Storyteller, February 2011
Observations
“The focus of learning in learning groups extends beyond the learning of individuals to create a collective body of knowledge.”
- Krechevsky & Mardell (2001)
Dear Families and Friends,
Reflecting upon our meetings on Friday, Jan. 28th, I wondered if we, as teachers and parents, were so focused on sharing observations about children’s individual growth and learning that we might have underplayed children’s achievements within learning groups, as well. As the words of Krechevsky and Mardell affirm (in Making Learning Visible, 2001), while learning is generally an individual process, it is also important to consider that “learning in groups supports a quality of learning that is different from individual learning.” Based on a network of relationships, the group setting promotes the circulation of ideas for discussion and exploration, contributing to a meaningful co-construction of understandings –and the creation of ‘new’ knowledge.
While the Desired Results Developmental Profile, like many assessment tools, certainly emphasizes individual learning, the individual Child Portfolios that you viewed with teachers last week include many examples of children within the group context. The inclusion in the portfolios of some Small Group Stories is intended to help us remember that much of the children’s development takes place within the context of groups.
We can interpret the children’s words and actions represented in the Small Group Story documentation in order to better understand how the ideas and expressions of one child impact the thinking and expression of the rest of the group. This co-construction process also takes place in our Morning Meetings and Reflection Meetings. Children build upon one another’s experience, knowledge and theories. And, as investigations and discussions evolve, children accommodate and adapt previous perceptions to reach new explanations and understandings (Piaget, 1974; Vygotsky, 1978). Through the group’s process, children’s collective awareness of how groups function to “advance a body of knowledge” is also enhanced.
I think our conferences last week also represented an example of the value of group learning. As partners in the children’s care and education, teachers, directors and parents built new understandings of each child when we shared our observations, tried to interpret behavior and generated strategies that we believe will support children’s learning.
Thank you for participating in the adult group learning process. We learn a great deal from you and the children!
Warm wishes,
Nancy
Click on the links below or scroll down for this month’s topics:
Children’s Play
A large part of the preschool experience is about offering children opportunities to develop social and emotional competencies. In the November, 2009 Storyteller, I shared the following perspective on one of the many values of play in the lives of children:
“The new and complex social world of school…increases the possibilities and nature of friendships. And over the preschool-to-school years, children’s understanding of the various different social worlds—family, school, neighborhood—becomes increasingly clearly portrayed in their pretence with their friends. Pretence with a friend provides a window on children’s growing grasp of the roles, identities and characters of these worlds–(we can observe) their perspective on what happens within families, within the playground, at parties, going shopping,
on car trips or in spaceships.”
Judy Dunn (Children’s Friendships, The Beginnings of Intimeacy (2004)
As the above statements from Judy Dunn suggest, much of children’s dramatic play is centered around daily scenarios that are borrowed from home, school and the neighborhood and adapted to the children’s play with their friends. Children assume the roles of parents, teachers, siblings and other significant people in their lives and scaffold one another in making meaning of many diverse social and cultural settings. They direct and guide one another as part of the process of “staying within their pretend roles.”
An article in the New York Times Magazine (September 27, 2009) focused on research conducted over the last few years that supports the tremendous value of children’s dramatic play experiences during the early childhood years. In Can the Right Kinds of Play Teach Self-Control?, Paul Tough (2009) offers insight into the role of play in developing what neuroscientists call executive function—the ability to organize your thoughts and to process information in such a way that you are able to remember details, avoid distractions and focus on the task at hand. Scientists believe that meaningful dramatic play gives children the opportunity to self-regulate as they learn to assume roles and to negotiate the intricacies of what is often fast-paced and complex pretend play.
Ellen Galinsky, in Mind in the Making (2010), elaborates on other recent research supporting the significance of focus and self-control, perspective-taking and 5 other skills she believes are essential for children’s success in school and in life. Play gives children opportunities to practice these important skills. A good deal of our teachers’ documentation—especially for the Cherry Blossom and Rosemary room children—is devoted to making children’s dramatic play visible within our community.
Parent Story-time Readers
Nancy invites parents who are interested in reading to children at the end of the school morning to meet with her briefly in the Library on Wednesday, February 23rd at 9:00 a.m. Following the meeting, a sign-up will become available in each classroom and parents can make appointments with teachers. Children love for family members to read to their classroom friends just after Lunch!
Peace Rug
Promoting Conflict Resolution
Consistent with our image of the child as a competent and capable person, we support the children’s developing ability to resolve conflicts by themselves or with the guidance of adults. The Peace Rug represents a safe and very special place for children to face one another to solve problems and resolve conflicts. All classrooms—and the outdoor studio– have a Peace Rug as a part of their environments. The children have chosen where to keep the rug and can access it whenever they believe they need to sit opposite a friend or two and “talk it out.” Please ask your child to tell you about the Peace Rug.
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With Appreciation
We wish to thank so many of our parents for making the Family Donation of $400 or more! Your generosity helps us to meet the costs of operating a high-quality private, independent, nonprofit preschool.
Research Study/Fundraiser
One of our former dads, Dave Herzberg, vice-president of a highly regarded publisher of educational assessment tools, has offered us an opportunity to host a small research study at our site. Dave’s company is working on some additions to the CASL, an assessment of early childhood language ability. We are asking for parents to allow children to participate in a friendly and brief interview later this month that will give the researcher further insight into young children’s language development. Consent forms are available in Nancy’s office. No personal information about children leaves our premises. The preschool will receive a donation in exchange for our help with the study. Please speak with Nancy if you are interested. Thank you.
Outreach Committee
Parents who are interested in participating on the PPS Outreach Committee are invited to meet with Nancy on Tuesday, February 22nd at 9:00 a.m. in the Library. Last year’s committee chose to support Heal the Bay and Upward Bound, two local organizations that provide services to our community. Efforts to support both organizations were very successful. We can continue with these groups—or members may decide to partner with different groups. –Join us!
Calendar Reminders
- February 9 (1:30)
CB Afternoon with Teachers - February 11 or 14
Valentine’s Day Celebrations - February 15 (9:00 a.m.)
Book Talk - February 16 (1:15)
Movie Afternoon–Babies - February 18
Preschool Closed for Staff Dev. - February 21
Preschool Closed for Holiday
Valentine’s Day Parties
Children in each classroom will exchange Valentine’s cards. Please read teachers’ Weekly Stories for details.