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Rainbow colours

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This is the final topic that we will be discussing during this subject ‘light.’ I saw three light boxes on the floor when I entered the class. And the design that it had created on the ceiling was beautiful. Justine had brought different types of materials and lights to extend our thinking on  lights. I was happy to sit on the floor to create different designs on the ceiling with the help of the light box. I was holding a CD to experiment  whether I could get the rainbow colours on the roof, but it did not work it just created a shadow of it. Then I tried several things and then I realised that I can only make colours which the things are transparent. So, we use some glass papers and found that we also can use this with children to teach them colour mixing. Again, I hold the CD to the light box, and I saw the rainbow colours on the floor it was fabulous. I was waiting and trying different strategies to make rainbow colours, finally it did work. Then I thought if as teachers we also need to follow the same method when it comes to problem solving. We need to give children some time to explore and work their experiments to be successful. ‘The teacher’s role is to help children discover their own problem and questions. At that point, moreover, they will not provide ready solutions but instead help children to focus on a problem or difficulty to formulate hypothesis.' (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman 2011, p. 155)  After exploring the materials, I realised that I can use light to focus on different teaching concepts. Such as, shadow, sizes, colour mixing. I also researched a method that I could make a light box for my placements as children would love to play on light box.
Reference list
Edwards, C, Gandini, L & Forman, G 2011, The Hundred Languages of Children : The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation, ABC-CLIO, LLC, viewed <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=820317>.

ISBN: 9780313359620

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This week we got to explore on my favourite topic ‘clay’. I was waiting for this week as I loved to play with clay from my small days. When entre the class clay was displayed on the floor. Today’s session was mainly focusing on the group presentation. To create the stop motion animation, we decided to use clay. With help of al the group members we were able to make different figures and objects that needs to be in our animation to create our story. It was a fun and engaging experience as we got this opportunity to play with clay after a long time. As we had to spend lot of time making and focusing on the objects I thought children will be also attentive with their makings if we incorporate clay in an early childhood setting because clay should be handled with care and patience. Children will love the texture as they love to participate in sensory play. Clay is helpful to develop children’s fine motor skills when children ‘ pinch it, poke it, press it, shape it, throw it, scrape it, form it, lift it.’ (Pacini- Ketchabaw et al 2017, p. 62) Children can express themselves by moulding the clay into different shapes and children will be excited see their finishing products. Pacini- Ketchabaw et al (2017, p. 72) confirms that children will be interested to play with clay because ‘ clay responds to children’s movement as they work with it’ On the last of the week we had to present our stop motion animation. I was anxious on Friday because I had to present our group presentation. The presentation was successful as I think, and I love the stop motion animation and we could perfectly match the features with the story. In this week, most importantly we learnt how to create a stop motion animation and we really enjoyed it. Added to that I tried to build my confidence to talk in public which I am not very good at.

Reference list
Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, L 2016, Encounters With Materials in Early Childhood Education, Routledge, viewed <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=4649662>.

ISBN: 9781317588573

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The topic for the second week was about junk. As the first week classroom was filled with loose parts which I found interesting. When the class starts we were talking about the junk materials that can use in children’s play. Among the group we had a brief discussion about our favourite place to play in our childhoods. Everyone in group highlighted that their favourite place to play is outdoors and with old pots and pans.  After the discussion the teacher was talking about Junk playground which I had never heard before. After she explained we got the opportunity to watch a real junk playground. That is an amazing place for the children to play but, when I was watching I thought that there could be safety issues. But when we talked about that with the Justine, she explains who people who work in that playground in focusing on children’s safety. While playing with the junk children can earn many advantages which cannot teach by giving instructions (Gandini, Hill, Cadwell, Schwall & Seidel 2015) as children can do limitless experiments using different kind of objects. Playing with junk materials not only provide fun for the children they can also upskill their imagination skills and intellectual skills by building their own objects for play. If children find the place and the materials are challenging children are most likely to interact productively during the day. Pelo (2016, p. 17) ‘ young children use their minds and hands – not just mucking around but thinking. They gesture and materials which develop their skills and strategies;’ Providing the children play with junk will create an extraordinary  outcome on their learning. As a future teacher I thought that I should collect loose part to use in future teaching opportunities. During the week we were focusing on junk play and our upcoming group presentation. At the end of the week we went to the National Gallery of Victoria to collect some artwork which we can use in our presentation. We found a beautiful artwork and it is named as ‘This is the other side.’ After we collect the information on the sculpture we created a story about the focusing on the sculpture. It was a challenging task as we all had to imagine of a story. We are planning to work on the presentation on our next session.  I think this during this week was full excitement as I saw a junk playground and visit the NGV for the first time.

Reference list

Vecchi, V 2015, ‘Poetics of learning’, in L Gandini, L Hill, L Cadwell & C Schwall (eds), In the spirit of the studio: learning from the Atelier of Reggio Emilia, 2nd edn, Teachers College Press, New York, pp. 17–41, viewed <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=3544852&ppg=34>.

Pelo, A 2017, ‘General guidelines for studio explorations’, The language of art : inquiry-based studio practices in early childhood settings, 2nd edn, Redleaf Press, St Paul, MN, pp. 17–44, viewed <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=4674378&ppg=30>.

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Today is the first day of the class.  As I entered the class I was surprise to the all type of papers in the middle of the class. Colours, textures and papers were rising my creative skills. I was eagerly waiting for the teacher to give permission to use these materials . She explains the lesson and the reason for facilitating with these materials. When I sat on the floor I was looking for many different things, but I was interested with the silver diamond shapes. Then I took a paper and I trace some diamond shapes on a lunch bag. Then I realised that I could turn it into a pattern. After finishing my creation, I thought how important materials can be in an early childhood setting. Materials are described as ‘the bones of curriculum’  (Pacini-Ketchabaw, Kind, Kocher, Wapanaar & Kim 2014, p.1) It was surprising to see the whole classroom as everyone was occupied with their own creation using papers. Kocher, Pacini- Ketchabaw, Kind (2017) highlights that with the materials we supply in children’s learning can differentiate the ways that children interact with materials, with their peers and educators. With the concept of the papers I liked mostly using the newspapers in children’s environments. It has many benefits for the children and educators. Finding newspapers are not a complicated task and t is cost effective. It also promotes children creativity as they can cognitive skills as children try to do their own creation. Pacini- Ketchabaw et al (2017) agree that process of the papers required many actions and concentration. Additionally, using newspapers can develop children’s literacy, numeracy and communication skills (Pacini- Ketchabaw et al 2017). Children try figure out and understand the letters, numbers and describe the picture they can see.  When they can see the letters and numbers regularly children are able to identify the with out any extra effort. It was a head start to extend my knowledge and thinking skills on using papers in early childhood settings. As a future teaching concept, I thought that it would be a great idea to think of making different object using paper pulp and encouraging the children to collect recycling papers that they find at home to build the responsibility children have for the environment. Apart from the exploring on papers, this week was focused on the first assignment to visit a local art which I found exciting and productive.

Reference list
Pacini-Ketchabaw,V., Kind, S., Kocher, L.,  Wapanaar, K & Kim, B 2014, Material Encounters, Social Sciences and Huminities Council, Canada.
Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, L 2017b, ‘Thinking with materials’, Encounters with materials in early childhood education, Routledge, New York, pp. 1–21, viewed <http://wallaby.vu.edu.au:2048/login?url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315743257/chapters/10.4324/9781315743257-1>.