for the love of play

I was talking on the phone last night with one of my wonderful brothers. He is in his first year of college and we were catching each other up on the last few weeks. He spoke about spending the day and night at a friend's house (who lives in a rural area of Florida, with acres upon acres of land). They rode on four-wheelers, chased wild turkeys, tracked animals, and roamed the woods. He said that this day was the best day he has had so far in his college experience. My brother is 19 years old and he just spoke to the pure joy and fun found in play and nature - at any age.

As we speak more and more about 'defending childhood' and 'defending play' this thought has just been tumbling through my mind. That this is what we crave - play, the natural world, freedom, friendship, and joy.

Here is a valuable video I found through the trusty Reggio Listserv, happy viewing.

put it in the mail

What is a message? This question has emerged with the addition of our new, indoor, mailboxes. One day two girls delivered a gift, a picture, to every child's mailbox. As children emptied their boxes, one proclaimed "this isn't a message, it's just a picture." Such a clear and seemingly simple question gave me pause. What is a message?

And this is how we began our journey. As we continue our conversations about the making of a message there seems to be a consensus among the children.

• A message can have words and pictures
• A message can have only words
• A message can not be only a picture

Children continue to use the phrase, "it tells you" or "it tells people" to describe signs, symbols and pictures. I feel this phrase will be important in determining what a message is. For now, we are listening to the theories of children and making our own theories as teachers.

Is a letter a message?

Does a message need to be directed at another person?

"A message is on paper and at the end you put a heart"

Can a road sign be a message?

"It tells people to wait for the car"

Even if there are no words?

"It tells you to go there"

Can art be a message?

Can a message be quiet?

you put the fun in interaction

Interactions. This is what drives the life of a classroom. Meaningful interactions can inspire. I try - every educator tries their best to respond and engage with children through meaningful interactions each day. Yet there are moments I miss, simply because I'm caught up in the moment of getting breakfast ready or already involved with another child or group. That happened this morning as a child playing at the sand table held a green glass stone above the sand and noticed a green light being reflected in the sand. "Hey look at this, it makes a green light!" he proclaimed. I was aware of the coolness of his noticing but couldn't stop my forward-thinking get the breakfast on the table mission. Now, later this evening I'm still thinking about this lost moment (doh). The spark this comment could have generated about light, prisms, reflection and color. Oh the science fun that could have been had!

Luckily, moments and memories can be revisited. This astute observation from one student is something that I can revisit and tomorrow morning I will. I'm not sure yet how I will set up the provocation. I'm thinking of hanging the colored glass stones from the ceiling with white paper below. It will be something for me to experiment with in the early morning moments before children arrive.

So this is the lens I am peering through in reflecting on the last few days photos - some of our most meaningful interactions.

narrating the experience

This moment in the outdoor 'mud kitchen' jumped out at me. As the child continued to squeeze clumps of mud, smiling at the watery mess oozing through her fingers. A true sensory delight. Also, a moment ripe with science - the exploration of liquid, solid, pressure, and transformation.

I notice as you squeeze the mud...

the wet water is seeping through your fingers.

an invitation to see even more closely

Noticing a child already focused, and engaged in observing can be an invitation to extend their thinking. At first glance what looks like a simple drawing on the ground  - I find out is a representation of the water she observes underground. As I share the experience with her I ask questions - and with each question she adds to her drawing.

Do you see the water splashing below?

I see the reflection of the grate lines, do you see that?

being the follower - not the leader

It's important to hand over that screw driver and the wire cutters. Interaction is a sharing of power and communication.

Weeks of unscrewing screws and the true tinkering about to begin. I am the observer, on hand when a hand is needed.

And of course still a teacher, inviting the group to think about their tinkering. How does the wheel work? What happens when you spin it?

the cheerleader

Children were upset that we never had milk at snack time and unsatisfied with my reasoning, "we have no way to keep the milk cold." One child's idea to build a refrigerator gained my full support. With two friends by his side and our project shelf full of recycled materials they did it. This has been fully functioning for over a week - they simply change out the ice pack each morning and voila cold milk every day for snack.

You used great thinking to solve that problem - to make the wall higher.

Can you tell me how will your refrigerator work?

While focusing on each of these interactions there were surely other important moments I missed. We do the best we can in each moment, being present and really being with each child. And sometimes we get lucky enough to revisit a moment we lost like I will try to do tomorrow, fingers crossed.

give and take

I overhead one of our most independent children today - a child who often seeks out solitary play and relies on few - say aloud "I am lonely, I want someone to play with me." It made me stop in my tracks, a big moment to be embraced. Another child nearby heard her comment as well and with a bit of prompting, "would you like to join her?" They spent their time together writing and drawing.

This seemingly simple comment was really, really important. The student was able to express her emotions and through her (powerful) words get what she was looking for, a companion. It prompted me to step back and look at the photos of this week through a lens of friendship - community - and collaboration. What I found, was inspiring. Often in my reflecting I'm always thinking about next steps and how to go further. This refreshing reflection, was more of a celebration. How far we've come as a community...it is cause for celebration.

A celebration in images...

A mud hole is born

A hole is created quickly with helping hands.

An idea from one one has the power to inspire many - to bring water to the hole!

Many hands help with the job...

our very own mud hole remains.

Painting at the easel has become a collaborative venture, nearly each day one child asking another "Can I paint with you?"

We have yet to hear a "no."

Explorations with light and materials create something much bigger than anticipated

Over several days explorations with cellophane, contact paper, beads and light...

Come together as one work of art.

An independent beginning becomes a transformation

A morning exploration becomes a project

as one child's shark and another's bass take on a life of their own.

It is decided the fish need an aquarium...

Which is encouraged with time, materials, and books...

with the help of each other...

an aquarium is built. The boys decided it should be placed on our door,  for families to see.

Even Oobleck is more fun with friendly fingers nearby.

a book (or two..or three) a day

On this wonderfully lazy Saturday, I caught up on reading some of my favorite edu-blogs and listservs. And in doing so happened past Reading Magic by Mem Fox (which is now on my must-buy-soon list). This video of Mem Fox speaking about the importance of reading aloud at home. This is a wonderful video that I think would make a lot of sense to share with families at a beginning of the year orientation.

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