Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/boxes-baskets-and-elevations/5024832/
A proud smile stretches across Ava’s face as she pushes her chair across our classroom, creating a scraping noise while maneuvering around furniture and children. As the other toddlers take notice, they leave their toys, following behind with their own chairs and rounds of laughter. At the start of the school year my class of 15- to 19-month-olds took great pride in moving and pushing our child-sized chairs around the classroom. These standard plastic chairs with metal legs become so much more than a place to sit, taking on roles of trains, buses, tunnels and doll beds. In previous years, other toddlers in our program used them for pushing but not with as much determination as this current group. So, I asked myself, “What is it about these chairs that draws my toddlers to them? What is happening as they push?”
As teachers it is our role to facilitate children’s natural curiosities. Children are born learners; when they are passionate about, and in control of, the learning process, they feel value in making new discoveries. Teachers at Dimensions Education Programs do this by assuming the role of teacher/co-researcher, making discoveries alongside the children in our care. By making close observations for documentation ...