In the front yard, there are multiple building materials for construction and the teachers predict they will observe children building a relationship with each other and the tools. The teachers noticed that the children enjoyed building but recognized there was something missing and wanted to offer a social challenge to their building. We decided the addition of human figures would reveal ideas around how people live and invite dialogue.
Rio: We are building. I’m building here.
Kayden: Rio, the people need a road. I’m going to work on the road. We can also build a bridge.
Theo P: I’m helping Rio.
Josephine: We can build together.
Aiden: I can support you, Theo.
Kayden: The city is getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s like a roller coaster now. We are like artists.
Kayden: The people need a bridge. I need support.
Teacher Adriana: Check with the children and see who can support you.
Aiden: I don’t know how to make bridges.
Teacher Adriana: Aiden, ask Kayden how he imagines the bridge. What are some of his ideas?
Aiden: How do you imagine the bridge?
Kayden: We need it high up and across.
Aiden: How about we try and try until it’s like the one you imagine?
The moment we added the people to the construction space, the children began to have extended dialogues with each other. As teachers, we are always looking for when to add or take away a material to support the next level of collaboration or when to propose a question. When Aiden responded to Kayden, “How about we try until it’s like the one you imagine?”, he not only supported Kayden in implementing an idea but also inspired us to remember that in life it’s essential to stay persistent. As Kayden suggested, we are all like artists in our persistence of our vision. In the front yard, our vision for children is a connection and collaboration and how that bridges to the community. Adriana and Kristin