Looking Back at February

I continue to be amazed by the authentic learning happening during our cardboard village.  Part of the Reggio Emelia philosophy that I have been trying to incorporate into our classroom is the view of the child as competent, capable and full of knowledge and that has certainly been visible within this inquiry.  I recently went to a conference where the keynote speaker (Lillian Katz) talked about education being used to draw knowledge out of children instead of being seen as filling them up.  The knowledge that has been drawn out during this inquiry has exceeded what I ever could have imagined.  And that is the beauty in inquiry.

I know I've spoken before during this project about the level of engagement I am seeing but it simply blows me away.   The children also measured (themselves compared to the buildings, to ensure their house would fit in a spot, to make the road fit, etc.), used numbers, discussed 3D shapes in the village, and we have used graphs as a class to make decisions.  We have been building our fine motor skills as we cut, roll clay for decoration, use tape, draw, and write.  Most importantly, for me, has been the building of a community in the classroom where we share, talk, problem solve, reflect and respect the ideas and work of others.

Early childhood theories state that if children are given projects that authentically build writing/drawing by representation in, then children will natuarlly write.  When children learn that print conveys meaning instead of letters in isolation, they begin to pick up on sounds, sight words, etc. because they are infused into the project and their interest.  The amount of writing I have seen during this project is phenomenal. Check out some of our writing above.  We've made street signs, letters to go in mailboxes, signs for our buildings, etc.

Here is a quick tour of our village.  The popsicle stand has a mural with it's name and has added bright colours and signs to attain more customers.  The apartment now has a roof with many signs, appliances, windows, food, and phones.  The monster store has security features, signs, money, and a road built in front of it through Madagascar built by the owner.  The house has a t.v., a door, pictures on the wall, a phone, and now a set of cups for company.  The 4-wheeler group has sphere shaped wheels, handlebars, and a spot for gas.  They have also built a garage over top of the 4-wheeler complete with lights and stop signs.  The pirate ship has a sign up sheet to enter, multiple cannons, an anchor and a great deal of signage!  The icecream shop has a menu, a peephole, and an alarm system.  Most of the buildings also have a mailbox to receive mail from their neighbours.  Of course, my descriptions do not do justice the children's stories and I have been carefully documenting their stories as we've moved along.

Just when I think the children are ready to move on, someone will bring a creation from home for Madagascar that fuels more excitement, creativity and writing.  When we do decide that we are at the end of our inquiry, we have some big plans so stay tuned!