Who We Are and What We Like
Welcome to a new class blog! Here are the class albums - please remember to go through them with your child to gain an insight in the activities from their perspective.
We have reached the end of week 7. I often mention that it typically takes about 6 to 8 weeks for most children to settle into their new classroom or school environment. During the initial weeks of this school year for our Froggies, I’ve designed a range of learning activities to observe their preferences and responses. I’m curious about who enjoys certain activities, who doesn't, and the reasons behind those feelings. Is it due to a lack of experience, unfamiliarity, or perhaps an aversion to something specific? When you consider all the different personalities in the classroom you can understand why it takes around this length of time. Knowing what they respond to can help me to enhance their learning further.
For example, I set out some resin blocks, each containing encapsulated insects, and provided magnifying glasses for the children. As always, I’m continually amazed by their inquiries and insights. One inquiry that stood out was from Adrian, who was particularly captivated by the blocks and spent a lot of time exploring them.
A few days later, Adrian mentioned that he thought the blocks were made of ice. When I asked him why he thought that, he said it was because "they were white and shiny." I took the opportunity to ask him how ice feels compared to the resin blocks. Since children are still learning to differentiate between materials, I decided to bring him some real ice for comparison. Adrian quickly realized that the two weren’t the same and became fascinated by watching the ice melt, drip, and eventually disappear. I love moments like this, where learning and discovery come together so beautifully. I will support this interest with some ice exploration next week. As you can see in the picture below, the magnifying glasses were a huge hit too!
I discussed how "sharing is not always caring" in my previous blog post because it entails giving up something you might not be done with. There were a few children who never seemed to be finished with a popular toy, and 'taking turns" just wasn't working, and this was causing some frustrations in the classroom. I, therefore, pulled out my well-worn copy of Marcus Pfister's The Rainbow Fish. When I bring out a new book, I encourage the class to look at the cover of the book and to talk about what they see. Can they predict what the story might be about? Then, even before the book was opened we got things started with a class discussion. "Have you ever had something that someone else wanted?" I asked. How did you feel when someone asked for something you had? (The children are being more vocal about expressing our feelings now they have settled, so this was a fantastic opportunity for me to find out what prior knowledge they have)
In our discussion about "The Rainbow Fish," I asked the children how they thought the Rainbow Fish felt when others asked for one of his plentiful shiny scales. What do you believe he should do in that situation? How do the other fish feel about him? After reading, we explored whether the Rainbow Fish made the best choice and why. Did they enjoy the story? What were their thoughts?
The tale of the Rainbow Fish has essential lessons about sharing, friendship, and empathy. Throughout the book, the Rainbow Fish discovers that offering to give over his beautiful scales brings him greater fulfilment and a wider social group. He also learns to appreciate the feelings of others, emphasizing the importance of community. The story promotes positive social behaviours. Our art and crafts activities around this book have really been a chance to sit and discuss the story while being busy and creative. Initially, the children used playdough and shiny stones to recreate the story, and then we used other skills, such as cutting and glueing.
I have observed that painting is one of our children's favourite activities, and we have been looking at how we can mix colours together to make new colours. Using primary colours to make secondary colours.
We then gave the children time to explore this by themselves, working on combining colours to make new ones - using a cotton bud allows the process to be slowed down. Understanding colour mixing allows children to experiment and express themselves artistically. They can create their own unique colours, enhancing their creative abilities.
Witnessing acts of kindness has made our "Kindness Jar" project, a hit with the children. Right now, there are a few pom-poms inside the jar. It's important for the children to choose their own pom-pom and add it to the jar when they perform a kind deed. During our circle times, I’ll take time to highlight each act of kindness. While we can’t capture every moment, the initiative has certainly had a positive effect so far.
Starting next week, the children will have daily access to the playground during our Open Playtime (10:15 - 11:15 am and 2:30 - 3:30 pm), weather permitting. They aren’t required to stay in the playground for the entire duration; it’s their choice. They can return to the K1 floor, access the classrooms, or enjoy a snack. We are actively encouraging them to make their own decisions during this time, fostering their independence and sense of agency. So please adjust for clothing/footwear, suncream/mosquito spray as necessary.
During this Open Play time, I have observed that there are still a few children who are not overly keen to leave the familiarity of the Frog Class, and of course, that is absolutely fine. This just highlights the 'Power of Yet'. The word "yet" can transform a statement from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. For example, consider the difference between saying "I can't do this" and "I can't do this yet." By adding "yet," the statement implies that with time and effort, you will get there and encourages a positive outlook on learning and growth. It's important to stress that not being able to do something 'yet' is absolutely ok!
A story that supports this 'power of yet' is 'Giraffes Can't Dance' by Giles Andreae The story strongly relates to a growth mindset. Gerald the giraffe initially struggles with dancing but learns to embrace the challenge instead of giving up. With the encouragement of a wise cricket, he gets support and help that helps him belive in himself. As he discovers his own unique style, the story emphasizes that everyone has their own talents and ways of expressing themselves. Gerald's journey highlights the importance of perseverance and believing in yourself, encouraging children to embrace their individuality and understand that growth comes from self-acceptance and persistence. I believe it is always important to use books not only for simple enjoyment but also as a key learning tool.
There are also some nice songs about growth mindset that you might want to download and play at home
This is an album that I use in the classroom on Spotify.
I’ve received many emails about the library. I know that two other classes have started borrowing book but in my opinion, it’s still a bit early for us. I want the children to have the chance to explore the library and our school’s collection—we’ve visited several times already.
At this stage, I want to ensure the children learn to handle books with care. We’re taking time to focus on this before they start bringing books home. This includes how to turn pages gently and return books to the correct shelf with the title page facing forward. We’ll also discuss what happens if books are damaged or lost, the value of books, and their role in the community. It’s important for them to understand the responsibility that comes with borrowing items.
Library time is about more than just taking books home; it’s an opportunity to instil a sense of responsibility and respect for materials. I hope you understand the approach I’m fostering in the children, as it will build excitement for when they can eventually take books home. I will be sure to let you know when to start sending in the book bags.
We are now moving into our new Unit of Inquiry which is "Sharing the Planet".
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