Noticing
Today I Noticed B, (2 year old toddler) dragging an old box around with her inside the family play area. I decided to observe B and see what she was going to do with the box. Next B went outside by some steps next to the harakeke bush and back gate, dragging the box behind; her which was now torn and ripped from all the dragging. Placing the box down on the steps B carefully laid herself on one part of the box. It wasn’t too long when M and K (boy and girl both 2 & half years old) came behind from the harakeke bush wanting to pass B. As the two toddlers approached B, K was the first to pass her carefully. One leg at a time K stepped over B. B looked like she was not going to move out the way. “scuse me” M asked B “Tino pai to korero M, good words M” I reinforced. Next M tried carefully stepping over B as well. Even though M tried carefully to step over B's legs M fell on B's legs. "Aue! arohamai, kei te pai koe?" "Oh sorry, are you okay B" I said to B. B yelled out “Go way!” “Go way!” “ Aue! B kia pai to korero, he aitua" "Oh! B it was an accident” I continued to say to B. B’s language skills showed me that she was not happy of them passing by let alone falling on her. I explained to B that it was not safe where she was lying with her box. After K and M passed by I asked B if she wanted to move her box, reluctantly B decided to stay where she was and just bask in the sun trying to get comfortable in her box and yawning continuously.
Recognise
I recognized that B was tired by her body expressions as she was yawning. B had decided to stay outside and bask in the sun and most probably had fallen off to sleep if she could. From a collaborative discussion with my supervisor who had being watching as well, I agreed with her to leave B where she, was as I did not want to stop B from exploring and trying new things out. B was using the box to create something that was meaningful to her and in this case B had already solved her problem way before I had come along into the scene.
Te Whariki (1996) supports this by stating “the environment is challenging but not hazardous to toddlers” as well as “children experiencing an environment where their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play”p.82.
B is very independent and conscious about her personal space. Watching B trying to transform the box to suit her needs solved her problem. This was a teaching moment that I realize that by providing the different materials and resources don’t always work out to what you might predict. Therefore, spontaneity was the key in this story, even though this box was a bit ripped it helped B explore and use her imagination to make a connection in her environment.
Te Whariki (1996) states “Children develop the knowledge that trying things out, exploration and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning”.(p.84).
Therefore, “Educators need to be knowledgeable about children’s development and early childhood curriculum, skilled at implementing curriculum, thoughtful about what they do, aware of their role as models for learning, willing to try alternatives, and well supported by management” (Te Whariki ,1996, p.27)
Response
In response to this situation, I realize that technology is not all about IPads but something as simple as a box was able to solve a problem for a 2year old. ' Technology is the usage and knowledge of tools, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or serve some purpose'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology
Where to next: Getting other teachers on board to help set up the outdoor equipment and merge some of the indoor equipment with the outdoor environment and visa versa, also getting more boxes to see what other children will wonder and explore.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology retrieved 25/04/2011
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington , New Zealand
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