Snack was brought by Sawyer, Arnon, Diego in the West Wing and Eva, Emilio, Coco & Leo in the East Wing.
Leah (Jake, Charlie EW and Lucy WW) made waffles and fruit with the children on a rainy day.
Flowers brightened our rainy week from Will (WW)
And Kelly McGuigan was our parent participant at the West Wing Team meeting on Thursday and gave valuable insights.
In today’s teacher meeting, Amy and Cindy showed a draft of their upcoming presentation at Cal Tech’s Ec-stem Conference on “Technology as a Language” in the preschool setting. They had brief examples of how certain technological tools like the camera, video, audio, circuit boards, or LED lights can add to the work the class can do. What is so wonderful about watching the teachers at work, is that you can see the subtleties that create such a thoughtful curriculum. The camera can be a tool to record and allow the children to reflect on their work, it can be a preservation tool for temporary creations, it can be a tool for the children themselves to capture their perspective, their view of their surroundings. Observation and documentation of the children’s interests present the opportunities for teachers to add new materials or technology to deepen the exploration, the work, that the children are already doing. They also had a longer piece that really highlighted (to me) why the teachers consider themselves co-researchers with our children.
Cindy talked about children being fascinated by their own shadows- something they might notice outside in the neighborhood when the sidewalk provides a nice, clear, shadow to play with. The teachers then find a way to bring that play idea into the classroom- first using a projector on a wall. While the earliest play with the projector is about making shapes on the wall and watching one’s own reflection, other games and interests come up.
As they play games like “guess who” or “guess what movements I’m making”, Cindy could add to the materials, providing a mirror so that a child could see both themselves and their reflected image. She added colorful shapes and objects to support storytelling, as the play took that turn.
As the children became interested in camouflage, they would hide in different shapes and colors, and behind sheets of fabric. This play then led to a second screen, and a second projector, and children super-imposing images on top of each other. With the added technology, the games and interest in shadow, reflection, movement, emotion, can get more and more creative and expressive.
I loved hearing the entire process, especially because as a parent you might notice certain areas changing or having new pieces, but understanding why these new things have appeared is just fascinating, and the result of really careful thought and reflection by the entire teaching staff. I was only sorry that the meeting ended because I wanted to hear more about Amy’s cool technology tool, a digital microscope, that they are using to examine differences and similarities in skin tones and other colors.
As always, I’m grateful for this wonderful school and amazing staff, and how hard they work to give our children the learning experience they want and need. Thank you for letting me sit in!!!
