Our snow has turned into rain and yesterday the kinders stayed inside during their thirty minute recess break. Opting for quiet centres I  limited numbers at each centre because there is no constant adult supervision and because the kinders are tired and less successful solving problems peacefully. My favourite part of rainy day play is that we have intermediate students who join the class to help with supervision. I love watching the kinders play with older or younger children. It changes the play in such a nice way. Initially the older students hung together (pack mentality because as you know five year olds can be intimidating), but with some encouragement they separated and began to play with the kinders.  It was so interesting to see how mature my kinders were during their play. For example, the play was quieter and very focused. The block play was intense as the kinders built a small airport with an older student while the drawing table reflected more detailed drawings as the ...

Thursday's outdoor play was a perfect example of open ended play. We went outside thirty minutes before school recess. The Kinders had hills, a field and lots of fresh snow. The play was glorious! We had the entire field to ourselves and every single child was dressed for outdoor play. It was such a delight to watch the children play together. They made snow angels, did snow writing, there were many groups of three and four sliding down the hill together (hilarious landings!!!), others rolling down the hill, building snow rooms and exploring the adjacent forest (just a few trees but we like to call it a forest). It was perfect weather, cold enough to avoid slush, but warm enough that we were able to stay out for thirty wonderful minutes and then the kinders had another thirty minutes back in the primary playground with the other primary classes. We're hoping that the next snowfall leaves us with wet snow so that we can make snowmen, snow forts and snow rooms. Here is a short...

A basket of loose parts and a frame Quiet Play   is a framework which is used each afternoon. Although there are similiaries to our morning exploration the room is quiet, children work with one friend and some of the busier, noisier areas remain closed. The children spread across the room and into the hall in pairs focusing on just one activity for about 25 minutes. While the children play, I provided support where needed and complete a few observations. Later when I reviewed my notes and photos I appreciated the value and contribution to learning that emerges from open-ended play. During open-ended play the materials are less subjective, inviting the children to use their imagination. For example, at the playdoh table there was a bucket of white playdoh that yesterday's children had mixed in sparkle glitter, some shells, beach stones and small pieces of driftwood. Time:   One of the necessary requirements for good open-ended play is time. Children need tim...

Positive T hinking For Five Year Olds I’ve been thinking about attachment and students feeling welcomed at school. Like most kindergarten teachers I believe that reflection must be part of my practice if I want to provide a quality learning environment. On Friday one student commented that he had been told that he wasn’t welcome at the lego centre. As the statement was presented without explanation he was hurt. However, when we talked to the group it was because they didn’t have enough tools or space to include another person. We easily fixed the problem and I made a note on my observation clipboard to work some drama into our day next week to remind students of problem solving strategies and that everyone is welcome. I also thought it might be a valuable topic for the blog. During these early years children can experience self doubt. They compare themselves to their peers often coming up short. However, as the primary adults in their lives we can offset this natural tendency by g...

School resumed on Tuesday and the kinders returned to the classroom with a swagger that suggested that this was their room. The cubby was buzzing with stories about lost teeth, the mastery of new skills and exciting family news The eagerness to renew their friendships was demonstrated by hand holding, hugs and sitting close together. To complement their growth, I made a few changes in the classroom with a small sofa, new books and an expectation of more independent work. As teachers we always are amazed by how the kinders mature over the long winter break, are ready for new challenges and demonstrate noticeable confidence. Yesterday there were many children that stood out. For example, one kinder’s shyness was less apparent as he spoke with a confident voice in circle time, shared ideas during free play and interacted with great enthusiasm during math stations. Later, for many kinders, change was noticeable in their play as they solved problems, collaborated a...