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Katie Wallace
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Week One, we explored Paper as a material in Early Childhood Education. Paper is a common material that is created from damp fibres of cellulose pulp (gathered from wood, glass or grass) which are pushed together to dry into flexible sheets.  At the beginning of the week my first thoughts on papers history was I only knew it came from trees and has been a popular source throughout my schooling, work and life itself. Since being exposed to the materials I deeply understands its endless possibilities as it cannot be restricted, it is essentially used for writing, reading, printing, decorating and more. Through my class exploration I have deeply thought how flexible it is as it can be cut, scrunched, expanded and endlessly transformed. It can be used for anything and is a reliable source in education.

Alongside the positives is limitations, the biggest one is the effect upon the environment. Paper highly affects the environment in a variety of ways, from pollution to cutting down trees. Another idea of a limitation is the concept that teachers first resort, is to always use paper. We need to think outside the box and not always use just paper or develop idea on how to continuously recycle it.

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What do I do? What do I pick up? I’m just going to grab the newspaper, some stars, and white paper seems that’s what I keep looking at. All these thoughts going through my head. Do we really do this to children? Just say “go” to do a certain activity. I have my materials and return to my desk. I had absolutely no idea on what to do or what to create. A picture? A sculpture? I felt frustrated at first, I picked up a piece. It was soft like it would easily fly or flap in the wind. I could scrunch it, wrap it, open it, expand it, rip it and repeat. I created a story using multiple forms of paper. It reminds me of the article of “Encountering with materials: Paper” where they explore the idea of paper being “its own inclinations. It acts on and with the water, with the walls, the floors, the door, and the children's bodies.”  (Pacini-Ketchabaw, V; et al). I could connect to their idea of being able to build, fold, unfold and move with the paper. I start with the stars around a circle like paper, I started to vision a sun so that is what I went with. I started to vision life and an idea. To create a story of meaning through a landscape of land. Every time I added new paper, new forms of life was explored. I was able to continuously scrunch it up into a ball creating a 3-dimension shape and then flatten it back out, exploring the idea of shifting the material like Richard Swinnery explores in his movement pieces.

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My minds wonderings and meanings:

I wonder what the world will be like if we didn’t have paper?

I wonder how paper will transform again in 100 years’ time?

How much is too much paper?

Functions of the materials:

Creating art

Exploring stories

Forming meanings

Transporting information

Involves reading

Material moves:

With our control of our hands

The wind, air

Incorporation of other materials

Machines triggering movement

Connects with me:

Makes me feel frustrated

Clueless on what to do

Sign of relief when I develop an idea

Interacting with the story
Relief, excitement, enjoyment

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Richard Swinnery is an artist who creates sculptures from various types of paper. He first studied a course within sculptures and found himself investigating in hands on manipulation of paper.  His work is extremely impressive and had me constantly wondering, how did he do that? What does it feel like? And why is it not falling apart? It was truly inspiring to explore how paper can be seen within a different light. His artwork in some galleries even have the potential to move which restructures the art into something new by altering one aspect. This made me very curious about my play with paper, if I change one bit does the whole picture alter? His work is unique, interesting and curiosity which I believe each child should be seen as.

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Over the years paper has continued to develop into something bigger and better.

Before paper, individual relied on blackboards and chalk. Cai Lun first developed the idea of the paper making industry with mulberry bark with hemp rag and water, it then moved around the world where other inventors wanted to further improve the idea. The next improvement was the stamping mill for more production of pulp, then onto the creation of a paper press in order to help the drying. Paper mill was created through Europe in the 15 and 16th century, moving onto dutch paper. Machines were then invented to help create the material moving away from man-made work. More inventions of paper texture, sizes and types were continuously developed to contribute to the future we live in now. Technology is starting to take over the material of paper but still replies highly on it.

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How did the paper end up in the classroom?

Paper has a long journey which never really stops, I find I have to reflect back from the last step in order to find the first step. Obviously, the teacher brought in all the paper materials, where did she get them from? The uni? Other sources? Potentially getting these resources from an arts and craft store or the uni who then has their own supplies who then gather it from the original developers. Is it recycled paper? Fresh paper? How will I ever know?

Paper is full of life and helps create life. It enables for the creation of any type of art, to portray or interpret a story, spreads information’s, thoughts, ideas, helps with memory and problem-solving skills.

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Paper can help contribute to social development in multiple ways look from an early childhood mind frame it can help by producing collaboration as a team, interacting with others, communicating their emotion or stories, the ability to be able to listen to someone else idea with paper.

Cultural development it can help someone express themselves, their thoughts, ideas and emotions. It is a form of communication which can overcome language barriers. The downside this is not all countries are exposed to materials or huge amounts which limits children ability to explore the material, their feelings, creative and imagination mind which I think is a factor that is silenced.

I believed that their it no particular way to engage with paper, it is the individuals own interpretation. Within the classroom I understand the idea of activities and certain sequences to follow but in the end the child is going to have their own ideas and explanations as to why they did what they did. I will ensure that all different kinds of paper is available within my classroom and that child understand they have the ability to create whatever they put their mind to. 'We are not separated by our differences but connected by our differences'

My strategy is to ensure that I continuously expose children to the materials, support their ideas, talk about it, help them and overall giving endless resources to abide to needs and learning.

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This week’s focus was the material of “junk”, my perception of junk at the beginning of the week transformed from the idea of being old, useless materials to a meaning of used objects that can be recycled for endless learning and play opportunities. Junk can scatter across a range of things, objects, items or materials and being labelled as discarded materials.

Junk is capable of many things, my biggest intention as an educator is to explore junk more within my classroom. I want to change the way we view junk into something amazing and exciting. Junk creates many benefits for younger child, they can use their imagination, problem solving skills, a hands on approach, to structure a piece of art, material for play or display, something to take home etc. Junk has no rules, children are able to foster their own learning and creations. Limitations of junk is debatable; some individuals see it as a bad thing and others as a good. I want to change that image. Junk can create further risks but I believe we hold children back from taking risks and it’s the biggest element to learning. A hazard is something we can control and must look out for but why should we limit children or their ability to play and create? Junk is a form of life and helps create further opportunities, just because we can’t think of an idea what to do with it doesn’t mean children cant.

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My experience with the “Junk”

At first, my reaction to junk is not great. It can look messy, yuck, but from an educators and children view it can be very essential. As a child, I explored the world around me quite a lot especially with my cousin who is the same age as me. My Mum let us wonder off and explore what we wanted and took a step back in forming “rules”, she believed in order for us to learn we had to experience first-hand ourselves the positives and negative to discovery and taking risks. We would wonder around on our bikes and use materials placed in the environment, sometimes it was playgrounds, trees, junk, or using our imagination to form something great.

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Loris Malaguzzi emphasised that there is no right answer or interpretation.

Atliers and educators adopting the Reggio approach....'often discuss and interpret children's work and use it to find new ways to support their learning." pg. 17 'In the Spirit of the Studio'. Loris Malaguzzi explores the idea of having no right or wrong interpretation or answer to anything, as teachers I think it’s important to understand this concept. There can never be a wrong answer, each child can create their own meaning of something. I strongly abide to this because as teacher we can’t keep thinking of how we would answer something or what the answer should be. Each child is unique and will always have their own explanation.  It is about understanding the child and their work in order to create further possibilities to their interest and learning.

Loose parts and play work is made up of objects and items which result in being their own material. I hate the idea we shut down anything that is messy or looks yuck which potentially can create something great like a piece of art, a story or contribute to a building or structure.

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The Koorie Heritage Trust is an exhibition by many Victorian Aboriginal artists that helps “promote and celebrate the living culture of the Indigenous peoples of south-east Australia.” In Federation Square and welcomes anyone to discover, celebrate, view, buy and visit. The exhibition made me think about our country, the art displayed and how anything can be turned into a valuable piece of art with deep meaning. It made me rethink just because something looks less valuable doesn't mean it cant be transformed into something beautiful. Appreciate the world around us. https://koorieheritagetrust.com.au/

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Materials I used:

Where has it come from? In some scenarios we have no idea where “junk” has come from, in this situation I have got my resources from the teacher. Is that why is can be seen as a negative, because we don’t know its background information?

Ribbon? Potentially used on someone’s assessment? Object in their hair? Apart of an outfit? Just bought from the shop? They are flexible, colourful containing multiple tiny holes, the item moves with a breeze, or the tiniest bit of movement.

Sticks: Picked up from outside? Used on an art piece? Apart of a construction?

Bubble wrap: Protecting something in a box?

Cardboard/boxes: Online deliveries? Local shops? Stored objects inside? There is no movement unless physically moved by my hands. I felt connected and reassured with the boxes as they are something I am quite familiar with.

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Junk can be explored in endless ways that can never be restricted, it is up to the individual on what they want to do. You can build something, create something, form another material, recycle elements and so on. Gathering a range of materials and gathering them together can result in a formation of a bigger material, for instance: I gather two sticks to make an X, then picked out some ribbon, tied the ribbon so it would hang and put little object on the end to create a sensory activity hanging from another object.

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Stop animation: Conveying a world full of “junk” that eventually becomes a part of us.

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Readings, videos and Artists who caught my attention the most.

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Readings, videos and Artists who caught my attention the most.

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“The Land Documentary” truly caught my attention. I was so surprised and excited watching the show on the ideas, freedom and thoughts about junk. It opened up so many possibilities, and ideas for me to put within my classroom. I was excited to go and reflect on how I can contribute to the use of junk creation. I think this is important to show future educators, it shines light about junk in a different perspective, and makes me think of the material as another aspect for learning not for the rubbish bin.

Exploring the reading of “Poetics of Learning” there is the exploration of the connection between spaces and process of education. I strongly support the information that it is vital we set up spaces for materials to be exposed and explored in endless ways. “Environments and spaces are the third educator”(Vecchi, V 2015). Endless opportunities and options in the environment will result in just as much learning from an educator.

Milton Ernest "Robert" Rauschenberg is a painter and graphic artist who is extremely popular for his “combining” work of objects/materials. He explored the idea of “Junk Art”, I found him inspiring that he was able to take useless or not so peeling object into something great.

It made me rethink about junk and why I never thought of it from an education view. Image of an example of a playground full of "Junk" in relation to the land documentary.

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Week 3, we explored the material clay. What is clay? What is it used for? Clay is a material made from the ground with the ingredients of soil. People first began making pottery out of clay in East Asia around 14,000 BC. I have limited knowledge about the history of clay, from my experiences I remember it being something weird to play with, you develop sculptures and it’s a brown colour that stains. I found investigating that clay has developed overtime just like everything else. It began with one idea from the ground and has slowly formed into something amazing. The advantages of clay is that it is flexible with no rules. You can create anything from people, plants, houses, any type of sculpture. It is great for the improvement of creativity, imagination, motor skills and cognitive development. Tools are available with the clay which helped expand my own ideas of what to do. Tools can prompt thinking. Limitations of clay is that it can stain, the feeling is not so pleasant depending on the state of the clay, young children can easily put it in their mouth and the state of the clay can affect the outcome or process of art.

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How does the Clay react when you pick it up?

My first instinct was “Ugh, it feels hard, heavy with a rough surface. This is going to be interesting”.The clay stayed in the same formation from when I picked it up to slamming it onto the table. I explored it by shifting it and poking holes which I found was difficult as it was so hard. This material bought back multiple memories but especially primary school days when all we did was explore and create clay. I remember for Easter we made Easter Bunny’s for someone and I felt so satisfied with my overall result as it all made sense to me. Have a long shape to be a carrot in its hand, big long lumps of clay for the ears, big round ball eyes. As an adult now, it’s hard to visual what I was seeing as a child. Stating we always done see what children are doing.

This was different from the other materials as the feeling and touch of it caught my attention, on the other materials it was about what I could create and the idea of structuring something small to big. But I was fascinated by the touch. I portrayed my feelings in round balls: smooth, hard, rough and holey. I learnt within this lesson that clay can turn into dust and if you apply water it can form back into clay or make hard clay softer. I transferred this into my classroom and children were amazed with the outcome. I also create a square type bowl, with rough edge and planted a leaf in the middle. Dinting it in to peel the leaf out and resulting in a carved leaf shape in the middle.

The look of clay determines my perspective on it, if it looks smooth and soft I want to engage with it but if it looks rough and hard I don’t. I found whilst playing that it stains the table and leaves a funny feeling on your hands.

When I had my clay, there was no water available for my use, so I was stuck with the clay itself. After exploring it with my fingers I gained that it had been left out or immediately needed water. As I shuffled it, particles would fall off or my finger muscles would generally hurt from trying to structure it so hard. Comparing to the person next to me when they applied water it looks easier to structure, alter, move and create things.

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Me portraying my feelings/emotions about clays texture. It was smooth, tough, holey. 

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Me portraying my feelings/emotions about clays texture. It was smooth, tough, holey. 

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Within the Language of art reading, there is a huge exploration of clay and situations. Pelo stated that “When we teach children the language of clay we offer as many tools as we can, the intention is to help develop skills and confidence to express their ideas”(Pelo, A 2016). As an educator and through my play experience, multiple tools help me gain ideas and made it easier for me to create something. Looking beyond just the material is very vital to further learning and confidence.

Phoebe Cumming is a clay artist who truly caught my eye. I found myself drawn to her artwork because it was so amazing, and my first thoughts were, “How amazing! How did she do that? How long did it take? Phoebe works with clay to present artwork about her passion of nature, she focuses on the natural cycle of life and death. Her artwork is crazy and inspiring resulting in me rethinking about potentials of clay. It gives me more ideas on how far you can go with clay.

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Clay – What I learnt about clay.

Mould and fold you in a way

Creating something in my play

Roll it, slam it, what a day

It must be the use of clay today.

Dry it out to turn to dust

Mean it has had time to adjust

spray some water here and there

And here’s something id like to share

Clay begins to form from dust

But water is a must

Smooth, hard and silk again

Clay returns to its state again.

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Week 4, we discovered and explored the material of Light. This one I was particularly excited for as I already knew the endless possibilities and fun that it can create. Light is made from atoms which have properties of waves and particles that build on wire to create light. Light is used for many things but usually for being able to see in darkness. Johann Ritter was the first to explore the ultraviolet light in the 1800s and William Herschel was the first to explore Infrared light. Light has changed overtime dramatically, from light bulbs, shimmering sun, torches, screen displays and more. I was intrigued to learn further activities in relation to light and play with it myself. Light can be altered or changed to create another outcome. Playing with it myself, I remember doing hand figures late as night as a child. How can I structure an activity to this? I want children to explore that different variations make us see differently like:

Brightness, type, result of shadow, angels, positions, objects involved and colour. Light can bring life as we see with light. We are able to see within darkness, if something is to bright it may affect our vision, it can help develop imagination and creation. Limits of light is that is can affect our vision, can’t always control it like the sun or looking at it from another end, in some instance have to man-made light enable to produce it. It can be very distracting and produce heat which may be unsafe. As a teacher, it is our responsibility to overcome these barriers enable for children to have the ability to explore light in a new light/perspective.

Light is different from the other materials as you can’t physically touch it. You can always change the outcome, feel the heat, sense emotions but never can physically touch the true form of light. It’s not as tangible as other materials.

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I am exposed to light every single day, from the moment I turn on my light in the morning, to my phone screen and the sun and so on. Creating your own light and connecting an activity to it is a whole different experience. We were given light displays which were formulated of a base to put things on with a light underneath and a mirror on top. I knew the mirror was used as a reflection, so I could see my work on the roof. I already had pre-knowledge of this as we did this in primary school a lot. What do I place down? I picked up a disc because I knew the reflection affect it can have, I use to put the sun on the back every time I was in the car and shine it on the roof. I wanted to play around with colours. I placed a yellow and pink translucent piece and looked up at the room. Not as bright as it was in front on me but still produced colour. What would happen if the roof was a different colour? I placed shapes within the display, like stars which reflected amongst the roof. Children would love this activity. Creating their own piece of art on something different and unique like walls and roofs.

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Feelings I have about light:

Incredible type of energy

Radiant energy we can perceive with our eyes

The source of light determines how our eyes see the colour

Three components that make up lighting metrics, which include quantity of light, quality of light, and efficiency of light.

Shadow are opportunities from light. Seeing shadows means there is a light source somewhere.

Light can help determine distances, positions, angels, texture, shape, distance and other physical and tactile characteristics

Shadow are an effect of light, when light shines and an object block the light it can produce a shadow. The position of effect of the shadow depends on the angle or position of the light an sun.

Light travels away from a light source until it meets an object.

Shadows further learning opportunites from puppet plays, shining object in front of light and reflecting it onto a back board, hand shadows to form stories etc.

Transparent is an object or physical item that allows light to pass through. Most light that passes through transparent materials can be see right through, sometimes causing the light to bend or change shape and colour. In my classroom, we have a light box where we place colour shapes on the top to reflect a colourful shape on the wall. Transparent usually creates shadows but depending on the object can be colourful and different with various backgrounds.

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Within “Thinking with Materials” reading, the exploration I found I connected with in the study of light was “What if we pay attention to the effects of things and to how things move together, not asking what an object or a thing or a material is, but what does a material do?”. (Pacini-Ketchabaw, V; et al, 2017) I want children to constantly explore materials and their possibilities, ask what is the light for? What does it do? What happens if I do this or that? The discovery of what does this material do, what happens if I connect two objects at once? The factor of curiosity which never ends. It helps provoke different ways of thinking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qOmST_yz-4

Kseniya Simonova is an amazing artist who uses the materials of light and sand to create art and stories. She is well known for usually a light box with sand on the top and with her hands creates multiple images to form a creative story. This was truly amazing. How did the light have more of an effect than just a white table? She effectively uses different shades of light across the box to portray different aspects, like night time, dark times, bright time, happiness or day time. This is looking at light in a whole different perspective. I never imagined to use sand on light. I want to know how does her pieces reflect on the roof or anything above? Do we can the same picture? Does the light fade? What shadows are formulated by her working hand? Makes me rethink to use light in other ways other than just to see.

Light can be experimented with, with so many materials (controllable and uncontrollable) it is important for kids to understand and experiment with this concept.

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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

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, L 2017a, ‘Paper’, Encounters with materials in early childhood education, Routledge, New York, pp. 23–32, viewed <http://wallaby.vu.edu.au:2048/login?url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315743257/chapters/10.4324/9781315743257-2>.

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>.

Pelo, A 2016, The Language of Art : Inquiry-Based Studio Practices in Early Childhood Settings, Redleaf Press, viewed <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=4674378>.

ISBN: 9781605544588

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>.