Tuesday, April 30, 2019

4/30/2019

Art Journal Reflections

As you can see, the art journal table was a busy place again today. Cate made a tiny book that fit in her book. She noted that one page of her small book fell out, just like one page fell out of her art journal. Lou Lou covered a page with small shapes in a rainbow of colors.. Meanwhile, Dagny used a variety of materials to create a stunning layered effect on one page of her journal.
We also continued art journal conferences today. Maisie and Hugh were invited to discuss their work, and Lily volunteered to come along. One of the things we encourage children to think about in these conferences, and as they work in their journals, is their feelings. Learning to recognize and label their emotions accurately helps develop their emotional intelligence. This understanding can lead them to act on their feelings appropriately. As a school year draws to a close, it is only natural that children are experiencing a range of emotions. One way a preschool child can express complex emotions is through their work with materials. Today's conferees expressed positive responses to their journal work. Lily said her work made her feel happy, as did Hugh. When Jessica noted how focused Hugh was during journal work, he offered this explanation:
Hugh - (The ideas) are pushing in my head, "Can you please use me? Can you please use me? Can you please use me?" The idea that pushes the hardest wants to be heard. Whichever one pushes harder, I use that one.
Maisie also shared her feelings:
Maisie - I feel very mature.... and I don't feel lonely.... it's like I have an invisible friend. And it really makes me feel happy... because I kind of like writing.

Clay Sewing? Clay sewing!

Last week children poked holes in clay slabs in preparation for a different kind of sewing experience. This morning, a few of these slabs came out of the kiln and children began sewing on them. Children worked in various ways. Will started to sew all around his slab, but then took a more geometric approach. Noticing that many of the holes formed a circle, he sewed around the circle. Tommy made sure to include a lot of his favorite color (blue). Elena used every material available: yarn, embroidery floss, and wire. The children shared their ideas as the sewed:
Tommy - I want to do a lot of blue and one yellow.
Elena - Purpley and green. I love these colors. Purple flowers and green grass. The colors of spring.
Will - I'm doing Carolina Blue. You know why I want Carolina Blue? Because my mom likes Carolina.

The Construction Challenge

It was time for another Tuesday Construction challenge. Caleb, Teagan, Dagny, and Elena were the primary builders. It took awhile for them to decide what the challenge would be, but after some negotiation they reached an agreement: A building with one room big enough for a human, and other rooms for animals. As you might expect, they accomplished their mission once again. A bit of their conversation:
Teagan - Look at my dolphin. He has a nap room and a bed room.
Dagny - (With her bunny) This is his bedroom. He just needs a bed.