From The Classroom Door

 I was asked once to reflect on what visitors see when they stand in the doorway of a classroom at Medicine Hat Community Preschool. I would have to say that would depend on who is looking.  What I see is coloured by knowing what is really going on. If you are one who thinks children come to us as empty vessels whom if left to own devices will grow up without the skills needed to participate in an orderly world. To this person the room looks like chaos.

 I see children running, jumping and holding weapons they have made from Lego. I am so pleased that these children have come to know that they are free to act their made up scenarios and engage in the rough and tumble play that they need to facilitate later learning in life. As I sit and listen to the play of these children they are often not even playing the same game. They need opportunities like these construct their own knowledge of the world around them. Adults are available to be playmates at times, facilitators at times and often the ones in charge of time and materials available.

This kind of play is not specific to the preschool room, it is also evident in the toddler room. A group of four or five toddlers can often be seen running from the lockers around the support pole and to the back door and then back again. Sometimes the reason for the running is apparent often it is not. They just run to run, it is the way they are wired.

The teachers in this environment have become comfortable with giving children what they need most in order to learn. Time is kept fluid as much as possible, snack is open and children can come to the table when and if they choose with in a specified time. Running, jumping and rough play are allowed most of the day in a specific area of the room.  This one of the many “guardrails” that have been put in place for the safety and sanity of the room. It is so much better for children to hear you are free to run in that area than stop running. Now there are loud noisy areas, creative artistic areas, dramatic play areas and quieter areas, and children can seek out what they need when they need it.

This has not been an overnight transition for many of us. Most of us, me included were at one time the teachers who had list of rules and nonsensical commands like use walking feet, use your listening ears and no guns. The first two of these phrases I am sure make no sense to children and the third has set children up to lie and us to agree to allow it.  We know it is a gun and they know it is a gun but if you say it is a fire hose, bubbles blower or rainbow sparkle wand I will have to allow it.  We have had and continue to have deep conversations as the adults in the environment about where balance should be. We have researched, attended workshops and asked ourselves many questions.

This is a living classroom, and it changes as the children, their needs and abilities change and as teachers gain more knowledge and ask more questions…It a Journey. Come walk it with us.

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash