Thursday, January 16, 2020

Messages for our Blake Hall Visitors

Children were excited to have completed enough messages to deliver to our guests downstairs today. 
​They excitedly delivered the messages, one per bed in Blake Hall.

Afterward, some children chose to continue making messages for the homeless in hopes to reach enough for a second round to be delivered on another day.

​Messages were also made for family members, teachers with recent birthdays, and friends. Lane made a message for Jack because he has been out sick. Children showed their developing empathy and care for others through these thoughtful and heart-warming messages. 

Representing Workshop Ideas

In reviewing recent drawings of children's workshop ideas we realized we have some workshops children have yet to represent visually. We also knew Gigi, having started KW just yesterday, hadn't had an opportunity to show her ideas. So drawing workshop ideas was a choice for today. Maren drew a sewing machine to illustrate our Sewing Workshop  (she also worked on her hand sewing!), Gigi drew a Light Workshop, and Evelyn began with the idea of a Building Workshop. 

Completed Drawings

(Hover for descriptions of  the children's illustrations.)

Sewing Machine by Maren

"That's a light and that's a light and that's a light and that's a light and the whole body is lighted up. He's happy." -Gigi

"It's a crown. It's gonna go on top of the workshop...on top of my light workshop...it lights up." - Gigi

"This is Jill as a mommy with big arms. It's a windy world. She has gloves on." - Evelyn

In thinking about the way children understand and communicate what they know through multiple "languages," we wondered if any children would want to represent their workshop ideas through the language of building with blocks and other materials. We also wondered if this building would give us further insight into the children's ideas, in other words, further our own understanding of what the children know already. 

Austin and Sam were the first to arrive at the building table.

Austin chose to represent part of his Sports Workshop ideas in the form of a football field. "I'm doing sports."

Sam said, "I'm going to build the Toy Workshop where people make toys and take them home." 

As other children showed interest in building, they were invited to support Austin and Sam with their work already in progress. 

Sam, possibly inspired by the green football field, built an outdoor play space on green paper. Grace D. and Lane helped him by adding people. Grace, Lane, Maren, and Gigi also added various found objects to represent toys in the toy workshop. 

Austin used bricks to represent the football players and people in the stadium.

At the end of the day, the children asked Lisa and Rachael if it would be OK to leave the building up for Tucker children to see the next day. The teachers said yes which thrilled all of the proud and hardworking builders! Grace D. said she would even bring some of her Rainey friends to see what they had made.
We can't wait to find out the response of the other children tomorrow!!

Other Moments Together

Our time in the outdoor classroom this afternoon could not have been timed better with the weather. We enjoyed a break in the sun and from the wind while we lived up the moments together. Enjoy these photos of joyful times making an "ice cream sandwich" out of friends on the slide, a "rice krispie treat store," partner swinging, and other fun. Not pictured: Sally, Sam, and Austin who were such speedy runners nearly the entire time outside in chasing games full of laughter!