Let's Collaborate
4/28/2018
Collaboration is defined as the action of working with someone to create or produce something. Recently, our kindergartners had the opportunity to collaborate on a few projects. At this point in the year, after much practice throughout the year, most students do this naturally but others still need to be coached through working together and sharing ideas to create one outcome. This can be a difficult skill to master, but with repeated practice, it will become second nature for our students. What's the benefit of working so hard to teach students to collaborate? Not only is collaborating fun for them, but it also addresses the needs of the whole child and helps students develop important life skills. According to a post from Cornell University's Center for Teaching Innovation, "the benefits of collaborative learning include:
Additionally, experience has shown me that sharing ideas with others and collaborating on projects often leads to better, more creative outcomes. When we collaborate, we are able to support each others' strengths and weaknesses and build on and expand each others' ideas. Therefore, students are not only growing socially, emotionally, and academically as a result of the process of collaborating with others, but they are also producing better products because of their collaborations.
The Joy of Learning
4/18/2018
At first I thought I was crazy to have scheduled a field trip during the height of auction prep. However, it ended up being the perfect breath of fresh air amongst a busy season - and a perfect reminder of why we are investing so much time and energy in the auction to begin with. Over and over, I heard, "Mrs. McCormick, you have to see this!" as students ushered me over to what they were exploring. I also heard eager cries of, "Come check this out!" as students shared their discoveries with each other. Sharing in the joy of discovery, exploration, and learning is something we have carefully cultivated all year. What a privilege it is to teach in an environment that builds on and encourages such sweet and genuine discovery of the joy of learning, exploring and adventure.
Full Circle
4/14/2018
I am enjoying all of the sweet moments with our little ones as this year draws to a close. As I watched them share their recycling project with EK this week, I couldn't help but reflect on how much they've grown this year. At closing circle that day, a few students named sharing their project with EK as the most challenging part of their day. (We sometimes answer the question, "What was something that was hard for you today, but you did it anyways?") However, they not only remembered the purpose and procedure of the project from the beginning of the year, but they shared it with EK articulately and successfully answered questions about their beloved recycling monsters. When we embarked on this recycling project early on in the year, it was one of the first instances in which our students practiced collaboration and exploring creativity. Now, through repeated, structured opportunities and guidance, both are something that occur regularly and naturally in our classroom... often as a result of this project. Creative Time, where we use the materials we've collected in our monsters during the week along with Makerspace materials, is still one of the most dearly held times in our week. Students love this uninhibited time to explore and create whatever they want. Because this has been a consistent activity, students know the boundaries and exercise their freedom within them. Sometimes they undergo projects on their own, adjusting the outcome through trial and error and teacher guidance. (Your plane didn't fly as far as you wanted it to? How could you adjust the design to make it fly farther?) Other times, they brainstorm independently with each other, collaborating to try new ideas and solve problems with their creations. Always, they enjoy exercising the creativity that they have in spades. It's nice to see how each of our kindergartners have come into their own, invested in their own learning, learned to embrace mistakes and persevere through problems, and found their place in our classroom community. What a joy it is to be on this journey of learning and exploring with them!
Morning Meeting
4/7/2018
Morning Meeting is a short and simple part of the day, but also a powerful and meaningful part of the day. It provides students with an opportunity to be heard and to build a positive classroom culture each day, all while having fun and interacting with peers in both new and familiar ways. During Morning Meeting, all students are warmly greeted by their classmates. Students not only learn how to properly greet someone by facing them, using eye contact, and giving a warm smile, but this acknowledgement also provides a great start to the day. Students have an opportunity to share their thoughts and be heard during share time. And finally, Morning Meeting is a time for team building and fun. It always includes an activity. Students might take on a challenge together, like building the tallest tower they can out of paper, or simply play a game for fun, like "Red Elbow," pictured below. Morning Meeting is truly a wonderful way to start the day and an invaluable piece of creating a positive classroom culture.
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Saania AliMs. Ali graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She specializes in Early Childhood Education, ESL, and Special Education. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and painting! Archives
April 2021
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