Do materials, spaces or rituals/routines invite joyful engagement? What materials, spaces or rituals/routines seem to inhibit joyful engagement?
British Columbia Early Learning Framework pg 69
The above quote is going to be something I am going to be reminding myself a lot next practicum. I should of been more in tune with the materials, spaces and rituals. i started trying more on ritual closer to the end of the practicum.
Today I asked if anyone would care to help me prepare snacks and to my surprise D.M. was able and ready to help in a hot second. This was one of the children that was doing inappropriate play with a knife. I was interested in seeing how she would conduct herself with a actual knife. I was astonished by her responsible knife use. I took into consideration what Karolyn told me about how I can not be aggressive when correcting unsafe play. I wanted to see if a teachable moment was going to present itself. D.M. did not need any guidance as she was doing amazing on her own.
After school program has taken the afternoons outside . So while thinking about what i am going t bring to the program. With my pedagogy of listening I have come to understand that the children are very into “Mine Craft Movie” . Not realizing that the group of children singing and talking about mine craft are actually a community itself. Community can also be a group of people with a common interest. I brought modelling clay and asked the kids to build something that belongs in their community. I learned the hard way to divide the clay in portions so all the children have an opportunity to join. It was loud, and fun watching the kids create animals and trees from the mine craft movie. I also had a couple of printed out activities that were Mine Craft related. The children asked if we could take the print outs and craft outside. Why not as long as we bring in the supplies we bring out.
Under the playground in the shade is where you found a few of the boys. They were enjoying each others company while cutting out the creeper cutout.