We discussed that a program’s readiness to support the essential skills hinges on staff understanding of such concepts as intentional teaching, teachable moments, cognitively engaging talk, and appropriate activity design. Neither unstructured play nor teacher-directed instruction seem to be the answer. How should we respond to children’s efforts, failures, misbehaviors, errors of fact, and requests for assistance? When do we lead, and when do we follow? When do we step in, and when do we hold back? What has your program not been emphasizing enough? What has it been doing too much? Have state policy initiatives impacted your program practices in positive or negative ways? What specifically has to change for the adults in your program to better support children’s essential skills?
17 comments:
I find that in our classrooms we have lots of materials for dramatic and block play, and lots of time set aside for this type of activity, but the teachers tend to let the children on their own while they work on art, literacy, math, and science activities with individuals or small groups. It occurs to me that we are letting many opportunities for supporting and enhancing symbolic representation go by. When Susan Levine (p. 168) talks about the fact that "early input plays a role in whether children are good at math", and "whether people consider themselves a math person or not a math person may be related to the teaching they receive", I realize that if we spent more time actually in the block area talking with the children about the kinds of problems they are encountering, and ways to solve them, we would probably reach more children tha we do by setting up activities on the sidelines.
On p.267 Galinsky says about focusing on children's strengths, "The take-home message for parents: If we dwell on what the child can't do - the child's inadequacies - those inadequacies will likely proliferate. If we focus on what the child can do - the child's strengths - these will likely be fortified. That's the true meaning of taking a strength-based and developmentally supportive approach." This has a vital message for the kinds of child assessment we do in our schools, and the kind of reporting on that assessment we give to parents. We have started using Teaching Strategies Gold assessment this year. We like it because it is strength based, and because it asks the teacher/parent team to come up with 4 goals based on those strengths for future work with the child three times per year. We use the DECA assessment tool to assess emotional development, which is also strength based, and uses the child's strengths to boost emotional development in other areas.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been going over the math unit in the textbook with high school sophomores and juniors and watching them come up with lessons plans. When Nora pointed out the quote from Susan Levine about the preconceived notion about people that are good in math, I think of these future teachers. Many of them say that math is their least favorite subject and they are “not math people.” When it’s their turn to set up the area for a math activity, you can feel their energy drop. I think that the preschool children pick up on their lack of enthusiasm and avoid that area. Since math can be found in any area of the room, I’m also trying to encourage them to use words and ask open-ended questions that encourage children to think about math concepts all over the classroom. I don’t want the preschool children to pick up the “I’m not a math person attitude.”
In general, this book has made me aware of how hard it is for these high school students to think about open-ended conversations. I’m hoping to help change their views.
This past Friday, It was the first thing in the morning and there was only 1 child with me. The activities I planned for the morning revolved around Presidents day. I had just asked the child to be my helper and get the Lincoln Logs for me to put on the table while I was putting out paint for the easel. On the table was also a log cabin activity. The paint was all set up at the easel, the phone rang. While I was talking to the parent on the phone the child got 2 Lincoln Logs and put them in two of the paint cups (across the room). Without really thinking I took the toys out of the paint and put them up on the shelf. I got off of the phone and went to clean off the toys when I realized there was no reason why we couldn’t paint with the Lincoln Logs instead of brushes. I asked the child if she wanted to paint with the Lincoln Logs, her face lit up and she got to painting. She made a beautiful picture. I am usually very open to trying new things to paint with or being creative in our supplies and art mediums but I am usually the one with the idea. I almost didn’t recognize that this child had a great idea. We need to remember to take cues from the children and realize that they can have wonderful ideas.
After re-reading the questions asked in this section, I feel like I might have addressed some topics, like responding to children, in other areas of the blog. At our school, high school students interact with preschoolers. Labeling children is one problem that we talk about often. I have to explain that if the children are running around the classroom and not engaging in the lessons, it’s not because the children are bad. It’s that the lessons are not holding their attention. Also, they sometimes use words that have new meanings. Did you know “fresh” means cool? That was a learning experience for me. Another area that I struggle with is encouraging problem solving, like Galinsky defines on page 201. I’ve used a similar approach for years and found it to be effective. It takes time and needs to be adjusted for children’s level of development but it really helps with classroom management. I would really like to see more of this encouraged at our school. With the low student-teacher ratio, it’s easy for the student-teachers to “do” more for the children. In the long run, both the children and the teachers are not gaining the desired skills. It’s a difficult balance and not everyone believes that this is an important thing to teach.
I have to address what Holly said about teaching children to solve problems and work on gaining new skills instead of just doing it for them. We work a lot at our preschool on self-help skills. One of the big things for us is children being able to get themselves ready to go outside. We go out twice a day and at this time of year it is a time consuming endeavor. In January when our focus is on all things winter, we put a few winter jackets in the dramatic play area so that children can practice zipping. It works! All of our 4 year olds can zip their own jackets – for us. Mom or Dad would come in and the child would stand and let their parent dress them. We sent home a note that their child can now zip their own jackets and asked that they allow them to practice the skill. We see a lot less parent zipping and a lot more self help zipping!
Dotti, I am with you on zippers! I think sometimes how nice it would be to work in a place with no winter. No boots, no impossible to put on gloves, no snow suits and no need to zipper. But when I look back on November and see how far we have come in February I know that the children have learned a lot from the tedious need for warm clothes.
Talk about excutive functions. We ask parents to pack all the outside stuff in reusable shopping bags. Most families can fit all the gear for one child in one bag. Usually they come to school in the boots, hat and mittens and a lighter jacket. So each child has been taught the procedure to put the hat and mittens into the snow pants/ extra layers bag and how to stow boots. Many parents, though, to have expedient goodbyes, usually undress and reorganize for their children. We have asked that they let their children do it, but there seems to be something about so many parents in the cubbyhole area that kids lose focus/ regress whatever....and parents assist way more than needed. Anyway, every day at outside time most of the children step up to the process, largely unassisted by teachers. They help each other, partner up...lots of creativity in their approaches. A few children, however, are consistently daunted. They are, all but one, the children who cannot follow the taught procedure because their families send stuff in loose. It scatters and is hard to gather up and the kids get overwhelmed. I have taken to quietly prepping it for these kids in play time. It definitely helps that they start the task like the other kids. As long as everything is neatly packed, layered in a good order, they succeed.
For me, the takeaway in this is that wherever there are snags and glitches in the day is EXACTLY where I should put my energy. Of course, it is exactly where I don't want to put it, especially since I thought we had developed a user-friendly, parents-as-partners approach that should render extra attention unnecessary. Instead of being irritated by the time the set up took, derailing my other plans for my time, I had to see this as an opportunity to scaffold the children, to observe and fine tune a class procedure, to be open to finding a new solution, and to understand that OTHER things were happening in the cubbies at drop off.
My great procedure was just not that valued by certain families. That the love in the good bye was manifested in their own way of doing things. And, really, with this winter, my regathering and repacking has not really taken that much time.
Now I could go on about how dressing for winter calls on a lot of executive functions but I know you all know that.
I do have one child who simply refuses to take initiative in getting dressed for outside. I know some of this is sensory....the seems in his boot inserts and the Velcro and nylon thread of his gloves and coat really bother him. I aspd suggested they dress him in lots of cozy fleece or wool but it would mean a reinvestment in winter gear. He sores another child's Ugg....soft and no need for socks! Maybe next year...!
Oops, seams and adores...I hit the wrong button and sent instead of reviewing.
I do find that this general feeling of being rushed/in a rush seems to be growing. Our parents use phrases like "being under the gun" and "pressed for time." I have an administration that is wondering if a free play classroom "teaches anything." They seem to have fallen for the direct teaching model and fallen hard. There seems to be a need to quantify what we have taught the children rather than reflect on how to enhance the richness of offerings so great learning opportunities will continue to be fostered. Once upon a time I did not have to make the case that exposure to great things and time built in to the day for substantive self-directed exploration will give the children excellent opportunities to learn from their own initiative. Now I am asked to "explain that one again."
I think Galinsky has brought together amazing research and synthesized findings to show how incredibly complex and interrelated these seven skills are. They cannot be forced; they can be nurtured and allowed to "hatch" in a warm and engaging environment.
Allowing children time to explore, reflect, explore some more is precisely how complex interactions occur. What comes from the children is what is authentically compelling and interesting. Supporting logical next steps for engaged students is so much more compelling a learning model than direct instruction off a check list of what kids "should" know. I think state regs and the anxiety over reading acquisition, print knowledge, math literacy makes us take a simplified approach to how children learn, what they need to learn and how to sequence instruction.
I feel parents' anxiety but I really want to say "Relax. Enjoy your children. Slow down and listen to what they already know." I think push-down curriculum has not made anyone smarter....teachers included. Some learning must unfold....a lot of early childhood learning is this kind of learning. It happens best in an unhurried, unrushed, calm and reverent space. It involves listening, slow responses, and time to sort things out.
Children are high energy and on the move, but an unhurried atmosphere brings a sense of calm and a sense of all the the time in the world. Isn't that the climate we want in a learning environment? I think children relax in this climate. They can focus better, listen better, resolve conflicts better and really get to know each other in an unhurried environment. They can have long conversations. They can practice initiative taking. They can take on big projects. They can teach each other.
The idea that ticks on a checklist prove your worth as a teacher or the worth of a child diminishes the art of teaching in an early childhood classroom and the humanity and potential of our students.
I have not yet read “The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies for Young Children’s Learning”, but I have asked our Director if we may purchase a copy for our center. After hearing you say that this was an excellent book and that it was being considered for BSU student required reading, I know this is something to investigate. Teachable moments are something that our Center does embrace – I am thrilled to drop whatever lesson I had planned to go and investigate the ants that are crawling nearby if that is what has sparked their attention! The excitement in the children when that moment is happening and they are intrigued to learn more is priceless. It is a shame if we do not take advantage of that moment and continue with it - not just for a few minutes but for as long as it is expandable and of interest to the children. To not do so is a missed priceless opportunity where one or many child’s love for learning is squelched because it interferes with our plan for the day – or week.
Message to Dotti:
Dotti what a great idea - setting up a winter corner for the kids to practice zipping!! I will sometimes bring out a big sweater that I own that has huge buttons to help the kids practicing buttons. We also take out a bucket of mittens and the kids try to match them up, but I will definitely need to put coats out too. Thanks
Several things need to happen in order for changes to happen within our centers. As a teacher at both early childhood and higher education levels, I can see two problems: 1. There is absolutely no incentive to learn anything more that what is bare minimum (there will be no payscale change for us in this eon even if we all score a 4 on the QRIS and are all “degreed professionals”) and 2. The dept of ed and the new restructuring has left major holes in the professional development programs in the local areas. If you aren’t in areas close to BSU or the Cape, there is no prof development help. I also think that these skills and books like these speak to a certain population of professionals in early childhood ed. Not everyone understands the depth of research involved or their implications. At the risk of sounding like curriculum promoter, it may be helpful to start by creating the “games” and tasks from the studies and promoting them that way.
I find my self on a daily basis saying "no". Saying no is very negative and I want the environment of my classroom to constantly be positive. I have found that state policies and my center cause this rift in my positive agenda. I feel the children are not allowed to do many things because it "could" cause injury to themselves or other. When in all actuality what their doing seems harmless to me. For example at my center children are no allowed to drive the cars on top of the toy shelf, yet they all love doing it. It could perhaps in part just be my center but to this day I do not understand why its not allowed.
In my program I feel that the staff all has to be on the same page. We should have meetings where everyone picks a topic that needs change and we all decide how to fix it. Not one person saying this is what you all need to do and us all going and doing it. I feel we need to unite as one team instead of a couple little teams.
I'd like to respond to Nora's observations about what Galinsky says about focussing on children's strengths.I agree with this positive energy approach and how this can be reinforced in assessments. Like it or not the assessments do speak louder than words and so often parents miss the piece that many of these skills are developmental. Just because they are not strong in one area now, doesn't mean that 6 months from now we will see a different child with new skills! I really try to be positive in written comments added to each assessment. These are the last words remembered and can be very powerful.
We talk about overstructuring a classroom environment, what about overstructuring staff meeting time? As a Director I constantly try to come up with an engaging agenda. I ask for participation and ideas, I bring book excerps and articles that I think will be of interest. Yet there is one topic my staff always loves to talk about; their students! They talk at length about behaviors, they brainstorm solutions,and they each have a unique perspective! When I allow for this "off the agenda" time, they are engaged and creative. Nobody falling asleep here!Maybe this is my Teachable moment with them! I can weave into their conversation child development, assessment,setting goals,expectations and working within NAEYC and EEC guidelines. But, it's information they want at the time because it is active problem solving. Try it and don't be so loyal to your meeting agenda that you forget the "teachable moments" with your staff!
After working all day its hard not to fall asleep as someone is talking about things we need to do with little to no positive input. I like how you lure the staff in with interesting articles to spike their interest in the meeting. I enjoy sharing things about my classroom and things I need help with. I feel they way my meetings are so structure I do not feel comfortable or feel like I'm able to say anything. I plan to share your how you achieve your teachable moments at our next staff meeting. Maybe this time I will not be yawning and fidgeting in my chair the whole time! Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.
We have just gone through a big staff change and I am finding this difficult. I really enjoyed everyone I was working with before and we were all very similar in beliefs but very different ways getting it done. It was a great balance! I am now finding with this new staff that we have different beliefs and very different teaching style. Where I am very flexible one is very rigid. Also it is very high energy all the time which I find very exhausting because I am very laid back and easy going. Although I appreciate the different teaching styles it is just hard to adjust and even to get my voice heard. Since this change we have only had one staff meeting in months! I feel the director knows we do not all meld together but I feel as though we can make it work if we had better communication and more staff meetings.
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