An enquiry into engagement with materials by Akanksha Gaur

Will the invitation to play work?

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How was the presentation?

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Communication as a phenomenon

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Communication through materials is a reflexive phenomenon that occurs through mutual and constant interaction with space and objects around us. It allows discovery, innovation and ecological relationship to develop with nature and human connection. Bennett (2010) refers to these interactions as cultural dichotomies where humans can manoeuvre inanimate objects to discern the science behind it. This exploration has been influential for Pacini Ketchabaw (2016) whose book inculcates and describes the Reggio-Emilia’s based practices in Early Childhood Education where encounters with materials have been compared to human bones which give shape and structure to the body. Similarly, materials also provide structure to our thinking, shaping our understanding of the world, introducing linguistic qualities to interact and reflect on ecological relationships. This is also a stepping stone towards understanding ancient history, music, sound, arts and languages that have existed from an era. This animate-inanimate connection is never one-sided whereas what we initiate as a stimulus comes back to us a result.

Example of this Approach

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Effective communication occurs without human intervention. For instance, during play work pop-ups children are encouraged to freely use the objects around them, play with them or come up with something unique. This method where educators observe the doings and undoings of the children gives them an opportunity to discover and make meaningful connections in their brain. They learn and develop their skills and engagement also allows them to overcome their fear. The exchange of words and conversations with their peers acts as a social act towards forming connections with objects as well as offer community participation.

Paint

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creating faces using paint

creating hand imprints

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using hand prints on different paper

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Process and technique used:

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In this activity, I tried different things which I could do with paint:

Firstly, I started off by creating faces with paint which could be used as a mask.

Secondly, I brushed my palm with generous amount of paint and tried to colour the paper by hand imprints. I also created thumb prints and mixed three different paint colours.

My idea was to make multiple use of the paint, understanding its properties and using the paint beyond just painting for artistic works but to create something meaningful with just a brush and basic household objects. In early childhood, this activity can be very amusing for children to draw and learn about geometrical shapes by drawing and sketching them. They learn to identify shapes in nature. For example, a circle drawn on the paper can also relate to the shape of a ring, shape of a playground, shape of the sun and celestial bodies. This activity is one of the effective form of communication and engagement with languages.

Discussion

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Bennett (2010) regraded this phenomena as paint assemblages occurring at different times and forming new singularities. In early childhood settings, this approach allows children to not only develop their fine motor skills but also to channelise their social interactions. As Vygotsky talked about socio-cultural theory where social interactions with diverse backgrounds leads to development in a child. Similarly, engagement with objects, peers, working together and communication through materials is a human-nonhuman interaction where every element is in coexisting relationship with another. Dittmer (2013) refers to these ecological and environmental interactions in the “Assemblage theory” where the properties and pecularities of these elemental substances can lead to something new. Mixing colours will help children identify primary and secondary colours in nature. They learn about the colour of the sky and colour of the leaves for instance. We look beyond just painting but to understand its weight, its viscosity, its changing properties and its significance in everyday lives.

Implementation

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As I practised this task in my very first assessment. So, my learning through assembling materials and working from one process to another gave me something unprecedented. In my opinion, these processes are a chain reaction just like the bones in our body is connected to one another to drive a movement Similarly, one process leads to another and opens more channels to explore and experiment with nature and its resources. I have always looked at paint from an artistic eye but never really dived deeper to understand its interaction occurring with nature. For example, paints can be of different types and all those types can have different mass and densities. If we mix oil in paint, it will change the consistency and make it appear more shinier and smooth which we generally don’t do in our classroom activities. Similarly if we look upon the sky during sunset, it symbolises paint in a way that the sky is painted in different hues as if someone has painted it in different colours which mix up with each other so well. Therefore, paint does not only refers to its physical properties but also its essence which can be observed in the form of linguistic character in the nature, thus the human-nonhuman interactions without exchange of words. Deleuze and Guattari (1987) mentioned about non-linear relationships where a line of path swifts onto new lines with different momentum and gestures. I can invite children to play with paint, mix them with water, oil or any liquid substance. I can add materials like loose parts in forms of leaves, paper, stones, brushes, cardboards so that they can manipulate the objects as per their will

Video exploration with Paper

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Process and technique used

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In this video, I tried using different kinds of paper to understand the mass, weight, friction, density of each paper. My idea was to experiment and understand what can be done with paper more than just writing and scribbling. Through this experimentation, I made a flower at the end which was not my intent but it happened as I progressed through the experimentation which Ingold (2013, p.26) refers to as ‘gestural dance’ where one thing leads to other and the consequences are barely known. I assembled different papers like tissue paper, sand paper, newspaper to learn its consistency in the material world. I listened to the sound by rolling it, crushing it and tearing it apart. There is a rhythm involved in these activities which we never tend to notice but the amazing part is the same paper can have different sounds and texture in different environment. For instance, tissue paper becomes a small ball when dipped in water however a newspaper hardens up and absorbs considerably less water than the tissue paper which signifies how porous the atoms are in a tissue paper. The science behind these alterations adds value in early childhood education where the children learn about natural processes where we let children learn themselves because sometimes meaningless interactions leads to something creative and unprecedented.

Discussion

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The unit reading based on ‘Encounters with materials in early childhood education’ talks about movement associated with paper. As we see, paper is associated with movement and that requires both rhythm and repitition. This means there is no specific end product that we chase when working with children rather we allow children to create anything from their own understanding. Ingold (2013) refers to these practices as ‘correspondence’ which means every movement includes doings and undoings and a self-directed play. Through my practice, I can introduce dance as a form of movement with paper. I also burnt the paper and it turned into ashes which was quite interesting to see that a solid object could turn into nothing in just a few seconds. As educators, children will also learn about paper in its elemental form to discover and play with it in more than one way.

Implementation

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I practised this approach using different paper types like newspaper, sand paper, tissue paper, plain paper, burner, paint, scissors and brushes. I tore, threw and crumbled the paper with my hands. I tried to notice the sound difference between all of them. The weight, mass and texture feels different and also the water retention properties are different for each one of them. In a childhood setting, I can ask children to sing a song and dance to elaborate movement associated with paper. The song is a nursery rhyme which is called “Bits of Paper” that can be used in the school setting to make kids sing and dance with paper. I can also dance with children to give them confidence to participate and to make it more interesting to learn. I think when we use creative techniques of play the learning becomes more effective and the children tend to form new neural connections through the process of neuroplasticity. They respond and interact through their gestures and facial expressions.

Process and technique used

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Clay ecologies are the most crucial forms of play we observe as clay poses various difficulties due its nature. In different temperatures, clay reacts differently. If it is poured with water it becomes slimy and slightly thicker. If it is burnt, it shrinks and melts eventually. The molten form of clay is called metakaolin. In the experiment above, I tried to break, rub, squeeze, scratch, liquify clay in different ways. I also observed that clay leave a bit of colour when mixed in water therefore, they have natural colouring substances present in them. It is also very ductile which means it can mould in different shapes and sizes. Because of this versatile nature, if I put the clay in sunlight it tends to harden like a solid rock, this can be an important tool to make sculptures or handicraft items.

Discussion

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Clay has a very unique property that it reacts differently in different atmospheres. Stegners et. al., (2009) coined the term Meso and ethoecology where he referred to being in a ‘meso’ that is the middle state to understand the nature of clay. Ethoecologies require interactions which can be delocalised where we bring the material into existence. As we noticed with clay and its changing properties in different temperatures. It was quite evident that ecological relationship that we encounter with clay is different and for children to understand this more concretely, we need to allow them to use clay and view its changing atomic nature on their own. When we see clay in forests, we tend to form attachments with it in different forms like we see parasitism, evolution, organisms and their ecosystem modifies as per the scientific phenomenons.

Implementation

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As an educator, I can organise field trips which can be an invitation to play. By taking children to a nearby park or forest, they can see the natural forms of earth clay and manipulate them. They can examine the colour, texture, manipulate it in water and notice the differences in its colour and properties. The book named “The Magic of clay” is the perfect example which children can read especially if they are interested din ceramics or they can also learn about pottery. I can also ask children to make different shapes in class and label them to build their cognition. They can paint on them and add them to their art wall at home or in school. They can also use them as a gift to fellow students which can make it more artsy. I believe children can reflect on these materials through their ecological relationship which could be in classroom, outdoors or at home. They can manipulate it as they like and come up with something new.

Process and Technique involved

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I tried to capture my encounter with Charcoal. This is the most interesting artefact as charcoal has many chemical and physical elemental properties to it. I tried to rub it, burn it, and crushed it with my hands. It is a solid rock so it does not break too easily. I smelled, observed the structure and colour the coal. This can also be broken down into powder. It can be an element used in purification because of its porous structure and due to its large surface area it can also extract contaminants from water as an activated form of Carbon. It is also quite interesting to note that charcoal can also be found in toothpastes and skin masks to remove dirt and impurities.

Discussion

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Bronwyn Davies (2014) descirbes that encounters underlines the process of listening. We need to hear not only to understand but to make connections with materials. We might be having our own understandings or past experiences but deep listening with objects encounters something new to our mind. This opens up the platform to endless possibilities. Erin Manning (2007) refers to the idea of touch and feel to evoke a response. My above experiment was inspired by this school of thought as my mind had an abstract idea of how the charcoal may feel like but upon touching it, it felt quite different. The blackness is attractive. It adds quality to its physical form in order to feel responsive towards it. Early childhood settings can incorporate these in classrooms for children to develop and engage into communicating with nature. They can develop a language to talk to the substance and experiment with different materials to come up with something that can be a potential breakthrough.

Implementation

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Children can be asked to use charcoal and describe the two things they notice. They can drop it, touch it, smudge it, smash it, and break it with their hand. This way they can learn about the material. We can also ask children if they have noticed this object in their house especially during trips in forests, families tend to have bonfire or in restaurants some people tend to use coal in their clay oven. We can also show children the heating effect produced by coal when burnt in air as carbon reacts strongly with oxygen. They can be asked to paint, sketch as the pencil that they use also contains some amount of carbon in the form of charcoal. So, the black colour can be effective for creative drawings and shadowing. Invitation to Play in form of Art sessions with children can help them learn the dynamics of charcoal and how it differs from other materials. The weights, mass, quality and consistency of the coal and its uses can be made possible in pop up play space where children can mix and mould objects together.

Discussion

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During my field trip observation to Dymocks which is a local library in Sydney. I observed different forms of language communication that occurred during my journey. I observed the banner that indicates a library and quotes which shows connection to a particular genre of the book. The logo that came to my attention was the 75% off scheme that they introduced on certain section of books. I never really cared while shopping but I realised that a simple logo can communicate to diverse backgrounds of people in so many ways. Some were stocking their favourite books for home reading while others wanted to buy in bulk for children at home. The reason was different for everyone but the idea to communicate was constant among everyone. We see these literacies around us in form of symbols, signage, billboards or even on information screens and they become a common language to interact with us in different ways. For example, a signage on speed limit on road indicates the optimum safe driving speed, the school zone logo alerts us to minimise the speed of our vehicle as a hazard to safeguard small children. Similarly, books can speak volumes without having a mouth and multi literacy has a common language to communicate a singular thought for human perception regardless of background and language.

Implementation

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I work in the Sydney CBD, so it is a small walk for me to go the library and spend some time around. Considering the library offer more than just books, one can buy gift items, chocolates and even presents for their loved ones. They can spend time by themselves and read inside the library. I noticed the significance of red colour in the bookshop which is just their base colour in everything. The organisation was quite impressive. I flipped though a few books and they all have a different form of writing, some of them are text-heavy while others have more pictures in it. As an educator, I can ask children to take a book and observe what catches their eye. I can decipher if their results document the learning outcomes that we learnt during the Planning cycle. I can also see if children have a predilection towards a particular genre. The field trip can be a form of discovering the 100 languages of children where they interact with books in different ways and ask questions depending on what they observe. They can be attracted to poems or stories or some of them can visualise and interpret historical significance and learn about music, art and dance.

To conclude,

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To conclude, this padlet was an interesting exercise where I could identify as an educator the best practices which I can incorporate for children in early childhood settings. The loose parts, developmental theories, Pacini-ketchabaw’s encounter with materials and my personal understandings have opened doors for experimentation and looking at the known-unknown elements present in nature. The readings and my independent research was very effective when I encountered different materials and it ended up in something which could be meaningful or something absolutely abstract. But through these interactions, I could question so many things for instance, why is the coal black? Why does colours in paint don’t evaporate or lighten with time? I think there is maths and science which plays a co-existing role to define these happenings and questions become endless with endless possibilities.

Discussion

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Place thought concepts have made me realise the importance of place and its fundamentals that we observe in nature. I went for a walk at a local park and found some amusing work of nature. For instance, the music of the birds chirping which can be felt and heard through deep listening. The whistling of the leaves and the wind have a very shrill sound which is evident if you sit still. The rocks, leaves and and stones have a specific shape and colour and each one differed from the rest.

Implementation

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As an invitation to play, I can ask children to sing songs and identify the right clothes to ear when heading out. If its cold, the children will pick up woollen clothes to cover themselves up. This activity will make them aware of temperature sensitivity, learn from their peers, help them dress up and become more aware of the seasons and develop their connection to place-thought.

I can also make them sing a song to better visualise the activity which is called “The Windy Day” by Judi Cranston.

Signage

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Library Visit

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Local Park visit

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weighing charcoal

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dipping it in water leaving a dark black colour

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Interesting to note that it can be used for writing and drawing

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Ecologies of Clay- scooping

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Highly porous and absorbs water to attain any shape

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easy to mould

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Bibliography

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Adalucia, Q. (2020). The Magic of Clay. Star Bright Books

Bennett, J. (2010). Vibrant Matter: A political ecology of things. Durham, NC: Duke University Press
Billion Surprise Toys Nursery Rhymes (2019, July 18). Bits of Paper Song [Video]. Youtube: https://youtu.be/PDtZjtFi47U?feature=shared
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1987). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia., MN: University of Minnesota Press
Dittmer, J. (2013). Geopolitical assemblages and complexity. Progress in Human Geography.(385-401).
Exercise Song for Prek and Kindergarten (2021, April, 16). Windy Day [Video]. https://youtu.be/h2P5asDhgdE?feature=shared
Ingold, T. (2013, p.26). Making: Anthropology, archeology, art, and architecture (Kindle version).
Manning, E. (2007). Politics of touch: Sense, movement, sovereignty. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Pacini Kethcabaw et. al., (2016). Encounters With Materials in Early Childhood Education, 105.
Stengers et al., (2009). History through the middle: Between macro and mesopolitics. Inflexions, 3. Retrieved from: http://www.inflexions.org/n3_ History-through-the-Middle-Between-Macro-and-Mesopolitics-1.pdf