Learning to become a Photographer

One afternoon a group of older children put on a play, with the play being based on the story of the “three little pigs”.  The rest of the children were the audience sitting in a semi- circle around the “stage” on chairs.  While the play was being enacted, I noticed a child moving around with a camera taking, what I thought were, “pretend photos”. The reason I thought the photographs were pretend was because the camera looked like a child’s toy, however, as I found out later, the camera was real being made specifically for children.  I watched this child for some time aiming the camera carefully at both the actors and the audience. This child was displaying his technological competence in using the camera as well as being an active agent in his own learning (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2007).

When the opportunity arose I asked W if I could look at the camera discovering, at this stage, the camera was real; W said I could also look at the photographs he had taken, impressing me with the quality of the photographs.  While I was looking through the photographs W told me that he would download them the next day at mat time. I was astonished with this information as downloading photographs onto a computer is a skill I have learned only in the last couple of years.  W went on to say that the teacher would type his story up based on the photographs he had taken, putting his story on the wall and into his portfolio. 

Using the camera to tell his story offered W a technological form of exploration while enabling him to communicate his thoughts and ideas visually to others in the centre as W is unable to read or write yet (Ministry of Education, 2007; Ramsey, Breen, Sturm, Lee & Carr, 2006). Through visual means of communication, such as the use of the camera, W was able to explore and convey his ideas with confidence and accuracy with the laptop providing the means of presenting his ideas and vision to others (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Watching W move around taking his photographs with complete confidence and listening to him explain how he was going to “write” a story highlighted to me how digital technology can be used in centre to enhance children’s learning. 

W, by using the camera, was taking responsibility for his own learning, using non-verbal means of communicating his story thereby demonstrating his understanding that photographs can be used to communicate his thoughts and ideas (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Through using the camera and the laptop to create his story W is able to revisit this experience enabling him to strengthen his identity as a confident and competent learner as well as developing his story-telling abilities (Ministry of Education, 1996; Ramsey, Breen, Sturm, Lee & Carr, 2006).

As digital technology is such an important aspect of people’s lives today giving young children, such as W, the opportunity to use this technology ensures they develop familiarity with such technology.  Developing expertise with digital technology at such a young age encourages their curiosity, while also providing links to their home life and their community (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Using the camera is a way of motivating W and other children to participate in telling their stories through a medium that may have more meaning to them while adding excitement and interest to W’s learning (Ramsey, Breen, Sturm, Lee & Carr, 2006).

Reference

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2007). Programming & planning in early childhood settings.  (4^th ed.).  Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia Pty.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.  Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ramsey, R., Breen, J., Sturm, J., Lee, W., & Carr M. (2006). Strengthening, learning and teaching using ICT.  Retrieved from

             http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ECE/22551/22563

Using the carpentry table to make a car

I was having a conversation with a young girl not long after she arrived at the centre with the topic of cars coming up, not quite sure how.  Anyway, as the conversation continued she mentioned how she would like to make a car so I suggested that we go over to the carpentry table.

Once there, we had a discussion about what materials she needed to make the car.  From my perspective I was struggling to see how this child could produce a car as we only had small blocks of wood, long nails and milk bottle tops.  However, she proved me wrong which is easy as I am no great shakes at the carpentry table.  One of the things I learnt watching was that girls are just as capable and competent in using the carpentry table as boys (Ministry of Education, 1996).  T.A.’s confidence at the carpentry table came through as she experimented with materials, using her problem-solving skills to work out how to make the wheels while displayed good hand-eye co-ordination when hitting the nails (Ministry of Education, 1996; Ministry of Education, n.d., para. 2).

I am spending more time at the carpentry table as my observations have shown me that a lot of learning can happen in this area.  The carpentry table is under-utilised in my centre and I have now made it a goal of mine to improve my practice around this area. At the carpentry table I can scaffold children’s problem solving skills by making suggestions when required as well as giving assistance with holding nails and showing them how to use tools properly (Ministry of Education, n.d., para. 6).  Carpentry, as a learning experience, enables children to develop control over their bodies as well as their manipulative skills (Ministry of Education, 1996).  

By using large nails T.A. was developing her understanding of mathematical and scientific skills because she found if she kept banging the nail into the piece of wood it came through the other side which wasn’t what she wanted. T.A. learnt having the right length materials for the job is a good idea, however, sometimes if the length is not correct adapting your design still achieves a result.  The mathematical and scientific skills that were being developed were T.A.’s understanding of length and size are as well as learning about balance and force (Ministry of Education, n.d., para.  2).  Using the hammer to bang nails into pieces of wood develops children’s understanding of force.  The harder you hit the more force is used therefore it becomes easier to bang the nail into pieces of wood.  The skills that T.A. was using also helped her to understand the physical properties of the materials as well as understanding how and why materials work they the way they do (Ministry of Education, 2007).

Once the bottle tops were nailed to the wood, T.A. looked puzzled as the “car” was not able to stand properly.  I suggested to her that we bend the nails downwards a bit, extend the bottle tops to the end of the nails and see what happens.  Once T.A. completed the task the “car” was then capable of standing up albeit a little wobbly.  The look of satisfaction on her face was wonderful rushing off to paint it so it would be dry before Mum came to pick her up. 

When Mum came to pick her up T.A. was so excited showing off her new car to Mum and her sisters.  While we were talking, Mum said T.A. liked using tools at home always wanting to fix things up around the home.   I then said “that explains why she is good with the hammer as she only missed a couple of times when hitting the nails”.    Making this car with T.A. is a good example of the connections that can be made between home and the centre through children’s learning experiences (Ministry of Education, 1996).

Reference

Ministry of Education, (n.d.). Welcome to Early Childhood education ECE lead. Retrieved from http://www.lead.ece.govt.nz/ServiceTypes/Playgroups/PlayIdeas/ConstructivePlay/Carpentry.aspx

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.  Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum: for English-medium teaching and learning in years 1-13.  Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Looking at Play-dough making through a technological lens

I watched the children make play-dough the other day and while I was watching, it occurred to me that technology was being used.  This realisation occurred because we had just read Smorti’s article in class the previous Friday.  Smorti’s (1999, p.5) definition that “technology is about helping people and solving problems” resonated with me because until now I had associated the term “technology” with electronic equipment.  According to Smorti’s (1999) definition the children, by using bowls, spoons and measuring cups to make play-dough, were using technology.  Smorti (1999) also says that the use of technology can have a creative and purposeful intent which is aimed at meeting people’s needs through producing products or ideas.   Until that moment I had not thought that the use of a bowl and spoons could be classified as “technology”.  

I was fascinated watching the children make play-dough as these children were aged from two to three and a half.  Their understanding of how to use spoons to mix the dough was more sophisticated than I would have thought.  They knew they had to use the spoon to mix the ingredients together, with some of the older children assisting the newer children.  When it was time to add colour a group discussion occurred about what colour to use and how much should be put into the mixture.  A couple of strands from Te Whāriki ran through this learning experience; most of the children were able to maintain their concentration and involvement as well as developing logical, linguistic and social skills (Ministry of Education, 1996).  

The children’s learning involved science and maths concepts, as well as how utensils are used to transform ingredients into a product,.  The children were developing their maths skills when talking about the quantities required for each ingredient as well as when they were counting the number of turns they each had with the spoon when mixing the play-dough (Ministry of Education, 1996).  While I was watching them I noticed a number of the older toddlers had obviously made play dough before as their experience came through when assisting the others and during the discussions about quantities.  They knew how much of each ingredient to place in the bowl, with one of them saying to another child “no that’s too much, put it back”.   Communication and information gathering skills were being developed during this experience as more experienced children passed their knowledge onto the younger children (Ministry of Education, 1996).   

As the children involved are thirty to forty eight months old, their technological capability at this age is more focused on experiential learning as well as learning how different materials react when combined such as making play-dough and adding colour to it (Fleer & Jane, 2011).  Making play-dough is also a useful way of getting children involved in creating a product with natural or practical resources.  The children are able to address their own needs by realising an opportunity to make play-dough (Ministry of Education, 2007). 

Science and technology often have a symbiotic relationship.  This relationship enables children to appreciate that there are reasons for making sure that whatever product they make works as intended (Fleer & Jane, 2011).   Testing their product, in this case play-dough helps children develop their technological abilities through the use of language as they make suggestions as to how to improve the quality of the play-dough (Fleer & Jane, 2011; Ministry of Education, 1996).

Fleer, M. & Jane, B. (2011).  Design and technology for children (3^rd ed.). Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.  Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, (5-10).