The West Wing children have had a few conversations about babies lately. With August, Dashiell and Jacob adding siblings, and Teacher Cynthia’s pregnancy, this is a strong influence right now. We offer the children time to draw out their ideas and thoughts, but most times, we just listen and observe their play. One morning Jacob’s…
Some amazing connections are being created in this amazing community of ours! Here are some moments captured from last week. As always, we encourage to view these photo series with your child, for they can be great dialogue-generators and what better time to do so than over this Thanksgiving weekend! Please feel free to leave…
The teachers in the West Wing introduced visual flashcards by playing simple games with them during our Sign Language meetings. They have been used to prompt signs for each corresponding picture. Now these flashcards are available for the children to access any time of the day. Teacher Jennifer: How do you play this game? Isla: You sign something and…
While working together, the children have unfolded multiple ways to transform paper. While tearing papers: Archer: That looks like Josephine’s hair. Mila: It’s curly like Josephine’s. Archer begins to make different facial expressions. Grace reciprocates with a facial gesture. Mila: We can make a funny face! Faced with a blank page and strips of paper, the children’s…
Relationship has a tremendous role in literacy. The first words children recognize are the names of family and friends and we support this by having the child’s image with their name placed throughout the classroom. At the West Wing Communication Center, the children have been using their roster photos to address and sign messages and…
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“When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality.” – Stuart Brown Mila and Ozzie transport to the place of their imagination as they follow their building plan for the morning, which was a face and snowplow train and a jet plane with a propeller.…
“Communication is much more than understanding language, speaking, reading, and writing. It is the skill of determining what one wants to communicate and realizing how our communications will be understood by others.” -Ellen Gallinsky In the Building Space, we start with discussion and creating a blueprint. This group’s plans included: A castle for cats,…
Juliette observed India and Roen engaged in dramatic play in the building space for their afternoon appointment. The ‘animal game’ offered Juliette an opening to connect herself to the duo who often play exclusively together. Roen: This horse is a little sick. India: Let’s take care of it. Juliette: I was sick and my mom…
[Show slideshow] REFLECTIONS: Margaret (August) I think getting requested for an appointment is just as exciting as getting to choose a space–even if at the moment it wasn’t what they wanted to do. One morning Amy requested my son to do painting, and she said that he didn’t want to. But later when I came…