Play-Based Classroom

Reggio Emilia: The Hundred Languages of Children

2013-03-03T23:01:00.001-07:00

This photo came from the New York Times article, "The Art of Distraction", illustrated by Rutu Modan.

In the United States, the traditional classroom consists of a teacher who is the "Giver of Knowledge." The children are empty buckets, waiting to be filled with new information. They sit in desks, either loving school because they are good at memorizing information and taking tests, or hating school because they are not visual/auditory learners.

In the preschool setting, teachers plan themes based on holidays, seasons, and more recently, the new "cute" thing they found on Pinterest. (Guilty!) The children's interests and passions are of little importance. After all, the teachers are in charge, right? We also feel pressure from lawmakers, directors, and parents to get them KINDERGARTEN READY. Some preschools even proclaim to be "Getting your children ready for college!"

The Reggio Emilia Approach has a different attitude about learning. The image of the child is that children are capable of extraordinary things! They are viewed as competent and naturally curious. The Reggio teacher understands that each child enters their classroom full of knowledge of the world around them. They are full of potential, and are able to construct their own knowledge. They are active participants in their community of learners. (Gandini, 2010)

Please watch this short video, entitled, The Hundred Languages of Children. You may read along below. This poem, written by Loris Malaguzzi, is very touching. It reminds me that we as teachers are able to provide an environment where children can take the lead. Children can construct their own learning, and we are there as partners to facilitate this process!

The child

is made of one hundred.

The child has

A hundred languages

A hundred hands

A hundred thoughts

A hundred ways of thinking

Of playing, of speaking.

A hundred always a hundred

Ways of listening of marveling of loving

A hundred joys

For singing and understanding

A hundred worlds

To discover

A hundred worlds

To invent

A hundred worlds

To dream

The child has

A hundred languages

(and a hundred hundred hundred more)

But they steal ninety-nine.

The school and the culture

Separate the head from the body.

They tell the child;

To think without hands

To do without head

To listen and not to speak

To understand without joy

To love and to marvel

Only at Easter and Christmas

They tell the child:

To discover the world already there

And of the hundred

They steal ninety-nine.

They tell the child:

That work and play

Reality and fantasy

Science and imagination

Sky and earth

Reason and dream

Are things

That do not belong together

And thus they tell the child

That the hundred is not there

The child says: NO WAY the hundred is there--

Loris Malaguzzi

Founder of the Reggio Approach

I challenge you as an educator/parent to give children a bigger role in their learning.

Happy playing!

Works Cited

Gandini, L. (2010, September 13). Learning Materials Work. Retrieved from Values and Principles of the

Reggio Emilia Approach: http://www.learningmaterialswork.com/pdfs/ValuesAndPrinciples.pdf

Malaguzzi, L. (2006). The Hundred Languages of Childhood. Retrieved from Reggio Kids Childcare

Centres: http://www.reggiokids.com/about/hundred_languages.php

Using Fabric To Enhance The Preschool Classroom Environment

2012-09-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

As an educator on a budget, I'm always looking for inexpensive ways to add a little "something extra" to the classroom. I've been experimenting with adding elements of whimsy. This sheer curtain was under $10 dollars at Walmart, and since then it has been used several different ways in my classroom:

We draped it over the dramatic play area...

I had been looking for ways to drape fabric over the the pretend center without violating the fire codes here (we cannot hang anything within 18 in from the ceiling). This curtain was thumb-tacked to the wall, and is hanging from a white, wood curtain rod. The curtain rod was secured with fishing line that is taped to the ceiling.

The curtain also served as a "tent" for a camp sight.

I thumb-tacked to the wall, and used clear, packing tape to secure it to the shelf.

We used rope lights to enhance the tent.

Finally, we used it as a make-shift canopy over the cozy area/library.

I couldn't get a great shot of the rope lights, because the hall lights kept interfering with my camera, but it looks really cozy and wondrous when the lights are off.

This time we used wood curtain rods, a little duct tape, and thumb tacks. Next time, I would use the clear, packing tape, but we didn't have any "on hand" at the moment.

I love the idea of using fabric to enhance the environment. The use of fabric can set an area apart, and make a child feel like this is a space especially for him/her.

If you are wondering how the three-year old children handled it, I will tell you the truth. They handled it just fine. Of course, they did test it at first. Some experimented with tossing stuffed animals and small toys on top of the curtain. Others jumped and jumped and jumped to touch the smooth material. This is to be expected. I'm a firm believer that we should not restrict the environment out of fear of this initial testing phase. If you set clear expectations that the environment is to be respected, and demonstrate how to use the space, the set up can last for months and months!

Happy playing!

Reggio-Emilia: How To Bring the Most Out of Your Early Learning Environment

2012-08-06T02:12:00.003-07:00

My quest this year was to create a more organized, visually pleasing environment in our preschool classroom. My inspiration has come from various classes I've taken this year, inspirational teachers, cohort among local preschools, and of course, blogging! My research of other classrooms and personal aesthetic have led me to the Reggio Emilia approach to classroom environments.

I do not claim to be a Reggio teacher. I have, however, learned to borrow bits and pieces from various pedagogical philosophies.

I do love how Reggio classrooms are designed to be a beautiful third teacher. If the environment is set up right, the children will be more likely to be actively engaged with the materials. Actively engaged children are learning through play. When children are engaged in activities, teachers have more time to positively interact with the children, observe the learning in action, write down language, and take pictures. Documentation is a HUGE part of the Reggio Emilia approach, but that is another blog post entirely!

In order to bring out the best of any classroom center, you must ask yourself.

Are the materials easily accessible for young children?
Are the materials clean and organized?
Are they labeled with a picture and words (preferably in two languages)?
How does the center encourage mathematical concepts? Writing? Inquiry? Socio-emotional development? Easy clean-up?
Always ask yourself, "What else can this center offer? How can I make it better?" Remember: what works for one group of children may not work for another. I like to think that the classroom is never "done." There is always some project to add to your To-Do List to make your classroom the best learning environment possible.

I met another teacher named Esther through my classes this semester who has challenged me to make the most out of my classroom environment. Esther allowed me to tour her center (which is a Reggio school), and even visited my classroom to give me tips. In return, I helped her with math. I completely got the better end of the deal! ;) She showed me how to look at the classroom from EVERY angle.

Stand at the door way. Does your classroom look inviting? Does your classroom have an open layout? Are the centers clearly defined? Is it clear of clutter? Is there any furniture essentially blocking entrance to the classroom?

Get down on your knees. This is the level that children stand at. Are materials easily within reach? Are the displays at eye level? Are the materials clean, organized and inviting?

Stand in every corner of the room. Are there any areas not visible?

Stand by a window. Is there a way to take advantage of the natural light? Could you maybe move the art center so that the easel is near a window? What about the science center?

Look at the displays. Do you know the children, families, and teachers who share this space? Do you see pictures of the children? Are there unique pieces of art displayed in way that shows their work is valued? Is there anything to tell you what the children are studying this week besides the lesson plan? This brings us back to documentation.

For more information on documentation in the Reggio Emilia approach, look here.
This website has some wonderful insights on observation, assessment, and documentation.
This writer gives tips on how they make learning visible.

Look at the baskets. Are they bright, primary colors that detract from the brightly colored toys inside? Reggio environments typically take advantage of wicker baskets. You may also see containers that are either neutral in color or clear. Examples include: pie tins, glass jars, clear plastic containers, white, black or brown baskets, and metal containers. The point isn't that wicker baskets are better than plastic ones! Neutral colors make the materials more eye-catching, and eye-pleasing.

Have a seat. Is there a space for an adult to comfortably sit? Parents should feel welcome in the classroom. How can they get comfortable?

How is the lighting? Are there alternatives to florescent lights? (Think floor lamps, shelf lamps, aquarium lights, or even white Christmas lights)! Is there a way to allow more natural light into the classroom?

I hope I've inspired someone to take another look at their early learning environment. This past year my classroom has changed quite a bit as I peek into what other people are doing around the world. What changes have you been inspired to make to your classroom? If you're interested in learning more about how to transform your preschool setting, consider reading Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. It has gorgeous pictures of classrooms on every page!

Happy playing!

ms.ginasemail@gmail.com

International Mud Day 2012

2012-06-03T18:08:00.002-07:00

It's almost here...are you ready?

Here are some resources to help get you prepared:

Happy playing!

What to do when a class pet dies

2012-05-31T23:33:00.002-07:00

"Oh no. He died! Oh no, oh no! The caterpillar died!"

On Friday, we found a horned caterpillar much like this one near the garden.

It was about an inch and half long and about the width of a thumb. The interesting thing about it was how reactive it was to stimuli. At the gentlest touch, it flipped onto its back and right side up in a flash. After a quick reminder of using gentle hands when handling living creatures, the kids had a BLAST exploring it up close with magnifying glasses.

Can you guess what story we read at circle time that day?

Well...after we were finished observing the caterpillar, I put him in the glass aquarium that we are currently using to grow corn. I tossed in a couple of leaves from the tree we found him in, a branch (just in case it wanted to build a cocoon over the weekend), watered the plants, and forgot about it until Tuesday morning.

(We didn't have school on Monday in honor of Memorial Day).

Um.

Needless to say...the poor thing didn't make it to Tuesday. Simon discovered the dead caterpillar buried half way into the soil (it must have dug a hole over the weekend). I pulled it out, and realized that it was dead.

At first, they asked me. "How did he die?" I posed the question back to them. "What do you think? How do you think it died?"The comments from the children were...well...see for yourself!

Not a single child answered, "I don't know." They really took the time to think about it. They got out the magnifying glasses to see if it was injured. They turned it around and upside down, discussed it in length with each other, and I frantically scribbled their responses onto index cards.

As they hypothesized, I posed more open-ended questions:

"Maybe he got died because he scratched himself." -Diego
"How do you think he scratched himself?" -Me

We spent the rest of our free time investigating, hypothesizing, observing, and discussing. Who knew that a dead caterpillar could be such an enriching experience?

What do you do when a class pet dies? Investigate! Hypothesize. Discuss. Hypothesize some more. And please....don't forget to write down what the kids say!

Happy playing!

Our New Classroom Pet: Snails

2012-05-29T00:18:00.002-07:00

Hi!

I know it's been a while, but now that college classes are out for the summer, I am back to blogging! I'm so excited to be back! As soon as school was out, I was able to go on a much-needed 10 day family vacation to San Diego, CA. I have a huge family (3 brothers and 3 sisters), and we have gradually moved away from each other to different parts of the country. Its rare we spend time together, and it was refreshing to be around family again!

While I was in San Diego, I found a nest of snails on the outer wall and plants of my brother's apartment. I wouldn't have paid them much attention, except that my three year old son, D, would get excited EVERY single time we entered and exited my brother's apartment. He's never really been an animal lover. He's afraid of cats and dogs, and will usually only tolerate creatures if they are behind a glass cage.

I figured if HE liked snails, so would my classroom. Before we left, he helped me pick a couple of hostages to take home with us.

I didn't want to let my son down, and let the snails die within days of bringing them to Arizona. Obviously, dry, desert heat is not their natural environment. I looked up basic snail care to keep Scooter and Slow-Poke alive.

Snail Care Rules:

Never, ever, EVER pick a snail up by it's shell. Slide your finger under the snail, and pick it up from the bottom.
Snails eat fresh fruits, veggies and a steady supply of calcium. The calcium is very important, as it helps keep their shells nice and healthy. You can buy a cuttlefish bones from the pet store. I happened to grab a couple of dead snail shells from the nest in my brother's yard, and those will do just fine. If snails don't have a steady supply of calcium, they will eat their own shells.
Snails need a clean, fresh, damp environment. Arizona is not very damp, so I make sure to spray their cage at least once or twice a day with water. You can also keep a small, shallow dish of fresh water in the cage to keep it humid. I prefer to spray.
I put fresh, clean soil at the bottom of the snail cage, along with the vacant snail shells, and fresh veggies. So far, so good! I've managed to keep them alive for more than two weeks...thank you very much! :)

For more information, you can look at this website. I found it very helpful: http://www.petsnails.co.uk/care/intro.html

When I brought the snails into the classroom, they generated an enthusiastic response. D was excited to show off "his" snails. I kept having to remind him that I brought them for the class. He agreed to share them with his friends, as long as he can help take care of them. :)

This is the cage I picked for the snails. This is before I added the soil to the bottom.

Now that I'm certain I can keep the snails alive, I've started a "Snail Buddy" system. Every weekend, parents can sign up to take the snails home. I send a journal with care instructions on first page. Parents care for the snails with their children, and can journal about it over the weekend. On Mondays, the children can share their experiences with the class at circle time.

This weekend was the first time the snails and journal were sent home with a parent. I will update on how that goes, along with pictures of the journal.

How do you incorporate living creatures into your curriculum?

I would love to hear about it!

Happy playing!

Timing is everything.

2012-04-14T15:15:00.002-07:00

When it comes to photographing children, timing is EVERYTHING!

I'm no expert. I take photos of activities we do in the classroom, and I try to capture the happy moments as well.

Take this photo. Four children spontaneously decided to lie down and enjoy the beautiful weather together, and I managed to capture a few giggles. But look at the boy on the right. He is right about to...

...get up.

In the few seconds it took my camera to click and prepare for the next photo, the moment was gone. But wasn't it lovely?

Happy Playing!

How Does A Play-Based Classroom Teach Social and Emotional Skills?

2012-04-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. ~Franklin P. Jones

Part 2:

Welcome to the second in my series “How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach…?” The first in the series was Making a Portfolio for a Play-based Classroom, which stated the reasons for making a portfolio and how to organize it. Now you are going to join me in my process of actually making a play-based portfolio! My objective is to create a portfolio that will demonstrate the standards we meet through play.

There is a reason that Social/Emotional skills are the first in the series, and also first in the Arizona Early Learning Standards. Social and Emotional Skills are a means of recognizing and controlling our feelings and interacting with other others. Those skills include:

Self Confidence
Recognizing and expressing emotions
Self-control (stress management)
Cooperation (Turn-taking/sharing)
Respect for others (asking before taking)

Children who have mastered these skills generally do better in a traditional classroom (and any social situation). However, as anyone who has experience with a 3-5 year old knows, these skills are difficult for many children! Yet these are the skills that--more than any other--will follow a child into every social interaction of his/her life!

How scary is it to think that as parents and educators, we are responsible for teaching this ever-important skill set to each and every child we are responsible for?! It's not easy. There is no over-night fix. It will take time--and yes, extreme amounts of patience.

We take care of ourselves, first.

The first step a teacher can take is to take care of him/herself. That means we as role-models must effectively be able to handle OUR OWN stress. Easier said than done, right? Here are a few ways teachers can take care of themselves:

Know your limits. If you're feeling the stress knot building in your chest, it's time to take a potty break! Go in the bathroom and breathe in and out for a few minutes. It really helps!
Carry around a stress ball.

Make sure to get enough sleep each night.
Eat right.
Exercise daily.
Take deep breaths. All day long. It's magical.

Above all, remember this: We want the children to feel safe in their environment. A teacher who yells a lot, and becomes easily frustrated does not set a good example of self control, or maintain a positive, safe environment.

We discuss feelings and emotions every day.

There are many tried-and-true ways of discussing feelings words with preschooler. I talk about how I am feeling all day long. When I'm happy, I tell them I'm happy. When I'm frustrated, I say, "I'm frustrated," and put myself in a quiet spot to take three deep breaths. I do this to:

a) let the children know that is OK to have upset feelings (even teachers!), and

b) model an appropriate way of managing those feelings.

Other ways include:

Discussing feelings "in the moment."
Point to characters in stories during story time. "Uh-oh. Her fists are balled up, and she's stomping her foot. How do you think she's feeling right now?"
Sing songs and recite poems about feelings. A very popular song is "If you're happy and you know it." There is a poem that I love that is very similar to Eric Carle and Bill Martin Jr.'s Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? book.

"Happy face, Happy Face,
What do you see?
I see a sad face looking at me.
Sad face, Sad Face,
What do you see?
I see a surprised face looking at me! (and so on and so on....insert any emotion. Use facial pictures that match each emotion to go with the poem!)

Use charts. This webpage has several free templates for you to download and print. I use them all the time, but you can always make your own! There is a feelings wheel, a feelings chart, and feelings posters. Why not use them all?

We help children to manage their stress.
Little ones get stressed, too! They have to share an environment with up to 20 other little humans, sharing toys, space, and attention with only 2-3 teachers. You also don't know what their home life is. The fact is, we don't know WHAT happens from the time they leave our doors to the time they are signed back in again, and it is our job to give them coping skills to deal with the situations life throws at us.

We provide a cozy space indoors and out to "escape" to for awhile.

We model stress-coping mechanisms like deep breathing or finding a quiet spot.

We wait for them to calm down before approaching them about how to fix the situation.
We use tag-team approach when we find ourselves in a power-struggle with a child.
We give lots of hugs and kisses.
We tell them we love them, and it's okay to make mistakes.
We offer positive choices as alternatives to hurting others, screaming, or throwing a good old-fashioned tantrum.

What do you do to help teach social and emotional skills in your home or classroom?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As promised, here is a sample of what our portfolio would look like. This is the first strand in the Social Emotional Standard of the Arizona Early Learning Standards.

Arizona Department of Education

Early Learning Standards

Ages 3-5 Years Old

Social Emotional Standard

Strand 1. Knowledge of Self

Self Awareness

a) Demonstrates self-confidence

The children frequently measure, pour, and mix concoctions that are used in the classroom. We stretch paint with liquid starch, make flubber, play-dough, glarch, goop, oobleck, and also do cooking projects once a week.

b) Makes personal preferences know to others
(children participate in class surveys, in which they are able to mark with stick, name plate, or felt-tip markers.)

The children often participate in group surveys. We do simple surveys to see what colors the children are wearing, to find out how many boys and girls there are today, and also to vote for preferences.

c) Demonstrates knowledge of self-identity

Children are given time with mirrors to create self-portraits. Children also pick favorite art work to put in their portfolios. The child's name is used to label his/her cubby, nap mat, nap shelf, and art.

d) Shows an awareness of similarities and differences between self and others

· Recognition and Expression of Feelings

a) Associates emotions with words and facial expressions

b) Identifies and describes own feelings

c) Demonstrates refusal skills by saying "No" to/in harmful situations
d) Expresses empathy for others

It Matters

2012-04-05T22:41:00.003-07:00

This quote has been weighing on my mind. Please pardon me if I tweaked it slightly. Just let it sink in.

"The best thing about being a teacher is it matters. The hardest thing is that it matters every moment of every day." --Todd Whitaker

Guest Post: Why We Love Finger Painting

2011-10-18T22:26:00.001-07:00

Have you been over to visit Leslie at Play Ideas--Early Childhood Activities? If not, you are missing out! I've pinned many of her tried and true play ideas on my pinboards on Pinterest, and I've fallen in love with her new blog. Leslie was kind enough to guest post on Play-Based Classroom while I take a blogging break. When you're done reading, why don't you hop on over to Play Ideas, and have a peek at her quick, easy to implement ideas for play?

--Gina

Why we love finger painting

Finger painting feels great and it is a delightful, creative, sensory experience. It is an unstructured and completely child-centered activity. It also helps children learn and develop: moving skills, feeling skills and thinking skills.

They have a sense of purpose and curiosity as they discover what marks they can make.

They watch and experiment as the marks change and change again before their eyes.

They work independently in active, hands-on learning.

They take pride in their creations - “Look what I made by myself.”

Providing opportunities for them to explore a variety of materials is what parents and teachers can do and then watch them have fun.

Suggestions to extend finger play:

Add sand to the paint.

Add glitter to the paint.

Use coloured glue instead of paint and add beads to the glue.

http://playideas.blogspot.com/

Guest Post: When Life Gives Me Rain, I Make Puddles!

2011-09-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Note from Gina: Blogging has given me the opportunity to meet some fabulous preschool teachers from around the world: one of which is Ms. Kierna Corr, the author of the blog, "Learning for Life." Kierna and I bonded over a flubber recipe, and we soon realized we had similar approaches to teaching. When I decided to open up the blog for guest posting, she was the first person to come to mind! I hope you learn to love her as much as I do!

I live in N. Ireland, and everyone knows that the island of Ireland is known for its green landscapes. There is a very good reason for that - loads and loads of rain!

I decided that rather than fight against it or try to stay inside when it rains that I needed to embrace it.

As the old saying goes, 'When life gives you lemons make lemonade!" When life gives me rain, I make puddles!

I teach 26 three and four year olds, and we go outside everyday, no matter what the weather. In fact I can't imagine anything worse than having to spend the 5 hours each day inside. It helps that all staff are in agreement with me, and are prepared to don waterproof trousers & boots & get stuck in to!

We usually find that after about 2 weeks the children are all happy enough to be outside in all weathers provided they are dry, warm & comfortable. We have invested in waterproof clothing for everyone. In fact we have 2 sets of coats & trousers so that if we out first thing & get soaked we have another set to put on later if we go again again.

I watch the forecasts so closely because I like to know if it is going to be a very wet or windy day so I can plan to have the powder paints out so we can decorate the playground with the rain or fly our kites.

From following other preschools around the world I also now appreciate that although we may have rain & sun in the one day, we don't get the extreme heat that some people have to worry about. Our slide is never going to be too hot to use; nor would I ever have to put the tyres away in case anyone got burnt on them.

I like that we can have hailstones one minute & sun the next, literally as this photo shows.

We do spend a lot of time in our 'rain gear,' but it means we can enjoy whatever the weather throws at us.

We can always take our coats off if we get too warm. Most parents comment on how much their child enjoys going out in any weather after a few weeks at our school, and none of them have ever complained or asked that their child stay inside, even on the coldest, snowiest days. They were delighted that their child was getting the opportunity to go out.

It really is all about the right clothes, not the weather!

Note from Gina: So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes! I'm drooling over that weather gear--especially the rain boots! If you would like to see more from Kierna, hop on over to her blog: Learning for Life

You can also find her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/nosuchthingasbadweather

Happy playing!

Want to guest post?

2011-09-17T20:31:00.003-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I have some apologizing to do. I naively started a series the same week that I also started fall classes, THINKING that I would be able to manage it. Little did I know that I would barely have time to even get on the internet for enjoyment (which is what blogging is for me)! I apologize to anyone who has been waiting for my second post in the "How Does A Play-Based Classroom Teach...?" series. I am still adjusting to my new schedule, and I'm trying to work in a time slot just for blogging. Please bear with me!

On a happier note, I decided to open up the blog for guest posting. If anyone is interested, please let me know. The criteria for posting are pretty basic. Please post something family and (more importantly) child friendly. It should be new material (i.e. not something from your archives).It can be relating to any early childhood education topic: sensory, large/small motor, science, art, block play, dramatic play, or WHATEVER tickles your fancy. If it is relating to an art project, it should be open-ended, process oriented art. The messier the better! So that is my challenge to you! If you're game, let me know!

UPDATE: If you would like to guest post, you may email me at:

ms.ginasemail@gmail.com

Making a Portfolio For a Play-Based Classroom

2011-08-23T00:00:00.009-07:00

This is the first post in a 8 part series of "How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...?"

Making a Portfolio for a Play-Based Classroom.
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Social/Emotional Skills?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Language and Literacy?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Math?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Science?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Social Studies?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Health and Safety?
How Does a Play-Based Classroom Teach...Fine Arts?

I am killing two birds with one stone by not only breaking down how children actually learn in a play-based setting, but by also organizing my ideas for my own classroom portfolio. Documentation is an essential exercise for early childhood educators who follow a play-based curriculum.

Why make a portfolio?

Because there are still many parents, teachers, and directors who still differentiate play from learning.

Portfolios tell your story. They document how you meet standards, your classroom routines, classroom traditions, the teacher's creativity, and the children's joy all in one place!

Pictures speak a thousand words.

Portfolios demonstrate consistency in your curriculum.

When teachers are prepared with a portfolio that is organized and up-to-date, the teacher gains credibility.

When a parent comes in asking, "So what did they do today?" about their three year old, you can confidently say, "Play," with a visual portfolio showing how play supports learning.

Portfolios serve as a great resource when accreditation assessors come a-knockin'! Nothing growing in the garden at the moment? No worries! It's all documented in the classroom portfolio.

Maintaining a portfolio gives teachers feedback. What worked? What didn't? What were the children's interests? What are the program's strengths and what do we need to focus more on?

You can take portfolios with you wherever you go. Hey. In this economy, it never hurts to be safe. If you end up in a situation where you need to find a new job (or even just want a raise!), a portfolio is the perfect resource to have on hand.

Tips for Assembling a Classroom Portfolio:

Know What Kind of Portfolio You Want To Make. It might sound obvious, but before you start this project, ask yourself, "What do I want my portfolio to tell people?" In my case, my objective is to design a portfolio that portrays what standards we meet through play.

Gather Your Basic Information. Make copies of your daily schedule, hand washing procedures, disinfecting schedule, daily reports, a sample of your planning, parent newsletters, class expectations, and whatever else you have on your Parent Information Board.

Take pictures throughout the year. I've found blogging to be the perfect excuse for me to take out my camera more often. Make it a habit to carry your digital camera around with you at all times. Technology has made it possible for some camera phones to have nearly equal quality to a digital camera.

Organize as you go. As you take pictures, mentally organize what standard the activity meets. When you upload your photos onto your computer, sort them into files according to your needs. You might sort them by Early Learning Standards, by date, or by what type of activity it is. It's up to you. For a long time, I only had mine organized into only two folders: "Printed" and "Needs To Be Printed." :)

Make neat, legible labels. Once you have the paperwork and photos organized, it's time to make labels. If you choose to write the labels with your hand, please make sure it is neat and legible. You also use a label maker, or type and print labels from your computer.

This is important: if you decide to make an Early Learning Standards Portfolio, like me, make sure the labels are specific to each strand and sub strand.

The Arizona Early Learning Standards read like this:

     "Strand 1: Knowledge of Self
     Concept 1: Self Awareness. The child demonstrates an awareness of his or herself.
             Indicators: a) Demonstrates self-confidence."

Assemble. By now, you have an objective in mind, your papers and photos organized, and labels are made. Now all you have to do is assemble! :)

Take your time! This is a huge undertaking, and I'm well aware of all the MILLION things that teachers already have on their plate. Do a little bit at a time, and you will have a killer portfolio to show for it!

Organize Your Crayons, Markers, and Colored Pencils

2011-08-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Problem:

I've been searching for ways to make my art and writing center more organized. I'm sick of marker lids being lost, basket contents getting mixed up despite all labeling, and colored pencils being forgotten.

I found these thin baskets that are meant for organizing drawers at the dollar store. They were only 3 for a dollar!

How I Did It:

I hot-glued strips of construction paper to the bottom of each one: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, pink, purple, white, and brown.
Then I sorted my crayons, (and later) my markers and colored pencils into the baskets according to their color.

What works:

Markers are lasting longer, now that lids don't get lost in one, huge bucket of markers. It is easier to find a marker lid in a small basket of only 4 markers.
This is a natural color sorting activity. I over hear the children correcting each other, "NO...that goes in the red one!"
I have more space on my writing shelves. I've since filled that empty space with baskets of stickers, pencils, note pads, dry-erase markers/ boards, various types of paper, calendars, etc. The extra space means more space for creativity!
The great thing about using baskets (as opposed to cups or cans) is that they are stack-able!

What Doesn't:

I love my new organized shelves. The only qualm I have is that children may not learn to sort crayons from markers, and markers from colored pencils. This may become an issue when they move on to the next classroom. However, it works really well for my classroom of young 3's!

Happy playing!

I'm going back to school.

2011-08-21T07:00:00.010-07:00

Hello bloggers!

I've never really taken the time to talk about me, personally, but I just wanted to give a quick update about this upcoming fall semester. I am currently going to school to earn my AA in Early Childhood Education. This semester I will be taking 7 credits (3 classes), as well as working 30-35 hours a week. I'm also married, and I have a 2 year old (soon to be three) at home. This semester is likely to give me gray hairs!

Between family, work, school, and the blog, something will have to give, and it will probably be the blog (and probably house work...yes...I foresee lots of housework piling up, and fast food in my future...)

I will continue to try to update when I can--once the semester starts, I will try to keep up with a schedule. I still have LOTS of ideas and pictures to share with you all! This was also my way to communicate with parents, and I am really regretting that I won't get to devote as much time to this endeavor.

These past six months I have come to LOVE blogging to the point of obsession. I have learned so much from fellow bloggers, and I have grown as a teacher as a result.

THANK YOU for taking the time to read my little blog...a baby in the world of blogging! It means the world to me whenever I see that someone has been inspired by one of my posts, or just happens to click on by while searching for ideas for the classroom.

This is certainly not the end, and hopefully it will not be an extended break. I will keep you posted as often as possible.

--Gina

Plunger Prints

2011-08-20T07:00:00.003-07:00

Ooey Gooey Lady Groupie Alert!

I LOVE the Ooey Gooey Lady. Her ideas for the classroom are developmentally appropriate, messy, and FUN.

Plucked straight out of the Ooey Gooey books, here is an activity that is sure to please, sure to get messy, and sure to be developmentally appropriate:
Plunger Prints.
Don't worry. These were new. I bought them from the dollar store specifically with this project in mind! :)
Do yourself a favor, and do this one outside!

We did ours on a water day.

This was at the tail-end of our school year, so the only paints left were blues, blacks, and browns. The kids didn't seem to mind at all. They were too busy learning a new skill...

...because it takes some serious muscles to pull a wet plunger from a piece of paper with paint on it!
The plunger suctions to the paint, and you can either slide it off, anchor the plate with your foot and pull really hard, or walk around with a paper plate stuck on your plunger. They figured it out eagerly and quickly. I was impressed.

I used logs to hold the paper down. If I could do it again, I would use even more paper, because this was very popular!

See why it's a good idea to do this one outside?

After the paint ran out, I busied myself with taping the paper to the fence to dry (and be displayed). Meanwhile, the boys had filled up a bucket of water, and began cleaning the plungers...

I need to hire these guys to fix my toilet!

Their WHOLE bodies were involved in this activity

The plungers were sparkling clean by the time we went inside.

While the boys were busy cleaning the plungers, we found out that the paper plates had become stuck to the sidewalk. This is pretty typical in hot, dry climates like Arizona. The paint-soaked paper plates dried quickly, and were glued to the pavement. The girls scratched, scratched, and scratched away to get the paper plates off, while I aided them by keeping the area wet (to soften the paper).

Here's what worked:

This activity is great for building gross motor skills:

Arms, shoulder and back muscles are needed to push and pull the plungers, and incidentally, these are the same muscles needed for writing. In a way, this activity was a very effective pre-writing exercise!

This activity is a language booster:

Here we put real meaning to the words, "plunge," "suction," "grip," and "circles."

It meets Early Learning Standards:

Making prints with plungers meets the AZ Early Learning Standards by allowing the children to use a variety of writing tools, materials, and surfaces to create marks.

Clean up time was almost more fun than the actual painting:

Clean up time took more time than the actual painting. However, in this case, clean up became almost more fun than the painting, so it worked out. When we were done, I hosed everyone down, and we continued on with our day.

Here's what didn't:

I only had four plungers available for a class of 13.

Silly Ms. Gina. I should know better by now! If it's possible, try to have one for each child. If the budget doesn't allow for that (these plungers were only a dollar at the dollar store, but they were a part of a larger purchase), try to have at least enough for half of the kids.

The Paper ended up being blown down by the wind:

I thought I taped it pretty good, but by the time we came out in the afternoon, that paper was gone. So much for our cool plunger print display! It's times like this that I have to remind myself, "Process, NOT product." The process was enjoyable, and the product...not that important.

I forgot to explain what plungers are really meant for BEFORE the activity.
While I put them away on the bathroom shelf, one of the children exclaimed excitedly, "PLUNGERS! THOSE ARE FOR PAINTING!"

Uh-oh.

Happy playing!

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

2011-08-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Howdy from over here in Arizona!

I am all up to date with technology, now, and have not one, not two, but THREE accounts to share with you.

Follow me on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/PlaybasedClssrm

Twitter is a great way to quickly share links, and give a short description (140 characters, to be exact). This way, all the hours spent poring over new ideas, articles, and pictures won't be spent in vain! I can actually share some of this with others who are interested. Yay!

Follow me on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Play-based-Classroom/252515388097475

Just about everyone I know has one, and not everyone has a Google account. Facebook is a convenient way to quickly connect to your readers, as well as interact with them. You can even purchase a Facebook ad space for your blog, and target it to your audience. This gets the word out to potential readers. I love my new Facebook account, because it has also allowed me to interact with other bloggers, and I get quicker feedback from my readers.

Follow me on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/blndmxcn04/

I am hopelessly addicted to Pinterest. It is a free website that allows you to "pin" photos of your favorite ideas onto a virtual board. You can categorize your bulletin boards into as many categories as you like. I already have 24 boards! When you come across an idea online that you really like, click "Pin it," and pick the photo to pin. It will link you back to the original site every time.

Here is a list of my personal boards:

Disclaimer: The majority of the pins are not my original ideas (although some pins are from Play-Based Classroom). When you click on the Pin, it will take you back to the original post. Enjoy!

Happy Playing!

Glove Spider

2011-08-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

Preschool teachers don't have much time in a day for making cute little projects..

at least THIS one doesn't!

My day is all about efficiency. I don't do arts and crafts that require me to do much more prep work than gathering the supplies, and maybe cutting a large sheet of paper to cover the table.

I am not one of those teachers who spends hours creating cute little creations out of construction paper, felt, or socks. Being the only teacher in a classroom of 13 students keeps me busy enough. That being said:

Here's a quick tutorial on how to make the EASIEST puppet ever!

Step 1: Gather a glove and googly eyes (I had some googly eye stickers on hand, and these were perfect.)

Step 2: Either glue or stick the eyes onto the glove.

TA DA!

We gathered in a circle, and sang Raffi's "Spider on the Floor" song. The laughter and squeals of delight were beautiful. When were done, I put the spider in the home living area, and he has explored every corner of the room via little hands.

Happy playing!

Coffee Oobleck!

2011-08-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

One of our lovely teachers, Ms. Leslie, brought in a week's worth of used coffee grounds for us to use. I immediately added them to our sensory table, thinking they would be an instant hit!

Not so much.

I didn't get it. How could they not be drawn in by the smell alone? I even tried sitting at the table and inviting the children to come join me...I had a few takers, but no one stayed for long.

Usually it's just a simple fix to draw the children in to the sensory table. In this case, our simple fix was the addition of cornstarch (I added two cups.)

...and a container of water.

I also added wooden spoons (for those who don't like coffee's gritty texture), measuring cups, and measuring spoons.

Jackpot! The table began gathering attention, although they didn't immediately dump the cornstarch and water.

Instead, they used the measuring spoons to mix

Their favorite thing to do was transfer the cornstarch and coffee grounds into the cup, watching the water slowly swirl, mix, change colors, and settle.

You can see the layers of cornstarch, coffee grounds, and water. The children lovingly called this, "Chocolate milk."

The language this activity inspired was amazing. The kids started calling it the "coffee table," and spouting out words like "mochachino, and cappacino."

I heard stories of Mommies and Daddies who always drink coffee...

...and how coffee was for grown ups only, although no one really knew why.

Eventually, the container became so fill, that the water overflowed, creating a river of coffee.

...And this became a new sensory experience. The smell was incredible, but to be honest, the texture was not. It was very gritty and wet, which was off-putting to most of the kids. Most...but not all (obviously).

They truly savored the process of creating a new substance. It was very relaxing to watch the white cornstarch swirl and mix with the contrasting, brown coffee.

The next day, I added another box (2 cups) of cornstarch to the table, as well as some more water.
*Side note: If you decide to do a coffee/water/cornstarch combo...leave the mixture UNCOVERED over night, or it will mildew. I've forgotten this in the past, and came to class the next day with a healthy growth of mold...and well, you can just imagine the smell. Ugh. Leave it uncovered!

There was more mixing action...

You can see the coffee in the table change as it gets more attention from the kids. The consistency is thicker, like gravy.

Eventually, all the cornstarch is dumped, and little hands start to mix it up. The process took two days...If I had my way, I would have done it immediately. Adults are efficient like that. But children need time to explore, and figure things out on their own.


Here it is...Coffee Oobleck: Mix 2 boxes of cornstarch (4 cups), 2 cups of water, and a few days worth of coffee grounds (maybe 3-4 cups?)

Just like normal oobleck (cornstarch and water), this was completely addicting to play with, and filled the classroom with beautiful smells.

Ready for some nerdy talk?
The cornstarch/water combo creates a non-newtonian substance. It's viscous in nature (something all cooks know from when they add a little cornstarch to sauce...it thickens up!). This substance looks like a liquid, but when you touch it, it feels solid. When you force the molecules into motion (for example, letting it drip from your hands), it acts as a liquid once again.

Because of the unique nature of oobleck, you can roll a ball, and watch it melt before your eyes.

Did you know that coffee grounds act as an exfoliate?
Who knew? The cornstarch will leave your skin feeling silky smooth, and the coffee rubs away dead skin!

So, rub your hands in some coffee oobleck, and after you rinse, they will be rejuvenated and silky smooth. Bonus: They'll smell great, too!

Happy playing!

Box Painting and 3D Picture Display

2011-07-31T21:58:00.001-07:00

In my last post, I covered our experience with painting cardboard flaps. But what to do with the left over boxes? Well, we painted those, too, of course!

Children need an upright easel to practice hand dominance and the proper pencil grasp. This child displays the mature 3 finger pencil grip.

For more information on building pencil grasp, please visit this website, called OT Mom.

When the box was dry, I decided to use it as a 3D picture art display.

For now, I put pictures of the children painting on cardboard...

...but this can be re-used to display pictures of any activity, and displayed around the room.


I even stapled it to one, bare corner of the classroom, just above the children's eye level. We hung children's art from the bottom of the box. Now it's being displayed in the hallway just outside the classroom.

How have you found ways to display children's art/ photos in your class? I'm interested in hearing about it!

Happy playing!

Water Colors on Cardboard Squares

2011-07-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

The children made this gorgeous display with box flaps and paint!

I saved two large, white cardboard boxes from the recycling bin. My co-teacher, Mr. Matt, cut off the flaps, and then cut them into equal squares. This was done while the children slept, and the squares were saved for a future project.

All you need is just a squirt of liquid water color, some small paint brushes, and white crayons.

Whenever you do an art project with young preschoolers, it is important to have enough supplies for each child to participate at the same time.
To make enough paint available, I put out about 12 jars for a table of 8. Each jar had 2-3 paint brushes in it, so there was no bickering over "my paint."

Each child had their own crayon, and there were enough cardboard squares for them to make multiple masterpieces.

Smocks are made available, but no one is forced.

I don't know why, but some children will LEAVE the art table if I even suggest a smock, as if the smock will somehow hinder their creative process!
Fear not, parents! Everything we use is washable.

There is something very personal about creating art. Each piece is unique and beautiful.

Art allows us to express ourselves and our feelings.

Each piece of art is like a snapshot of how we were feeling at that moment.

The liquid colors blend, and make surprising new colors.

Speaking of surprises, the white crayon resists the paint, and pops out.
SURPRISE!

Happy playing!

Dancing with Glowsticks

2011-07-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

When you have glow sticks, you just HAVE to try dancing with them...in the dark!

I love this. We busted out the wild dance mix CD, turned out the lights, and went cRaZy!

If you're wondering where all the other kids were, they were probably in the boxes. There was shaking...

...hoola hooping...

...and jumping!

You can also tape the glow sticks to the children's clothes, but my children were too wiggly. I chose to keep it simple.

Happy playing!

Glow Sticks in Big Boxes!

2011-07-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Fun with glow sticks just don't stop!

...especially when you have large boxes to create dark, cozy spaces.

The view from inside.

This is what it looks like with flash...The kids brought pillows and blankets inside to make it cozy.

This is what it looks like with no flash!

What is the purpose of glow sticks? I guess there is none, other than they are really fun! I guess that is what a play-based classroom is all about...learning while having FUN.

You can almost see their smiling faces. :)

Christopher connected several glow sticks together, building fine motor skills. The kids used the connectors to create bracelets, necklaces, and...

...a WHIP!

The shorter box was juuust big enough for the little ones to crawl into.

While the bigger box could comfortably fit 3 children, and still "close the doors," which was their favorite part, of course.

I had to take pictures through the cracks in the doors...which was pretty tricky!

If they weren't able to close the doors themselves, they had friends help (pro-social behavior). They also used heavy objects as props to hold the flaps shut (inquiry and problem solving). These are skills that were encouraged not through the teacher coaching...rather by simply adding to the environment.

Children need cozy spaces to "get away" from the noisiness of a busy classroom. I experienced this first-hand, when I had an extra teacher. I crawled inside the smaller box (only half of my torso could fit), along with Braeden, and instantly, the noises from the classroom were muted. It was just me and Braeden, making happy faces with glow sticks.

All children need a space where they can "get away," even if it's just to explore glow sticks with your best buddies.

I love the bracelets!

As to be expected, there were a few scraps over who would get a turn...

...this was quickly remedied by the use of 3 minute sand timers (I had them flip them over twice so each group got a six minute turn).

But even this was not enough. I quickly realized we needed yet another dark, cozy space...

So I put a large table cloth over a table, added some carpet squares on the floor, and voila! Another dark, cozy area for glow stick play. It wasn't as dark as the boxes of course, but still fun. This photo was taken without the flash.

When parents came in to drop off a child, they would ask, "Where are all the kids?" :)

My classroom looked almost empty for three days, and with the lights off, it must have seemed that way!

This is a view from inside the large box. They finally opened the doors, and I got a few sneaky pictures of the glow stick magic...

Happy playing!

Glow Sticks In the Sensory Table

2011-07-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, our class explored glow sticks!

We put the glow sticks in the sensory table, and added water, a little bit of dish soap (to make the water more opaque), and turned off the lights.

Our lights stayed off for three days!

Glow sticks add a new sensory experience to plain water.

The table initially attracted a huge crowd, but the crowd dissipated after I introduced glow sticks in large boxes (next post!).

Still...there is a magic about glow sticks in water...

A picture with the flash on.

Flash off.

(For some reason, my camera took warped photos, so I apologize for the quality of the next few pictures).

Water is calming in nature. It is soothing to fill and pour it over and over again. I make it a point to have it available every day, whether it is indoors or out.

The glow sticks made the containers glow, but none were quite as breath-taking as the white one.

Have you explored glow sticks lately?

Happy playing!

Somersaults in Preschool

2011-07-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

I brought in my yoga mat this week to inspire some gross motor play!

The kids brought over a pillow, and used it as a launching point for rolling.

They lined up, and took turns either rolling or braving a somersault.

Once they got the hang of it, it was completely addicting.

They kept coming back to try it again, and again.

I left the yoga mat on a low shelf all week, and the children would occasionally pull it out and try out their somersaults again.

By the end of the week, most were pros. I was able to see who caught on quickly, and refer a parent or two to possible look into gymnastics for their child.

Here are some tips if you're thinking about trying this with your preschooler(s):

Start off on a flat, soft surface. We used a yoga mat, using a large pillow to launch.
Don't put your weight on your head, as this can cause an injury. Instead, put your weight on your hands and feet, and gently push off.
Tuck your head in between your knees and roll forward, keeping your legs tucked all through the roll (THINK ROUND THOUGHTS!)
You should roll into a sitting position, with your feet flat on the floor.

Happy playing!