Think big or small it all matters...

It has been so exciting to watch our school move away from teacher led themes and activities to child driven curriculum.  Our days are filled with open ended activities for the children to think "What should I do with these items?" vs "The teacher wants me to draw farm animals."  Watching the children create and design their own ideas one can easily see the same objectives are met and then even more complex goals are achieved with tremendous enthusiasm.

This week one of our classes decided to make a show.  The children began creating money and tickets.  They worked together and they worked hard.  They were interested and they were excited.  Math skills, social skills and fine motor skills were enhanced as well as so much more.  The children worked together problem solving what they needed and how they would create the needed items.  The joy in the classroom was evident.  Our practice as teachers has grown leaps and bounds, we understand the value in facilitating learning through child led interests. 

 As we continue to explore and learn about this style of teaching some of us also started to think about some of the bigger themes involved in what we introduce with the children.  We were discussing how do we explore environmental themes.  All of our classes have a trash can for recycling.  We have been exploring the importance of recycling and why do we need this trash can?Many of our children bring cups to school.  Have we explored why do we bring cups but not our own silverware?  How much plastic can we stop using?  As we explore these child led themes we are starting to think globally.  What can we introduce to the children that explores concepts about our world? As we do this we will also start to involve them in determining where our Tzedekah goes.  For example if we start to explore clean water maybe a class will vote to send some of our Friday Tzedekah to an organization supporting clean water for a community.  We have moved away from small goals to big goals and now we need to go bigger!  

Teaching children the color red vs. exploring the benefits of less plastic use in our lives is a teaching change we can all be proud of.  

Last summer I was working with a group of older students while they learned about an organization that creates backpacks for children moving from their homes into foster care.  Some of the children looked devastated.  They had not thought about this or known about children that have a life such as this.  As we introduce concepts about taking care of the world we maintain a level of age appropriateness for each child while at the same time reflect on the value of what they are learning.  Children can understand that with their knowledge they can make a difference.  Even young children can understand some families might not have enough money to buy them a back pack.  "Should we use some of our Tzedekah and buy five backpacks for children in need?," we would ask.  As parents and teachers do we struggle with what is appropriate for our children to know?  When I drove by a homeless person with my own children did I mention this person? Did I give them a dollar?  Did my child and I discuss why are there people in the world that don't have homes and how can we help them?," or did I drive by quickly hoping to shelter them from the seriousness of this situation? 

As we begin to think this way we will start to mention comments with our children such as,  "I wonder what we can do to take care of the world we live in?".  I am sure they will as always amaze us with their thoughts and ideas. They know more than we realize and that is the best place to begin understanding our world and taking care of it.  

Each day. I try to bring my own utensils to work  Together we can make a difference.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
—Margaret Mead


Ps.  Thank you to Jake Sheridan the hand model for my photo!