4-26-2010
We were able to go to meet with Mrs. Moran, the kindergarten teacher that we will be working with on Project #2 this week. We are going to be introducing the PicoCrickets to her class as an addition to her robot unit that she did last week. The kindergarteners were going to be building their own robot on Friday and they were doing writing activities and more surrounding their construction. We plan to go in this Thursday in order to help expand one what they have learned. During our brainstorming and planning, we decided that often times a child's conception of a robot is limited to the tradition robots like CP30 from Star Wars or the robot maid from The Jetsons. The latest robot to hit the kid's movie scene is Wall E who again fits a child's traditional schema for what a robot is. We plan to help kids to see how robots are found all around them, focusing on their toys. We really liked how when Krissy taught us about the PicoCrickets she used toys to show how the programming works. We are hoping to use different toys as examples of programming and then assist the kids in creating their own programs on the PicoCricket software to illustrate what happens in their toys. In order to make this more child-centered and play-based we decided to do centers. The students move about the centers in order to complete different challenges (in which they create different programs). We want the children to expand their schemas to include things like toys and other things they will see in their daily lives. I am really excited to see how things go. I really think that this will work great with kindergarteners because they are often so open to challenges and I think we will see a lot of creative thinking on their part. I am excited to get to observe them in their explorations as well.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
4-19-2010
4-19-2010
This week I have been paying special attention to what Play=Learning calls "everyday mathematics." I wanted to see how the children use math in their everyday language and how they show math skills in their play. I was actually fairly surprised to see how I was able to hear math talk coming out of the mouths of preschoolers. For example, almost every day at lunch the children compare how many boys to girls there are at the lunch table. I heard a three year old count the three boys, count the two girls, count everyone at the table and then say "three and two makes five." If you asked the child what three plus two is he would probably have no idea how to answer the question, but he had a basic understanding of addition despite his lack of knowledge of math concepts. Another observation I made was during some free play with play dough. Two children were making balls out of the play dough and the one would hold his up to the other and say, "Oh, mine is bigger than yours." This is another math concept that he probably has never been specifically taught but that he has an understanding of. I really was surprised as to how frequently you can hear children using everyday math. I think that the authors are right in saying how children really have a natural ability for math, but often the way it is taught in schools turns kids off. I really feel that in my classroom I would like to have a more play-based approach to math to tune into children's everyday math knowledge and utilize this natural ability for math skills and understanding.
This week I have been paying special attention to what Play=Learning calls "everyday mathematics." I wanted to see how the children use math in their everyday language and how they show math skills in their play. I was actually fairly surprised to see how I was able to hear math talk coming out of the mouths of preschoolers. For example, almost every day at lunch the children compare how many boys to girls there are at the lunch table. I heard a three year old count the three boys, count the two girls, count everyone at the table and then say "three and two makes five." If you asked the child what three plus two is he would probably have no idea how to answer the question, but he had a basic understanding of addition despite his lack of knowledge of math concepts. Another observation I made was during some free play with play dough. Two children were making balls out of the play dough and the one would hold his up to the other and say, "Oh, mine is bigger than yours." This is another math concept that he probably has never been specifically taught but that he has an understanding of. I really was surprised as to how frequently you can hear children using everyday math. I think that the authors are right in saying how children really have a natural ability for math, but often the way it is taught in schools turns kids off. I really feel that in my classroom I would like to have a more play-based approach to math to tune into children's everyday math knowledge and utilize this natural ability for math skills and understanding.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
4-7-2010
4-7-2010
Observation hours @ SNC Children's Center
Thursday 4/1 - 10-11
Tuesday 4/6 - 1-3
Wednesday 4/7 - 2-3
Thursday 4/8 - 10-11
Because we are going to be working in Chelsea Faase's room, I haven't been able to do any observations for project 2 yet. The Power of Play book; however, really sparked me to think about a lot of things and connect them to what I have observed in relation to the book. I was very intrigued by two of the chapters: the one on toys, and the one on overinvolved parents. What really stood out to me about the chapter on toys is how mislead parents are about toys. The media is used to market toys and does a great job. With the amount of commercials during any given television show, one is exposed to sometimes 20 different projects during a 1 hour time slot. Children's shows are no different. Kids are pumped full of information about the newest toys and games. I remember watching shows at my babysitter's house when I was little and at every commercial one of the kids would say "Oh! I want that!" All of the toys were made to look so cool and exciting that we couldn't help but desire them. It is very smart for companies to market this way, but it is doing nothing for our children. The toys that are marketed are often the toys stemming from t.v. shows or the microchip toys discussed in the books. Both of these types of toys are harder for a child to connect with. It is very interesting how the most simple of toys can be beneficial. I do think that the author goes a little far when saying that a child can't make meaningful memories with a toy from a t.v. show or book. The boy that I babysit for has a Curious George stuffed animal that he sleeps with every night. I think that the stuffed animal is great for him because it encourages him to read the Curious George books which gets him reading. When he plays with George he doesn't just act out what he has seen. Although this is an exception, I do see Elkind's point and do agree with him for the most part on this topic. That is just one area that I had a slight disagreement with. The other chapter that really intrigued me was the chapter on parenting. In reading about overinvolved and overprotective parents I felt sorry for the parents because they really are trying to do what is best for their children. Since I obviously do not have children myself I can only imagine what a parent goes through trying to provide the best for their children. What this chapter really shows though is that it is okay for a parent to relax and let their children develop some independence. We can harm them more by trying to run their lives. We do better as guides and role models for our kids instead of taking total control. Easier said than done, I am sure, but as a future teacher and hopefully a future mom, all I can do is keep in mind what I have learned.
Observation hours @ SNC Children's Center
Thursday 4/1 - 10-11
Tuesday 4/6 - 1-3
Wednesday 4/7 - 2-3
Thursday 4/8 - 10-11
Because we are going to be working in Chelsea Faase's room, I haven't been able to do any observations for project 2 yet. The Power of Play book; however, really sparked me to think about a lot of things and connect them to what I have observed in relation to the book. I was very intrigued by two of the chapters: the one on toys, and the one on overinvolved parents. What really stood out to me about the chapter on toys is how mislead parents are about toys. The media is used to market toys and does a great job. With the amount of commercials during any given television show, one is exposed to sometimes 20 different projects during a 1 hour time slot. Children's shows are no different. Kids are pumped full of information about the newest toys and games. I remember watching shows at my babysitter's house when I was little and at every commercial one of the kids would say "Oh! I want that!" All of the toys were made to look so cool and exciting that we couldn't help but desire them. It is very smart for companies to market this way, but it is doing nothing for our children. The toys that are marketed are often the toys stemming from t.v. shows or the microchip toys discussed in the books. Both of these types of toys are harder for a child to connect with. It is very interesting how the most simple of toys can be beneficial. I do think that the author goes a little far when saying that a child can't make meaningful memories with a toy from a t.v. show or book. The boy that I babysit for has a Curious George stuffed animal that he sleeps with every night. I think that the stuffed animal is great for him because it encourages him to read the Curious George books which gets him reading. When he plays with George he doesn't just act out what he has seen. Although this is an exception, I do see Elkind's point and do agree with him for the most part on this topic. That is just one area that I had a slight disagreement with. The other chapter that really intrigued me was the chapter on parenting. In reading about overinvolved and overprotective parents I felt sorry for the parents because they really are trying to do what is best for their children. Since I obviously do not have children myself I can only imagine what a parent goes through trying to provide the best for their children. What this chapter really shows though is that it is okay for a parent to relax and let their children develop some independence. We can harm them more by trying to run their lives. We do better as guides and role models for our kids instead of taking total control. Easier said than done, I am sure, but as a future teacher and hopefully a future mom, all I can do is keep in mind what I have learned.
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