April Update of Discoveries

After a visit to a kindergarten classroom in a Peel region, we have adjusted our approach of inquiry in the classroom where students are the ones now really driving the exploration.   Below, a group of children began to explore with writing music and conducting a performance independently.   As educators we are then able to carefully observe, take photos, and write down the words of the children to come back to and to make the learning visible.

The words of children are such a beautiful thing.  Reading them takes us to a different world - one of imagination, possibility and capability.   We are including some of our transcribed observations below.

 A group of girls were outside looking into the classroom through the window and pondering what they saw in our new tinkering table.  They were shocked to discover there was a toaster to explore!  When the children began to filter into the classroom, a small group of children were instantly drawn to the centre.  We added a phone and alarm clock to the toaster we had originally set out as a provocation.

“I brought this alarm clock in!”-JR

“What is this?”-LW

“These tools can help you.  It’s like flossing teeth but with tools!” - LW

“These are special gloves to keep us safe.”-LW

“Where is the little wrench?  I need to get this off.” -JM as he tries to take the panel off of a phone

“I’m trying to take this out.”-JR

“Look what I got out!  I found something:  wire.  Just like in our bloodstreams ‘cept it has to be blue and red.”-LW

“Miss Heffernan - do you know why I’m taking off the bottom?  Because there are lots of parts under here for people to explore.”-JM

E.T. sees an alarm clock and wonders if it has come out of another appliance.

“Where did you get that?  From the phone or from the toaster?”-ET

“What are you trying to do?”-JM

“I’m trying to take this out.”-JR

A crowd of six or seven girls begins to form as they observe the small group taking things apart.  They observe for a period of time.  Slowly, they begin to explore on their own at the tinkering table while the original small group has brought items to the floor to investigate.

“Wow - the front of the toaster is really borken.”-™

“GUYS!  STAND BACK! A piece could come off and hit you in the eye.” - LW

“What’s gonna be in there?” -EM

“Whoa!  Look at all the crumbs in there!” - BR

“Uh oh.  Wires.  I don’t wanna touch those.” -BR

Miss Heffernan explains that cords have been cut to ensure safety but that he is thinking about safety with appliances at home.

“What’s a wire?” - JA (JM points to a wire for him)

“How can I ever see the inside?”-BR

“I can see in here!” -LO

“I have to get big screwdrivers in here to get this out.”-BR

“Guys!  Look!  Now we can see inside!”-LW

“Maybe I can just turn this [screwdriver] around here and it will open.  Oh - it got stuck.”-AT

“I see more cords!”-ET

“Tell me about the cords.”-Miss H

“They look like electrical wires - red and white!”-ET

Two boys work at taking apart the phone.

“Try to get the six out!”-JR

“I got six numbers out!”-JM

We connected our love of exploring music with Mrs. Meyer's Kindergartens who share their learning on Twitter.  We researched their blog to see what the children were up to in their musical inquiry and explored an activity they had done.

 

Recently, Mrs. Diljee and Miss Heffernan visited Credit Valley PS in Mississauga.  The visit caused us to deeply reflect on our practice and realize that we needed to pull back a little in terms of teacher-guided inquiry.

We moved away from our scheduled inquiry time where we delved deeper into interests and tried to carefully document and support inquiries directly within discovery centres.  We were amazed to see that a group of students were not ready to leave the inquiry begun during ‘inquiry time’ and began to lead the inquiry on their own (and more richly and deeply than we ever could have!).

“Miss Heffernan - can we have some glass jars and water to play music with?”-IRB

The group began to gather jars they needed and fill with various amounts of water discussing that they were wanting different water levels.  They began to order the jars based on capacity.

“It goes from big to little!”-MD

“Why was that important?”-Miss H

“Because we are going to make different sounds!”-IRB

“We need some colour.”-MD

The girls then begin to follow the music they had written prior to asking for the jars.  They are consulting the symbols they have used to create music pieces.

“Mady’s turn - I think that’s ours.”-IRB

“No it’s me!  Three times.”-MS (counts to 3 while hitting the jars)

“No 4!” - MS

“Ok, once more.” -IRB  (MS hits the jar once more)

“Now all of us!”-IRB (They play together)

Another child begins to watch and the girls invite her in.

“I.S. - do you want to be here?  What can you be?”-IRB (consulting her music piece)
“Maybe she can be the x’s!” - IRB

“1, 2, 3, 4” - MS (singing the numbers in a tune)

“Now…...where were we?”-IRB

“I know an idea!” - IS.   (She begins to play a pattern using the top and sides of the jars)

“I really want to do my song.”-MD

“GUYS!!  QUIET!!  We’re doing MD’s song!” - IRB

“My spoon looks so big in the water.”-MD

“Mine, too!”-IRB

“Mine is SO fat!”-MS

There has been an interest in water and mixing for a good part of our year.  We have begun to change this area and materials to support even richer investigations.  The amount of measurement talk, planning and predicting, working together, sharing observations, and excitement to explore here has been inspiring!

Below is an investigation that we just happened to capture.  We are often amazed as we walk around to document and observe.  This group of children were conducting their own exploration based on a manual they had written.  We firmly believe that writing in the kindergarten program should be meaningful, authentic, and related to the interests of the children.  Research continues to show that when children have an emotional connection to a learning experience, it resonates far more strongly with them.  Below is the perfect example of this!