The Role of the Teacher or Parent in the Classroom:According to Edwards, Gandini, and Forman in the Book: The Hundred Languages of Children, "The potential of children is stunted when the endpoint of their learning is formulated in advance. The challenge for the adult is to be present without being intrusive. Listening is the heart of the adult's role. We must not merely think about children as strong and competent, but must act in a way as to persuade children that they deeply share this image. Malaguzzi (1987) wrote, "Children are dangerously on the brink between presence that they want and repression that they don't want." Thus the teacher should not intervene too much and yet does not want to let a valuable teaching moment go by." pp 180-188
During next week's class, I hope to introduce the Clipboards to the adults. My hope is that if caregivers are given the task of "listening" to the children and writing down only what the children are saying, then the adults might intervene less (myself included!) or begin to identify appropriate times to offer adult assistance. Also, writing down and closely observing the children gives the children this feeling of importance! Mom, Dad, teacher, Grandma, etc...thinks that my investigations are important so it must be!
C. and Mama have worked to set up a line of tunnels and blocks. C. has a ball that he wishes to roll. He tells Mama to wait at the top of the line for the ball as he rolls it up.
C. and Mama have worked to set up a line of tunnels and blocks. C. has a ball that he wishes to roll. He tells Mama to wait at the top of the line for the ball as he rolls it up.I will be posing some questions in blue that one might have asked during this investigation. These questions are a way for adults to think about how to encourage children to construct their learning without giving them the answers.
C. What is the purpose of these red cardboard blocks at the end of your line? How will these work with the ball?
She waits for the ball (according to C.'s direction).
She waits for the ball (according to C.'s direction).The ball is not coming through my tunnel? I wonder why? What other ways could we try and get it up the tunnel?
Then it is decided (when the ball did not reach his desired destination) that perhaps the positions should be reversed. He tells Mama to go the other end and he brings the ball to the top of the ramp.
Mom again participates by following his direction and she waits at the end of the tunnel. Will it work?
She and C. are happy to discover that this set up did work!
Then it is decided (when the ball did not reach his desired destination) that perhaps the positions should be reversed. He tells Mama to go the other end and he brings the ball to the top of the ramp.
Mom again participates by following his direction and she waits at the end of the tunnel. Will it work?
She and C. are happy to discover that this set up did work!Why did it work when we switched positions?
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