C2T2 24-25 Collaboration Event #1
Resources & Info
TILLAMOOK
Color Discoveries
- Easy to talk & Mix
- Could modify color if not liked
- Love a pipette
- Deeper pigment is at the bottom
- Satisfying Counting drops is important → shades
- Just like to play— mixed starter colors to be uniform
- Noticed That lighter colored = more mixing
- Just a few too many is overwhelming
Merging PLA and Curriculum
- Let kids explore + play with given Materials that relate to curriculum
- Ask open ended questions
- Parallel play/ explore
- Incorporate taste into general play
- Food painting, tasting tables
- Make playdoh with scents
- Kid inspiration- watching them play and take it one step further
- incorporate curriculum goals into exploration conversations
- Have small group be one choice during exploration
Time / job management in PLA Classroom
- ASO’S -PSP says Parents – shift these
- What things can shift small groups (cutting, name writing)
- Explorative materials that shows skills (gluing, coloring)
- End of day slideshow from earlier student work (photos)
- Shared google folder
- Hang up artwork
- Start slow – block out time, make it one of my requirements
- take photos and make a book
- Make Staff task “your job today is observation/photo-taking at ____ table”
- All about me book
How to collect and USE ideas from PD & Collaboration
- Keep master copy by season/holiday/color theme in accordion file
- Designating a time to process and collaborate after the PD
- Totes (fall, winter, spring) allong w/ classroom materials for seasons. – itemized list, label on tote
- Shared drive thoughts, questions, ideas
- Running notes on phone – look at weekly
- Organize lesson plans by month on google drive – add ideas to that folder month
- Team meetings
Materials
- Clear tubs, like things together
- Label
- Fundraising, donations, community pages, Amazon wish lists
- High shelves w small-ish clear bins to store
- Reusable materials- impermanent exploration projects
- Borrow materials & recycled materials from
CLATSOP
Color Discoveries
- The emergence of brown
- A little bit goes a long way
- Its a calming experience
- I could create a gradient
- Pipette requires hand muscles/coordination
- Created color swirl
- Social aspect of color mixing
- Exp connected to opal and jars
How do we find "space" (time/physical) for explorations to live over time?
- Change your schedule
- Designate an area that is messy
- Use exploration time during stations
- Fwer stations?
- Using a removable space that could transition
- Teaching materials use during smaller groups of kids ie rest time, then bringing out later
- Organized, pre-prepped and at close proximity to the space
- Switch out centers regularly, have core centers
Growing "messy" experiences AND independence
- Family Prep and buy in
- Dedicated area
- Splat mat
- Make friends with the custodian
- Be messy. Resources to be messy.
- Towels – Not school paper towels
- Apprentices
- Start small (two colors instead of entire pallet)
- Introduce one art tool at a time
- Plan ahead for what “clean up” tools you might need. Have them close by, teach the kids how to use them
Strategies for making TIME for exploration
- Provide time for autonomy in choice of activities to take as many time constraints and transitions out as possible
- Fixed Times vs. Flexed Times
guided play - Stations = Free Choice + Scheduled opportunities
- Schedule times to Step away from regular routine
- Takes time- advocate to your building scheduler
- Find documentation for play / exploration
- Left out for longer periods of time/make removable
Is it ok if children don't want to ____?
- Changing out multiple centers at a time to create excitement in more than one place
- Letting them know everyone will get a chance
- Make a waiting list
- Observation is participation
- Provide and adjust / modify many opportunities
- Sand Timer
- Name chart thats child led
- Nudge
- Best time / best day
- Appointments – teacher time to explore reluctant activity
- Questioning – ask why they are not interested with open-ended questions
COLUMBIA
Storage & Organization
- Ziploc bags
- Vertical storage
- Labels
- Files
- Curtains
- Bins
- Shelves
- Divided trays
- Color/size/shape
- Material
- Multi-use things
- Hooks
- Storage unit
- THROW THINGS AWAY!
- Spreadsheet with what is in each bin
- Share items with program so that you have many items but share storage
Finding Stuff
- Senior Centers community groups
- Ask parents for donations
- Beach Sand, shells, wood
- Collect donations
- Thrift stores / Habitat for Humanity
- Foraging in nature – ask family / neighbors
- Grants
- Restaurants/Coffee shops/Craft stores
- FB Buy nothing
- SCRAP. Gizmo -put flyers up at local places
Planning & Following Interests
- TS gold prescribed
- Meeting the kids where their at
- Name practice – Scaffoding
- Observing the Children – Doctor
- Building lesson around children interests
- Flexible Schedule/ Willing to pivot when needed
- Back-up plan
- Being okay w/ Change
- Add interests to a list
- Some activities are planned around skills we have to observe
- Big, broad ideas that can branch out
- Giving time
Exploration/Discovery Interests that are "too old for PreK"
- “We leave that at home” “outside”
- Play along to influence what the zombies are like
- “What is it about _____ that is interesting/worrisome/frightening?”
- Social problem solving/parents with different parenting styles
- “What is Deadpool at school?” talk about “School Behavior”
- Finding the good parts
- Leadership roles
- Redirect actions
- Grow self defense
- Find the positive in it