work, including names and identifying features. I have only the photos of the building facade and memories of mesmerizing photos and stories, but one can see some of the artifacts on the <a href="http://artistsatthecentre.ca/catalogue.html" target="_blank">exhibit catalogue page</a>.<br />
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We spend a good long time poring over the photos and artifacts at the exhibit, and then headed out to Pooneh's back yard for a cup of tea and some time relaxing in the shade. As we chatted and watched wildlife scamper and fly all about on the sunny afternoon, the wave of thoughts I'd had on the train trip out that morning were long gone.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little green inchworm dropped on the table as we sat. Naturally we had to<br />
look closely, and take pictures to share with the kids back in school.</td></tr>
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It wasn't until much later, when I reopened the notepad I carry with me, that I rediscovered my notes from that trip. I'd been thinking about the conference I attended the day before, and had finally the time to open the pages of Ann Pelo's latest book, "The Goodness of Rain". I was only a few pages in when the emotion of it hit me and I had to put the book down. It may have been in the book or a memory of her keynote talk from the day before, but I connected deeply with the idea of "learning all the names" of the living world around us. It was a gift from my mother that I only in adulthood saw as a gift. I dug out my notebook and a pen and I started to write. What follows is that stream of consciousness connecting of present and past and familiar and new, seeing patterns and making sense of why I'd been so inspired by outdoor educators and environmental focussed learning. I was having a realignment, a cognitive reassignment of ideas to wider areas, to charge deeper meanings, or shining light on ideas that were hiding in shadow. It was a moment of enlightenment, about my life, and my life-work.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann Pelo's intimate and reverent story of learning to love one's living place.</td></tr>
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Here's what I wrote, as close as I can capture it (some corrections necessary for grammar or repetition removed):<br />
<br />
Why outdoors? How is this conference and this trajectory of mine a part of a "kindergarten life"?<br />
We as teachers learn a lot about teaching at our Bachelor of Education courses: literacy, numeracy, special rights or needs, organising a classroom, "classroom management" ideas, theories of education, and more. But there is little danger of this knowledge being lost. We are a literate culture, whether on a device or paper in a book, we are voracious consumers of sign and symbol. We make and consume text daily. We treat schools as places to sit and listen, look and hear, focusing on language as transmission of knowledge.<br />
<br />
Indeed, language is powerful to carry ideas and transmit to others. But language doesn't replace experience. We cannot know a child because we know their name, its only a beginning. Our senses are highly attuned to taking in information from all sides and all sources we can identify. Those of us who are thin-skinned, sensitive, distractible and yet highly-focused (sound like ADHD? I'm beginning to hate the label even though I have begun strongly to identify with it as a viable explanation of my social difficulties as a child). We have skin and nerves all over, not just in our heads. Smell is information. Sound is information. Taste is information. Sights are information. A sense of balance, a feeling of chill in the breeze, warmth of the sun on skin, or of a rock warmed by sun but now in the shade... all telling us to be mindful and pay attention to the world all around us.<br />
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While it's been years since I've sat to meditate, I do try to retain a mindfulness/awareness practice in my day. Walking helps me retain my equilibrium, helps me remain very present. Riding my bike connects me to my local environment where I can see the growth and change in trees, the creek, the bird inhabitants of the forest, and feel the breeze on my skin. So, where does this fit, again, in "this kindergarten life"? My path as teacher is tied to that of my learning partners: my students over the years who've shown me the greatest growth during outdoor exploration or while reflecting indoors on outdoor memories; that of my own children, and to my new teaching partner Pooneh (who I can scarcely believe is new, as it seems we've been together for years) who also embraces outdoors as a place full of potential for our daily curriculum. An outdoor pedagogy... something I've been working towards for years now, with my involvement in the <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/" target="_blank">York Region Nature Collaborative</a> (YRNC) and relationships I cultivate with an outdoor learning PLN. First of these PLN relationships has to be with the incredible <a href="https://twitter.com/RangerRidley" target="_blank">Rob Ridley</a> whose <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnviroEd?src=hash" target="_blank">#EnviroEd</a> chats and weekly blog posts help educators in Peel and around the world to unpack our outdoor education backpack, and to think critically about how we can do more.<br />
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As I scrawl these words in a notepad, I stopped. A movement caught my eye outside the train window. A huge shape soared over - a great blue heron! It slowly crossed over the parking lot of Oakville Go Station and swooped down out of sight to the river beyond the trees. I gaped, then looked around me. No one noticed, not anyone on the ground, nor anyone on the train car I'm in. This habit of stopping everything to attend to nature unfolding before me: a smell on the breeze, a deer jumping across a the path far behind me (announced by the crashing of tree branches and snorting breaths), a bird soaring overhead or singing, unseen, in a tree nearby, a change in the wind... this habit has always made me seem "weird". As a child I learned to squelch my exuberance but not my attention; I didn't yell "chipmunk!" at school but I definitely felt the pull to follow it with my gaze, no matter what I was supposed to be doing. I felt like an oddball, one who didn't want to participate in the "normal" (boring) world of kids my age who could talk sports or tv, for example.<br />
As an adult I appreciate my mother's gifts: fresh grown greens from our garden, names for wildflowers, trees, insects, and always, <i>always</i> time for the birds. We would sit on the rooftop together, calling birds we could mimic like cardinals, mourning doves and robins. We always delighted in their response, especially when they'd fly closer to inspect where the sounds were coming from. She gave the world such meaning. She let us play in the rain, and in the mud. She let us wander out long after dark, knowing the mosquitoes would eventually chase us inside. Even now, a visit home is a visit to the land - I always take a walk, no matter the weather. <br />
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I came to grips with the idea that my parents are not with me forever, when my mom's cancer returned recently. In remission now and stronger, but not to be taken for granted... I cling to every visit and try to make sure my kids get time on the hills and paths, in the pond and the gardens. Here, the best tasting apples, there, the spot to catch fireflies. Here, where we skated on the pond, there, where we'd catch tadpoles.<br />
I model my teaching on my many heroes: those who see the capable child and help children see both the wonder in the woods and in themselves. But truly it is my mom who was my first teacher, she who gave me all the names.<br />
It was my mom who helped me forge my own ecological identity, and my inspiring colleagues who helped me see the value in sharing it with the very young. It wasn't something to be spurned (as it seemed when I was in school) but something to be nurtured, our place in the world.<br />
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Many years ago, a grade school teacher rather unkindly dubbed my best friend and I "Parrot" and "Wiggle Worm". Not yet double-digit in years, sitting quietly in a desk was beyond our reach - for her to sit in the desk was exhausting, so she'd climb over, crawl under, wobble sideways. Me? Never could keep a thought to myself, always the volcano mouth. Being shamed didn't help, for I couldn't stop myself. It did, however, make me feel embarrassed and unlikable.<br />
To this day I love words - they tumble out of me and make patterns as they fall, like raindrops forming a puddle. I adore hearing words, connecting to others in my mind, jumping at them like a cat swatting flies. I love the language of bird calls and waves lapping the shore and dry trees rattling in a stiff breeze. I think as a teacher I'm learning to gather words, not just scatter them, and to truly listen. But there's time for both... like Ann's proposed principles of ecological entity:<br />
a time to practice silence<br />
and<br />
a time to learn all the names.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom cradles a tiny toad we found in the cool shade in the garden.</td></tr>
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That was all I had written in my notepad. I realize that my story ended rather abruptly, perhaps when I stopped to look out at the beautiful view of Lake Ontario that one so often sees on the Lakeshore West Go Train line, or when I picked up Ann's book to read again. It isn't an ending, merely a pause in the story that unfolds with each new affirmation, realization or connection made. Ann Pelo's book gave me the words "ecological identity" to help me frame what is most meaningful to me, but the journey of learning how it matters to my teaching practice continues. It was at the first "Reggio-Inspired Summer Intensive Course" that I began to tell my personal stories more freely, about my disconnect with people (though I felt deeply connected with the group who became known as the ever-growing #ReggioPLC) and the solace I found in nature. I see <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/08/saving-traces-of-most-incredible-week.html" target="_blank">traces in my documentation </a>of that realization. Like during my last two summers, this August I will take part in another weeklong #ReggioPLC summer intensive course, <a href="http://www.yrnature.ca/rhythm_of_learning_in_nature" target="_blank">"The Rhythm of Learning in Nature"</a>, but this time it will be a wonderful meeting of Reggio-inspiration and ideas and practices from the Forest School movement. This summer I will also be in a different role, with my daughter along to share the joy of being in the forest. There will be time to learn the names... and time to listen.Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-88628486347258716032015-06-12T22:24:00.000-07:002016-07-28T13:44:59.743-07:00worth a thousand words<br />
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I have been slow to commit my thoughts to print these days. It's not
that I'm less reflective, if anything, I'm more so. I've several posts saved in draft form as they unfold slowly but resist fully opening, like an acorn needs a cold winter or a squirrel's help before it will release its seed to sprout. It's that from my first early posts when I managed to get out an idea in a few
paragraphs, I've developed a habit of exploring the
connections between my thoughts. One idea leads to a theme in my head or to a problem I've been pondering, and next thing I know I've lost 3
hours and I've written a chapter, not a page. It's that intriguing
image of <a href="http://www.reggiochildren.it/identita/loris-malaguzzi/?lang=en" target="_blank">Loris Malgauzzi</a>'s I relate to, that "<a href="http://salmonspeaks.ca/articles_its_your_choice.html" target="_blank">tangle of spaghetti</a>" which
represents learning so much better than a linear trajectory.<br />
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Happily
though there are also flashes, moments that help focus or reframe the stream of consciousness, like a beam of
light pierces through a cloudy sky. Those are the "aha" moments, ones in which mistakes are seen,
gaps in thinking revealed, or sparks created that may ignite a fire.
Tonight I saw one of those sparks in my Twitter stream, thanks to this
tweet from <a href="https://twitter.com/MrazKristine/status/609504855456120832" target="_blank">Kristine Mraz</a>:<br />
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Last yr I posted my yr of teaching with one image. This year it's this <a href="http://t.co/GdwzBoReIw">pic.twitter.com/GdwzBoReIw</a></div>
— Kristine Mraz (@MrazKristine) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrazKristine/status/609504855456120832">June 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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was immediately intrigued. I let Kristine know I wanted to share her idea,
and that it made me curious about how I might find such an image for
this year for me. How might I sum up a year of embracing
outdoor pedagogy and risky play; a year in which adopted we a puddle, spent hours
exploring the creek, expressed our creative and wondering selves
through ice experiments, and looked closely at the intimate
relationships between ourselves and our living environment? I thought of
photos of the students rolling down our favourite hill, laughing as
they bumped and wobbled down the grassy slope. I thought of one student
leaping over the painted alphabet road, seeming to catch air. I thought
of our fall exploration, altogether under the oak trees tossing handfuls of
leaves in the air and burying each other under leaf piles. I thought of
sledding and snow fort building days, seeing friendships blossom with
newfound collaboration in the snow. I thought of my teaching partner
<a href="https://twitter.com/hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh</a> seeming like the Pied Piper, leading a merry band of boot-wearing
kids out to the deepest mud puddle on the yard, including the picture she captured that became our latest<a href="https://twitter.com/109thornks" target="_blank"> class twitter banner picture</a>. Some of the pictures I wanted to use were lost in translation - blurring or cropping the expressions on faces removed the drama or joy contained (as promised to families, no identifying features such as faces or names are shared outside of the classroom).<br />
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In a matter of minutes, I scrolled through the year's photos looking for "the one" to share with Kristine. Thinking of how many others in our PLN might welcome the challenge, I asked if I might share her tweet. She agreed, and we came up with a hashtag for the project.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> sounds great! I like <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theonepic?src=hash">#theonepic</a> it's gonna be verycool!</div>
— Kristine Mraz (@MrazKristine) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrazKristine/status/609540154932490240">June 13, 2015</a></blockquote>
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These pictures (the ones I considered before finding <b>it</b>) below were all moments that were telling of themselves,
but also brought with them the force of the inquiries that unfolded
during or because of those moments. I could see the theories in action, and recall the words or sounds that went along with the images captured.<br />
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I found <i>the</i> photo, the one that grabs my eye and tells so many things about our class, about the girls in the picture and how they approach learning. Here is <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23theonepic&src=typd" target="_blank">#theonepic</a> for me:<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/MrazKristine">@MrazKristine</a> you've inspired me to go digging. There's about five, all outdoors... Here's one I love. <a href="http://t.co/myoLxFJaEo">pic.twitter.com/myoLxFJaEo</a></div>
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/609522676059762689">June 13, 2015</a></blockquote>
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In order to share the photo I had to blur the face, which sadly removed the most delightful expression of anticipation. Nonetheless I see this image and I can't help but smile at all I see: the joyful embrace of full-body experiential learning, the kinetic energy in the jump, the planning that went into the test (the girl with the umbrella had raced inside to retrieve it after discovering the displaced water could reach all the way up to her face), the excited anticipation of the other girl awaiting the impact, the theories at work, the pleasure of sharing. It was for me a "<a href="http://time.com/3590594/the-return-of-henri-cartier-bressons-decisive-moment/" target="_blank">the decisive moment</a>" as outlined by the photographer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson" target="_blank">Henri Cartier-Bresson</a>. Looking at how learning unfolds in our classroom, I see the winding river and many branching steams that have resulted from our following the curriculum that emerges from our collective and individual interests, knowledge, and discoveries. It isn't surprising to me that so many of the photos I picked, therefore, contain movement. We are an early years classroom full of wonder and observation. Discoveries are celebrated. Mistaken ideas are shared, talked over, wondered about. We relish the noisy, boisterous, silly, surprising, messy play that results in and from engaged learning. My partner and I do plan experiences and bring materials to share, but most importantly, what we do is seize the moment, and share it.<br />
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I see that my early preamble (at the top of the post) didn't mean I wouldn't, once I began writing, experience the customary unraveling of the "tangle of spaghetti". Indeed, the idea of searching though 1000's of images from the year to find one, THE one, to say "this was my year" - daunting and yet illuminating. I've been thinking deeply about documentation this year - as a partner now when I had only ever been sole teacher in a class, as a learner who's looked hard at pedagogical documentation in readings, at conferences, in <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23reggioplc" target="_blank">#reggioPLC</a> chats and during my own reflections at the end of a day. So I am indeed grateful to Kristine for this unexpected spark. Now I want to hear from you... What do you think? Do you have that "one pic" that you will always think of when you think about this year? Is it a magic moment, a painful time, a breakthrough, a whole-group or single student event? What beliefs do you see reflected in your photos when you go back to find "the one"? Please share, and use the hashtag "<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23theonepic&src=typd" target="_blank">#theonepic</a>".</div>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-49122606182504234562015-04-20T18:28:00.000-07:002016-07-28T13:43:20.137-07:00Artfully engaging play<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A visual metaphor for my impulse upon entering the beautiful play space set up at a ThinkinEd thinkshop.</td></tr>
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In March I was asked to participate in an incredible exhibit experience held by <a href="http://www.thinkined.com/" target="_blank">ThinkinEd</a>. This was no small honour for me, a fan of their work. Their loose parts playscapes are always a multi-sensory, deeply thought-provoking invitation to celebrate creativity. I am so inspired by all that they do with their professional play experiences that I attend as many as I can though they're usually located an hour or more away for me. ThinkinEd takes something I've been actively engaging in with my students for several years now (playing, creating, thinking through use of loose parts) to a level I rarely see anywhere: their invitations are somehow transcendent, sweeping up participants in a feeling of utter delight. The thought that goes into the materials is art itself, and the participants become artists, architects or magicians simply by engaging in the experience. Below are images from some of the different events I've been fortunate to attend. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June 2014: My daughter surveys a landscape she created with Aviva's daughter. The surprising reflection changed their play and their focus. At the joint Hawkins Exhibit & <a href="http://www.thinkined.com/edexproject.html" target="_blank">EdEx pop-up event </a>at Black Creek Pioneer Village.<br />
<a href="http://www.thinglink.com/scene/646533860804263936" target="_blank">Click here</a> for an interactive version of the photo, including audio.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August 2014: An invitation to play with the elements of design as used in Canada's most iconic and beloved artwork, that of the Group of Seven. At the incredible <a href="http://www.thinkined.com/blog/when-art-life-and-nature-collide" target="_blank">"Open House" pop-up event</a> at MacDonald Art House in Vaughn. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My response to the invitation above: I was joined by my friend's daughter as we looked carefully at the painted image for lines and colours to echo with the fabric swathes. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While we were recreating the fall scene with fabric, my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/playing_in_k" target="_blank">Helen</a> got up close to a pair of snails (one large, one very tiny) with her older daughter. The snails soon became a living loose part, joining in fairy stories outside in the large wooded lot at MacDonald house. Like in an emergent curriculum classroom, there may be many threads of inquiry going on at the same time. Being able to wander from room to room, to follow one's own interest, made the experience personally meaningful to all.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite room at the Open House event (and they were all inviting so this wasn't an easy choice). It wasn't simply the sense- and thought-provoking materials and set-up, but also the connection to the discovery made by our daughters at the EdEx event that made extending the play more meaningful. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A closer look at the description in the reflections room. This particular scene with the trees and water intrigued me when I found it. I could see the images from the painting wonderfully captured with the tiles and stones, but it seemed incomplete somehow, not related to the mirror against the wall. So I experimented by turning their creation a full 180 degrees in order to orient the reflection as I saw it in the painting. It took that change for me to realize that unlike the other paintings, the reflection in this image could not be captured in the same way, with the island above and below in the water. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Again, the play of reflection became a deeper exploration when something surprising happened. I realized my error, and laughed out loud.</span></div>
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To see why I so connected with these pop-up events, I looked back to posts I'd written a few years ago when I first thought to look closely at what was happening in my evolving program. I went from having "centres" or areas for certain materials to a more organic space where students and materials were freed up to move and combine as desired: </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I have been experimenting with loose parts as artistic expression for a few years, more on my own or with my children, but as I learned about Reggio-inspired classrooms and saw images of students creating installation-type artwork in primary classes, I began to see the possibilities for my Kindergarten class. Another way I like to think of it: I stopped putting out glue as a way to capture natural materials in artwork, and started playing with balance, pattern, movement and time. (from "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/05/balance-pattern-rhythm-and-awe.html" target="_blank">balance, pattern, rhythm and awe</a>")</span></span></span></blockquote>
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I learned from students who once rushed through drawings and gave scant details ("It's my house. That's the roof.") and who now were telling elaborate stories with characters and setting. There is something very powerful about paying attention to the choices students make in what, where, and how they decide to spend their time. This might be more a function of leaving behind "must-do" tasks and less about the materials in use, but what I was seeing was evidence of "the environment as third teacher". I was seeing students in a whole new light, getting to know them as I hadn't been able to with a teacher-lead lesson followed by "play" (which wasn't nearly as engaging because I didn't yet know how to extend it). Later that same month, two years ago, I described how it changed student behaviour overall:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Loose parts art invites collaboration and problem-solving. Sometimes it looks like several students working on their own little pieces in frames but sharing bowls of materials, chatting about their designs, offering each other new parts to add or asking for someone to pass them another item. Perhaps it is because I have been collecting so many materials to use, or perhaps it is the sheer pleasure gleaned from playing with beautiful, tactile materials, but I rarely see arguing over materials even in such close quarters... </span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Sometimes it looks like one child beginning a small pattern and then, slowly or all at once, being joined by several more students bringing more materials. Time after time I have watched students enter into a process already begun, adding their ideas, sometimes knocking things over, sometimes changing the story or design quite radically. (from "<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/06/loosely-told-stories.html" target="_blank">loosely told stories</a>")</span></blockquote>
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These ideas permeated my overall view of teaching young students, but it took learning about the work of <a href="http://www.hawkinscenters.org/about-frances-and-david-hawkins.html" target="_blank">David and Frances Hawkins</a> later that summer for me to realize how meaningful the ideas are for us adult learners, as well. It was at the <a href="https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/introduction-to-reggio-inspired-practice-participant-reflections/" target="_blank">Reggio Inspired Summer Intensive</a> in July 2013 where I met <a href="https://twitter.com/msspgl" target="_blank">Simone</a>, one half of ThinkinEd.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pride and delight as we finally get our marble run working. From left: me, Simone, Cheryl. At Richland School during the Reggio Inspired Summer Intensive.<br />
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It was there I began to deeply relate to the messages from Reggio Emilia, through exploring the ideas of Via Vecchi, Lella Gandini, and Loris Malaguzzi. Perhaps that's not giving a proper description of how the week worked, though. We did have readings to do each day before our session, however we did little "studying" once at our session each day. Instead we explored ideas by engaging in hands-on play, and reframed our experiences afterwords by touching on the readings as we reflected on what had transpired.<br />
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It was also at the summer intensive where I was first introduced to the transformative ideas of Hawkins-inspired learning (and that is a post of its own, someday) including the necessity of "messing about" with materials and ideas <i>for educators</i>, not just for their students. The big picture was beginning to come into focus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For tweets from this exciting exhibit, explore the hashtags <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23theartofplay&src=typd" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23artofplay&src=typd" target="_blank">here</a> for week of March 17-21.</td></tr>
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ThinkinEd is the creation of two incredibly inspiring friends, <a href="https://twitter.com/msspgl" target="_blank">Simone Speigel</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/afudem" target="_blank">Aviva Fudem</a>. I became friends with Simone during our week together (the impact of which took four posts to share and I felt I'd only scratched the surface with my documentation) and I was in awe of her artist's eye. All the participants (including the host teachers) were surrounded by beauty and wonder each day, but when Simone documented the experience she somehow translated it with a bigger perspective. Aviva, her dear friend and partner in ThinkinEd, is also incredibly talented at seeing artistic potential in what might seem like mundane materials. Together they see the vision of Hawkins-inspired learning come to life in pop-ups, thinkshops and exhibits for all ages. <span style="text-align: center;">See more about their vision and wonderful programs on their </span><a href="http://www.thinkined.com/blog" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">blog</a><span style="text-align: center;"> & </span><a href="http://www.thinkined.com/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">website</a><span style="text-align: center;">. The quotes below illustrate to me why their work is not "professional development" but something much deeper:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meaningful learning opportunities for educators need to reflect the unchangeable fact that idea sharing and knowledge co-construction are the key to progress. (from "</span><a href="http://www.thinkined.com/blog/back-to-the-drawing-board" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">back to the drawing board</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">")</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">The very essence of our human existence is the ability to create – to create life, to create thoughts, to create ideas, knowledge, you name it. So imagine what you'd learn about yourself if you went beyond observing and reflecting on your individual </span><i style="position: relative; text-align: justify;">learning</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> journey and moved closer to genuinely embracing and understanding your </span><i style="position: relative; text-align: justify;">creative</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> journey. (from "<a href="http://www.thinkined.com/blog/imagining-impossible-things" target="_blank">imagining impossible things</a>")</span></span></blockquote>
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Embracing that challenge, to understand our creative journey, I've been thinking about play. Play, not work, is the stuff of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(philosophy_of_education)" target="_blank">constructivist</a> learning. Work to me means finishing an assigned task, completing a job. Learning is not inherent in the process, in fact what is produced might illustrate knowledge from long ago, or worse, mimic understanding but instead demonstrate an ability to follow instructions. Play, not the creation of something to demonstrate learning, but actual engagement in meaning-making, is the stuff of learning. I've read it over and over said different ways, from great thinkers as far back as Dewey, and more recently like Lilian Katz. The <a href="http://www.vancouverreggioconsortium.ca/favourite-quotes.html" target="_blank">most quoted</a> in relation to early years learning is Loris Malaguzzi who speaks of pleasure and research in the same experience of learning:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">The art of research already exists in the hands of children acutely sensitive to the pleasure of surprise. The wonder of learning, of knowing, of understanding is one of the first, fundamental sensations each human being expects from experiences faced alone or with others. </span></blockquote>
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What stands out for me, from reading and from my own teacher-research in the classroom (now shared with my wonderful teaching partner <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh Haghjoo</a> whose observations add exponentially to my learning) is that when loose parts are involved, the focus shifts away from "what will it be made" to "what is". The mindful awareness that can come from exploring materials collaboratively is how students can come to understand ideas I once thought too deep, too abstract for young learners.</div>
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Last year, just before the EdEx event, Simone and Aviva visited Thornwood PS where I work with a team of educators whose dedication to emergent curriculum equals my own. It was a joyous day, with our students taking on the role of tour guides, showing off the most exciting or meaningful parts of their classroom and outside environment. After their visit Simone wrote about the day, in a touching post with many photos from <a href="https://twitter.com/LadaD2" target="_blank">Lada Duric</a>'s room (a place down the hall I visit often for inspiration and thoughtful advice too). In that reflection she had an "aha" moment that resonated powerfully for me: </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Throughout the day, I heard Laurel remind her students to "look closely". This had the wonderful effect of slowing them down and pushing their thinking. When I got home – with those words echoing in my head – I took the time to "look closely" at the photos from our visit. Here's what I noticed: Hands appear in almost every photo – maneuvering lights, creating patterns, touching, moving, poking, sorting. As I put together this PicCollage of images, a thought popped into my mind: <i>We use our hands to think!</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That got me thinking about the moment Lada announced she had captured a loose butterfly from their collection and wanted to release it into the (amazing) no-mow zone out back. The excitement of holding the butterfly in her hands, of gently opening her hand in the sunlight and releasing the butterfly onto a dandelion brought so much joy and wonder to us as adults, I can only imagine how it must feel for a child. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(from "</span><a href="http://www.thinkined.com/blog/thinking-with-our-hands" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">thinking with our hands</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">")</span></blockquote>
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As so it is that when I was asked to collaborate with these friends to create an exhibit highlighting my favourite invitations, I jumped at the chance. Their "Art of Play" exhibit ran all through March Break. As a happy accident, we would up settling on an auspicious date for my part in the exhibit: March 20, United Nations' "International Day of Happiness". That we met at a Reggio-Inspired course, where we daily explored Loris Malaguzzi's vision for teaching: "Nothing without Joy" made the date deeply meaningful.<br />
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My selection of materials included those I've used many times before in everyday play and in special provocations to further explore ongoing ideas in class. As I spoke to Simone and Aviva about my vision for the playscape I wanted to create, I looked to an artist (and long-distance friend) <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ranjit/sets/" target="_blank">Ranjit </a>whose playful sound and materials installations always make me wonder "how did he even think of that?" and as such who had inspired me to "mess about" and create. While I have no knack for electronics and I have yet to learn how to be truly handy with tools, I have taken from Ranjit and others the need to throw out the rules of "what" and "how" common materials are to be used. Wooden blocks become a xylophone, nesting kitchen bowls become floating drums, ice becomes a slow-motion, suspenseful noise maker, water becomes both a background and an instrument. The only new item I added to the collection was an antique washboard found earlier in the week that I expected would be a wonderfully noisy addition to the play. </div>
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I gave the materials list (those I would bring and those I would need to borrow, like an array of glass jars) as Simone and I discussed what it was I intended to inspire with the wood, metal, glass and water/ice. She wrote the educator profile (below) after we spoke, and I must admit I was at a loss for words to see it summed up so perfectly. Simone's vision is so clear. I also adored seeing the moment used for the picture was that reflections room play where I connected my own learning to student misunderstandings, and the importance of cognitive dissonance.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything packed and ready for a day of noisy exploration at MacDonald House.</td></tr>
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To see a stop-motion-animation of the art of sound room as we set it up, <a href="https://instagram.com/p/1WX2w6ukXE/" target="_blank">click here</a>. It's a fascinating look at how my helpers and I set up one half of the exhibit (the other half being out of view of the photographer). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The description Simone wrote for participants to think about while in "the art of sound" room. The invitation at the bottom sums up succinctly what took me <i>many</i> more words to explain to her. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunlight added another dimension to the beauty of the room and the simplicity of the materials. For a long while, everything seemed to glow.</td></tr>
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Watching as different players engaged with the materials, I saw new combinations I didn't expect. <a href="https://twitter.com/IcsStef" target="_blank">Stef</a>'s tower cascade, a child's design to shower marbles into the bowls through a tube, a design and re-design of the tubing waterfall in the trellis.. ideas expanded and the music changed. My big takeaway from using materials I'd played with before (with students over several years) was how differently the various players approach the invitation. Some young children embraced the noise and action fully, rolling large jingle bells into the water bowls, swinging the makeshift drumsticks, spinning the ice sculptures, pouring water from high up to affect a dramatic splash, jumping for joy when a particular sound was achieved. Other young children approached cautiously, careful to stay dry in a very watery room, and treated the delicate materials with respect and even reverence. This wasn't the surprise, though, as I've come to understand that children bring their whole self to such deeply sensory play, and personality naturally shines through. The surprise for me was the way in which the older children engaged with the materials. I loved seeing a boy persevere for over an hour when he discovered he could alter the shape of the water trellis, and thus the flow of the water. I was fascinated by the thought that went into design decisions when large tubes were used to funnel marbles into the various floating bowls. I appreciated the time taken by some older children who were supportive of what younger children were attempting to build. I especially delighted in seeing my Peel colleague and friend, Stef, who approaches loose parts provocations much like I do... without hesitation. She created a beautifully towering bowl cascade that provoked the others in the room to look at the materials in a new way. It was Hawkins-inspired learning in a multi-age room - joyous learning indeed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early in the day the sunlight on the clear water in the makeshift xylophone was simple and inviting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A request for colour like (here and in the water bowl tubs) changed the scene to a beautifully colourful expression of different pitch.</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, elsewhere much magic was happening all throughout the historic MacDonald House. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A welcome at the door.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The simplest materials, perhaps, but the strongest impact for me. My mind raced with possibilities for students, especially tying to ongoing inquiries in class such as our look at the structures in our neighbourhood.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This enticing lighted darkness was mesmerizing. My daughter spent much time here, as well as outside in the puddles and visiting the YR Nature room. I had only a few minutes to explore here (<a href="https://vine.co/v/OYhEwBOhFPJ" target="_blank">click for video clip</a>) but the colours, reflections and shadows were enticing. I could've explored for ages. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A calm and inviting space set up by <a href="https://twitter.com/DianeKashin1" target="_blank">Diane Kashin</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tinderforest" target="_blank">Diana Fedora Tucci</a> of <a href="https://twitter.com/YRnaturehttps://twitter.com/YRnature" target="_blank">York Region Nature Collaborative</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In "the art of line" room there were traces of the amazing <a href="https://twitter.com/jessgo333" target="_blank">Jessica</a> who had been artist in residence days before but whose invitations and collaborations with ThinkinEd inspired a gallery of beautiful artifacts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traces of several days' worth of play with line. The shadows playing lines across the floor just added to the experience of looking closely at line. </td></tr>
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My day playing with sound, time and basic materials was fast-paced and fun. I left with my head spinning and my daughter still giddy from all she'd explored. I saw people of all ages connect to big ideas, simply by playing... playing with their own bodies in space, discovering possibilities and passions and even unknown talents. It was, as always, a deeply wholistic way to think about art and beauty. I am ever grateful for the opportunity to join in the play.</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/smari1120">@smari1120</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ThinkinEd">@ThinkinEd</a> that's why this is the best job ever! The joy of discovery, & the pride in each "Look what I can do" is priceless.<br />
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/status/580038884442185729">March 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-H6nu4wkBF7A%2FVS2geUxBCJI%2FAAAAAAAABic%2FXdHGNmMK1Nc%2Fs1600%2Fblogger-image--1860165731.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6nu4wkBF7A/VS2geUxBCJI/AAAAAAAABic/XdHGNmMK1Nc/s1600/blogger-image--1860165731.jpg" -->Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-57836492232238023312015-03-22T08:40:00.003-07:002016-07-28T13:42:27.258-07:00ordinary magic: ice inquiry, part 3<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wn-bLknpwYM/VQ23x_ClEHI/AAAAAAAABc4/RnJfzfXARN0/s1600/P1430857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wn-bLknpwYM/VQ23x_ClEHI/AAAAAAAABc4/RnJfzfXARN0/s1600/P1430857.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Undulating frozen waves extend out well past the shore. The sound of water moving underneath this is eerily beautiful.</td></tr>
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It's been a full month since I last sat down to write about the ongoing ice inquiry in our class. As I had described it in my last post, our students "were beginning to explore ice as a
material, a phenomenon, and as a medium of artistic expression." Indeed,
ice became a way for so many ideas to be expressed among a group of
students whose fascination for the material rivals my own. As is the case in a large class with a curiosity-driven curriculum, ideas cycle around as groups of students follow their own projects, inspire others to join in or take over, or a new student moves into class and wonders about the documentation around the room. Our big ideas keep surfacing though the play keeps changing, a bit like fat that rises from a bubbling broth. Both inside the class and everywhere outside, ice has continued to be a fascination for many students. While at home on my own or with my kids, I've continued to explore the incredible scenes along the nearby shore as the ongoing deep freeze in February stretched into March and the local bay froze entirely for over a week. I was saddened by reports of starving animals and injured water birds, all affected by the intense cold for weeks without a thaw. I was fascinated by the daily changes along the beach where enormous ice waves formed, broke, and reformed into fantastical Dr. Seuss-like landscapes. I continued to collect interesting artifacts I found to share at school: icicles I harvested from the beach pictured above, frozen treasures such as apples or feathers found encased in ice, photos of winter scenes that made me wonder (such as the cluster of feathers below).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgOH4TGMLz4/VQ23uE9zB6I/AAAAAAAABcw/GCh5UARpCU4/s1600/P1430839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgOH4TGMLz4/VQ23uE9zB6I/AAAAAAAABcw/GCh5UARpCU4/s1600/P1430839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ducks working to keep a patch of water open over the frigid nights: life-and-death ice inquiry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b_h47A6Cwaw/VQ23r-cig0I/AAAAAAAABco/cEueZe3f2Tc/s1600/P1430855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b_h47A6Cwaw/VQ23r-cig0I/AAAAAAAABco/cEueZe3f2Tc/s1600/P1430855.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thousands of glittering shards of ice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4206VK9SznY/VQ231CmJuWI/AAAAAAAABdA/q4VVIDm2Vrg/s1600/P1430869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4206VK9SznY/VQ231CmJuWI/AAAAAAAABdA/q4VVIDm2Vrg/s1600/P1430869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I took to share with the class. Soft downy feathers frozen to the ground. Great for inferring... ouch!</td></tr>
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As the calendar now indicates spring is here (hard to believe while the temperature hovers near the freezing mark), I get ready to head back to school after the March Break. Pooneh and I had ended our last week looking around our classroom, talking about what interests were fading and which new inquiries might develop as the indoor and outdoor environment change with spring. A few warm days before our break created a muddy puddle-wonderland on the schoolyard, one we explored whole-heartedly on the last day of school. I doubt anyone went home fully dry that afternoon. The laughter and exclamations of "Wow, look at this!" could be heard all across the yard. We followed rushing rivers of melted snow as they curved along the pavement to a drain. We found sticky mud that threatened to pull off our boots. We learned, again, that winter boots are great for snow but generally lousy at keeping water out. I wonder if that brief "big melt" will see an end to the interest in ice, if the wet and muddy landscape of early spring will lend itself to further exploration of water in its warmer form.<br />
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Last month I wrote about how our tweeted communication with Kelly Wright's class <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders" target="_blank">K1 Wonders</a> helped us clarify our own thinking about "ideas" and spurred several students into creating a centre in the room where they could plan and create their own inventive ice sculptures. I ended the post with these words: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Our collaboration grew to include several classes and teachers
whose communication with us helped our ideas grow. Indeed, the word
"inspire" became a concept that spread to all we do in room 109. But
that is a story for another post."</blockquote>
Here is that story. It begins with a tweet from a teacher I admire, <a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca" target="_blank">Aviva Dunsinger</a>. Note: the response led in so many directions I captured what I could
using the storify app. To see some of the related tweets shared with our families and
followers<span style="font-size: small;">, see: "<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://sfy.co/c0IGv" target="_blank">Ideas about ideas:</a> How our small group
exploration of ice sculptures grew into a much bigger inquiry into ice,
planning, learning from others, and metacognition." </span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> Thanks for sharing your thinking and learning on Twitter! I teach Gr. 1, & I look at what you share, & you inspire what I do.<br />
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) <a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca/status/559458817726222337">January 25, 2015</a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://sfy.co/c0IGv" target="_blank"></a></span></span></span></blockquote>
I was touched by her comment but even more I was curious to know what the students would say, considering our previous conversations about where ideas come from. I shared her message during our morning meeting, and immediately students began to ask questions and make connections. <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca">@avivaloca</a> thank you! We talked about yr tweet this morning. We are thinking about the word "inspire". Some friends are making you pictures.<br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/559724699379593218">January 26, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collage we shared with families and followers in response to Aviva's tweet. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Aviva read our responses, including the ones collected in the collage above, and responded with questions and more ideas for us to think about. Note: we included our friends in @kinderwonders when we responded to Aviva, because they had been a part of our discussions about where ideas come from. </span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> I really like all of your thinking. Thank you for documenting & sharing your learning with me.<br />
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) <a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca/status/559834402180837376">January 26, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> When you inspire, you make people want to try things because of what you do and share.<br />
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) <a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca/status/559834464755666944">January 26, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> Who inspires you? How do they inspire you?<br />
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) <a href="https://twitter.com/avivaloca/status/559834538336350208">January 26, 2015</a></blockquote>
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The next day at school we read Aviva's questions and comments about inspiration and documentation, and it lead to another great conversation about what it is we do when we share our ideas with each other. I was particularly thrilled to hear a student say her mom looked up the meaning of the word "inspiration" at home. Our families are such wonderful supporters of the learning that emerges from our class community. Below is just a sampling of what was said. I remember we talked for a while about the meaning of "documentation" before I managed to grab my clipboard and start recording what was said.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v4lD2pwBN2E/VQ3MUIQZG7I/AAAAAAAABds/HQqG34hI2TA/s1600/blogger-image-1832701904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v4lD2pwBN2E/VQ3MUIQZG7I/AAAAAAAABds/HQqG34hI2TA/s1600/blogger-image-1832701904.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Over the day I mulled over the connections students made when we discussed inspiration. I thought of how often Pooneh and I used a book, an artifact or image to inspire students. We do it all the time, but shining a light on our thinking made me think of my own inspirations. For creative interaction with ice, two artists come to mind. Andy Goldsworthy, whose ephemeral creations have helped me inspire students to explore natural materials for many years now including his <a href="http://www.thegorgeousdaily.com/andy-goldsworthys-ice-and-snow-sculptures/" target="_blank">works using ice and snow.</a><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">In the last post I shared how A<span style="font-size: small;">C was inspired by Goldsworthy's tree spiral to try her own "glued ice sculptures" both at home and then at school. </span></span>The second artist is </span>my friend <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ranjit/" target="_blank">Ranjit</a><span style="font-size: small;">,</span> whose creativity never fails to amaze me. He is <span style="font-size: small;">first and for<span style="font-size: small;">emos<span style="font-size: small;">t a<span style="font-size: small;"> sound artist, <span style="font-size: small;">creating sonic wonder, but I can't help <span style="font-size: small;">but <span style="font-size: small;">adm<span style="font-size: small;">ire the <span style="font-size: small;">visual beauty of his <span style="font-size: small;">works as well. I have been making "no<span style="font-size: small;">isy melting scul<span style="font-size: small;">ptures" for <span style="font-size: small;">a few year<span style="font-size: small;">s now, so this intersection of #iceinquiry and <span style="font-size: small;">inspiration seemed the perfect time for me to go back to the source. I knew I had to show the <span style="font-size: small;">class the photo that started it for me.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMQBcv5NZok/VQ40HVTSnRI/AAAAAAAABe0/1pN8EBQCsfc/s1600/blogger-image--792009345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMQBcv5NZok/VQ40HVTSnRI/AAAAAAAABe0/1pN8EBQCsfc/s1600/blogger-image--792009345.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A playful ice sculpture made by Ranjit. </span></td></tr>
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I brought the pieces together at a morning meeting by reflecting aloud on how we had talked about inspiration, and how it happens in our class all the time. As soon as I flashed the photo on the screen, there was a buzz of excited chatter in the group.<br />
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Now all of this talk about inspiration was happening against a perfect backdrop: February 4th was "<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201501/spread-the-word-feb-4-is-global-school-play-day" target="_blank">Global School Play Day</a>" or <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSPD?src=hash" target="_blank">#GSPD</a>, a celebration of how play-based learning leads to big ideas and collaborative learning in classrooms like ours. We had been preparing for the day, talking about what it means, and also viewing short video clips about play in classrooms of all ages. My favourite focus of the movement is summed up in the quote they use as their motto:<br />
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"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation" - Plato</blockquote>
To be able to share how inspiration helps us, and then watch it unfold during play, was rewarding. The conversation about ideas just kept spirally around, widening to include more students and more ideas. Many big ideas were explored over the day, including light and shadow, body balance, balance of materials, simple machines (ramps), materials that change (ice and snow). My interest was piqued by two girls who disagreed about the value of play (included in the collage below).<br />
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AV: Play doesn't make you smart, only work makes you smart. You have to sit and write.<br />
JP: Wait! We got smarter when we played with the blocks and we made the tower better together.</blockquote>
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JP & AT worked together today during play&learn time. JP came up with a big idea about learning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSPD?src=hash">#GSPD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReggioPLC?src=hash">#ReggioPLC</a> <a href="http://t.co/LzTZwnQHZZ">pic.twitter.com/LzTZwnQHZZ</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/563081600649670656">February 4, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Now that is a conversation worth having with families, teachers, the whole school community... inspired by Global School Play Day and our philosophical talks about how we learn.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Days like this, when so many students have a light in their eyes and a fire in their bellies to go explore an idea, these days I say we have raised windhorse together.</td></tr>
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Inspiration had become a part of the culture of our classroom. The next day, while students were again exploring body balance (as inspired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kfAL1sE4j0">Steven Jepson's video</a> shared for GSPD), ES saw AL fix a balance beam that he'd knocked over. He stood looking at AL for a moment, then it seemed as if a lightbulb went on over his head. <br />
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Overhead at the big carpet, during play and learn this morning (by ES): "You inspired me, AL" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/proudteacher?src=hash">#proudteacher</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/563350876585480193">February 5, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Our first musical ice experiments involved lots of metal "junk" loose parts, such as the keys we had spotted in Ranjit's version. Many plans were drawn and sculptures began to fill the freezer or the space just outside our doorway. Signs asking our fellow kindergarten classes with whom we share our yard went up: "Please don't touch!" and the universal "NO!" hand sign. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students hushed to listen for the next "clang!" of something falling from the melting sculpture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AV looking closely, carefully documents all the elements she sees in the experiment.</td></tr>
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Many tweets and vines went out that day, with students asking us to share their drawings or take pictures of their favourite angle of the melting ice. Students were delighted later to find that Ranjit was likewise inspired by our playful experimenting.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> right back atcha! :) <a href="https://t.co/NfVqs65d5I">https://t.co/NfVqs65d5I</a><br />
— Ranjit Bhatnagar (@ranjit) <a href="https://twitter.com/ranjit/status/563741891846762496">February 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ranjit">@ranjit</a> today we watched your video <a href="http://t.co/cFk914OkE0">http://t.co/cFk914OkE0</a> at our welcome circle. Much excitement, you've inspired us again! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iceinquiry?src=hash">#iceinquiry</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/565569401366523906">February 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AC was so inspired by Ranjit's video of the "glaciophone" she quickly drew up exactly what she'd need to recreate her own, but also added her artistic touch by including colour for the ice bars. This is engaged learning from a JK student. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AC's ice bars and a few more ice experiements, fresh from the freezer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful result of the ice bars "glaciophone". </td></tr>
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Meanwhile, our excited sharing was beginning to catch others' attention, both in the schoolyard and in classes we follow on twitter. We were inspiring others with our ice inquiry. We were beginning to see exactly how big an idea can get, by sharing it and opening our minds to new ideas, daily.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> Melina wonders if you are going to hang them, she thinks the little blue ones will melt faster than ours.<br />
— K3 Kinders (@dancewithwonder) <a href="https://twitter.com/dancewithwonder/status/566268270098251777">February 13, 2015</a></blockquote>
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I was impressed that this student made a prediction about what would happen... to another class's ice experiment! We tweeted her a response to say how we liked her observation and prediction. It led to a good conversation, and their following tweet (below) inspire several students to include new materials seen in their pictures, such as buttons and feathers. <br />
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We were inspired by Valentine's Day......and our friends <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> ....check out our new ice sculptures! <a href="http://t.co/6jRtbsWmXX">pic.twitter.com/6jRtbsWmXX</a><br />
— K3 Kinders (@dancewithwonder) <a href="https://twitter.com/dancewithwonder/status/566261523824525312">February 13, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Our class continues to have great communication with our friends in KI Wonders, so this tweet made just about everyone sit up a little straighter and smile at our welcome circle.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ranjit">@ranjit</a> our class likes reading about your ice inquiry!! You give us lots of sparks!<br />
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/566974964033912832">February 15, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Another friend had shown her class some of our tweets, and they sent us this message:<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs">@109ThornKs</a> Ss wanted to make ice sculptures so we looked at a lot of yours for inspiration. Thanks!<br />
— Beth Woodward (@primarytweeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters/status/569885963616432128">February 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Our ice sculptures look amazing. We were surprised none of the containers cracked. <a href="http://t.co/E2AHoSM8SR">pic.twitter.com/E2AHoSM8SR</a><br />
— Beth Woodward (@primarytweeters) <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters/status/570290321189433346">February 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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EW, a part of the ice inquiry projects as far back as November, was thrilled to help out by offering a new idea to their class. She carefully wrote up plans, not for her this time, but for their class to try. Procedural drawing in Kindergarten. We do that, too.<br />
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Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/primarytweeters">@primarytweeters</a> here's something too TRY! Photo & words by EW <a href="http://t.co/5BmkB8cL7l">pic.twitter.com/5BmkB8cL7l</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/569931088002490368">February 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Another wonderful thread developed when I was chatting with educator friends <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/AnamariaRalph" target="_blank">@AnamariaRalph</a> <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/Bartlettkinders" target="_blank">@Bartlettkinders</a> <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/MissJules1010" target="_blank">@MissJules1010</a> <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/inostribimbi" target="_blank">@inostribimbi</a> about ice inquiries developing in their classrooms. This wasn't seen by our class (or families because I was using my own twitter at the time), but I knew I had to share these images with AC, who so loved Andy Goldsworthy's technique for building with icicles. <br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> we looked at his winter pieces, as well as the strategies he used, made a list, then set up our area. <a href="http://t.co/uCKSR5PRNA">pic.twitter.com/uCKSR5PRNA</a><br />
— Marnie Penney (@MP_Kinders) <a href="https://twitter.com/MP_Kinders/status/571147055198048257">February 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
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When a tweet like those above came through, I shared them with the
students whose creations had prompted the others to respond. There were many more, with the
students commenting back and forth about what they saw in their peers'
creations, comparing and offering words of encouragement to each other.
(those below are included in the larger storify link).<br />
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Just down the hall, indeed at the far end of our large Kindergarten pod, <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">Ms. Duric and Ms. Azzopardi's class</a> were also exploring the beauty of ice as an instrument. We found these intriguing hanging bars outside one day when we went outside. I was most impressed by how gentle and respectful these students were, even as they were fascinated by what they found. Also online, their class tweets were showing a similar fascination with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iceinquiry?src=hash">#iceinquiry</a>. Several video clips caught my eye and I shared them with the core group of ice inquiry experimenters.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
EW typing answer: Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">@MsDuric</a> your ice sculpture inspired Me to make a similar kind of ice sculpture <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iceinquiry?src=hash">#iceinquiry</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/568490518939881472">February 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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EW: This is me making my ice bowls. I got the idea from the class down the hall <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">@msduric</a> <a href="https://t.co/HlX6WUyZPo">https://t.co/HlX6WUyZPo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric">@MsDuric</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/568845912480608257">February 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Musical sounds make with ice. <a href="http://t.co/cnYIUb67S0">pic.twitter.com/cnYIUb67S0</a><br />
— @105ThornKs (@MsDuric) <a href="https://twitter.com/MsDuric/status/569207033460862976">February 21, 2015</a></blockquote>
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We watched this <a href="https://t.co/2gd3S3ZV2O">https://t.co/2gd3S3ZV2O</a> and it inspired us to make music all together <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iceinquiry?src=hash">#iceinquiry</a> <a href="http://t.co/Z7j15fCwLM">pic.twitter.com/Z7j15fCwLM</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/569927039538622464">February 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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As can be seen from this long list yet small glimpse into the entirety of ice inquiry, freezing water and observing it can lead to some unexpected learning for all involved. Indeed, when our class welcomed Miss Shazia (an ECE student completing her practicum teaching in our class for two months) looked around for ideas for an invitation, she naturally included the ongoing inquiry into her plans.<br />
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Yesterday Miss Shazia made ice boats with a small group. Here they are, ready to test for "seaworthiness" <a href="http://t.co/zGlToiR8He">pic.twitter.com/zGlToiR8He</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/572789745241202688">March 3, 2015</a></blockquote>
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This story seems far from over, knowing how our big ideas keep circling around and around in class and reemerging in new interests. I can imagine how melting will continue to fascinate as the warm weather comes and frees up the yard and frozen creek. I can only end by repeating what I said in the storify version:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Aviva, I can't thank you enough for sparking the use of the word
"inspire" in our class. You inspire us, and all the other classes and
teachers in this part of our #iceinquiry story, you make our learning so
much more interesting!</blockquote>
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<br />Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-43620394412594301702015-02-22T13:35:00.000-08:002016-07-28T13:41:17.628-07:00ordinary magic: ice inquiry, part 2Last week I began to tell the story of why ice has meant so much to the learning journey in our class this year and over several years. Before I sat down to write that post, I'd spent much of the weekend exploring the magnificent ice formations growing along the shore near my home, because the temperature at the time was in the -20 range with windchill values nearing -40. The deep freeze continued this week in school, thus we had several days indoors when the extreme cold meant outdoor recess was cancelled. By Friday, I couldn't wait to get outside and see the shore again. This weekend we've had snow, so much that the landscape is mostly white with trees, rooftops and field covered in white. Nearby Etobicoke Creek still flows under thick ice but it's nearly impossible to see.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beach disappears as the deep cold (-39 windchill) freezes waves into undulating shapes on the shore.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This crack was the only sight of the wide creek rushing below the ice and snow.</td></tr>
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Back in the warmth at home, I thought about how our students got to where we are now, thinking deeply about how we learn. The year began with learning about our
bodies, including our own "Best Part of Me" book. This is our first year of FDK at Thornwood PS, so there was new learning for all of us: the returning senior students who'd only had me for half-day Kindergarten last year, the new junior students for whom all school was new, for my wonderful teaching partner Pooneh who was new to Peel Board (and who I wrote about in a previous post), and for me, learning to share the learning with a teaching partner. We weren't sure what inquiries might develop early on, so we both spent time getting to know our students through shared play and through group invitations. Much of our first month was spent outside, using a skill the seniors remembered well: "looking closely" at our environment to learn about what lives in our schoolyard. As our class began to settle into the new routines, Pooneh and I often split our large group into two, each taking half of the students to do a smaller circle exploration of materials or a read-aloud. Her ECE expertise was quickly evident to me as she created many sensory invitations to hone in on understanding particular parts of our bodies and our traditional "five senses".<br />
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We noticed that we can recognize the shapes but not colours with our eyes closed <a href="http://t.co/nWwJ70WzDD">http://t.co/nWwJ70WzDD</a> <a href="http://t.co/YK6oxNgBSF">pic.twitter.com/YK6oxNgBSF</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/520600205222506496">October 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This book inspired us to create our own book of our"best part" pictures and stories. </td></tr>
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From there we rather naturally moved into health,
both body and mind. Perhaps because so many of our inquiries flowed out of ongoing explorations, much overlap has occurred from project to project. Current inquiries such as body balance certainly link back to that first month's look at our bodies and what we love to do. The ongoing ice projects are certainly about the mysterious properties of frozen water and other materials through the lens of scientific exploration, but a secondary aspect of the long interest in one project is the way some students are developing metacognition about learning, perspective, and ideas. Ice continues to motivate deep thinking and joyful engagement in our class. In <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/02/ordinary-magic-ice-inquiry-part-1.html" target="_blank">part 1</a>, I shared my own fascination with water in winter, and then how <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iceinquiry?src=hash" target="_blank">#iceinquiry</a> began to unfold this year in class
in late fall. I left off with a collaborative inquiry between our class <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs" target="_blank">@109ThornKs</a> and my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/kelly_m_wright" target="_blank">Kelly Wright</a>'s class <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders" target="_blank">@KinderWonders</a> which inspired our students to incorporate colour into their designs. Kelly had continued to explore this with her class during that last week of school in December. What delighted me was to see how our collaboration was inspiring some pretty incredible thinking among her students as well.<br />
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We have been discussing how our brains develop through inspiration, sharing our thinking and technology. <a href="http://t.co/p4RPtl6rsH">pic.twitter.com/p4RPtl6rsH</a><br />
— K1 Wonders (@KinderWonders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders/status/546861898101436417">December 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This spark happened right before the winter holiday break. I wondered as the holiday began if the interest in ice projects would fade away, with gifts of new toys and movies seen with family sure to bring new ideas to our conversations. Not ready to move on from the exciting observations about ideas and learning that came up when our students commented on @KinderWonders creations, I brought a new book to share when we returned in January. The funny thing was, we didn't even open the book and read it, because the conversation that flowed once we looked at the cover was too rich! We saved reading to allow the students to share all the ideas bursting forth. <br />
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The story was captured in tweets by both myself and my partner Pooneh, as we share the @109ThornKs twitter stream. See the exciting week that unfolded when we asked: "What are ideas and how do we get them, anyway?" Note: some collages included in the slideshow are repeated in this post, as reading the small print can be difficult in the embedded storify below.<br />
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So, we discussed ideas. JE: "They come from your brain". JP: "You can't see ideas, they're inside your brain" <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderWonders">@KinderWonders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/wonderingsilly">@wonderingsilly</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/552506256943251456">January 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime ice - a sensory delight that scented the room.</td></tr>
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Now seemed a natural time to explore ideas, thinking, and inspiration. The collages below (also included in the storify slideshow above but repeated here for larger viewing to read the print) represent an attempt to capture all the new directions our body and mind, and our ice inquiries were going to expand. When I look back at this documentation, I see what I was missing <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2015/02/ordinary-magic-ice-inquiry-part-1.html" target="_blank">back in 2010 </a>when I directed the students to all do a drawn and written response to our ice experiment. These days, I try to always let students know that next steps come from them, while ensuring time to reflect on what has happened and to ask questions generating new ideas. This has allowed me to see the students as capable learners whose curiosity and insight is the most important resource in planning experiences.<br />
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What emerged from the conversation about "ideas" was incredible: thanks to the spark shared by JP at our welcome circle, the new way for students to create sculptures included drawing (and writing) detailed plans including the materials and tools needed for the project. When so many plans were drawn and created we ran out of space in the freezer, a space on the board was created, dedicated to "tomorrow's projects". It wasn't yet cold enough outside to use the yard for our ice projects. That would come soon enough. We also spun off into studying "brain food" due to the comment "fish is good for our brains", which lead a small group of students to join Pooneh in the library to conduct research into brains and ideas. On another level, we were learning how to conduct research, looking closely at information texts to glean what we could from words and pictures. This skill is one that our students will carry with them for life, and it emerged (as it often does) from deep interest in a topic that arises during a class conversation.</div>
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The emergence of several new inquiries in our class in January (including a fire truck project sparked by the local Fire Fighters' visit to our school and an interesting look at gender and identity through toys) meant that the ice projects went hiatus for a few weeks. The learning thus far would have been enough for me to conclude that it was one of our biggest inquiries of the year. When it reawakened, however, the excitement surprised even me. Our collaboration grew to include several classes and teachers whose communication with us helped our ideas grow. Indeed, the word "inspire" became a concept that spread to all we do in room 109. But that is a story for another post.</div>
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-26794432485895112322015-02-16T20:44:00.003-08:002016-07-28T13:39:38.202-07:00ordinary magic: ice inquiry, part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This morning I walked along the shore near my home, looking to spend some time on the beach conducting my own survey as part of the annual "Great Backyard Bird Count". I also wanted to see the beach in the brilliant sunshine. I knew the deep freeze this week would bring more fantastical ice sculptures where the lake's waves, whipped up by yesterday's terrific winds, would crash into the shore and splash up to the trees and rocks all along the edge. Sure enough, today was spectacularly beautiful. I've been thinking about writing a post about ice for some months now, but just as I think it's slowing down enough for me to sum up the wonderful winter explorations thus far, new sparks emerge and students take the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23iceinquiry&src=typd&lang=en" target="_blank">#iceinquiry</a> in a new direction. In fact, it's been about a year that I've been mulling over writing about ice as a material worthy of deep study. This has kept the post in draft form, as I tried to figure out when it was exactly that I fell in love with the ephemeral, unpredictable substance. My first thought was to look at my older photos, from the first years we moved out to Long Branch from our old downtown Toronto neighbourhood. Winter on the beach, bringing with it great rafts of winter ducks not seen until the snow flies, also brings unique scenes of beauty like the two below. Once I discovered that a windy day would dress the willows, or how gentle waves would form into an incredible variety of shapes at the water's edge, I couldn't wait for the temperature to drop each year. Imagine the sound of those icy willow branches, tinkling together in a light wind. Picture the water lapping up over the clear baubles, making the organic shapes disappear and reappear every few moments. It is a place of wonder. </div>
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I noticed today that my <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/02/welcome-to-my-new-space.html" target="_blank">first blog post</a> was graced with an image from the beach, icicles reflecting off of the water that kept rising up to meet them. The end of 2013's <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/12/looking-closely-at-life-and-learning.html" target="_blank">dramatic ice storm</a> likewise brought me out with my camera, carefully slipping along the sheer sidewalks and ever wary of the heavily-laden tree branches overhead, creaking and bending under the weight of several days' worth of freezing rain. It was frightening to travel in the neighbourhood right after the storm, but I couldn't resist the beauty of the world looking bejewelled.<br />
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Back in the spring of 2010 I was teaching in an AM & PM Kindergarten in Brampton. At R.J. Lee we had a meandering creek in a tree-lined ravine, right next to our school grounds. I often took my classes for walks through the ravine path, and more often that not we gathered interesting natural materials along the way. Sometimes these leaves, pine cones, stones or other objects would become items in small world play or added to random loose parts in our nature area. I'm not sure what gave me the idea, but I suggested to the AM class that we create a sculpture out of our findings. We popped them all in a pie plate, wound ribbon through the middle, and put them in the freezer. The afternoon class, upon hearing about our project, asked if they could create one as well. I didn't know what we would do with them once frozen, but I was delighted by their initiative and so we also went for a gathering walk and made another sculpture.<br />
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Here are some scenes from my classroom that week in March. I realize now that although I wasn't using the term "look closely", this was one of the first co-created projects that really invited students to look closely, make observations and predictions (about what would happen, which item would melt out first) and plan further investigations. I admit I had a laugh looking back when I saw the response page I created for students so that they would draw, label and write an observation (I didn't ask them for an observation in fact, but instead left a space for only one possible response: "melted"). In the intervening years my approach to teaching and learning has changed. I suppose my own learning about students has changed me each year, and I can't think of any time I wasn't adjusting my lessons, my routines, or my idea of what was meaningful to early learners. In any case, looking at these photos, I see I still expected each student to complete a response on paper. I invited them to capture what they saw before it melted away. I loved how some students captured the action, showing drips in their drawing, while others focused on the colours or shapes within. My way of framing the task (draw what you see, label) is still very much a practice in our class now, though it is a choice to participate. In this project, I was still the one making the decisions about what we learned and how it should be shared. I regret what was lost by not getting those students to talk about their own ideas and write a sentence based on their observations, their aha's, or their ideas for new projects. Seeing that flourish in our class this year, I wonder what might have happened if I had then asked: "So, what would you like to try to create next time? What do you think might happen?"<br />
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I was taken with the interest and engagement of nearly every student. They were investigating the same materials which they had collected, but were now much more interesting simply because they were suspended in ice. So that weekend I made a sculpture at home with my daughter who'd just turned three. We used pampas grass, an insect gall, sumach and cedar, pine cones and needles. My girl was delighted and danced around the little garden, admiring the ice sculpture from many angles, even swinging it so it would "twang" against the metal rails. She caught drips on her hands, on leaves, and in her mouth. She asked for a stick so she could reach it from the walkway, and tried putting fallen items back into the sculpture when they dropped. She was showing me the way to true emergent curriculum, exploring with all her senses and not waiting to be told how or why or what. I saw how much more there was to see in a simple circle of ice.<br />
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Recently, while visiting my parents up at my family home, I mentioned some of the ongoing ice projects in our class. My mom reminded me that my fascination with ice began long before I moved to Long Branch, long before I had my own children to dazzle with our beach's magical transformation in winter or little projects. At home where I grew up, we had a small but deep pond. Summers were spend swimming or dangling our feet off of a floating dock, inviting the many goldfish within to "nibble" at our toes. Winters we spent shoveling the pond clean of snow so we could skate. One year when I was young, my mom found a goldfish frozen in the ice. She cut a chunk out of the surface (my sister remembers her using an ax for the job) and brought the block of ice inside. We placed it in a large tank with cold water and waited. The fish thawed, began to swim, and became a family pet. That fish, "Saratoga" (so named by my sister who wanted to name it for the colour of the crayon "Sarasota Orange") became a family story much-shared with visitors who admired the tank or the pond. I also remember waiting for the pond to thaw each spring, and watching as the fish began to stir under the ice, showing through the thin sheet like glowing orange lights under glass.<br />
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So with this fascination of mine for the ephemeral beauty and mystery of ice, I have used it as an invitation for learning often in the last few years. This year it started early in the fall during our explorations of various senses while learning about our bodies. Pooneh made several trays full of ice cubes so that each student could have their own cubes to feel and explore. There was much squealing around our long banquet table as the ice melted, slipped off of plates, chilled fingers and cooled tongues.<br />
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In November we had quite a lot of gathered materials from our outdoor explorations around the yard and around the school neighbourhood. I wondered aloud if anyone would like to use some of the 'tree gifts" to make an ice sculpture. GS and JE, both senior students who remembered the ice projects we'd done last year, jumped at the chance. I gave them the recycled vegetable tray and twine. GS asked for a bottle for water, and JE went about adding pine cones, bark and acorns. Another student added a dried apple we'd found under a nearby tree, and an oak leaf. GS estimated how much water she would need and cut the twine to her liking, and we popped it in the freezer. Thus began first hanging project of the year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remembrance Day. GS creates her own ice project while ES looks on.</td></tr>
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The next day, we retrieved the ice sculpture and hung it near the window where we could watch it drip and spin in the light. GS helped to remove the sections from the tray, but then became interested in another project elsewhere and left me to suspend it over a tub. Students who hadn't noticed her create it yesterday were drawn to the sight of the ice chunks, all dangling in a line. Clipboards and markers were brought over from the nearby "look closely" centre, and students began to draw what they saw. I was delighted by this spontaneous response. As the first few items fell, a game of prediction was born: "The pine cone is next", "No, this leaf is going to come out". One boy, RR, spend a long while collecting drips on his hands and on a magnifier, counting each one and guessing which ice chunk would release the next drip. The sculpture melted bit by bit over the morning, but we gathered it back into the tray, topped off with a little water, and returned it to the freezer before we headed outside to play. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many students visited the dripping sculpture over the morning. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> "The apple is cold". "This one is loose! It's going to fall next".</td></tr>
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Most interesting to me was the way that two girls, ZS and JP, drew
their observations. Looking at the same thing, they drew entirely
different diagrams, each very detailed. I asked them if I could share
their drawings with the class at the next day's welcome circle, so that I could highlight the way they both captured important details so distinctly. The conversation sparked many more students to examine the sculpture, hung in the window once again but dripping faster this time as the sun shone in the windows. Many more students added observational drawings to the collection which we wound up hanging on the wall to share with visitors. </div>
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Below are the collages we shared with our families and followers on the <a href="https://twitter.com/109thornks" target="_blank">class twitter</a>. The drawings sparked an interesting conversation the next
morning, about how we can look at the same things in the world but
notice different aspects. It was our first real large discussion about
perspective and ideas, a topic that continues to arise in the months
since this day. It also sparked many more drawings by other students
inspired to take a look at the ice and use their own perspective. <br />
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To see the story as it was tweeted out that week, simply follow the thread from the <a href="https://twitter.com/109thornks/status/532187482763563008" target="_blank"><u>first day</u>.</a> In the thread are images and vine videos of the process of creation, exploration, and reflection.<br />
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Now at the same time that the hanging sculpture was generating interest in indoor ice projects, it was beginning to chill outside as well. That week we saw some snow flurries and found puddles which froze overnight. Many little projects sprung up, including a repeat project from last year, our "weather bottle" inquiry which was remembered by several students who were then juniors in our class. Those sparks led to interesting projects, but I'll save those for another post. The next chapter in the hanging ice inquiry story began when we got a tweet from our friends in nearby Clarkson PS, <a href="https://twitter.com/kinderwonders" target="_blank">@KinderWonders</a>. They had admired our story and used it as inspiration for their own ice project. I was delighted. Last year this same class had sparked a long-lasting collaborative inquiry between our two classes when they commented on a building project going on in our room. The critical thinking that became evident as students pored over the pictures coming in from the other class was astonishing, and worthy of a post of its own. So, wondering what might come of it, I showed my teaching partner Pooneh and we agreed to show the tweet (seen in the top corner of the collage, below) to the class. The collage shared what we managed to capture of a larger discussion. Our students were inspired and excited to try something new. </div>
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<span style="color: black;">It is hard to capture the excitement that has developed out of this initial month of ice inquiry. Students have become aware of their own perspective when making observational drawings. They have begun to create elaborate plans, both in drawing and written form (prompted by Pooneh and I when we were overwhelmed by the requests for more and more materials and more space in the freezer). They make connections to earlier attempts and make increasingly more accurate predictions about the results of their personal or shared experiments. This is only the beginning of our ice inquiries this year. More will follow in part 2.</span><br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-FBffdts-yKI%2FVOJFqJjDW7I%2FAAAAAAAABV8%2FvvqHEZyAVv4%2Fs1600%2FP1250418.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBffdts-yKI/VOJFqJjDW7I/AAAAAAAABV8/vvqHEZyAVv4/s1600/P1250418.JPG" -->Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-73984787123107884052014-11-15T13:35:00.000-08:002016-07-29T14:12:33.209-07:00On becoming two<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="http://t.co/nQMWuXzBQy">pic.twitter.com/nQMWuXzBQy</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/530857485289398272">November 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
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We noticed that we can recognize the shapes but not colours with our eyes closed <a href="http://t.co/nWwJ70WzDD">http://t.co/nWwJ70WzDD</a> <a href="http://t.co/YK6oxNgBSF">pic.twitter.com/YK6oxNgBSF</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/520600205222506496">October 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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We make our monster's soup in a special way <a href="http://t.co/D1Zq1iuyWA">http://t.co/D1Zq1iuyWA</a> <a href="http://t.co/57plcrCqsG">pic.twitter.com/57plcrCqsG</a><br />
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— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/532594827599568896">November 12, 2014</a> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> have been thinking for a while about a way to introduce my wonderful teaching partner, ECE <a href="https://twitter.com/HPooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh Haghjoo</a>. This year has been fast-paced and action-packed, much more than any year since perhaps my first year of teaching (hence a long time since my last post). Although in some ways this year has been the most difficult in memory, with issues and events popping up to complicate the usually busy but joyous job of teaching, I've had many moments of looking over at my partner and thinking: "How did I get so lucky?" Transitioning to FDK has come with many challenges, and not the parts that I anticipated being difficult: the project-based learning from following children's inquiries that our school board and our Ontario curriculum document support is a big part of our K team's culture. Learning to work around sharing the yard throughout the day with 3 other classes and more planning times to consider, more kids/less materials/equipment/space with large classes, among other items on the learning curve. Not difficult this year: finding a way to share the space I'd made my home over the last two years. I'd been told it can be something like a marriage, in that two people share intimate quarters, materials, kids and important responsibilities. I imagined I would be hard to work with: I'm always making plans based on kids' interests and questions, then throwing those plans (and assembled materials/provocations) away or aside when a more powerful learning experience comes up. I've so many loose threads on the go, like my browser which always has at least 5 tabs open... I'm not the calm, quiet one in the room. I'm excited about life and learning. I'm passionate about the environment as third teacher and learner collaboration as the key to inquiry. I'm also loud, often provoking students with musical or noisy invitations to play. I'm happier outside than in, especially because I believe I see the true personality of children when all of their senses are fully engaged in learning, which is much more possible outdoors in every season. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Over the summer I engaged in losing myself in the big, beautiful outdoors with my family. The growth in my kids, especially over our 2 weeks visiting family and friends in BC (shared in <a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/08/the-fourth-teacher-is-time.html" target="_blank">this earlier post</a>), was incredible to me. So it was with some trepidation that I returned to school where we were entering our first year of FDK and me not knowing my partner's name or anything about him or her.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In some ways, it was not unlike moving schools like I did three years ago when I left RJ Lee PS in the north after eight years in the same spacious Kindergarten classroom. My commute was a long one but it was hard to leave a community, both my colleagues and the families of students, some of whom had two and three siblings join my class over my time there. I fell in love with the people, but also fell in love with the tree-lined creek that snaked past the school on our north boundary. Walks along the path were "trips to the jungle" and "forest adventures" to my students. We saw cotton-tail rabbits, geese and mallards aplenty, and even a pair of wood ducks one summer day. We went often to "visit our ducklings" every spring. And watched them grow from fuzzy yellow balls that "peep!" through the awkward fuzz and feather stage, always running after "mama duck". We peeked at the school through breaks in the leaf cover, and felt like no one could see us. Leaving RJ Lee was difficult for all the reasons mentioned above, but for me, having grown up in the countryside with a swimming pond and forests to wander in, leaving the little piece of wild behind was really hard. I couldn't imagine finding anything like it anywhere again.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's not that different for our students, coming to our classes as their first experience of school. What will it be like? Will I make friends? Will it be safe? Will I have fun? Will I know what to do? Moving to Thornwood PS, I was delighted to discovery it was bordered by Cooksville Creek, and that it has the unique "no-mow zone" wild learning area just across the field from our classroom windows (<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2013/09/where-grass-grows-tall.html" target="_blank">described in this post</a>). Likewise, while I was eagerly anticipating finally joining FDK, I was full of doubts and questions. Last year I had asked <a href="https://twitter.com/TessaHeffernan" target="_blank">Tessa Heffernan</a>, (a PLN friend whose outlook on the learner as capable always shines through in her writing) if she would share what makes her partership with <a href="https://twitter.com/DiljeeH" target="_blank">Holly Diljee</a> such a rich and rewarding relationship for the both of them. I was so touched by the obvious love and respect in the post, and it both inspired and worried me. How likely was it for me to be placed with someone who I could see eye-to-eye with on daily matters and big ideas? Tessa's words below, taken from her guest post (<a href="http://thiskindylife.blogspot.ca/2014/08/musings-on-what-really-matters-from.html" target="_blank">see here</a>) really summed up what I had found with the OCT team at Thornwood over the last year, and what I really hoped would be possible with our new ECE partners.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Joint Philosophy</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m
going to be honest and say that we simply lucked out when it came to
similar philosophies. We both are huge proponents of open-ended
materials and activities, uncovering the curriculum through play,
emergent learning, a natural and warm environment, choice, supporting
and promoting self-regulation, building relationships and teaching
skills as opposed to discipline, and making developmentally appropriate
decisions. These goals allow us to constantly focus on the ‘why’ behind
our decisions. If a school-wide activity comes up, we make a decision
about participation based on our philosophy. If we are considering a
provocation or activity, we think about how it fits or does not fit with
our programming. If children are taking part in an “outside of the
box” exploration, we generally ask ourselves two questions: 1. Are the
children being safe? 2. Are the materials being respected? </span></blockquote>
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It's hard to believe now, only a few months in to our time sharing a classroom, but I feel like Tessa's words ring true for me in so many ways. Pooneh has a wealth of experience as a teacher first (back in Iran) but also ECE experience in Canada with early years teaching, mostly with toddlers. Her obvious love of the students is clear to all: our parents, students, and all staff at Thornwood. Her way of reading students' body language and participation to know when it's time to change our routine, our set-up or even simply the story being read aloud? She is a consummate teacher, always listening carefully to the students, looking closely for themes emerging that she can extend. She is patient with young students who say: "I can't" even when they very likely can. She is as fascinated with the way kids think (including their interesting wrong conclusions to experiences) as I am, which belies a powerful belief in kids as capable learners with gifts and ideas of their own. She is patient with allowing students to struggle when it will lead to greater understanding, but also willing to help when a tired child is past their ability to persevere. In short, Pooneh embodies the model of scaffolding learning in her approach to teaching. I wound up with a partner as solidly convinced about the rightness of emergent curriculum as I am. <br />
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Her sense of humour lifts me when I'm frustrated with some mundane issue after a busy day. Her joyful embrace of experiential learning, the aspect of a partner I was most worried about? It shines through in her words, actions, and daily documentation of our students learning together. At first I wasn't sure how to add a second user to our class twitter page, so I would simply retweet her posts onto our class page (as some of those I've included here). Now that we share the account as authors, I find myself looking at our page and grinning when I see a new post of a moment I witnessed from across the room (while I was engaged with other students) or often not present for (while one of us takes a group for walks as the other teacher remains in the kindergarten yard with students using outdoor equipment). I appreciate how she sees the growth of individual children as well as the bigger ideas unfolding in their play within groups. It makes me think of how rich our reports and interviews will be, looking at the wealth of observation and documentation she brings. I love the way she captures the joy on the students' faces: though we obscure faces to protect student privacy, the grins are evident in photos of experiences inside and out of the classroom. I also grin when I see a post "faved" by our own account, knowing Pooneh has just come across something I shared that she finds delightful. <br />
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Below are just a sampling of tweets that show the joyful learning that my partner has captured this year. <br />
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Fliparock <a href="http://t.co/dlzMvvbXYF">http://t.co/dlzMvvbXYF</a> <a href="http://t.co/swX5MUKPnM">pic.twitter.com/swX5MUKPnM</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/512376763289448448">September 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
September 17th was "International Flip a Rock Day" and I knew whatever else came our way, I had a partner who saw the value of free exploration outdoors. <br />
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Experience <a href="http://t.co/3UM18IXuvx">http://t.co/3UM18IXuvx</a> <a href="http://t.co/7LkO6CWiny">pic.twitter.com/7LkO6CWiny</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/518179862184738816">October 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
"Look Closely" truly became the culture of my classroom last year when I was still 1/2 day (and thus no teaching partner at the time). It was obvious pretty quickly that Pooneh sees the magic in the littlest moments, too.<br />
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Nice collage! <a href="http://t.co/1S1qldDLgD">http://t.co/1S1qldDLgD</a> <a href="http://t.co/4ZjZOKxaVK">pic.twitter.com/4ZjZOKxaVK</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/524361205235056640">October 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
The above tweet shows one of Pooneh's many projects undertaken to answer a question or spark from one of the children. It may have grown out of this noticing by several children much earlier on. (tweet below).<br />
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I wonder if the tremendous interest yesterday will unfold into a larger inquiry.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fdk?src=hash">#fdk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peelfdkmath?src=hash">#peelfdkmath</a> (edited 4 errors) <a href="http://t.co/entv9WbkWg">pic.twitter.com/entv9WbkWg</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/510768410759032832">September 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://t.co/tYOGad2w3E">pic.twitter.com/tYOGad2w3E</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/522467285613559809">October 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
One of Pooneh's many invitations for students to explore materials using their senses.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
We love to play with leaves <a href="http://t.co/CotdfLv2om">http://t.co/CotdfLv2om</a> <a href="http://t.co/aZnmsfS5A4">pic.twitter.com/aZnmsfS5A4</a><br />
— pooneh haghjoo (@Hpooneh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh/status/520030714054840320">October 9, 2014</a></blockquote>
No explanation (of above tweet) necessary.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0C75bZCSO_Y/VGY-95Y1kRI/AAAAAAAABTk/eZ3sNE3CXSk/s640/blogger-image-627576109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0C75bZCSO_Y/VGY-95Y1kRI/AAAAAAAABTk/eZ3sNE3CXSk/s320/blogger-image-627576109.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pooneh and the kids playing under the oaks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K9zvQZdSO9k/VGY-_rUBMtI/AAAAAAAABTs/0Mba3-2tPWY/s640/blogger-image-745411183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K9zvQZdSO9k/VGY-_rUBMtI/AAAAAAAABTs/0Mba3-2tPWY/s320/blogger-image-745411183.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Moments of exploration that resonate for me with the<br />
inquiry-learning approach as outlined in "Worms,<br />
Shadows and Whirlpools".</td></tr>
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Earlier week, Pooneh brought a child-sized table and chairs for the classroom, and yesterday she invited students to help her wash it and restore the loose trim with glue. A group of students jumped at the chance to help. I missed almost all of it as they were working away in the cubby area while I was working with others in the classroom, in particular capturing moments at the ice inquiry table we'd set up near the windows. Later that day I smiled when I saw this:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="http://t.co/uph4BYlVth">pic.twitter.com/uph4BYlVth</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/532955039539937280">November 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> I captured these four girls playing with Pooneh in the cubby while waiting to be picked up at the end of the day: "We are drumming on the table that we worked so hard to clean" say JP and EW (<a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/533001435907366914" target="_blank">click for vine clip</a>).<br />
<br />
Another delightful moment in the day occured during our long "Play & Learn" block in the morning. Students playing with the medical tools from the class "Veterinary Kit" decided to take care of Pooneh instead of animals or other student patients. I wonder now if it was because of the morning conversation at welcome circle when she shared she wasn't fond of the cold weather. She waved at me, holding her "prescription" from one girl: a trip to the beach was the doctor's order. More prescriptions followed.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="http://t.co/jMkvmMrpT0">pic.twitter.com/jMkvmMrpT0</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/status/532953159237648384">November 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I know that our story has just begun, and that much learning will occur before the year is over. I have much to learn from my partner and it is still early enough in the year that we continue to tweak our schedule and environment in order to meet our students' learning needs... but I am confident that from now on, classroom stories will be "our stories". I am extremely grateful for my partner. From there, much is possible.<br />
<br />
Addendum: when I see the way all the Kindergarten classes have grown over the last few quick months, I'm truly pleased that our new ECE partners are equally on board with the adventure of child-lead, play-based learning as our OCT team are. I often fave tweets from both ECEs and class accounts (some are sharing account like Pooneh and I now do, other classes retweeting from ECE as we did) and I'm delighted at the rich conversations taking place between classes and over lunch in the staff room. Though our school experienced a painful loss this fall that touched us all (deeply felt in Kindergarten), our team is so full of passionate teacher/learners that I expect we'll continue to meet all challenges as a family. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with my Thornwood PS colleagues.<br />
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Nothing without Joy - Loris Malaguzzi<br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-77756765347805921432014-08-24T19:04:00.000-07:002016-07-28T13:35:05.362-07:00the story of Pelly<div class="entry-content" data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-1">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQM2RyyNMpI/U_qdvO1RwVI/AAAAAAAABSk/fbstF5Cn8Aw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQM2RyyNMpI/U_qdvO1RwVI/AAAAAAAABSk/fbstF5Cn8Aw/s1600/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loose parts play involving math, art, storytelling... N's father fish helping to feed his babies in a symmetrical pool.</td></tr>
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The first half of this post was first published in June on the <a href="http://peel21st184.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Peel21st Project 184 blog</a>, under the larger blog project lens of "What I Learned Today" (<a href="http://peel21st184.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/day-14-laurel-fynes-kindergarten-teacher-thornwood-public-school/" target="_blank">see original here</a>). Upon reflection later after our final week of school, I found that I had learned a lot about my students even as the school year was coming to a close and I was no longer working so diligently to notice and document all the learning. I also noticed that, even when I knew I had to start breaking down the classroom and getting ready to let go of my students, I found it very difficult to turn off the part of me that is always looking closely, listening, documenting, prodding new questions and explorations. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 1.71429;">After a <a href="http://peel21st184.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/day-14-laurel-fynes-kindergarten-teacher-thornwood-public-school/" target="_blank">brief introduction</a> on the blog, I told the story as follows:</span></span></span><br />
<br />
Yesterday after morning dismissal, I discovered a package in my mailbox. It was addressed to our class, from our friends in <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass" target="_blank">Mrs. Lowe’s</a>
Kindergarten in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I didn’t reveal the package to my
afternoon class right away, as it was our outdoor “Play Day” and thus I
didn’t expect to have a rapt audience; after all, my students had just
seen the banquet of delights that awaited them upon arrival. The
Kindergarten team had set up an impromptu water wall, a sand castle
centre, weaving, picnic area, frisbees, bubbles, bikes and scooters out
beyond our yard, chalk, paint, ball games, and more. These outdoor play
days are the sort of event that older students remember fondly and ask
about when they see you in the hall: “Hey, Ms. Fynes, are you guys
having play day again this year? Do you need any helpers?” I dropped my
mail on my desk, reapplied sunscreen, and headed outside for more fun.<br />
While the package would be a surprise for my students, I had already
learned about it a few days earlier. A little while ago I had sent a
parcel to <a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning" target="_blank">Connie Lowe</a>,
a Kindergarten teacher in Manitoba who I follow (both PLN and class) on
twitter. She had admired a photo from our class, and commented on the
beautiful beach glass the students were using in their creations. I
showed this tweet to a few students and asked if we should send them
some of our glass, as we have plenty to share. They liked the idea. Two
girls also agreed to create some pictures to illustrate a favourite way
to use the sand-softened glass pieces: making mandalas. I mailed the
parcel with their illustrations and sent a “hint” to the class of what
was on its way west.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning">@joyofrunning</a> a few friends gave some illustrations of their creations w/ glass including beach glass. Coming soon! <a href="http://t.co/7dgGGLRVDv">pic.twitter.com/7dgGGLRVDv</a><br />
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/statuses/474218102033747968">June 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Soon after we got a “Thank you!” tweet from Mrs. Lowe.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> I can’t wait to show these to my students this afternoon!<br />
— Connie Lowe (@joyofrunning) <a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning/statuses/474226081398923265">June 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I showed the girls who’d helped assemble the gift, and that was the end, I
thought.<br />
Then Connie tweeted us a hint, in the form of a blog post, that we would
be receiving a gift in return. Her post was so surprising it brought
tears to my eyes. I wondered how my students would react to this
generosity from a class so far away.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
A beautiful example of the power of social media in Kindergarten. The Story of Pelly <a href="http://t.co/rKUUXR0JXc">http://t.co/rKUUXR0JXc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mbkteachers?src=hash">#mbkteachers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a><br />
— Connie Lowe (@joyofrunning) <a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning/statuses/479012860446527489">June 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Today we sat down to our welcome circle, and opened our package. I
was sad to note that the two girls who had sent notes and pictures were
both absent today. This didn’t dampen the excitement in either class
when I showed the tweet we had sent, to set the stage for why we had
received this gift in the mail.<br />
“Pelly” was received with a chorus of “ooh!” and “wow!” and quickly passed around the circle as we read the notes <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass" target="_blank">Mrs. Lowe’s</a> class had sent us.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
We opened our package and wow, what a surprise! A is taking Pelly for a tour to make him comfortable. We lo... <a href="https://t.co/RQEMHVp39W">https://t.co/RQEMHVp39W</a><br />
— kids connect (@KinderFynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes/statuses/480042777884241920">June 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
It impressed my students so much that students we didn’t know would
share something so precious with us. These words came up again and
again: “They must miss Pelly”, “They are so nice”, “I love Pelly”. In
the afternoon class I had time to share <a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning" target="_blank">Connie’s</a>
story when I paraphrased her blog post and showed the movie her
students made. My Ks were so full of wonder, and empathy (“She looks
like she’s crying” was said about one photo in the movie) and ideas:
“Maybe we could take a plane to get there. It’s far”. Students made
Pelly a nest, improvised eggs with stones, made thank you cards, and
asked me to tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass" target="_blank">@MrsLowesClass</a> several times to say thank you and to ask questions.<br />
My name is <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes" target="_blank">Laurel</a>,
and I love the wonder of children and the power of social media to
connect us to learners near and far. What I learned today was that my
very young learners are quite capable of understanding how others feel,
even when those others are people in another province. I learned that
generosity abounds in my students. My students learned, yet again, that
we have friends like us all around the world. (end of original post).<br />
<br />
From the moment Pelly arrived, almost all of my students (both morning and afternoon classes) became engaged in new inquiries, all spurred on by the arrival of our new provocation. Pelly inspired students to inquire into pelicans, naturally, but also into feathers, flight, nests, fishing birds, swimming and diving, geography, social etiquette (the desire to send thank you notes and reciprocal gifts was overwhelming), the loneliness of moving to a new place, and more. I can't help but wonder what learning may have come if it weren't the last days of school!
Here follow many of the tweets that came out of our room once Pelly arrived. The thought that went into the actions seen in photos and vine clips below (e.g., exploring flight with feathers and paper airplanes, creating nests and finding loose parts food for Pelly, writing letters and making pictures for our faraway friends in Ms. Lowe's class) proved to me again the power of following a spark or provocation through all the myriad ways students wish to interpret their wonders.
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
PM: Today we got mail from our friends in Winnipeg. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> we "love him" & "think he's precious <a href="https://t.co/c45IFDrAHV">https://t.co/c45IFDrAHV</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/480045310073634817">June 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Pelly is saying "Hi!" to his old friends. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> for our gift. "I love Pelly!" Says C. <a href="http://t.co/uy8dScOU3V">pic.twitter.com/uy8dScOU3V</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/480044508517007360">June 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> Look how everyone is excited about our new friend Pelly! They made a nest, brought food, and Pelly... <a href="https://t.co/AcUWwfAOvy">https://t.co/AcUWwfAOvy</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/480051459992846336">June 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
A asks: "we want to know if Pelly is a girl or a boy?" <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> <a href="http://t.co/eQpvnfj6UO">pic.twitter.com/eQpvnfj6UO</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/480046759872561152">June 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
@FynesKs Pelly is a boy.<br />
— MrsLowesClass (@MrsLowesClass) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass/statuses/481089985580236800">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> we can't figure out where the eggs came from if Pelly is a boy!<br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481120699273453570">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
K friends, remember this? This is 4 our friends in <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> GoPro: Pelican Learns To Fly Thank you for Pelly! <a href="http://t.co/l8Z5NKGyrc">http://t.co/l8Z5NKGyrc</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/480349442927624192">June 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
K asked for the glass for play & learn today. A and M came to join in the fun, & Pelly came to fish! <a href="https://t.co/8kKkh6VXFi">https://t.co/8kKkh6VXFi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481076944600334337">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
The friends really love Pelly. <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> They've made a nest, took him fishing, flew with him in a flock, and.. <a href="https://t.co/k26stsob5K">https://t.co/k26stsob5K</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481125705586335744">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
These friends helped build a platform to be tall to test feathers from. They spin! They fly! <a href="http://t.co/NzlyOWkdaA">pic.twitter.com/NzlyOWkdaA</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481138662890307584">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
Feathers are cool! "We're flying them" says A. "It spins" says C. "I'm balancing carefully" says D. These a... <a href="https://t.co/ld4wzYRXWs">https://t.co/ld4wzYRXWs</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481140137557241856">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
We looked videos with Pelly then we told Pelly "do you miss your old friends he said no" (typed by M) <a href="https://t.co/2AW0sG2pTJ">https://t.co/2AW0sG2pTJ</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481462027349934080">June 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
Flying with Pelly! <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> We made paper airplanes and now we're testing them out. <a href="https://t.co/KIKxJt2sA3">https://t.co/KIKxJt2sA3</a> maybe we can fly to you?<br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/481854691626983424">June 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
U says: "This is for Pelly", M says: "when he's hungry he's going to fish for some fishes" <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> <a href="http://t.co/5bVZqVUbU3">pic.twitter.com/5bVZqVUbU3</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/482169438398316544">June 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> we love Pelly so much! We hope you have a wonderful summer and see some REAL pelicans. <a href="http://t.co/StQMnaW3Wk">pic.twitter.com/StQMnaW3Wk</a><br />
— Beyond 4walls (@109ThornKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/109ThornKs/statuses/482211704181641216">June 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
While the student engagement was powerful, I have to admit the teacher engagement for me was a highlight of a wonderful year, full of such rich moments. (Another collaborative inquiry shared with <a href="https://twitter.com/Kelly_M_Wright" target="_blank">Kelly Wright</a>'s class, a near-neighbour just west of us in Mississauga, will feature in an upcoming post). The connection made by sharing the wonder and delight of our classes captured the imagination of our principals, both supporters of inquiry-based, student-driven learning. The way our young students took initiative, showed their compassion and their generosity, and continued to be actively engaged in their education right into their last days of school impressed upon all of us the importance of giving our students the materials and letting them dictate how to interpret them. We were far apart but met in wonder, because <a href="http://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/cultivate-the-scientist-in-every-child-the-philosophy-of-frances-and-david-hawkins-the-exhibit-as-a-catalyst-for-love-and-respect-amongst-colleagues/" target="_blank">all roads lead to Hawkins</a>.
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
@FynesKs <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> this has acted as a spark for my learning! Thanks to both of u.<br />
— Robert Di Prospero (@RobDiPro) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobDiPro/statuses/480733430032773120">June 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning">@joyofrunning</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> This is such a beautiful story of how you are both teaching your Ss to be global citizens! Love!<br />
— Jane Couch (@principalcouch) <a href="https://twitter.com/principalcouch/statuses/480578409643253761">June 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/KinderFynes">@KinderFynes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/joyofrunning">@joyofrunning</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsLowesClass">@MrsLowesClass</a> This is a good reminder to all Ts to trust in your S's creativity, ambitions & imaginations.<br />
— Jane Couch (@principalcouch) <a href="https://twitter.com/principalcouch/statuses/480803280386158593">June 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
<br />
As I look back on what was an astounding year in terms of all the explorations that took place, I also look forward to seeing more exciting projects unfold with our twitter friends, now following our new class name @109ThornKs as our school transitions to FDK. The name change represents an exciting change for our class: we are now two educators and one, all-day class. <a href="https://twitter.com/Hpooneh" target="_blank">Pooneh Haghjoo</a> and I will be learning together how the days will flow, and how our learning community will grow. I'm excited to learn and teach alongside my experienced and passionate new partner Pooneh.<br />
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Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387202938979186877.post-70519916920482639222014-08-16T18:53:00.002-07:002016-07-28T13:33:46.070-07:00musings on what really matters, from a valued friend<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-0d2a6fcb-df27-8b31-65f9-5cf47b23f9f1" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I don't wish to take much space here because the beauty of <a href="https://twitter.com/TessaHeffernan" target="_blank">Tessa</a>'s post is perfect in its entirety. I do, however, want to share how it came to be I was able to bring this unique voice here.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are many people with whom I've made a connection online (through #ReggioPLC twitter chats or spontaneous conversations) that goes beyond "twitter follower/PLN". There is something about the way we share a view of children (as infinitely capable, curious, fascinating) and teaching (as a wondrous journey, forever deepening and growing out into our lives) that creates real friends through the ether. So naturally, when there is a chance to meet these inspirations in "real life", I jump at it. Tessa and <a href="https://twitter.com/DiljeeH" target="_blank">Holly</a> came to Toronto for an Ontario Reggio Association conference in the spring, and though I was unable to attend I was not going to let the chance to break bread go by. We wound up having quite the emergent curriculum model walking tour of downtown Toronto (that was my fault, imagine a toddler taking you for a tour: smells, sights, sounds all stop me in my tracks constantly). When we finally sat down for a cuppa, I felt like these two wonderful educators were long-lost friends. It was an interesting coincidence that Tessa sent me her draft during the week of the second annual "Reggio-inspired Summer Intensive" course where many of us thought about the #ReggioPLC voices we were missing, such as <a href="https://twitter.com/TessaHeffernan" target="_blank">Tessa</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TracyPick" target="_blank">Tracy</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/World_of_K" target="_blank">Nancy</a>, and many others. Teaching through the lens of joy, discovery, curiosity and possibility does make life and friendship seem so rich. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What follows is Tessa's story, with all photos by Tessa or Holly. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Teaching Partner Forever Changes You</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
was thrilled when Laurel asked me to write a post for her blog...ten
months ago! In true Laurel fashion, she gave me complete free reign
over what to write and I mulled over a variety of topics as I worked my
way through my first year in Full Day Kindergarten. After the year was
finished, I thought it would be the perfect chance to share some of our
learning. But as I wrote what I thought was going to be an overview,
one element continued to stand out: the educator team in FDK. Within
everything I wrote emerged the experience of working, collaborating, and
dreaming with a teaching partner and so here I share with you our
journey.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Words
could never fully capture the impact of teaching alongside a partner
and, more specifically, with Holly Diljee. Let’s be honest here - there
is a period of time before beginning the journey with a teaching
partner of extreme trepidation. Will my partner be okay with my
spontaneous nature and habit of making regular changes to plans
throughout the day? Will I feel like a fool doing my typical
singing/dancing routines in front of another adult? Will our
philosophies be similar? What if we disagree about things? How will we
know who does what throughout the day? But all of this trepidation is
now a distant memory.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oIvL6MpGqXk/U_AE-rrtlOI/AAAAAAAABRc/AQeHZvAjlY8/s1600/photo%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oIvL6MpGqXk/U_AE-rrtlOI/AAAAAAAABRc/AQeHZvAjlY8/s400/photo%2B4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly reading a story outdoors.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Planning & Creating Our Environment Together</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
knew things would be amazing in the first email I received from Holly.
I was fairly certain we would be a great match. And then we began
working together and I felt beyond fortunate that our paths had met up.
I think the first time I realized what an impact Holly was going to
have on my teaching was when we sat down together to plan out our room.
She had such innovative ideas and considered elements that I had not
thought of before. She suggested that we put our dramatic play centre
in the middle of the room to act as a divider and, through conversation,
we realized it also sent a very strong message about what we valued in
our classroom. I wanted our couch to be within eyeshot when entering
the room to send a welcoming message and she suggested that it be placed
within steps of the doorway. Our conversations began to open up a
whole world of “why nots” and “I wonder ifs” and “wouldn’t it be great
if we”. In fact, just the other day I texted Holly to tell her I was
getting my hands on a beautiful tea service set thinking strictly about
using it with water. She immediately responded with excitement about a
provocation with various bags of tea and, like that, the idea grew.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After
initially setting up our environment or adding, changing and adapting
our space, we always step back and watch. Are there challenges within
our design once the children are in the space? If we see something that
isn’t working, we first adapt the environment before thinking about the
“behaviour” piece. For example, when we first set up our couch, there
was a ledge along the back. Children were standing on the ledge and
somersaulting over top. While this is excellent gross motor exploration
(!), it became a huge safety issue which is our priority. We
hypothesized that if we were to set something along the ledge that was
beautiful and required care and gentleness, that the couch would become a
place for quiet and calm again. We set boards along the back of the
couch and placed potted plants on the boards. Without repeatedly
discussing flipping over the couch, a small change in the environment
redirected the children. Of course, there are many times where
discussion (reciprocal discussion) is needed but we try, where possible,
to begin by making changes within the environment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich Reflection as a Team</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
think the element that stands out most about our relationship is the
deep level of reflection that comes throughout the day. We talk about
student interests, extensions to provocations, fairness of expectations,
changes to scheduling, adaptations to environment, level of engagement,
rich questioning, effective documentation, children’s individual needs,
curriculum connections, small group focuses, developmentally
appropriateness, embedded assessment - the list could go on and on. We
are often asked when we find the time to talk. Early in the year, we
had a huge piece of chart paper where we could each write down emerging
interests we noticed and ideas for materials or next steps. It is
certainly true - there is never enough time in the day to fit in all of
the richness of conversation. Unless engaged in
exploration/documentation/conversation with a child or group of
children, we talk throughout the whole day. Sometimes it is a quick
flash of a photo on the iPad from across the room. Often it is a
pointing at a group of children engaged in an activity or a quick “Did
you see what so-and-so was up to over there?” with a knowing smile.
Regularly we reflect on next steps/materials for a provocation or
centre. Many times it’s a quick stop to list off things such as
“patterning, measurement, sorting, positional language” as one of us
documents children building at the block centre. And when we run out of
time during the day, we Tweet photos or thoughts back and forth when
there is time at night. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Joint Philosophy</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m
going to be honest and say that we simply lucked out when it came to
similar philosophies. We both are huge proponents of open-ended
materials and activities, uncovering the curriculum through play,
emergent learning, a natural and warm environment, choice, supporting
and promoting self-regulation, building relationships and teaching
skills as opposed to discipline, and making developmentally appropriate
decisions. These goals allow us to constantly focus on the ‘why’ behind
our decisions. If a school-wide activity comes up, we make a decision
about participation based on our philosophy. If we are considering a
provocation or activity, we think about how it fits or does not fit with
our programming. If children are taking part in an “outside of the
box” exploration, we generally ask ourselves two questions: 1. Are the
children being safe? 2. Are the materials being respected? This can
lead to water on the floor and sand in the dramatic play centre which
can also lead to creativity, imaginative play, ownership of materials,
and responsibility in tidying. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It
can also lead us to make adaptations in the classroom such as realizing
more materials were needed at the dramatic play centre to bake with and
making a batch of playdough/cloud dough. We also took time to write up
our philosophy to be shared with supply teachers. We wanted to ensure
that we were explicit about our thinking to allow for comfort for guest
teachers and to ensure that children were able to explore and
investigate in a similar way to when we were in the classroom to ease
the change. We have discussed writing up a formal philosophy to display
to make our thinking visible in the classroom. That’s not to say that
we don’t discuss ideas from different perspectives. There are times
when we share an idea and say “What do you think?” and we have a
conversation rooted in our philosophy that helps us to make a choice.
No decision is ever made solely by one of us. We are a team. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intentional and Thoughtful Programming</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As
we make decisions about our programming and schedule, we always try to
bring ourselves back to our philosophy. If we believe x, they we are
demonstrating it by y. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
we believe self-regulation should be a huge focus, then we need to
provide choice and opportunities for children to self-regulate. We
decided very early on that we would invite children to choose when they
would have their snack. We designated a snack table where children
could freeflow from discovery centres to snack and back to discovery
centres. Early in the year we heard children saying “I’m hungry” and we
assisted in co-regulating by making suggestions. It was amazing how
quickly the children moved to simply going to get their snack when they
needed it. Children in our room are able to eat throughout the day
whenever they choose. I think of myself and how it is impossible for me
to concentrate or be emotionally in control when I am hungry so this is
pivotal for our 3, 4, and 5 year olds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo 4.JPG" height="335px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/RD97yWX7QrAuefClUQ5MyTmUbnaFdr65aCczh4B1dJ4Sc0ITv7O55A9JLTem7uJLsJumRRGUUMfqStgyMCD-emhP8BDAGiENlpbYpO7w_cRSc_oYcjaKvWO-W-iOHbDMQw" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="447px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
we believe that children are competent and capable, then we need to
provide materials that demonstrate this belief as well as a great deal
of time for self and guided exploration. We have many glass materials
in the classroom and have discussions about how we take care of such
materials. We have steered away from commercial and plastic materials
in favour of more natural and open-ended things. The result of this
seemingly simple change has been astounding. We are continually amazed
by the level of creativity and imagination with these rich, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">open-ended
materials and I can confidently say having used predominantly bright,
colourful, “made-for-kids” resources for years that materials play a
huge part.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo 5.JPG" height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/PiHr7yzH30zvqVGvNqkHUjumHNE93k6xEDR3wIGlwfnqMhCpfZNTUQIg8HvO4-EPs0DeP26yIcW3vJbEcEdVFWuNfb4cPbkm72eefEXTpkPoLNRwW6pUeF1uCyOPOE--Cg" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="640" /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
we believe that children are capable of driving their own learning, we
need to provide choice attached to the interests we see demonstrated.
Throughout the year, children had many choices about joining one of two
inquiry groups or discovering independently. Often we have one group
outside and one inside and children are invited to choose. On Fridays,
we team up with our other kindergarten classroom and one room hosts a
more quiet, low-key activity (yoga, educational video, etc.) while the
other opens their centres and children make choices based on how they
are feeling. We offer choice of where to sit at all times including
during story time where some children choose to sit on the couch, others
on stools, and many on the floor. All of these choices play a huge
part in building self-regulation skills.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="640" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3ZoG8xbtWDgZUwukB2b1z-NHEeA4Eov-tpk0aIeasYG4SQMooJIf_-jSzwk41o7jFpRJACynpWs68_Wt2MyWDYDom0dwZeC-TM6eGfrs1otV7QVzF8KDSvWeqGDzcmaosQ" style="border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(One of our inquiry groups that children could choose to take part in)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<img alt="photo 1.JPG" height="300" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/OOeD-vDIvwXT95T75xdcOaMwq9aLFh6m5laezPdt6iU1ykzZAXHfyZ5uw68uNdGBUkKfwQrGH36au3CRM9L3HxtXtAM2Idav8DZeAQyIhi0W-tMIxVcSpdHeuEZ_NpZWkg" style="border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(A group who chose to explore outdoors)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ecj_tif5Ko/U_AE93JqcBI/AAAAAAAABRU/0cNYFhAu3Is/s1600/photo%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ecj_tif5Ko/U_AE93JqcBI/AAAAAAAABRU/0cNYFhAu3Is/s1600/photo%2B2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small group worked to write the kinds of paint we needed to order.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
we believe that all children are on their own journey, then teaching
explicit skills should meet each child where they are. Our kindergarten
curriculum leader began to focus on the topic of small groups and after
hearing the message MANY times, I finally had an ‘a-ha!’ moment as I
looked around to see a child who was already reading and a child who did
not yet know the difference between letters and numbers sitting for the
same learning activity. This was a huge moment of change in
programming for me. Holly and I take turns leading small groups within
math and literacy instruction. Our theory around this (particularly in
the area of math) became if we explicitly teach a skill (e.g. sorting by
categories) and purposefully put materials out (a variety of loose
parts mixed together in the sand table with bowls) to support this
exploration, we should see the language/skills emerging with in play
more often. We were amazed by the amount of embedded assessment we were
able to do during discovery centres based solely on some explicit
teaching and being intentional with materials.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="photo 2.JPG" height="300" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mfZw3dLL7WeLOu1OIflZWBbOpKaMlhrSUQc7uXrgALbp-zk52bOOFkAPhgeuQr4pwVKT94WhXS5qe6X1IwuiF1id7RgvLlZMuNvWceZeYJf9a2nGChBJfpgGIvZinm9sPg" style="border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(A child investigates our loose parts table)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multiple Perspectives in Documentation</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Documentation
with a partner was probably the piece that I was most excited about
moving into Full Day Kindergarten. I was not disappointed! Holly has
the most incredible knack for capturing not only a gorgeous photo but at
the precise moment of discovery. She has shared many of her tips with
me along the way. It is the most beautiful thing to be working in two
different groups and being able to come together afterwards to see what
the other group had been exploring through documentation. It also
allows us to make suggestions to each other about next steps within a
group project. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes
one of us will focus on taking photos while the other writes down
direct quotes from children so that the two can be put together. I’ll
never forget the moment when we discovered we had been documenting the
same exploration but from two different angles richly capturing the
investigation. Holly regularly emails me photos/learning stories that I
post directly on our class blog. We are eager to be able to root
ourselves more deeply into analysis of documentation next year and hope
to invite parents to a few documentation evenings to share with them,
too. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jB8aWUhXGsk/U_AE8wgfh8I/AAAAAAAABRI/hesGsEkSbIo/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jB8aWUhXGsk/U_AE8wgfh8I/AAAAAAAABRI/hesGsEkSbIo/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly captures a magical moment of discovery (photos above and below)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvLa1_0vZac/U_AE9uYGpPI/AAAAAAAABRQ/e7BCnGaePPA/s1600/photo%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvLa1_0vZac/U_AE9uYGpPI/AAAAAAAABRQ/e7BCnGaePPA/s1600/photo%2B3.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvLa1_0vZac/U_AE9uYGpPI/AAAAAAAABRQ/e7BCnGaePPA/s1600/photo%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo 3.JPG" height="624px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/whgIPUqtiEoazckGSvM92_53MzQn_mfeLlZcVg3RNYOgyJ_pFnxQSZ-kpuuOdANuLfJmgmZ0ouqvKgANouSEJNh1MNBbb-vS6AJIxciP95bFtLANAOpRt5PK_zid-YEQfw" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Relationships Rather Than Management</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
think the biggest impact that working with Holly has had on me is
around the way she talks to children. It is absolutely remarkable.
Let’s just clarify something here - I have never been a yeller or a
drill-sergeant. But for the first month of school, I found myself
stepping back in awe and watching Holly work through challenging
situations with the most patience I had ever seen. Then, I began
implementing her strategies when I was supporting challenges. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
first thing I noticed was the amount of time she would wait. With two
educators, problems no longer needed to be solved immediately. Think
about it - when, as adults, do we ever solve a problem within a five
minute span? Often we walk away, cool down, think about it, come back,
and discuss. So why should children not be given the same
opportunities? Is this not what supports developing self-regulation? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One
day, I asked her how she knew how long to wait. She shared that she
was watching the child’s body for cues and when he began to slow himself
down and appeared calm, then she began to talk. I sheepishly thought
back to previous days where I was following the child around talking at
him and wondering why he wasn’t listening! She said she always mirrored
his feelings first and then came up with a solution. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As
the year went on, I think at some points we both wondered if those
observing us felt like we were ignoring challenges. But we had
discovered that by giving time where needed, both the child and
ourselves were in a better space to discuss next steps instead of trying
to talk about things in the heat of the moment. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Working with a partner has made me much more reflective about my practice and much more aware of my own areas for learning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Collaborative Reporting and Parent Communication</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo 2(4).JPG" height="308px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/rOq7jtuX0vN3DlFVYakWT-ZleKlQ5owalKbnTpRXHOJzzlGjisGKqmD9hG3Dcgef5WdXidMBqYfu9vcEoX0z0_CEXc05DVLuAnEHB8OClNz8IaAjTTciGXQ8eigGU7Zcpg" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="410px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
I will admit (to boos and tomato throwing from some!!) that I am one of
those people who does not mind writing report cards. I see it as an
additional chance to give parents a glimpse into their child’s world
highlighting their learning along the way. But writing with a partner
has made me love reporting. Two sets of observations, two sets of
photos, two sets of learning stories, two sets of views of a child’s
interests, and two sets of ideas for next steps. It doesn’t get richer
than that! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Holly
has a real strength in capturing the essence of a child both in
reporting and at parent conferences. She thinks outside of the box when
it comes to skills. I remember struggling to report on the fine motor
skills of a child and, after a moment, she began to rhyme off things
such as “Well, he does his zipper up with no problem, he attaches small
Lego pieces together, he manipulated Pokemon cards with no challenges,
he opens his lunch containers with ease”. I had been so stuck in trying
to assess from the perspective of writing or drawing that I had
completely missed the many other ways this child was demonstrating his
fine motor skills. Working with a partner is full of ‘a-ha’ moments
such as those.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We’ve
also had families with questions about the value in play-based and
emergent learning. Being able to discuss as a team a response rooted in
our philosophy, the Ontario curriculum, and direction from our board
along with what we know about what is developmentally appropriate adds
so much richness to discussions. These conversations also drive us to
think more critically about our practice. Do we need to be more
explicit on our blog or in our parent conferences about the learning
taking place? Would it be beneficial to have a parent night where we
have more a formal conversation about play-based learning and our
philosophy? These discussions drive us to want to refine our practice
and point to areas where we may need to spend more time reflecting about
how to adequately share the incredible learning taking place within our
walls each day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So
many teachers talk about that feeling of isolation within the classroom
and while I think this is improving with collaboration, team teaching,
and social media, the feeling still exists. Teaching alongside a
partner removes that feeling entirely but it takes a willingness to be
vulnerable in acknowledging your areas of need and being completely open
to the knowledge and expertise of a partner. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s
that encouraging look across the classroom or chat after a moment with a
child who is struggling. It’s knowing that there is someone to offer
advice prior to a difficult conversation with a parent. It’s the utter
joy in observing moments of rich and meaningful learning and the
celebration that comes along with it as a team. And it’s the the
beauty, if you’re so lucky, of dreaming of big possibilities for another
year together.</span></div>
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<br />Laurel Fyneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694746377382643755noreply@blogger.com3