-the school was growing and changing -Classroom -was empty
albeit furniture. It had ill-matched furniture and empty shelves. -the two preschools had recently merged. Some kids came from head start program
some came from a tuition-based program. Different schools with different funding sources and philosophies. They came from different classrooms with different materials and curriculums. (Open-ended verses pre-determined/themed) (natural materials and neutral tones versus brightly colored plastic). -Most of what I decided on. My pre-k experience at ethical was a ______ source of inspiration for how I tackled those responsibilities and what I decided on (classroom layout
schedule
curriculum). Each year
I adapted these decisions to meet the diverse learning and language profiles and to capitalize on common interests. I accomplished this by researching and integrating principles from reggio-emilio (emergent curriculum) and anti-bias education (identity and diversity/similarities and differences/mirrors and windows). examples: castles
wolves
rainbows
construction…became subjects of class wide study. Each started as an interest I observed in their play. Some came from things they observed in the enviornment (construction sites) and some seemed to come from no where at all (wolves). Some sources were real and some were imagined. Often times The two sources blend with children in this age group. I co-constructed curriculum with children by going back and forth between their interests
experiences
feelings
and ideas
and my (I responded to these by documenting these things and preparing lessons/materials/creating materials……ex: wolf menus lesson and wolf non-fiction I created to highlight information and present in a way they would understand. principles from emergent curriculum and anti-bias education. Inquiry: What does a pack mean? Who lives in a castle? I have a strong understanding of how children this age learn that enables me to adapt and apply elements from multiple educational perspectives. Expectations regarding the care of materials are communicated clearly
yet children feel comfortable taking risks and testing ideas
A sense of joy and wonder permeates my classroom
I work alongside children as they learn to share leadership
negotiate to the point of compromise
and accept the coexistence of divergent/mulitple ideas. Social problem-solving is an ever-present challenge that I’m skilled in helping them navigate
Diversity
equity
inclusion
and social justice are woven into each study
Social Studies focuses on how to be an empathetic member of a community
with a specific focus on the classroom. Students share about themselves and learn about their classmates