Working with Flora, her intern Tania facilitated an assignment using the children’s interest in animals. She brought puppets and asked the children to choose an animal and ‘become’ that animal.
Easton chose a tiger, Michael C. a snake, Sarah a cat, Tyler a dog and Imonie a cheetah.
Sarah:"Animals don't talk." Easton:"They say 'hi' in no words."
Michael C. chose to use the snake as a caterpillar: “Caterpillars have a tiny mouth and a scrunched up face like this. I don’t want you to call it a snake. It’s a pretend caterpillar.”
Michael C.'s impersonation of a caterpillar
Recognizing that Michael C. didn’t have the puppet he needed, Sofia suggested a solution: “He can sew a caterpillar.” They all sat to draw their ideas.
Michael C.: “I don’t know how to draw a caterpillar. The caterpillar I want is black and blue.”
At reflection meeting, Michael C. asked for help in designing his caterpillar. Phoebe and Raven sat with him in the afternoon where they worked together on his design.
A collaborative design for Michael C.'s sewn caterpillar.
Teacher Flora brought this interest to the team meeting and reflected that this group of children would like to create puppets of their favorite animals. This opportunity to work together is also a natural support to extending social skills and deepening relationships with new friends.