Creek ThinkQuest Team. (n.d.). Plants and our environment. Retrieved on the 19th of October from http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/photo3.html.
McNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2004). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (2nd Ed). Frenchs Forrest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington: Learning Media.
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early education, No. 19 Autumm 1999.
Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Eamining some common about computer use in the early years. Young children. Vol 58 (1), pp. 1-9.
Worth, K., & Grollman, S. (2003). Worms, shadows and whirlpools: science in the early childhood classroom. Portsmouth, NH Heinemann.
Monday, October 18, 2010
All The Fun Has Come To An End…
“There is an increasing awareness of the technological world that we live in: a world that people have created and changed through technology” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). Before I began this assignment, I did not see technology as anything that could used to problem solved instead in my mind, technology meant things that worked with electricity. During my journey of posting the blogs, I learnt that technology can be affiliated with a lot more things than what we might think. Now I look at technology as something that could be used as a device for problem solving for example a clothes peg is used to hang the clothes out to dry.
In the early childhood education curriculum it states that “in order to participate in this world, our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). Without people, places, things and events, the children of tomorrow would not be able to achieve this. While reading other students blogs I gained knowledge about how different people find different ways of provide children with different learning experiences.
During this journey I have learnt the significance of notice, recognize and respond. We are here to follow the childrens interest and extend their knowledge on these interests. We might think that if a child shows interest in only gardening then he is limited in terms of growth but in gardening comes other things such as science, mathes, papatuanuku, positive relationship with nature etc.
Children should be able to connect links with their whanau and the wider world and we as educators are here to affirm and extend on these (Ministry of Education, 1996). Children are very curious, they like to know what is going on around them and how they can get involved. To involve children in different activities give them an opportunity to see what their likes and dislikes are and their knowledge about the wider world can be extended through this.
Children like to look forward to events, especially when it is something that is of their interest so when we plan an excursion, it always has to arise from what the children are interested in at that particular time.
In the early childhood education curriculum it states that “in order to participate in this world, our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). Without people, places, things and events, the children of tomorrow would not be able to achieve this. While reading other students blogs I gained knowledge about how different people find different ways of provide children with different learning experiences.
During this journey I have learnt the significance of notice, recognize and respond. We are here to follow the childrens interest and extend their knowledge on these interests. We might think that if a child shows interest in only gardening then he is limited in terms of growth but in gardening comes other things such as science, mathes, papatuanuku, positive relationship with nature etc.
Children should be able to connect links with their whanau and the wider world and we as educators are here to affirm and extend on these (Ministry of Education, 1996). Children are very curious, they like to know what is going on around them and how they can get involved. To involve children in different activities give them an opportunity to see what their likes and dislikes are and their knowledge about the wider world can be extended through this.
Children like to look forward to events, especially when it is something that is of their interest so when we plan an excursion, it always has to arise from what the children are interested in at that particular time.
Photosynthesis
One morning when we went to check up on our garden, I heard another teacher talking about photosynthesis. C was listening to the conversation as well and he wanted to know what this meant. I told C I am not too sure but I will research on it and tell him later, I encouraged C to ask around as well.
Photosynthesis is when green plants produce oxygen and make food. The following day at group time I proudly told the children what this meant but this confused the children even more. Some questions I got asked was:
“What is oxygen?”
To explain to the children what oxygen was, I suggested for them to breathe in slowly and breathe out. Once they had finished, I told them that the air that they just inhaled was oxygen but then what is air came the question so I had to explain to the children what air is.
“Plants don’t make food, mummy does”.
I explained to them that plants make food in a different way that we can not see, and that is what makes the plant so strong and green.
“Where does the food come from?”
I told them that the food comes from the soil that is why we have to leave the plants in the soil in order for them to grow.
“How does the food get there?”
I was not too sure as to how the food gets there so I asked the children if I could do a research or find a book on plants and then show them what the process looks like.
“Does our garden make this too”.
Yes all green plants go through the process of photosynthesis to grow and live.
After this group discussion, I could see the changes in childrens behavior; I noticed how when A tried to pull out a plant then C told him “no don’t do that the plant will need the soil”. So I told A “yes the plant needs the soil so that the plant can grow strong and tall like the children”.Guess what we found in the Big Shed:
The New Zealand early childhood education curriculum states that children should be able to develop “the ability to represent their discoveries using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.78). Technology does not necessarily mean that it has to be computer or something that runs on electricity, technology could be anything.
According to Smorti (1999) “technology o about helping people and solving problems” (p.5). After I had found this definition, I decided to get the four year old groups theory on technology.
N: “ummm a radio”.
P: “a computer”.
D: “you told us it was the blender that we used for baking”.
C: “I don’t know”
C: “books”.
After this brainstorming session, I suggested to the children, maybe we could walk around the centre and see what things could be technology, we found all sorts of things for example pen, computer, hammer, blender, stove, radio etc.
BUT…
In the big scary shed outside, we found some big ear phones, and old cassette tapes.
So we took the whole box of ear phones and tapes out for the children to look at and explore some theories about what these strange things could be. Some children knew what it was and some were unsure of what this strange thing could be. That is when D said “we have those at home, my mummy has those things”.
“Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). I decided to ask the children what we could do with our new retrieved treasure, one of the suggestion was that we could use it on the computer just like D has seen at home but these were old ear phones that needed different type of cables to fit in the computer so that was a failed mission for us but we did not lose hope.
One other suggestion was made by another educator that we could set up a call centre area, when I discussed this with the children; they were thrilled with the idea because we found out that C’s mother works at a call centre. This was a good opportunity for us as educators to have C’s mother talk about her job at mat time and this also made C feel very proud of his mum.
I would like to continue exploring theories around technology, I was able to see the difference between my knowledge of technology before and after I did some reading. I was able to work alongside children to extend on my own knowledge and at the same time got an opportunity to extend on the children’s knowledge through different learning experiences.
According to Smorti (1999) “technology o about helping people and solving problems” (p.5). After I had found this definition, I decided to get the four year old groups theory on technology.
N: “ummm a radio”.
P: “a computer”.
D: “you told us it was the blender that we used for baking”.
C: “I don’t know”
C: “books”.
After this brainstorming session, I suggested to the children, maybe we could walk around the centre and see what things could be technology, we found all sorts of things for example pen, computer, hammer, blender, stove, radio etc.
BUT…
In the big scary shed outside, we found some big ear phones, and old cassette tapes.
So we took the whole box of ear phones and tapes out for the children to look at and explore some theories about what these strange things could be. Some children knew what it was and some were unsure of what this strange thing could be. That is when D said “we have those at home, my mummy has those things”.
“Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). I decided to ask the children what we could do with our new retrieved treasure, one of the suggestion was that we could use it on the computer just like D has seen at home but these were old ear phones that needed different type of cables to fit in the computer so that was a failed mission for us but we did not lose hope.
One other suggestion was made by another educator that we could set up a call centre area, when I discussed this with the children; they were thrilled with the idea because we found out that C’s mother works at a call centre. This was a good opportunity for us as educators to have C’s mother talk about her job at mat time and this also made C feel very proud of his mum.
I would like to continue exploring theories around technology, I was able to see the difference between my knowledge of technology before and after I did some reading. I was able to work alongside children to extend on my own knowledge and at the same time got an opportunity to extend on the children’s knowledge through different learning experiences.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
One day I was passing by the family corner when I notice U very busy telling his friend R “be careful it is very hot” so I turned around to see what this hot thing was. When I turned around I saw U with oven mittens on and holding saucepan in his hand. So I asked U what was so hot so he told me that he made some chicken soup for dinner and asked me if I wanted to join them so I pulled up a chair and decided to join in.
U went on to tell me about the little adventure he has at home with his mum especially when mummy makes cookies because that is his favourite. I asked U how he would feel about us baking at the centre and he was more than happy to help out so I asked U’s mum the following day to see if she had any special recipes so she wrote down a recipe for a sultana bread loaf.
The following day I told U that we were going to do baking after morning tea, U was very excited and he told all his friends that it was his mum’s recipe. This made helped U make a connection between his family life and his centre life and he also felt valued by contributing to this learning experience for him and his peers.
U wanted to be the first one to measure out the flour first, and he told his peers “make sure you only put four cups in there”. According to Copley 2000 in the early childhood settings, “measurement provides an ideal bridge between geometry and number, one that comes up frequently in everyday situations”. I have noticed children counting in sand pits and also when it comes to baking or even making play dough, we have to measure count and make sure the accurate amount of ingredients are put whatever that is being cooked.
Once we had measured all the accurate amount of ingredients, I gave the children an opportunity to mix the ingredients one at a time so that all the participants can have a turn. Most of the children waited impatiently for their turn, so this activity also encouraged children to extend on their sharing skills. Once everything was mixed, put in the baking tray and ready to be put in the oven. I asked the children what we had to do next, S suggested that we could put on top of the stove and cook it but U stopped her and said “no mummy puts it in the oven”. So I took the children in the kitchen and showed them where I was going to put it and for how long and what temperature and also talked about being safe around oven.
Once the sultana loaf was ready to be eaten, we had a piece each and even offered some to U’s mum to show that we value her contribution to the centre no matter how big or small it is.
U went on to tell me about the little adventure he has at home with his mum especially when mummy makes cookies because that is his favourite. I asked U how he would feel about us baking at the centre and he was more than happy to help out so I asked U’s mum the following day to see if she had any special recipes so she wrote down a recipe for a sultana bread loaf.
The following day I told U that we were going to do baking after morning tea, U was very excited and he told all his friends that it was his mum’s recipe. This made helped U make a connection between his family life and his centre life and he also felt valued by contributing to this learning experience for him and his peers.
U wanted to be the first one to measure out the flour first, and he told his peers “make sure you only put four cups in there”. According to Copley 2000 in the early childhood settings, “measurement provides an ideal bridge between geometry and number, one that comes up frequently in everyday situations”. I have noticed children counting in sand pits and also when it comes to baking or even making play dough, we have to measure count and make sure the accurate amount of ingredients are put whatever that is being cooked.
Once we had measured all the accurate amount of ingredients, I gave the children an opportunity to mix the ingredients one at a time so that all the participants can have a turn. Most of the children waited impatiently for their turn, so this activity also encouraged children to extend on their sharing skills. Once everything was mixed, put in the baking tray and ready to be put in the oven. I asked the children what we had to do next, S suggested that we could put on top of the stove and cook it but U stopped her and said “no mummy puts it in the oven”. So I took the children in the kitchen and showed them where I was going to put it and for how long and what temperature and also talked about being safe around oven.
Once the sultana loaf was ready to be eaten, we had a piece each and even offered some to U’s mum to show that we value her contribution to the centre no matter how big or small it is.
Snails, Worms and Planting Fever
In the early childhood curriculum, it states that children should be able to develop “strategies for actively exploring and making sense o the world by using their bodies, including active exploration with all the sense, and the use of tools, materials, and equipment to extend skills” (Ministry of Education, p.86, 1996). For me as an educator to be able to implement this theory in to practice came about when we decided to begin gardening at my centre.
The idea of gardening came strolling about on a rainy cold day when N found a worm struggling to reach home. N had this theory that the worm was trying to reach his home safely but due to the rain it was not possible so N decided to pick the worm up and nicely place in on the soil under the tree. I asked N why did he put the worm there, and he said “because its his home”.
The following day D came running to me to show what he has in his hand and it happened to be a lady bug. When I had a look at it, I assumed that it was dirt but D was adamant that it was a lady bug and when I had a closer look then it was a lady bug. But what D wanted to know was where his family was.
Over the next few days children found snails stuck to the wall, went on worm hunting under the trees, found a lady bug and also had a theory about how spiders come out at night when we are not there.
From all these observations and questions, we decided to start our own little garden to give the children the idea of what these busy little worms and snails do and how they contribute to nature and also to give the children an idea of what other living things are out there in the world. Children knew that worms live in the soil but what do they do in the soil?
Worth & Grollman (2003) suggest that children are aware that human beings and animals need food, water, air and safe place to survive yet their knowledge about plants are that they are there to look nice or to give us flowers and R suggested that is there for us to look at.
For me as an educator I believe that children should be able to create that relationship with nature where they have knowledge about all the living things in it and also be able to respect what mother earth has to offer. Through gardening children were able to see the process, how long it takes for the plants to grow and how much time and effort it needs in order to grow.
At the moment we are all waiting to see what vegetation will be sprouting out first and the children at the centre are very eagerly waiting to see some results.
The idea of gardening came strolling about on a rainy cold day when N found a worm struggling to reach home. N had this theory that the worm was trying to reach his home safely but due to the rain it was not possible so N decided to pick the worm up and nicely place in on the soil under the tree. I asked N why did he put the worm there, and he said “because its his home”.
The following day D came running to me to show what he has in his hand and it happened to be a lady bug. When I had a look at it, I assumed that it was dirt but D was adamant that it was a lady bug and when I had a closer look then it was a lady bug. But what D wanted to know was where his family was. Over the next few days children found snails stuck to the wall, went on worm hunting under the trees, found a lady bug and also had a theory about how spiders come out at night when we are not there.
From all these observations and questions, we decided to start our own little garden to give the children the idea of what these busy little worms and snails do and how they contribute to nature and also to give the children an idea of what other living things are out there in the world. Children knew that worms live in the soil but what do they do in the soil?
Worth & Grollman (2003) suggest that children are aware that human beings and animals need food, water, air and safe place to survive yet their knowledge about plants are that they are there to look nice or to give us flowers and R suggested that is there for us to look at.
For me as an educator I believe that children should be able to create that relationship with nature where they have knowledge about all the living things in it and also be able to respect what mother earth has to offer. Through gardening children were able to see the process, how long it takes for the plants to grow and how much time and effort it needs in order to grow.At the moment we are all waiting to see what vegetation will be sprouting out first and the children at the centre are very eagerly waiting to see some results.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)