Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Welcome to 'Songs, Sunshine and Small Wonders'!


The creation of this blog is for our preschool families to refer to for resources, thoughts and postings of our preschool journey.

This is a memorable time for your child as (s)he builds a foundation and love for discovery, learning and being a part of a school family. I delight in teaching this precious age group as young children are full of questions, eager to explore, think out of the box and create something new each day! My goals are to engage children in authentic learning experiences which nurture the whole child (social, emotional, physical, creative and cognitive development), and to develop a caring community where the children feel connected and encouraged. By creating an inviting learning environment, children are motivated to interact, learn and try new things. Providing rich experiences that emerge from the children's interests, "foster rather than force" their growth and disposition to wonder, think and investigate the world around them.

As an early childhood educator, I appreciate each child for who (s)he is and where (s)he is developmentally. Children in my care feel valued and cared for as I am dedicated to understanding each child and celebrating their individual journey. I am thrilled to be a part of your child's development and to provide a nurturing environment where (s)he will thrive.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Shadow Dancing!

Children learn through first hand experiences. Our children's interest of shadows peaked last week when a child began dancing in a sunbeam shining through our window. Everyone took notice to her shadow twirling around the floor.

Children's knowledge and understanding grows when they make connections. Last week as we began our exploration of shadows, many of the older children made the connection between shadows and the sunshine. This week we will continue investigating where we can find shadows and how they change (e.g. size, movement, clarity). Can we make our shadows move behind us...in front of us? Can your shadow touch a friend's shadow?

We are using the light projector in our room and the children are delighted by the different shadows we can make on the wall! With a variety of materials, the children are experimenting with the cause and effect of blocking the light with different shape objects. Their understanding that a shadow is formed by blocking light is quickly developing!

Our shadow exploration has been a favorite as it has turned into games of shadow tag, shadow stories, shadow puppets, and more!