In the Catbird classroom, while we view ourselves as a community, we also pay close attention to the things that make us unique. The way that each of us approaches problems and novel situations, and asks and answers question is quite different from one Catbird to the next. Early in the school year, and in our relationship with each child, we focus a great deal of time and attention into understanding every individual’s style of learning. We try and discover what kinds of things pique a child’s interest and the types of materials and situations that provoke them to explore. Some children have to hold and touch an object in order to understand it, while others study with their eyes or other senses. There are children who dive into novel situations like they are leaping into a pool, while others want to ask questions about the water first: “Is it warm or cold?” “How deep is it?” “Are there sharks in there?” For some, the color of a thing is its most salient feature, while others consider it’s size or shape. Some wonder about an object in it’s own right, while others compare and contrast it to other objects they have known. There are those who like to learn and explore in the company of friends, and others who prefer solitary investigation. Further, different children have different things that may make them unwilling or hesitant to explore something new. There are friends who don’t like things that are noisy, or smelly, things that are too big or too small, things that move around too much or have unusual textures. All of these things and more define and determine the way that each child develops cognitively. In our classroom, we work to ensure that we present friends with a wide variety of learning experiences, so that every Catbird can learn in the way that works best for them, and also has a chance to push themselves to try different approaches.
The Catbirds come to us with a built in interest in math and science. We give them the tools and encouragement to count and measure their world, to see and understand shapes and angles, to think about what happens when you add, subtract, multiply and divide. These mathematical concepts emerge in very natural ways in the day to day explorations of the Catbirds. We notice shapes as we construct and deconstruct objects, drawing and buildings. They help us to calculate how many more apples we need to order, and how many we’ve eaten since Monday. We calculate time with a variety of clocks and timers, height with rulers and measuring tapes, we consider distance and time as we plan our adventures. The Catbirds are just as eager to conduct scientific inquiry and experimentation. New tools, objects and situations lead them to wonder, “What will happen if…?” Everywhere in our environment are what we call “provocations,” that encourage friends to take their explorations one step further. As teachers and facilitators in our classroom, it is our job to observe and discover the questions friends are asking, and to provide them opportunities and materials that will allow them to explore further.
Today's News:
Connecting letters in friends' names.
Helping the Owls make a "Settling Jar," for Meeting for Worship.
Planting the avocado seed.
Meeting for Worship.
Music Class.
Outside Time.
Our student teacher, Abby, reads us a story.
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