Posts

There's a New Kid on the Block

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There's a new kid on the block and his name is  Pedagogical Documentation! So what's all the fuss about? I can see from all my email questions that many teachers are feeling out of sorts, having just mastered some form of documentation, they are now being asked to consider pedagogical documentation. Let's think of it this way. The very fundamental nature of documentation asks us to capture moments of doing, thinking and questioning.   At the most basic level, by the very act of taking photographs of our life journey and keeping mementos we assume, unknowingly, the role of "documentor", keeper, historian.  Unlike before, when these memories remained within the context of our family, social media has provided us with the forum for sharing the photos and inviting comments. Presto, we are officially leaving traces; another key element of documentation. Leaving traces of our work with the children, creating context and history, is this enough? Not really. Now we must c...

The Simplicity and Complexity of Patterns

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The photos in this particular experience serve to tell the story of Sara's thinking as she works through a variety of pattern options. She is not limited in her decisions as she has a sufficient number of cups of each color to work with. Sometimes a shortage of materials limits a child's thinking so we are mindful to keep an abundant amount on hand.

A Growing Repertoire of Materials for our Outdoor Classroom

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There are many discoveries to be made when we keep our minds open to the possibilities offered by loose parts outdoors.  In the hands of young children these materials take on new form, design and structure. Is this not the work of architects and engineers? This first photo speaks volumes as these two young girls think on the possible uses for the reel.

The Outdoor Classroom

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Many years ago we began to consider our outdoor playgrounds as an extension of our classroom. Having already spent a great deal of time in the "forest" behind our schools we understood too well the importance of connecting children to the natural world. What would happen if we began a collection of outdoor loose parts to add to our growing repertoire of  what we call "unconventional playground items"? Could children do more than run about? As always they exceeded our expectations. I find myself on a constant quest;seeking new items to add to a blossoming collection. We garden, we invent, visit far away places, we think, make theories, build and rebuild. Most of all we find joy in all that we do. And we wonder what tomorrow will bring.

E-kitap Hakkinda Bilmek Istedikleriniz

Elektronik kitap, sayisal kitap, dijital kitap, e-kitap, elektronik m�rekkep, e-ink� E-kitap teknolojisi yeni olmamasina karsin hakkinda merak edilen �ok sey var. Daha �nceki yazilarda da degindigimiz bazi sorulari bir araya getirerek kapsamli bir soru cevap arsivi hazirlamanin iyi olacagini d�s�nd�k. Belki siz de aklinizdaki sorularin yanitlarini bulabilirsiniz. ePub nedir? ePub a�ik bir

He's back!

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Spring and  The Hungry Caterpillar are two fast friends. Each school year, the children find interesting ways to represent this furry little creature. So save those lids because you never know when they will come in handy!

Do Things with Passion!

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On Friday, I traveled to Windsor to celebrate my future daughter in laws graduation from law. As we sat through the proceeding, a number of prestigious professionals took to the podium to offer their words of wisdom.  One of them spoke of passion; the driving force behind success and happiness.  If we live what we love then we find great satisfaction in our pursuits.  I listened and reflected on my life all the things that bring me joy; career, family, friends. There is never a day when I do not find great joy in our work with the children and the relationships that we have forged over the last thirty years. Even a simple beautiful bouquet of flowers leaves us feeling excited.