Nineteen curious five year olds entered the room, greeting each other and chatting. During carpet time, we gathered together to decide how the day would unfold. Before going to their centres, I let students know that I would stop their play at some point to have them draw their thinking.
It was a busy hour of play, with students engaging in a huge variety of activities. Some worked on creating a movie with light and shadows in our shadow room. One student settled into a beanbag to quietly research snakes. A small group built animal homes with blocks, some drew and others figured out how to remove the flesh from the coconut. Moving from teacher to guide, I assisted with materials, listened to conversations and worked on targeted strategies with some students.
Reflecting at the end of the day, I realized that my students are learning how to think, collaborate and ask questions and I am learning just how much student voice, collaboration and intrinsic motivation can drive my practice.
Stephanie Bartlett (@sj_bartlett) teaches Kindergarten FI at Chinook Park. Passionate about infusing creativity & teaching. Life long learner.