Being a "Fly on the Wall"

The 2/3's day is full of challenging learning opportunities. As teachers, we often focus on these as the important parts of a child's school day. But when we take the time to be a "fly on the wall", watching and listening during the "down" times of a day, we gain a tremendous amount of insight into children and their needs. All sorts of fun things occur, all child initiated and directed. Sometimes a group is involved in sketching a plan for an airport and aircraft, then building and redesigning both. On other days, we can be treated to an impromptu concert. There are always a multitude of block structures and play scenarios begun, changed and rearranged. Plastic colored discs become treasured money, counting bears are given the power of human speech, and sometimes, not so human speech. Free flowing social groups evolve giving children the opportunity to be with classmates they might not normally choose. The list goes on and on. What's happening here? What are the children telling me as a teacher? That play matters and is still an important, vital and needed part of their lives. It is easy to see that imaginations are engaged and stretched, social exchanges are explored and amazing engineering and mathematical feats are accomplished. All serve to help a child grow in important ways that can be easily pushed aside during a jam packed day. Is play important? Is "down" time of value? Can I learn by watching and listening?
Every day!

Children as Teachers

When do children have the opportunity to be the classroom teachers? During their show of work.

From their first trip to the Hudson River back in October, the 2/3's have been immersed in their study of this mighty river. They have looked at the Hudson with the eyes of scientists (chlorophyll, turbidity and ph testing) professional journal authors(essays explaining test results), artists (observational drawings, mural), map makers ( drawing the Hudson's route), poets (The River Is poems), and researchers ( organisms that comprise the river's food chain).

They have read firsthand accounts of the river, learned about the power of water and the causes of erosion and experienced the Hudson from the middle of the river on their Dutch Apple Cruise. With support from each other as they critiqued friends work

and help from buddies during poem and research times, the children have a new,deep base of knowledge and understanding that they shared with us as we learned during their show of work.

Empowerment, responsibility, knowledge-learning that is meaningful and lasting.

October 13. 2009

The 2/3's and the Hudson River- Real Learning in the Truest Sense
We are so lucky to live along a river- there is no better way to learn about the Hudson River than by experiencing the river itself.

Our first adventure- a trip on the Dutch Apple boat and a cruise up and down the Hudson.

Oh, the joy of feeling the breeze in your face, smelling the air and seeing the river from a very different perspective.



The children had the opportunity to steer the boat while the captain explained the Hudson's currents and tides, what direction we were sailing in and how boat speed is measured in knots, not miles. The children sketched a variety of scenes along the river-the landscape, houses, Port of Albany and the city of Albany itself. All definitely look different from the middle of the river.

Our 2/3 scientists next took part in the annual Snapshot of the Hudson Day-a day when schools up and down the Hudson conduct tests on water and soil samples from the river, catch and count fish and macroinvertebrates, and make observations about the river at their particular site.

The children worked with the 6/7s,


teachers,
parents and professionals
from the New York State Department of Conservation gathering water and soil samples and performing tests on these, observing and sketching the river, recording data.

Both excursions to the river provided great experiences that set the stage for more discoveries about the Hudson. The children learned as scientists do as they gathered valuable information about the river; they learned about the Hudson from a sailor and experienced the river from a different perspective while on the Dutch Apple. Already they can not wait until our next trip to the Hudson!
The 2/3's making learning come alive! Lynne

Where has the year gone?

Whoever coined the phrase “time flies when you’re having fun” must have been a 2/3 teacher at Parker School.

In September, Lynn and I welcomed a class of second and third graders to our rooms. The children entering on that first day were happy to see one another but at the same time somewhat tentative, even a bit anxious, perhaps wondering what second and third grade was all about and what their role in the class would be.

In the blink of an eye, it was June 10 and we were saying tearful goodbyes to these wonderful children. I cannot help but be struck by how much they have changed in such a short amount of time. Each child has added much to the collective whole; sharing ideas, demonstrating strength in new found skills, showing gains in the social/emotional area and marking milestones with shows of work, participation in the Peace Assembly, Pi Day, Read Across America Day, Shakespeare, and other class and school events. The amount of growth in each child has been tremendous, and it has been a gift to be a part of it.

Below are some pictures of some of the year's happenings-enjoy.

Wishing you a wonderful summer filled with special family times-Lynne