Good Afternoon!
We celebrated Bo turning 5 today! Happy birthday, Bo!
Majority of our day revolves around play-based learning. This is when children choose a play opportunity based on their interests. Teacher Tom does a fantastic job at offering an inside glimpse into play based learning, the questions surrounding it, and ultimately, how crucial it is to children’s development and learning. Teacher Tom states:
“When I see children on the floor, say, building with blocks, I know they are learning, because that’s what play is: it’s children setting about asking and answering their own questions. Can I stack this block atop that one? Can I make it even higher? Add a roof? Create a room? A zoo? Can I persuade this other person to join me in my vision? Can I join them in theirs? They aren’t saying these things aloud or even in their heads, but it’s quite clear that when humans play, when we freely choose an activity, that is what we are doing, testing the world, performing experiments, seeking answers to questions we ourselves pose.”
We offer various play experiences throughout the day that peak the interest of different children. Some children stay at an activity for 30 minutes while some stay at an activity for two hours. This is when learning happens—when children are invested in what they’re doing because it’s meaningful to them.
Towards the end of the blog post, Teacher Tom shares, “The great truth is that no one can ever know what another person is learning unless they directly tell us of their own accord: “Guess what I learned? . . .” And this is especially true of young children who likely don’t even have the vocabulary or experience to put their insights into words capable of communicating the depth and texture of their moments of Eureka!”.
So, at the end of the day, the question, “What did you learn today?” may not provide the information a parent is looking for. Instead, try asking, “Tell me about your day.” This allows children to share a story, rather than answer a question that usually elicits a short response.
“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.”
-Diane Ackerman
http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/i-dont-know-what-children-are-learning.html
Breakfast– Whole Grain Cheerios with fresh cantaloupe/pineapple.
Lunch– Brown rice with shredded turkey, fresh strawberries/banana, and fresh cucumber/pepper.
PM snack– Bo’s birthday treat: bars with string or block cheese.
Wee Sprout– Fresh cucumber/pepper.
Have a wonderful evening!
-Mindy
Link to pictures: WF 7/21
