Authentic play

The teachers and I have been reflecting on the way children play in the forest.  

When we talk about it the one word that stands out for us is:

Authentic

These photos say it all don't they?

Decorating the Forest

Hi Families,

It's not that the forest needs any decoration as it's amazingly beautiful all by itself.  However, since we are learning about decoration and the children are thinking of all the amazing colours, shapes and purposes of decorations it was wonderful to bring our inquiry outside.

If you could have seen the careful planning of colour and line you
would have been in awe.

And there were shouts of pure joy and beaming smiles when a plan produced amazing effects.

We left the design up for the afternoon with a sign to say we'd come back to clean up later.  I wonder what the trail walkers thought of the children's creation.

The children told me today that they want to do it again!  I can't wait for the New Year.

Congratulations on winning the award!

Hi Everyone,

I can't believe the time has gone by so quickly.  I didn't get the photos up onto the blog after that wonderful celebration you all planned for the teachers here at Creative Minds.  It was thoughtful of you to honour all the teachers along with the Prime Minister's Award winners.  Everyone appreciated the gorgeous flowers.

We send our thanks to all the organizers and sorry that we don't have all their photos here.  Missing are Robin, Henry, and Cheryl and so many others who pitched in to help set up and clean up.

 

We also want to thank Monika Naus again for the amazing work she did to create the nomination letter and them to present the awards to Wendy, Kathryn and Mary.

And finally, it was wonderful hearing the children sing and then watching them use the library is such considerate ways.  Thanks to Kim (principal) for the use of the library in the school.  What a nice way to build the child care-school connections.

Sorry that not all the children are in this photo.

Contour Lines

The children have been continuing with their study of lines by focusing on contour lines.  

     

Contour lines are lines that follow the outline of the object.  Cross-contour lines cross through an object and connect to contour lines.  They help to make an object appear three-dimensional.

     

This connected to patterns in math and in nature that the children have been studying.

They traced leaves that we found just outside our building and there were a wide variety, which really supported the children's developing ability to make observations and share their thinking.

Awards of Achievment to the Team of ECEs at Creative Minds

It is with great pleasure that I can share with you that 3 members of the team at Creative Minds Early Learning Centre have been granted the  

Prime Minister's Award for Achievement for the 2010-2011 year.

Wendy McPhail
Mary Fai
and
Kathryn Dula

were sent Certificates of Achievement from the Prime Minister's Office yesterday. 
It is a great honour to have received this recognition.

The rules of the award prevented Dr. Monika Naus and I from nominating any of the other members of the team (there was a maximum of three members allowed per team).  

I would also like to show my appreciation to  

Deb Grant and Anamaria Girtonea 

and all the quality ECEs who have worked at Creative Minds over the years.  Working in this field is certainly achieved with collaboration among colleagues, parents, children, Southlands School and community supporters.

We especially thank the families who wrote letters of support last year and to Dr. Naus (Anna and Ivo's mum) for pulling the details together to build a fine nomination package.

We will be hosting a gathering in the near future at 5 p.m.  

I'll keep you posted.

Teaching Art with Books and More

Hello Families,

It has been my pleasure to listen to the children describe their art explorations over the last three Fridays.  The teachers have been helping the children learn about line in art.  A line has more length than width and can be straight, curved or jagged.   A line can be made with a pencil, stick, marker, or other items.  The outside edges of objects can be lines.  Lines are used to show direction and communicate moods and feelings.  

The smart board has played a role in helping the children trace lines and explore famous works of art.  Books have been central to the process.  

The Children have looked at the work of Kenneth Noland, Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso. Joan Miro, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, and others.  

We suggest that on your next library visit you see if you can pick up:

Smokey night by Bunting

The Girl who Loved While Horses by Paul Goble

Hush!  A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho

A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni

Mirette on the High Wire by Emily McCully

Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

I imagine you have quite a gallery in your home with all that they have been bringing home.

Children as Storytellers

Hello Families,

It has been a wonderful week with the children.  One of the best moments I had was watching Deb and a group of children retell the story of Goldilocks using the new SMART Board.  Deb was fully immersed in the process as were the children.  They retold the story and with their suggested, Deb created the icons.  Then each child took turns coming up to move Goldilocks around on the screen while Deb retold the story depending on what the child decided to do with the icons.  The objects gave the story some tangibility. 

Storytelling plays an essential role in children's exploration of self.  Children practice expressing and developing their cognitive, emotional and social selves as they tell stories. It was clear to all of us that these children felt a growth in their self esteem as they performed the storytelling/making with Deb.  They also showed great support for one another as listeners. 

We are so thankful to Henry Au (Elijah and Natalya's dad) for helping make this project a success.  We thank him for the effort he made to get it all together for our start this week.  It's with parental support that we make this program so wonderful.

Kate

Connection

Hi Everyone,

It's been so lovely working with the children each morning.  I have lead a wonderful song game called "Little Sally Ann".  It requires that the children practice developing trust in one another.  In this case trust involves learning to communicate with one another, understanding each other and developing respect and self-respect as well.  In this song game the children use gestures with their hands that reflect a sense of belonging and connection as they look/gaze at the child in the middle of the circle who is acting out a scene at the beach.  Then the children must look with care at one another as they are addressed by name and offered a turn.  It was wonderful when one of the children spoke for the first time in the song and one of the little girls delighted by saying "he can talk!".  She saw him on a deeper level today and I think he felt seen/heard as well.  Through simple singing practices and movement games, the children are learning to develop trust in one another and in us as we allow them to participate in the game when they are truly ready.  

I wonder if any of the children can remember the melody or the lyrics!  We'll keep singing it to help them learn it or you can contact me and I'll try to send you Annette's version as an mp3.

Kate

SFU event regarding bees

Hello Families,

It is wonderful watching the children explore their interest in bees.

The following weekend event might be of interest with regard to supporting their growing knowledge and sense of inquiry:

SFU's special science outreach event, "ChemEcol Quest", coming up this weekend, please use the following web site to register:

http://websurvey.sfu.ca/survey/85520310


For those of you looking for a science outreach activity that is suitable for kids of all ages, I'm pleased to pass on the following information (better late than never!) about a fun event organized by the SFU Faculty of Science, taking place on the Burnaby campus this Sunday, July 24, from 1:00PM-4:30PM. Please note that registration is required.

The Simon Fraser University Faculty of Science’s ever popular free public quest- for-science activities are about to take a chemical ecological and climate change twist.  

In celebration of 2011 being International Year of Chemistry, Science in Action and the International Society of Chemical Ecology have teamed up to present ChemEcol Quest on Sunday, July 24. It all happens in the SFU Burnaby campus’ North Academic Quadrangle.

Everyone is invited to the free interactive demonstrations from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm but must register at http://i.sfu.ca/XwdryE .

An action packed busy bee schedule of events includes:  

·       Find out how bees communicate with pheromones (scents and tastes) inside and out of their hive.

·       See demos with live bees and the queen retinue pheromone.

·       Learn about forest pests (such as mountain pine beetle) and the pheromones these insects use.

·       Why is the mountain pine beetle infestation in B.C. so extensive and spreading?

·       Talk to expert chemical ecologists about research and benign ways to monitor and control various pest organisms.

·       Take a tour of SFU’s newly renovated chemistry department.

·       Use natural dyes, extracted from plants, to find out how acidic (or basic) common household items are.

·       Build models of pheromones and other interesting molecules.

·       Learn about the chemical senses (taste and smell).

summer if finally here

Hello Families,

Summer is finally here and we are so happy to have a lovely group of new children join our community of learners.

Our new contact list is being prepared so if any of you want to hook up with one another outside of the program please feel free to contact one another.

Keep checking the web site for additions to the monthly schedule.  More ideas???? Feel free to share.

Personalized learning

Education Minister George Abbott, in an opening video clip, says:

"We've asked students how they believe we can get from good to great, how we can bring personalized learning into their classrooms. Now we'd like you to respond to the same questions. We'd like you to tell us how you think we can use personalized learning to take British Columbia's education system from good to great."

Check out the site and see if it's something you'd like to participate in.

Pot Luck Dinner and Concert Wed June 29

Hello Families,

The school principal is checking on the  use of the gym for our concert on June 29.  We are so excited and the children love the many dances this year that they have been practicing.  One of the songs they have been learning is the Log Driver's Waltz.  Annette helped them a couple of weeks ago and they sing it beautifully.  

Wendy has also located many verses to the song game Darby Town and some of them are found on this site.

The Pot Luck sign up sheet is ready for support.  Let's hope for a sunny evening.  Remember to bring all your blankets and dinnerware.

Kate

Creative Minds Events: Party for Glenis tomorrow

Creative Minds Events: Party for Glenis tomorrow: "Hi All, The Party for Glenis is at 1 tomorrow. We'll have balloons and bubbles so hope for sunny weather for this farewell.