The Front Yard (facing Venice Blvd.) is a space where both West and East Wing children work together. Our main focus is to create a culture where the children feel welcomed, supported, and where they feel they can express their ideas and hear the thinking of others. This year, we began by having a small group of East Wing children greet the West Wingers to introduce them to all the different areas. The spaces are designed to invite the children to collaborate and we are gratified to see them welcoming connections. The following experiences occurred in the Woodworking Area:
Gia (WW): I’m trying to make a hole.
Charlie (EW): I can support you. Look, hold the hand-drill right here.
Zoe (WW) tries to cut some wire.
Fiona (EW): Let me try to support you. Wow, this is a hard job.
Adriana (teacher): It took three friends’ support to cut the wire.
Diego (WW): I want to use the hammer.
Grey (EW): First you need your goggles to protect your eyes.
Barrett (WW): I want to cut some wire.
Adriana: You will need support from another friend to hold the wire. Who wants to support Barrett?
Aliana (WW): I can help you.
Barrett (WW): It’s a very hard job.
Adriana: Remember, we can keep trying and ask for support.
During reflection meeting:
Adriana: How did it feel to work together in the Woodworking Area?
Gia (WW): I like cutting the wire.
Charlie (EW): I supported them.
Adriana: How did it feel to support someone? Remember when you were in the West Wing?
Charlie (EW): Yes, I remember I didn’t know how to work in the Woodworking and the East Wingers supported me and I try and try and now I know how to.
Reflecting on the different encounters in the Woodworking Space, we can see the connections that are already starting to develop. As the children meet with an experience that requires support from another child, the teacher invites them to notice each other and reflect on their own first experiences. Here we see that Charlie recognized how, in the beginning, woodworking was a challenging space for him and how, by getting support and by practicing, he overcame this challenge. In this way, we recognize the potential each person holds in our community and the power of peer scaffolding.