While working with dowels, armature wire, pliers and wire cutters, Aiden noticed that one of the coils he formed looked like the number nine. Aiden: This way it is a six but then if you turn it, it looks like a nine. I think it looks more like a nine. This inspired the idea…
It’s part of our culture to use drawing as a way to communicate and collaborate. The children use master plans as a way to convey their ideas and exchange information with one another. This first plan was an important beginning to their ongoing fire truck project. As the children approached adding wheels, there was a…
Professional Development in the preschool arena includes inspiration from other sites. The New School-West tours our sister schools: Growing Place, Branches, Bright Start, and more. We study the environment and how the teachers and children interact and are often filled with validation, curiosity, and drive to deepen our own work. So whenever we are asked…
In the West Wing, we focus on introducing a wide variety of tools, techniques, and materials for the children to use. Tape as a resist is one we are experimenting with now. …
The children were introduced to learning how to take care of worms to help the whole school garden. Both the West and East Wingers participated in feeding them kitchen scraps, cleaning the bins, and taking care of the bedding with recycled paper. We have seen the children’s innate love of nature come through in practical…
Before the Winter Break, we informed the children that a new child named Kai would be joining the West Wing when they returned. When we showed the children Kai’s family photo, these were the children’s questions: Ozzie: I want to know if he likes trains. Isla: Does he like to collect flowers? Miro: Does he…
We have introduced collage to the Partner Drawing that continues to be a focus in the Communication Center. Teddy and Jai worked together as partners on a drawing. After some discussion, they agreed they would work on representing the sea. The boys first worked on a drawing and then added different elements: fish, divers,…
Stefanie Solyom is joining the East Wing team in support of the children’s community. She has her AA from SMC in early childhood education with a specialization in intervention and a site supervisor permit and her BA in psychology fro UofBC. Here’s how she describes herself: My name is Stefanie, and I am an avid gardener,…
At Morning Meeting in the West Wing a while ago, we read How Are You Peeling? By Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. The children had an instant and passionate response to some of the images in the book. The teachers were curious what the children would have to say about the images if they met in small…