We would like to thank the families who joined us last night to think together about approaches to challenging questions.  Erica Thompson shared some strategies for listening and responding when children bring their questions regarding diversity to adults.  
    1. Listen
     2. Repeat back/ ask the question again
     3. Think together
     4. Share facts
If you're not sure how to respond, it's fine to say "I don't know."  Take time to think about what sparked their curiosity and   circle back with your carefully considered answer. 

We noticed that the children didn't focus on skin color as they formed these families.  We asked them to talk about how they made their decisions.  
   Remy - I took people that looked the right age.  This girl is cute and she even has earrings. 
   Lucas - I just scrambled through the pictures and thought, "This one looks like a dad,"  or, "This one looks like a mom."
   Seon - There's three daddies and two mommies and one grandfather and one grandmother.  I just picked people that looked nice.
   Cape - I picked children who looked good and the mom and dad looked nice.  
   

The children spend a good portion of each day making messages for teachers, family members, and friends. They love to include stickers in their messages.  Based on this interest, we combined stickers with drawing in a studio experience.  Mimi worked diligently to complete the whole process!
 Of course, children spent time developing their small world scenarios!

There seems to be no end to the ways that we can connect work with materials to small world.  This week, children made watercolors that could represent tile floors in the tiny environments.  Some children continued weaving for the small world floor coverings. 

Reading this quotation made us think of small world.  It is clearly "something the child likes to do that would allow us to reciprocate with the child."  Spending time with the children as they develop their environments and scenarios gives us a "door into that relationship."  Teachers support the children's  ideas by adding materials and by encouraging them to create new materials for themselves.  
We also find opportunities to address cooperation, collaboration, and problem solving.  How do they share and distribute materials?  This week, one child asked another child for something that child was using.  The child said ,"no."  This allowed to discuss appropriate responses to being disappointed or having to wait for treasured items.  
​We also challenge their thinking by introducing new materials to small world. This week the Pikachus and the "bubble gums" (small colorful manipulative that snap together) were not available, so the children had to switch gears from their usual way of constructing their small world.  The Tucker room children have been working on ways to connect the different rooms for their dream house, so in KW we asked them if they could find new ways to connect their buildings and rooms. It was challenging to build a structure with very small blocks that "don't stick together" (Luke) to create shelters and houses. Seon built a house with four rooms, (a playroom, a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen) that were connected. Hugh and Finlay made a house together that had different rooms. Michael made a house for his dinosaur. Luke built an outdoor park for his panda. Cape made a lion enclosure out of bamboo sticks.  The children met the challenge by cooperating together on how to built a structure that will stand and be functional. They helped each others figure out how to stack those tiny blocks.

Sewing is always one of children's  favorite activity.  We have been interested in making blankets and accessories to add to our small world materials. 

That's what Bailee said as she used watercolors to paint over some water-resistant materials such as crayons and paint sticks.  Here's some of the other things that children said as they worked.
   Lily - You can paint on top of anything on this table (referring to using the crayons or paint sticks first).
   Bailee - This is my mommy's face.  I'm painting the whole paper.
   Mimi - Rainbow stripes!  I put yellow in the middle.  
​   Bailee - These (the paint sticks) feel kind of squishy.  

As Frances and Ford are playing, they mention Halloween and Christmas.  Will Valentine's Day be celebrated in small world?
   Cate - Yes, I will.  I'm putting out Valentine's Day presents.
  Cape - Today it's Valentine's Day (in small world) because there's no Santa.  (Cape frequently takes on a Santa role, delivering tiny presents to the inhabitants of small world.)
    Finlay - It's a great idea, but Pikachu doesn't have a love.
    Cate - But Pikachu will like getting these presents. 

Looking ahead:
In the coming weeks, we will connect more materials and experiences to our small world scenarios.  Here's some possibilities:

• Children have made clay accessories for small world.  We're in the process of glazing them, after which we will included them in small word.  
• Sewing: possibly making tiny baskets, table linens, or pillows for small world.
• Weaving: possibly making small rugs for the rooms.
• Using the shadow screen to project images as a back drop for small world environments.
• Books:  Making illustrated books from the stories that children tell in small world.
• Paper Sculpture: for making possible playground equipment.  

We found that in returning to the experience with small groups, children understood that we were giving their ideas importance.  The process communicates that we recognize and value their intelligence and  thinking.  Family members can demonstrate this as well by contributing ideas and revisiting the name suggestions posed by the children.   We discussed our process with Amelia Gambetti (our collaborator in Reggio Emilia) today over Zoom.  She encouraged us to keep going and support even more participation from families.  Pease continue to share your ideas by email or in the greeting hallway.   We will set up additional invitations and opportunities for collaboration in the coming weeks.  We appreciate your willingness to think together with us!