After Class Ten - last blog

Hi everybody,

Just want to say what a great class this has been.  I know I learned a lot and am grateful when my students bring their diverse experiences to share in the classroom.  I wish you all the best in your future teaching and hope to see some of you again around the EDB.

For the people who can't make it to the last class on Aug. 8, please post two paragraphs on an ECE topic of your choice on this prompt.  Topics we may be covering in the last class, depending on interest, will be:  family literacy, working with parents, school and community, inclusion, guiding students, planning and the K-1 PLO's.

For the people who presented their items for the portfolio on Monday, July 25, please briefly describe what you shared on the prompt below (scroll down), including any links to worthwhile websites, titles of books & authors, etc.

Class on Aug. 8 will be very informal and will end early.  We will discuss any topics you would like to know more about.

For everyone, enjoy the rest of your summer!  You deserve it.

Best to all of you,
Sue

Portfolio presentations

Please post information here on the three items you shared with class. 

After Class Nine

Many thanks to the people who shared their best ideas from their portfolios in this class.  We heard a lot of great ideas for our future classes.  If you would briefly list on this prompt what you shared, the titles of books you used and especially if you have links to more information, that would be very helpful.
In this class we also discussed sections of our text.  For next class, please create two discussion questions from page 107 to the end of the book.
Lastly, we did an activity with Story Baskets.  There are many ways to use this with students: as a preliminary step to dramatic play, cooperative learning, creative writing, art, classification, and so on.
Looks like we might get some sun this weekend.  Enjoy.

After Class Eight

This week we discussed Chapters 29-31 and re-examined some of the strategies used in light of our school visits.  We listed some of the "at risk" factors for children and read an article by Harrist, "You can't say you can't play" about social exclusion in the Kindergarten classroom and methods used by Vivian Paley.  We also talked about the value of visual art and worked on some self-portraits of our own.
In the next two classes we will share three items from our portfolios, our best teaching ideas.  The write up of the portfolios will be due July 25 for everyone.
For next class on July 18, please bring your textbook, The Boy Who Would be a Helicopter.  Also, I'd like you to bring three small items that are interesting/unusual for a writing exercise we will do.
Have a great week!

After Class Seven

This week's lecture covered empowering, philosophizing and problem-solving.  We read an article on Paley's storytelling and dramatization curriculum in preparation for our next textbook, The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter.  We had a look at the importance of using music and drama in the classroom and then we had a chance to make paper bag puppets (who performed great skits for us!)  Thanks to all the presenters.
Next week please see if you can find some old magazines to bring to class. 
**Reminder**  Research papers are due next Monday, July 11 before class.  Please e-mail me your paper unless you prefer to have a hard copy.
Enjoy the weekend!

After Class Six

This week we got into groups and created discussion questions from Chapters 19-24 and looked at two journal articles about the value of music in the ECE classroom.  This led to our activity - with the instruments that were brought in, we formed groups and performed songs that could be used with young children.  Lots of fun!
Next week we will be looking at drama in the classroom -- please bring in some felts to make paper bag puppets.
Have a great long weekend.  Happy Canada Day!

After Class Five

In today's class we discussed ideas from Chapters 14-18.  We also got into groups to talk about our school visits.  You can add more comments on your experiences or your thoughts on the collective visits of your group on this blog.  Lastly, we had a chance to examine some ECE library books and share some ideas on how they might be used in the classroom.
On this blog, I'd like you to tell our class what was your favourite children's book when you were growing up.  Give us the title and author's name.  You can also bring it next week (June 27) and show it to the class. 
For next week, please bring your textbook to class.  We will also have a focus on music, so if you have a musical instrument that you can bring in, that would be wonderful.  Think about some songs that can be used in the ECE classroom; for example, transition songs, folksongs, holiday music, movement and music, music for learning phonemic awareness, just for fun songs, etc.
Enjoy this summer weather!

NO Class June 13

The votes were overwhelmingly in favour of Plan B, which means we will not have class tomorrow, June 13, but will re-schedule the Aug. 8 class.  For the people who said they cannot attend that day, we will discuss options.  Thanks for being flexible if you are not a hockey fan.  But I don't see the point of carrying on as per usual if 3/4 of the class won't attend.  This is just bigger than all of us!  Once in a lifetime perhaps, and it somehow feels bigger than the Olympics (if possible!)
So, all of our class readings and activities in the syllabus will be pushed back one week.  However, the due dates for the research paper and blog are going to remain the same.  Continue to work on your research papers, and if you have not contacted me about your topic, please do so. 
For this week's blog posting, I'd like you to choose two things that interested you about your school visit and share them with the class on this prompt in the comments section.  Again, please don't mention any names of teachers or schools, just let us know what kind of setting it was; i.e., kindergarten class, Montessori school, etc.
See you June 20.  The readings to prepare for that class will be Chapters 14-18 and we will do a survey of children's literature and discuss the school visits.
And now, let's put all our energy into willing the Canucks to win!!!  Go Canucks go!

After Class Four -- **PLEASE VOTE ON ATTENDING NEXT CLASS June 13**

The readings for today were Chapters 9-13 where we covered grouping, listening, modelling, positioning people, and questioning.  In groups we read a book and practiced describing what kind of writing it was, what it was about and creating some open-ended questions.  Last we did an activity with "play centres" and compared unmixed toys in free play with mixed toys in more structured projects.
Please vote (along with your regular posting, in the comments section of this prompt) on the following options for the next class. 
In trying to be fair about the possible situation next class, I came up with these ideas.  Please vote for one of the plans by 8 p.m. Sunday evening ( June 12) and I will go with the majority and post the results by 10 p.m Sunday.
Plan A:  We have class, no matter what the hockey situation. 
Plan B:  We cancel class, and reschedule the August 8 class.
Plan C:  We cancel class, but I will e-mail everyone several journal articles to be read and summarized for the next class (June 20) discussion.  (Bring summaries to class.) You will also do a one page (single spaced) write-up of your visit to a school, to be posted on this blog before the June 20 class.  In this write-up, you will share your overall impressions (don't name the school or teacher), comment on as many interesting items as you like from the handout.  We will combine the next couple of class's topics and will likely stay the full time till 9:20 p.m. on June 20 and 27.
Again, please vote on Plan A, B, or C by Sunday 8 p.m.  If it is Plan C I will e-mail the articles with a detailed explanation. 
Obviously, if the Canucks win today and Friday (!), we have class June 13 as per usual.

After Class Three

In this class we covered many of the key ideas in Chapters 4-8.  We did an exercise in learning to write with a partner and had a chance to practice demonstrating, describing, encouraging/praising, facilitating and giving feedback as we struggled to write in Chinese or Nepali.  The objectives were to experience the difficulty of learning to use abstract symbols to represent sounds, and to emphasize the importance of teachers being experts in the curriculum.  We also continued our discussions about classroom design and had a chance in groups to sketch out indoor and outdoor plans.
For our next class, please wear comfortable clothes as we may be sitting on the floor.
Have a great week.  Go Canucks!

After Class Two

Thanks to everyone for making such beautiful and interesting collages yesterday!  I think we all got a lot of good ideas for future projects.  The collage in the image of the apple is made from photographs, another interesting idea. 
This week we discussed Chap. 1-3 "Teaching and the Environment".  We also looked at some images of preschools and designs. 
For the blog this week I would like you to choose two ideas to write about, one paragraph each, or one idea that you elaborate more on.  Please feel free to question the readings, extend the discussions, bring in your personal experiences or any other ideas related to our topics this week. 
Our next class will be on May 30 due to the Victoria Day holiday.  Please bring a pencil and eraser to class.  Hopefully the weather will continue through the long weekend.  Enjoy!
Link to image:  http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shapecollage.com/collages/collage-apple.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shapecollage.com/collages.html&usg=__Zqb8_DBrqNTDIzO732JP7iIOwZI=&h=2195&w=1808&sz=796&hl=en&start=7&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=kn4Jo-WUEppt0M:&tbnh=150&tbnw=124&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcollage%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D551%26tbm%3Disch&ei=c0PTTYmfGsbeiAK3psWYBA

After Class One

Hi everyone,

I think we got off to a great start on Monday and it was a pleasure to meet everyone.  This class we did an overview of the course, introduced ourselves and read an article about "baby talk".  For this week, I would like you to try out the blog -- just post a brief message about what teaching experience you have and what age/grade you would like to work with. 
Next week we will start posting our ideas about the readings and activities. Also, please bring some materials for the collages we will make (scissors, glue, construction paper, and other decorative objects, like old ribbon, etc.).

Have a great week!

Welcome to Educ 466!

Hi everyone,
I'm looking forward to meeting you and exploring ideas and issues in Early Childhood Education with you this summer.  We will go over how to post on this blog in class and have a week to get the hang of it.  Hope you enjoy the semester break.
See you Monday, May 9.
Sue

(Image:  Artist:  Scott Gustafson)