Beautiful Stuff : Wonder Arts 11-05

Beautiful Stuff

Everyone loves a collection.  There is something magical about the process behind the collecting. And then, there's the beauty of a bunch of things that are kind of alike but also different.

This collection of "Stuff" began years and years ago and has gradually been growing.

Seeing how the children use these materials has made it even more important to me to keep the collection going.

Beautiful stuff began with the Reggio-Inspired book, "Beautiful Stuff" by Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini.

The book, written for Teachers by teachers, takes you on a journey which explores how children learn with these found materials and most importantly how the teachers learn from the children.  

These materials lend themselves across the board of many disciplines.  

Elements of design...

"Mathematics" 

Fine motor control

Physics

Problem solving and communication

Creativity and Perseverance 

Thinking about our thinking

Imagination...

I enjoy being quiet while the children are discovering the possibilities of these materials.  I am not trying to show them what they should do.


You will see that they appreciate these materials and already know how to use them.  They pick up pieces and seem to study them.  Wanting to develop a relationship.

Our beautiful stuff will be available for the next few weeks. Having materials available in repetition helps the child to build on his/her previous ideas and begin to delve deeper and go further in his relationship.


What will we learn about our children as we observe how they use these materials?  How will they use the "beautiful stuff" as a language to help communicate their thinking.  

How can we better learn about and appreciate what our children can do?
How can we offer opportunities to scaffold their learning and pose thoughtful questions on which to wonder?

These are the questions I will be considering and reflecting upon...I hope you will join me!