Continuing Conversations...

After a two week hiatus, I am finally back!  I had the pleasure of traveling to Seattle for a few days to attend the National Art Education Association annual conference, where I gleaned a multitude of information, some on visual culture (awesome, since I did just speak to our youngsters about being critical consumers!) but most on the immense capabilities of our students.  I never doubt the knowledge that our students have and I certainly do my best to learn from them - but I had to ask myself, was I really listening to what the children were saying?

The honest answer: perhaps I was, but only half-heartedly.  As an educator, I often get pushed by the standards, forced into direct instruction and although I love to hear the stories my students are telling, I also realize that I, too, like my students, have an idea that I'd like to share.  However, I must examine what my intentions are (what objectives/lessons do my students really need) and ponder, can I allow them to teach me something?  Well, that answer is obvious.  Of course!  But where would I find the time? ...

This past Monday, my colleagues and I ventured into Virginia for our monthly DC Reggio-Emilia study group.  This month's topic: Listening.  It couldn't have arrived at a better time.  We watched a video of Amelia Gambetti discussing the pedagogy of listening.  After listening to her powerful words, I realized that we not only have to motivate ourselves into becoming active listeners, but we must motivate parents to make them aware of their children's understanding, point of views, and strategies.  We must create a community of learners and share with our parents the ways that their own children think.  We must be critical of one another - or else we will not grow.  With the Reggio-Emilia philosophy, we are obligated to make sure that every single child is heard and that every child is engaged.  Are my students engaged when I am discussing what I think something is?  Or, are they engaged when they are the ones who get to uncover and discover?

We must allow for free exploration and engagement at all times while modeling thinking strategies.  We must allow for open discussions and research to test our theories.  This is where authentic learning occurs.  With that rant (and rave!), I will leave you an excerpt from one conversation one of my classes had this week:

(Ms. Shonte's class has been discussing the changing seasons and what is considered living and non-living)...

Samuel: Springtime is a really good time to plant a garden and in Silver Spring, they have a market where they go and sell fruits and vegetables

Ms. Mellissa: Is it called the farmer’s market?

Sam: Yes. The farmer’s market.  Sometimes I go with my mom, dad and sister.  When it’s hot outside and we plant a garden, you get food that’s really yummy because in the summer time, the sun makes the garden grow!

Chaniyah:  You grow flowers!  You plant a seed in the dirt in the garden.  You water when it rains and when the sun comes, it will grow even faster!

Ms Mellissa:  Did you guys hear that?  Sam told us that the hot summer sun makes the fruits and vegetables grow in the garden, and Chaniyah also told us that when the sun comes out, the flowers grow faster.  Hmmm… I wonder if the sun has anything to do with plants? 

Naimah:  If you see snow outside on a rainy day or a sunny day.  In the winter, the leaves fall down and off the trees and the storm goes, “BOOM!” and the power goes out!

Chaniyah: Maybe the snow brings the power out.

Naimah: No, the storm makes the power go out.

Chaniyah:  Maybe it’s the branches that fall down that make the power go out!

(Class gets quiet.  After a moment, Brian raises his hand.)

Brian: I plant some flowers.  They grow fast and then they die.

Sam: The trees are not like us, but they are alive.  The stuff we use to make art, art is not alive. 

Ms. Mellissa:  What makes something become alive?

Malik:  Even if they have a mouth, they could say, “I’m alive!”

Naimah: If your garden grows and the rain starts raining and the sun comes out, it’s springtime!

(Students move to look at some images of living vs. non-living things on the computer.  Ms. Gina and Ms. Mellissa ask the students why they believe each image is either living or not living)

Pencils

Sam: They are not living! (class laughs)

Ms. Mellissa:  What are the pencils made from?

Sam and Taylor: Wood!

Ms. Mellissa: Where does wood come from?

Malik:  The trees!

Ms. Mellissa:  Are trees living? 

Sam: (thinks for a minute) Yes! Trees are living… does that mean pencils are living too? 

Ms. Mellissa:  I wonder about that.  What do you think?

(Ms. Gina shows another picture –someone notes that if an object has legs, then it’s living)

Ms. Mellissa:  The table has legs- do you think it’s living?

Natalie: No!  And the chair has legs, too.  It’s not living?

Ms. Mellissa:  So our theory about living things having legs; do you think it applies to all living things? 

(Class contemplates this thought) – No! Yes! 

... Ask your children questions!  Wonder what they wonder about!  Let them explain why.... :)