Cindy followed up with a group of children who wanted to make signs for the start and end of the track races that have emerged in the classroom. Based on previous observations, she gathered wood screws, dowels, skewers, hand drills, and wood glue to start the conversation in developing next steps.
Teacher Cindy: What will we use?
Henry: The skewer! A flag that a person can wave at the start line.
Jacob G. and Henry drew flag ideas and drilled holes.
Henry: It has black and white lines.
From these drawings, Cindy was informed as to what materials she might offer to expand on their ideas. She brought tape for resist painting and fabric to the next meeting. The children also invited more friends to add ideas.
Teacher Cindy: When you mentioned black and white lines, did you mean checks?
Henry: Yes, I meant checkered. That’s what I want but I can’t draw them.
Theo P.: Well, my favorite flag is red, white and blue. The Los Angeles flag!
The children continued with paint and resist to represent flag ideas. At the next meeting, they revisited their designs.
Teacher Cindy: This LA flag reminds me of the American flag.
Theo P.: Yes!
Teacher Cindy: Where will it go?
Jacob G.: The Front Yard. We can tell (teacher) Katherine so everyone can see. Like a New School – West flag. We need a New School – West flag!
The group shared the checkered flag at reflection meeting and tested it in the race game. Over three meetings in the Atelier with materials that related to the children’s idea, a classroom race flag was designed and a New School-West flag is imagined. We wonder what the children will represent on a flag of their own school. What is significant to them? Will they consider who lives here? What happens here? – Cindy & Kristin