Center Time with 6 and 7

A well planned (and well stocked) classroom is one of the key ingredients to a great learning experience. On the first day in the 6 and 7 year old classroom, the children were provided an abundance of freedom to explore, learn from each other, and generate meaning through their art making.

Enticed by the centers in the room, the children entered the classroom and immediately engaged with a variety of possible choices. Little instruction was needed for the centers allowing the children the flexibility to move through the classroom with ease. The shadow area was immediately popular and collaborative constructions behind the screen soon became shadow forms that served as provocations for stories.

“I was thinking that this was a house and they climb, climb, climb and go over there,” Seth explains “and these are other houses”

In other areas of the classroom, the children were gleaming new and interesting ways to transform the junk from each other.

“Who made this?” Elijah asks me.

“I don’t know, “ I reply, “it sure is cool though”

“ How did he make it? Can I make one?” continued Elijah.

“Sure you can,” I say, “what do you notice about it? What materials were used?”

“Oh I know, it’s a cup!” adds Sophia

“And some clothespins,” adds Elijah

“Come on,” says Sophia, “I know where we can find that stuff”

Objects that looked the same took on new meaning in the hands of their creators...

"This is a germ"...."This is the sun"...."This is a planet"..."I don't have a name for this yet"

and took on new meaning in new contexts...

Sometimes great things happen when we are flexible enough to allow the children to explore.

Some questions to think about

• How can our classroom design increase the focus of our students in particular ways?

• How might we change direction when our plans go differently than expected?

• How do we bring the learning that is happening spontaneously in our classroom back into intentional moments of reflection?