Nadirchat

Tutti What a great Italian word. All of us! We are the sum of all our shared experiences and memories, the very things that define us, not only as people but as a school community. The children, families and teachers, present and past, have been part our journey. We live like every moment counts creating context for our notebook. We are tutti inseme-all together Tutti uniti-all united Tutti una famiglia-all one family No matter where life leads us we will always remember tutti-all those who have lived in our spaces.

I call it a conversation because teachers and children are in a constant state of exchange and interaction with loose parts. Without these two elements the materials are simply stagnate objects. When loose parts are selected and organized in an inviting and thought provoking manner they have the power to entice children to explore, think, engage, create, exchange ideas, communicate, problem solve and scaffold learning.

There are stages in the evolution of loose parts-much like blocks, drawing and clay-children begin by exploring them with their senses, testing their properties, and piling before we see the emergence of representations.

There are many ways for children to represent their thinking, tell us their stories and share their ideas. Our children find great joy in giving their drawings dimension using loose materials.

A wonderful way to start the day. Enjoy!

There are five partners in the journey of learning; teachers, peers, the environment, families and the community. On any given day, during the exploration of a topic or experience, four of them, teachers, peers, families and communities work at different levels of involvement. The environment (indoor and out), however, is prevalent at all times. It is the master; the living space that will inspire the children to navigate through their thinking, doing and being. I call it a living space because it should be in a constant state of change. It must respond to the needs of the group and adapt itself to their preferences. For example some school years, there may be a higher need for  space for blocks, a larger area for loose parts, an expanded area for clay, more outdoor possibilities. Whatever the case may be, the environment should be fluid. It can never be static.

What is the beautiful dance? It is the point in time when a teacher finds balance. The moment when she discovers there is no need to rush through her day. It  is the time, when in a single breath, everything around her moves in slow motion, and as she exhales she finally sees the wonder of learning all around her. She becomes unhurried and gives herself over to the magic of being both a teacher and a learner. She discovers that each child is a unique being full of potential and she commits herself to supporting their hundred languages of learning, doing, exploring and expressing. And as all the parts come together, her inquisitiveness, her sense of humour, her quest to better herself, her commitment to the process of learning, her joy in all things, then she is in the beautiful dance!