tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76226237361954602052024-03-15T21:10:00.114-04:00Growing Inch By InchA small preschool dedicated to learning through play and adventure!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-30638089445453926312023-07-04T09:53:00.001-04:002023-07-04T09:53:07.805-04:00Time to Wonder and Wander<p><br /></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7523e6c2-7fff-7b02-674c-2802acb3013c" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Time to Wonder and Wander</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 351px; overflow: hidden; width: 304px;"><img height="457.73040752351096" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LxsimnxP_-RMXrCRYBq_-1gOgKlhkmrdH4zDOfR75qpEhGY0AN4fllGzXxjjZt8U6IqwU0u-NCLoSALbV4sB3hEcL47AxD-IeY-ZztNHYKahQH2S6yygZiIzHpCdYoo7vXYh-lNkpJdSZggi5m8aK94" style="margin-left: -14.869565217391305px; margin-top: -4.401253918495297px;" width="343.65217391304344" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Close your eyes and think about one of your favorite memories as a child. I recently attended a</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">conference where the speaker asked the crowd to do this. We were all very surprised as people </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">started to share their answers. Almost every single person who spoke up had a memory that was </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">connected to nature. I know this is certainly true for me. I was very lucky to grow up with fields and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">forests to explore, the truth is children will find nature anywhere.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 253px; overflow: hidden; width: 272px;"><img height="361.82998405598096" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/s9QvVua4F8P5hFKe2ktEc5GV_bCfcuA6uad3VOPaUyCLRdfSEKjdtaso6Z-xdaGTYiEv_g8fBV-zQ5sOUpvkTWc8KwO-F-OsMpxp47t1BGbFHqeIm2TssUNeOWFxVcxFQnSqeD7MYYAFlf2jihnlWLA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: -61.17417550021641px;" width="272" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When my children were five and seven, we took them to Washington DC. They had never spent much</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> time in a city, so we were excited to see their awe over all the traffic and big city stuff. They enjoyed it </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">all, but their favorite part of our whole visit was a big tree on the open lawn by the Washington </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Monument. They ran around on the green grass and climbed and played all over the tree, while my </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">husband and I took pictures of the monument. They complained when it was time to continue on with </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">our sightseeing. This moment has stuck with me as a reminder of how much children need time with </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">nature. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 372px; overflow: hidden; width: 285px;"><img height="508.064039408867" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yTbIk8DfBEj_W2uT_ZZ3c1SMIB5fxLpmGsWYTeseGmmNWrRn9BVFGw51hAb7wy3UApXpa6zXheoy0WPwksJeZWPPaZcBpdKF_wqs1dtGEolAIPUHT_siSs52kKmJbER2Rl44L6Ptmcbs6crt-Y65Zq4" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: -52.22660098522167px;" width="285" /></span></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Another morning of our trip, we were on our way to one of the museums to see dinosaur bones and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">other exciting stuff. That morning they got distracted by a line of ants on the sidewalk. We stopped for </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">a while, in the middle of the sidewalk, and let them study the activity for a few minutes. But as bored </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">adults, we couldn’t help but remind them that we had ants back in Maine, so let’s go! I think most </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">parents can probably think of a time when their child was more interested in the puddle or a particular</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">stick on the ground, than the amazing thing you were trying to get to.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Children don’t care if nature is big or small, fancy or just a rock they found. In fact, they often prefer the </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">ordinary rock that they found at the top of the mountain rather than the view that you climbed there to </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">see. As adults, we need to provide more space and time for our children to experience nature. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 272px; overflow: hidden; width: 204px;"><img height="272" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/bJc0WdvSGlSAWl9NW2j36H8QNJyeW6UvYxII778i3HkJqc-oD6b-ycESYzq1m897b4ATAjK1lOSQOvnBtZTCujtZBQnv4ETeaJ7cueVw42vRJ8XjJXzpdxBaEqXHRzZEEZ4LK5-uJYtiutvj3n4jKmM" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="204" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Children need time to observe, time to dawdle and time to poke at things with a stick, without adults </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">feeling the need to teach them something every step of the way. As adults, it is easy for us to pull them </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">by the hand to the big exciting thing. The reality is they learn so much more if we just step back and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">allow them the time to explore the world through their eyes. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 270px; overflow: hidden; width: 359px;"><img height="270" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ns7YfnCBxnMKoJUNV2clqZvbPPvbkf_N7kA-DPJ5Ly_fpPhxa8sLrOjUR_IR5yBiBAX46JrHxm3LNFZLmgu7mU7j-CNW8UoKeiiiCaHxn9xkmWP1FrnqitjLj4c-KmeXj4i3O1aMsiwQ6THx2akXmhA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="359" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">This post was originally written for my <a href=" https://dailybulldog.com/health/growing-the-future-time-to-wonder-and-wander/">Growing The Future column for the Daily Bulldog</a>. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-44306083323797879732022-11-06T18:42:00.001-05:002022-11-06T18:43:21.320-05:00Far Reaches and Beyond! <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvhgVTqdht-v05dXCrf_z1AfJ7CZI9k_LzLq2l73Vuns9VteTPBa3HXL4KY2LJ0jM1BSmSd-H-1wHVlSVUAYQr4J6cvhVvUrSlizjxlN3XeL0CL2pfCN6-UwVmj4BZ-nwjN_sBTFBpFPtGMzaX2UBd45IGyKFyoiH0D6KCJGk4-uZGNZByOglGi4nuQ/s2048/received_504142134209488.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvhgVTqdht-v05dXCrf_z1AfJ7CZI9k_LzLq2l73Vuns9VteTPBa3HXL4KY2LJ0jM1BSmSd-H-1wHVlSVUAYQr4J6cvhVvUrSlizjxlN3XeL0CL2pfCN6-UwVmj4BZ-nwjN_sBTFBpFPtGMzaX2UBd45IGyKFyoiH0D6KCJGk4-uZGNZByOglGi4nuQ/w381-h286/received_504142134209488.jpeg" width="381" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Far reaches and beyond! </h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had the opportunity to meet and listen to Rachel Larimore of <a href="https://www.samarael.com/">Samara Early Learning </a>speak at the Maine State Early Childhood Conference. Rachel said a lot of things that were familiar and resonated. One thing she mentioned that really stuck was exploring "the beyond." The space beyond the playground. The outer world. I believe the use of the phrase originates from Claire Warden. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since then I have also been reflecting a lot on what I am now calling our "far reaches." We've always been fascinated with how children naturally congregate to most extreme borders they can within the playground limits. They feel hidden and like they can escape from the adults. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxan96FekJw2rze-nhW-Fy2Mf5uhnYf78ZMHY0D5XFHf4XDKjfjLHhrwtHL9T-xPAtjdky48gqCh909ppfjNg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 2015, I wrote a post about letting the children wander. This was when we were first exploring our woods. Even though there was no fence, at this time they were a place only visited with teacher permission. After I wrote that post, the woods slowly became a more and more regular place we played. As I learned more and more about the importance of space, the children were allowed more freedom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/01/let-them-wander.html">https://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/01/let-them-wander.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmewT6Pfedl8J9N5kFLzyL7LsGh-DoUhWUD99tdcAqk7fcAX-fQMHOAaskX77zYRzeGCWapjlUyPswxKYzcKCJH7BFg5HkzgnVCmo5z6T1ggN94O9nTqaQA8p3LcYCKoCSDyRa0sLlr6yPhKYevYaxN5W86Yz11IPixYHuN1ac04zZfm1i8WnDm2FIQ/s4032/PXL_20221031_142741957.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmewT6Pfedl8J9N5kFLzyL7LsGh-DoUhWUD99tdcAqk7fcAX-fQMHOAaskX77zYRzeGCWapjlUyPswxKYzcKCJH7BFg5HkzgnVCmo5z6T1ggN94O9nTqaQA8p3LcYCKoCSDyRa0sLlr6yPhKYevYaxN5W86Yz11IPixYHuN1ac04zZfm1i8WnDm2FIQ/w240-h320/PXL_20221031_142741957.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRds-UbeZS6EUvyQdFo63aoYk7ucySp0XSxIkxqxQqc20sF74KXAfxzDBa_1AuR6TFMaH0JlZT2s18AUmpaykPCx2dqNownG5nRx_s0UunmluKHG2nIdBsiOdSRabkMO857Ck53uv-Sv9c2o2Vtle6n4P43oEvITghJ4mfLE9cXHTDcvz6vGZjJrp-g/s4032/PXL_20221031_145323878.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRds-UbeZS6EUvyQdFo63aoYk7ucySp0XSxIkxqxQqc20sF74KXAfxzDBa_1AuR6TFMaH0JlZT2s18AUmpaykPCx2dqNownG5nRx_s0UunmluKHG2nIdBsiOdSRabkMO857Ck53uv-Sv9c2o2Vtle6n4P43oEvITghJ4mfLE9cXHTDcvz6vGZjJrp-g/w240-h320/PXL_20221031_145323878.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recently our far reaches became our beyond again, when insurance required us to fully fence our playground. There is property now just beyond the fence that the children can no longer enter without adult help. There is a magical stone wall that the children always climbed on, since it was the farthest reach. The abutting neighbors always commented how much they enjoyed watching the children play there. We were all pretty devastated to lose immediate access to this property, but now I can look at it with a new perspective. I understand the importance of having a space beyond. It has also allowed the unintentional damage the children had done to the ecosystem to heal. We are excited to start exploring this space in a new way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our GREAT Beyond: Trail Walking and Field Wandering</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0c57PrW8eX0E7yDVZoalmjwlW8WLw-ny-fQ4kgTCsgtKu2C5iZOT7m_EuCv_35w3okJLZ4IdbOP5n16Ba8PF3FA24XDghay0wStIa5gJ4FLyyaPHHlreLzNVvtzQD7a3YxHwTSxu7E5z4SKDXHdtjieqGlerd_-W5Ii-wSYEipgzZlBPM7ech8M6oQ/s4032/PXL_20221027_150138313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0c57PrW8eX0E7yDVZoalmjwlW8WLw-ny-fQ4kgTCsgtKu2C5iZOT7m_EuCv_35w3okJLZ4IdbOP5n16Ba8PF3FA24XDghay0wStIa5gJ4FLyyaPHHlreLzNVvtzQD7a3YxHwTSxu7E5z4SKDXHdtjieqGlerd_-W5Ii-wSYEipgzZlBPM7ech8M6oQ/s320/PXL_20221027_150138313.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are so fortunate to have a public trail nearby that we visit many times per year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have familiar landmarks that we stop and explore along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are hoping someday to have even more </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">BEYOND to visit with our preschoolers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F5-46sZhr3Irw6IzbaNSQ6UxSWeMqKKW1Hh4ia-Yg76e5dhQaamYWtnNSaA-Zso_WkOfrZdJ3piycKatUyIs8rJSG7kBQAG5g66sTsztOHRIS9K9r6Uv3h6fEFPyW2lBlaTDdRGa8wMmSe1HsJh5em0U1XsxUmTRR9wbsHNzfegIGuT51bzr5dAAgg/s4032/PXL_20220916_142223415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F5-46sZhr3Irw6IzbaNSQ6UxSWeMqKKW1Hh4ia-Yg76e5dhQaamYWtnNSaA-Zso_WkOfrZdJ3piycKatUyIs8rJSG7kBQAG5g66sTsztOHRIS9K9r6Uv3h6fEFPyW2lBlaTDdRGa8wMmSe1HsJh5em0U1XsxUmTRR9wbsHNzfegIGuT51bzr5dAAgg/s320/PXL_20220916_142223415.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The bouncy log is a familiar stop, but unfortunately after over a year of</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">bouncing, we discovered one day that it didn't any more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of theories from the children on why it stopped being bouncy. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKQcT35oPVWzo79gmq87RM1yLvrtHwZg2cJNYTBk4CK6rS0qg0Zq34m99nDBprJYpV1jr5PDQok21-vJFDvGQJal8rEcMU784FebhCgBRh1P6M1DB5nmn_5T9RpE8-zeSmTbPRkE0WZiar4jSoZ964txg_OZ9lafkqvpGMPsCBTXOqLLUGtgX7PAWg/s4032/IMG_20191210_103738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKQcT35oPVWzo79gmq87RM1yLvrtHwZg2cJNYTBk4CK6rS0qg0Zq34m99nDBprJYpV1jr5PDQok21-vJFDvGQJal8rEcMU784FebhCgBRh1P6M1DB5nmn_5T9RpE8-zeSmTbPRkE0WZiar4jSoZ964txg_OZ9lafkqvpGMPsCBTXOqLLUGtgX7PAWg/s320/IMG_20191210_103738.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our beyond has several water features that are great for throwing </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">rocks and observing wildlife.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkjye4m15qGEursiuMPC1BclgIUU8Im6A7g2GXUh3hpagUq1nxd5uRyojSKJGgnHVCe7tDXEX5M54QDb-kfAUl2Hne5ShAmIjwqwoIlVDN8ngwRpNyqNxPJxgIYYqkX-QQ13vNf-R_tUo3m1Di9D23KycoIGDYCVN2SKuytPxafHwUIjeYtRkH2Ew7Q/s4032/PXL_20220916_143439886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkjye4m15qGEursiuMPC1BclgIUU8Im6A7g2GXUh3hpagUq1nxd5uRyojSKJGgnHVCe7tDXEX5M54QDb-kfAUl2Hne5ShAmIjwqwoIlVDN8ngwRpNyqNxPJxgIYYqkX-QQ13vNf-R_tUo3m1Di9D23KycoIGDYCVN2SKuytPxafHwUIjeYtRkH2Ew7Q/s320/PXL_20220916_143439886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have permission from the local farmer to wander through</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the great green field several times a year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYALRCcgyWysAEWCuyindQR38dyI1CQ6qBfWUXRR1Qkq3tqvrT_9XsPYUAamNOybiW9x8ZhitXjrpA5-77ey2S3Tx_ytcwy-mAQHvnSTQdoiS5PCVRIlUCMkubgQhXoEmNb2xdLC_InhNVqUqhU5Ju10Q71_Ekz8m6HLCgMIEFUt1Z--cL4qLFR9i9Q/s4032/IMG_20200115_110930.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYALRCcgyWysAEWCuyindQR38dyI1CQ6qBfWUXRR1Qkq3tqvrT_9XsPYUAamNOybiW9x8ZhitXjrpA5-77ey2S3Tx_ytcwy-mAQHvnSTQdoiS5PCVRIlUCMkubgQhXoEmNb2xdLC_InhNVqUqhU5Ju10Q71_Ekz8m6HLCgMIEFUt1Z--cL4qLFR9i9Q/s320/IMG_20200115_110930.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The great green field is just as spectacular in the winter. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Visiting these landmarks in our great beyond is an important part of our curriculum now. This adds to our goals of place-based learning. The children see the changes that take place throughout the season. Is there ice on the swamp yet? Did the farmer hay the field yet? And even the local culture of staying out of the field once hunting season begins out of respect for the hunters (and our safety).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Teacher Tom wrote a related post as well. </div>We have both recently been visiting playschools in Iceland, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">where the children can often be found in the "far reaches" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and also are taken regularly to the beyond. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2022/10/disappearing-or-getting-lost.html">http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2022/10/disappearing-or-getting-lost.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNycTrace6vavxwLmSZBBzVsyt3wqMgPIceBHLIhB383QboPk00cCCCaJ88sq_72rtRcUeuhWMyRj_QuX8qjq2O3kicvdYxngwKWEECEal2tCWjl5i88wRuCg9hrsbeOSYbBP7NQW_rOzcK8REaAc-3TYxEBL1Ml27B66nfTjoaGKrkMCA6YwP8U_TGg/s1080/FB_IMG_1666691710896.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNycTrace6vavxwLmSZBBzVsyt3wqMgPIceBHLIhB383QboPk00cCCCaJ88sq_72rtRcUeuhWMyRj_QuX8qjq2O3kicvdYxngwKWEECEal2tCWjl5i88wRuCg9hrsbeOSYbBP7NQW_rOzcK8REaAc-3TYxEBL1Ml27B66nfTjoaGKrkMCA6YwP8U_TGg/s320/FB_IMG_1666691710896.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-people-message-magic.html">Icelandic playschool children exploring a nearby beach.</a></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-2917891832092749182022-10-30T10:38:00.002-04:002022-10-30T10:46:52.229-04:00The People. The Message. The Magic. <p> </p><p><br /></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRTEKTRoi7cbPIZmmmTfjpDp-FiCQaljlJaW6x2SQGs9GzsQnRWn-180sVMzzUrVP2BTzhCvO7Gtfd4_qMKjLvqr0gqcJ_fRrxzWJgCSKFOWy__zIaQQNQ3oNOR9LcSFQV_wix_QmfnFYucLX_kYAMSGYoZEZR_FRYoHQCr6ELS_KoMoyCqf8LR03fw/s4032/PXL_20221019_142000640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRTEKTRoi7cbPIZmmmTfjpDp-FiCQaljlJaW6x2SQGs9GzsQnRWn-180sVMzzUrVP2BTzhCvO7Gtfd4_qMKjLvqr0gqcJ_fRrxzWJgCSKFOWy__zIaQQNQ3oNOR9LcSFQV_wix_QmfnFYucLX_kYAMSGYoZEZR_FRYoHQCr6ELS_KoMoyCqf8LR03fw/w170-h224/PXL_20221019_142000640.jpg" width="170" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNCK4LzSBEcu9QuJsm19MvBfGltxYLH-_JzJ16YcghMR4iqRWsZPbM69mOis7JecKk284Q3DYedUej_z6fWd1Kh8mHG9FZoH89F6NDDx9K_D-aVc5aboATACgr6fVtAvf-8mPnFYfx4zvlc-mhda_WgoIXsDR7ZoxN3IobqRUkW_oKcxxQL-YB-SEDA/s4032/PXL_20221020_132845253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNCK4LzSBEcu9QuJsm19MvBfGltxYLH-_JzJ16YcghMR4iqRWsZPbM69mOis7JecKk284Q3DYedUej_z6fWd1Kh8mHG9FZoH89F6NDDx9K_D-aVc5aboATACgr6fVtAvf-8mPnFYfx4zvlc-mhda_WgoIXsDR7ZoxN3IobqRUkW_oKcxxQL-YB-SEDA/w167-h222/PXL_20221020_132845253.jpg" width="167" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-YPYpJlf0-_Qg0V1J3sDvUjgaiPtxUE71mXBRoqCu5nhRBfLCMSeuBxo4IycrYv7ljB0aA-_22LTQZ7ON7KIcyBMZoy00emHZ8VqaJVFOfkU12Vo43WYTxWtnRslTC0AOyEkyNrNCvIkjN1d9qrstG7cgbo47HFDzOOUXK03viknXspceIKLSSw8qw/s4032/PXL_20221020_093205095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-YPYpJlf0-_Qg0V1J3sDvUjgaiPtxUE71mXBRoqCu5nhRBfLCMSeuBxo4IycrYv7ljB0aA-_22LTQZ7ON7KIcyBMZoy00emHZ8VqaJVFOfkU12Vo43WYTxWtnRslTC0AOyEkyNrNCvIkjN1d9qrstG7cgbo47HFDzOOUXK03viknXspceIKLSSw8qw/w166-h221/PXL_20221020_093205095.jpg" width="166" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I haven't written a real blog post in about seven years. This blog has just been sitting here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But I just spent a week with a wonderful group of early years educators at </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.internationalplayiceland.com/" target="_blank">INTERNATIONAL PLAY ICELAND</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My mind and heart are bursting with love for all things early childhood!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7vr7Qxh6oeYEVYkl1p1n9gFYg8zXXqJRsaWWV3WZPuL5YMaDgrl7cMMGDOsNUcOxkQhZOauQ3zXAF66RCcgAK45MTXt_QjcxMyg9DgVGlNE0XcAwVen00AJK7hcAxMNwc19eYOF6YxF-crmCqGtXsvsnPAKJE6WgC6O9ZnHhpnSbF4EUAP7rQauzuw/s4032/PXL_20221016_205707369.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7vr7Qxh6oeYEVYkl1p1n9gFYg8zXXqJRsaWWV3WZPuL5YMaDgrl7cMMGDOsNUcOxkQhZOauQ3zXAF66RCcgAK45MTXt_QjcxMyg9DgVGlNE0XcAwVen00AJK7hcAxMNwc19eYOF6YxF-crmCqGtXsvsnPAKJE6WgC6O9ZnHhpnSbF4EUAP7rQauzuw/w241-h181/PXL_20221016_205707369.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So here I am feeling thankful and blessed to be so inspired by so many amazing conversations. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I needed somewhere to put it. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good <br />put together that overwhelm the world.” <br />― <span class="authorOrTitle" face="Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-weight: bold;">Desmond Tutu</span></span></h2></div><div><br /></div><div>I first attended International Play Iceland in <a href="https://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/12/play-iceland-2014-simplicity.html">2014</a>. It was a huge step out of my comfort zone to travel alone to another country to spend a week with strangers. It was worth it. I made wonderful connections that I still maintain eight years later.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I arrived this time, my good friend <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-shea-4916451b/?originalSubdomain=uk" target="_blank">Tom Shea </a>asked, "What made you come back?"</div><div>I wasn't even really sure how to answer. I just said, "It was time."<br /><br /></div><div>By the second day I remembered all the reasons that I came back. </div><div><br /></div><div>The People. The Message. The Magic. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The People.</h3><div>There were forty of us travelling from England, Australia, US, and more. We were there to spend the week together sharing, reflecting and learning from our visits to Icelandic playschools, but also about our own careers and settings back home. We walked away knowing not only about Icelandic culture, but the culture of the other members of the group and how those places value early childhood education and PLAY.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabydqJPbvq5ZdJqZKJ-iJ07nasYwWWNaBJV6ShbyEtq1Ctna9hbYPNdyEygYB2VoBzHEdjE8AkMrNoYSw22EhopUma5VcwfZHuMmepJmFd9Chm4GMNyyfwrnaBjl7drdICaStjtAAYVmdVvVWIgboigp3vMEoF_Fh5I_xECsVcr4fjxivq-bA0tOJtQ/s1080/FB_IMG_1667089064963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabydqJPbvq5ZdJqZKJ-iJ07nasYwWWNaBJV6ShbyEtq1Ctna9hbYPNdyEygYB2VoBzHEdjE8AkMrNoYSw22EhopUma5VcwfZHuMmepJmFd9Chm4GMNyyfwrnaBjl7drdICaStjtAAYVmdVvVWIgboigp3vMEoF_Fh5I_xECsVcr4fjxivq-bA0tOJtQ/s320/FB_IMG_1667089064963.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>I remembered that when I left in 2014, I had a million pictures, but it was the conversations that I wanted to remember. It was the relationships that formed through the close experience of being together from sunrise to beyond sunset every day with these people. I took far less pictures and a lot more notes this time. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOibN5tURuFuQORBlbZLqAXjA8OPc3HfoeoMU2BYBW7Ox5kRCzTSnf2GWZO701SlI5sNSEb66QuqChYpGWmyYNbB-x7EjQr6hdGMduEaZSu_hQNXjemtg8EgKoh1xLrnd-DLPj43ebKAtA9BAm5UaT0jYDGtuXd1ZyPtk5RFqVVkJss9J1CvAaewdsQ/s4032/PXL_20221018_133415624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOibN5tURuFuQORBlbZLqAXjA8OPc3HfoeoMU2BYBW7Ox5kRCzTSnf2GWZO701SlI5sNSEb66QuqChYpGWmyYNbB-x7EjQr6hdGMduEaZSu_hQNXjemtg8EgKoh1xLrnd-DLPj43ebKAtA9BAm5UaT0jYDGtuXd1ZyPtk5RFqVVkJss9J1CvAaewdsQ/s320/PXL_20221018_133415624.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also had several different opportunities to share and reflect with the educators working in Iceland. We hosted a small event at the city hall, where children could bring their adults to play for a couple hours with activities we have provided throughout the room. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then we had the opportunity to gather for an evening with many Icelandic teachers and hear inspiring talks from a panel of play advocates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The amount of passion and compassion for defending play and childhood in this group brought more than one person to tears before the week was over. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Message.</h3><div style="text-align: left;">The importance of children and the importance of play is combined with the relaxed and unhurried culture of the Icelandic people, which is apparent everywhere you go. The message comes from within the group and all the interactions throughout the week. </div><div><br /></div><div>Play is the message. The crucial need for time to allow uninterrupted play and the freedom to choose and explore. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few of us joined a group of five year olds, who spent a couple hours exploring off school property. We walked to a public playground where the children could wander and explore as they pleased. Eventually a few of them wandered closer and closer to the fjord and the black sand beach just beyond the playground. Here they once again were able to wander and explore, uninterrupted. They walked through the water. Broke chunks of ice out of the tidal pools. They explored the icy crust that had formed on the very top layer of the sand. The children are given time. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFmgY3v70ehOU-rk7hrPfxkR1lcXh1uYKJ_xzRslmiIzOvKCuLfJV7SifgYi0IF6hHHLLUO3BBhqTAa5NK5bl0V49taxE0flksXeQnqBBybLxW9vF63YjmThni2L9QtA-4lwEEu9sGz2c3CDTWQY-DH7lcNYX_lx5Uo0yGj7vRQO6nI-BqyJCMbSKlQ/s1080/FB_IMG_1666465598410.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFmgY3v70ehOU-rk7hrPfxkR1lcXh1uYKJ_xzRslmiIzOvKCuLfJV7SifgYi0IF6hHHLLUO3BBhqTAa5NK5bl0V49taxE0flksXeQnqBBybLxW9vF63YjmThni2L9QtA-4lwEEu9sGz2c3CDTWQY-DH7lcNYX_lx5Uo0yGj7vRQO6nI-BqyJCMbSKlQ/w308-h231/FB_IMG_1666465598410.jpg" width="308" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZMRy7pmkCTEg71wr1LuB8guQl3qEg-F2MV7hbwTsOS4Xql-BtjN7dVX9_ZxlVocW8Q5hRy26pKPtBNgFyirGmSQ4jw0PWJXAKCoKR_iOgzZQX9_xhAs33jBY1RENcQOpbu9axcyBQvjsD8cHWxUglMuGPWNeML_jWfhT4j76ORuou7mAC2uOXvHXkQ/s1080/FB_IMG_1666691696389.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZMRy7pmkCTEg71wr1LuB8guQl3qEg-F2MV7hbwTsOS4Xql-BtjN7dVX9_ZxlVocW8Q5hRy26pKPtBNgFyirGmSQ4jw0PWJXAKCoKR_iOgzZQX9_xhAs33jBY1RENcQOpbu9axcyBQvjsD8cHWxUglMuGPWNeML_jWfhT4j76ORuou7mAC2uOXvHXkQ/w306-h229/FB_IMG_1666691696389.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I watched as another playschool teacher handed out lumps of playdough to a whole table full of three and four year olds. The children could squish the playdough, but they also had paint, glue, macaroni, glitter and many other items to add to it. The teacher calmly chatted with them while they reached and worked and spilled and decorated. She was so calm and so were they. There was no agenda, just exploration and play. They could leave when they were done or stay and get a second lump if they wanted. The children are given choice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0WHF9DahG_eWM1AtRUl0lv2w1M-wcgh-ZcxoTO8BGdbqWt2qn3LWad0t8Glki0BRRvfVSLnSuKvCM2GHfNbgg0BsO0Au17mGJENvr86wI7owpfA0PrsCjkB5zYbgqN9rcsoJOh-ljdGOX7felIoDZ3UFFpJgSiAIfYXe9X5tIObHzTDprXwl5eOgDQ/s2880/20221029_203642-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0WHF9DahG_eWM1AtRUl0lv2w1M-wcgh-ZcxoTO8BGdbqWt2qn3LWad0t8Glki0BRRvfVSLnSuKvCM2GHfNbgg0BsO0Au17mGJENvr86wI7owpfA0PrsCjkB5zYbgqN9rcsoJOh-ljdGOX7felIoDZ3UFFpJgSiAIfYXe9X5tIObHzTDprXwl5eOgDQ/w386-h386/20221029_203642-COLLAGE.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><br /><div>The next two pictures are facing opposite directions. One picture is from the playground balcony on the second story of a school for ages two to ten years old. The other photo is on a hill from the far side of the playground looking back at the school. This is only half of the playground. There are swings, hills, sand, trees, rocks, hiding places, digging places, climbing places. They children are given space. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUCNM9mb61Jhn0byheVI4tthGLVXMzwVJdO3f-3IjPaN6x0NiV4z6ohGv6Gd9y9Z1-2EFv_GJ9rzh2VY6V48a5too_vvkoyWcntiwhPU9vmlCHxdFPlPgwICtZ7t8zQv3XfBIHOTr_h2LOOdDWOjCRZvSky-AsnFPq6STf2e4q7nFtiQwkFtSVxrsxQ/s4032/PXL_20221018_095908018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUCNM9mb61Jhn0byheVI4tthGLVXMzwVJdO3f-3IjPaN6x0NiV4z6ohGv6Gd9y9Z1-2EFv_GJ9rzh2VY6V48a5too_vvkoyWcntiwhPU9vmlCHxdFPlPgwICtZ7t8zQv3XfBIHOTr_h2LOOdDWOjCRZvSky-AsnFPq6STf2e4q7nFtiQwkFtSVxrsxQ/w399-h299/PXL_20221018_095908018.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijl6ElDnWc1HjHsU7ZHDnt3F1ajZGCXoY29GT0zVY3DXCRJHRpnbian0ujO5JHf3rw_M1H-kor-Pyiwc8la-22GI0ZLfJfig6yfc1eNDB76XE-5SGUSPuOiqTbSVFYMBYpD91LYFQDbqDY-3LOgj52Jo6CAEolmG93RjqzIQ5rEDM__VKWmC7mO5w-w/s4032/PXL_20221018_110034270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijl6ElDnWc1HjHsU7ZHDnt3F1ajZGCXoY29GT0zVY3DXCRJHRpnbian0ujO5JHf3rw_M1H-kor-Pyiwc8la-22GI0ZLfJfig6yfc1eNDB76XE-5SGUSPuOiqTbSVFYMBYpD91LYFQDbqDY-3LOgj52Jo6CAEolmG93RjqzIQ5rEDM__VKWmC7mO5w-w/w284-h379/PXL_20221018_110034270.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Magic.</h3><div>On our last day together we spent the day driving through the country on a tour bus. Seeing the beautiful sites that make Iceland so unique. Everything feels magical. Mossy rocks, volcanoes, steam coming out of the ground on mountainside, waterfalls. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT4B7M3J7oo320TamDjyREAOsEmPp6Tzmuu-wo7OpcrscSHE6MyET8rhe5dXvmRD0zwKafvanTPKdSD4ulLM7eXyrq8-0WvKbMfLK82AZpx3RJDAoQjU4hyMQvJwZdF-swRHf0ysBLVTJvVp2lF7b7ZUc1YB_hU4UjXKNp3DRwMRSklRYyUcpbLKpgg/s4032/PXL_20221020_092606120~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT4B7M3J7oo320TamDjyREAOsEmPp6Tzmuu-wo7OpcrscSHE6MyET8rhe5dXvmRD0zwKafvanTPKdSD4ulLM7eXyrq8-0WvKbMfLK82AZpx3RJDAoQjU4hyMQvJwZdF-swRHf0ysBLVTJvVp2lF7b7ZUc1YB_hU4UjXKNp3DRwMRSklRYyUcpbLKpgg/s320/PXL_20221020_092606120~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>But the real magic comes from the togetherness that has been created all week. We are woven now. We are all in awe together. We are in awe of this beautiful part of our Earth. We are in awe of each other and ourselves. We are in awe of children. We are in awe of the opportunity to be in Iceland surrounded by people who are so passionate about children, play and the future! We are given hope. </div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><br />And that's what made me come back. </h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAXnWk1dBxxjwR-5ZHb8bmMoghCBEhA-aUfOeg6i741snPTFZCx-QUJMt4DnUyF99oUFe5O7TUooDJqjzfZhSE1XSkpGLlzxGsc_H3ZSiKbVKtlH-o8sVKPAPqx7X4kyFSey21qVbvGBjblyi6c9zQH8rT_FUmxKrMiTGkrwu5jeIM8MZCVnhCcvMvA/s4032/PXL_20221020_170253151.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAXnWk1dBxxjwR-5ZHb8bmMoghCBEhA-aUfOeg6i741snPTFZCx-QUJMt4DnUyF99oUFe5O7TUooDJqjzfZhSE1XSkpGLlzxGsc_H3ZSiKbVKtlH-o8sVKPAPqx7X4kyFSey21qVbvGBjblyi6c9zQH8rT_FUmxKrMiTGkrwu5jeIM8MZCVnhCcvMvA/s320/PXL_20221020_170253151.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVjqZSst42t5bm4xbnlBS4Ya90L4X6MEbWgWlq_uHnw3s11_zJQ2HOqt1llSqg98Ygvl2OejvnekCkirPmUAQyorvR8oIIMKOhhJXzRPidIrdzdwZPuSPXOsusWMouh1Jiticko_ZXCHGXW25iltUlPFg5jC8kJkKhuQyVNyquABLfJD2Meg0yEczOg/s4032/PXL_20221020_161606987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVjqZSst42t5bm4xbnlBS4Ya90L4X6MEbWgWlq_uHnw3s11_zJQ2HOqt1llSqg98Ygvl2OejvnekCkirPmUAQyorvR8oIIMKOhhJXzRPidIrdzdwZPuSPXOsusWMouh1Jiticko_ZXCHGXW25iltUlPFg5jC8kJkKhuQyVNyquABLfJD2Meg0yEczOg/s320/PXL_20221020_161606987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAu6N1HTlRAwGzkKzRzrANEs_qmYLb-t62TblOtw8e1nLrRa2SYSiwrv9ftApo79wwg8wDTBWiOH90DesXe-xYaCez4Quyo1nLv-XyViKdtvxzwcuHL6cgyC54VbKM2ftWn8XlzjawgL787HuQG30pWszp_UGkE52oIjRgoNJkzYWPgO3yeXNGk282vA/s4032/PXL_20221020_113310535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAu6N1HTlRAwGzkKzRzrANEs_qmYLb-t62TblOtw8e1nLrRa2SYSiwrv9ftApo79wwg8wDTBWiOH90DesXe-xYaCez4Quyo1nLv-XyViKdtvxzwcuHL6cgyC54VbKM2ftWn8XlzjawgL787HuQG30pWszp_UGkE52oIjRgoNJkzYWPgO3yeXNGk282vA/s320/PXL_20221020_113310535.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW2L8FerdepRiFE294nw8LAjKkPgzXBBj8uOIKCw5TkWTdc12IneuIkCI_YalXLJEJX0QWBInQqWxTggTgKBzC6WQy2gB6GPknXjuiXmmWPn5VfKNmRF-i43gd4lPQ9mRI5chGptTEUxbiGr3XxoNcC4qMA6TcTXPIBFl67ZuzfbjbeboBIUlWPlhAg/s4032/PXL_20221020_110309726.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW2L8FerdepRiFE294nw8LAjKkPgzXBBj8uOIKCw5TkWTdc12IneuIkCI_YalXLJEJX0QWBInQqWxTggTgKBzC6WQy2gB6GPknXjuiXmmWPn5VfKNmRF-i43gd4lPQ9mRI5chGptTEUxbiGr3XxoNcC4qMA6TcTXPIBFl67ZuzfbjbeboBIUlWPlhAg/s320/PXL_20221020_110309726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD-0lN0SHd7s6mWkoDblmpIoK0Bm1zPizuukrnJNvvk9E-Qf72P8fDGwhkGagGDhCjcF5QOb0bPNs3IE05qQTJsQrtMMQHaLLnnbT_UC6sj4Z-24nfp87eKcSPpwb9j_pjKZ0NwtSEIbfIMnU-kLImzGYz7B-eOqAcmmDroT8e_oU55Op57FzIBL99g/s4032/PXL_20221020_221510441.NIGHT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD-0lN0SHd7s6mWkoDblmpIoK0Bm1zPizuukrnJNvvk9E-Qf72P8fDGwhkGagGDhCjcF5QOb0bPNs3IE05qQTJsQrtMMQHaLLnnbT_UC6sj4Z-24nfp87eKcSPpwb9j_pjKZ0NwtSEIbfIMnU-kLImzGYz7B-eOqAcmmDroT8e_oU55Op57FzIBL99g/w439-h329/PXL_20221020_221510441.NIGHT.jpg" width="439" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>Please check out more from International Play Iceland Here:</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://vimeo.com/390338096">PLAYed Video</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-36300815073653137312020-06-28T11:16:00.001-04:002020-06-28T11:16:06.848-04:00Inch By Inch Preschool<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please follow along for more recent Inch By Inch adventures on:</span></div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/inchbyinchpreschool/">https://www.facebook.com/inchbyinchpreschool/</a></div>
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Or contact Jessica at inchbyinch.maine@gmail.com for more information. </div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-87777279186015345482019-01-04T19:59:00.001-05:002019-01-04T19:59:09.851-05:00Preschool Sticker Stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A month ago, I purchased a bunch of sticker books at A.C. Moore. I wasn't really sure what my plan for them was, but they were cute and cheap.</div>
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One afternoon I needed to get a rambunctious group of boys to settle down and called them to the table. I grabbed my set of "Big Rig" truck stickers. I told them I was going to give them each a truck sticker, but first they had to draw a road to put their truck on. As the boys added to their pictures, I gave them more stickers: traffic cones, signs, and more trucks. They were all working so hard on their pictures, but I quickly realized that more importantly they were storytelling. I also asked them what the weather was for their trucks. Some added suns and some added storms. Several of them had elaborate stories about their trucks having to go through the cones and the storm and more.</div>
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I was pretty proud to see the rich language that came from that impromptu activity.</div>
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Several weeks later I decided to try it again, but this time I wanted to record their stories. I chose pirate stickers this time. What I love the most about these stickers is that they had both girl and boy pirates (as it should be). I worked with them in a similar way. As they added to their picture I would hand them another sticker. Here's a monkey, so now you might need to draw a tree. Here's a whale can you draw some waves for him. </div>
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This was a younger group (ages 2.5 to 3.5) and their "maps" didn't look like much, </div>
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but they had quite the stories to tell. </div>
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In January, we are working on building language and storytelling and </div>
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I am excited to see what other stories they come up with during this month.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monkey is heading to the water and the ship is steering. The captain is driving the ship.<br />The whale is doing a backflip and a fo-fish and diving.<br />The pirate is a diver. And the telescope is looking for the treasure.<br />The monkey is heading to the jungle. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pirate is going to the treasure. And the pirate is going in the boat.<br />The pirate is going to the jungle. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpTfqLCFFAllTurW2Wws38tPDfW9UgGlx4onoky13azGm1zk-8qiko98Wv-Utg5L1RD6lk_89lRukcwRDT3j012y_xQ3DR3pNSoe_hbM4H_m0NmJPjkIZ92YrTXWUtZs1A5614kHlj4-9/s1600/IMG_20190104_104153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpTfqLCFFAllTurW2Wws38tPDfW9UgGlx4onoky13azGm1zk-8qiko98Wv-Utg5L1RD6lk_89lRukcwRDT3j012y_xQ3DR3pNSoe_hbM4H_m0NmJPjkIZ92YrTXWUtZs1A5614kHlj4-9/s320/IMG_20190104_104153.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He is supposed to go to the ship and he's going to the deep deep dark in the woods.<br />In the jungle. He's going to the boat with his steering wheel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNMmuS5U3tGLZE91dZxuXv1u3ST4AQ6rZ2PzsXhnT6Y9Go5QnEFxocw3JuquHbrhydn60C30cZMr-ckoZ_9rWLsEpUMgi4ljyqUPK9-29Hmzcl7TsBokruSpMSCgOgGKifjZp40lZOl6H/s1600/IMG_20190104_103624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNMmuS5U3tGLZE91dZxuXv1u3ST4AQ6rZ2PzsXhnT6Y9Go5QnEFxocw3JuquHbrhydn60C30cZMr-ckoZ_9rWLsEpUMgi4ljyqUPK9-29Hmzcl7TsBokruSpMSCgOgGKifjZp40lZOl6H/s320/IMG_20190104_103624.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pirate can't find the treasure. That stops the pirate from danger. These things are water that gets the fire.<br />The fire is getting closer to the pirate. But it's not getting closer to the parrot.<br />So the parrot is following the way to the treasure. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoCO9f509qHK0XdyIp0q_xyuXOKUniSQLAMw_arfxYIlcfKTj5ezkZzqBOeFBub4yLnlKvbK63GGWqMK2HZ6peDrtKqY-l-TBm647okg2ev2ngXd9ju4nrW2C4h9akQmKtsPqAgYyyf9j/s1600/IMG_20190104_103241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoCO9f509qHK0XdyIp0q_xyuXOKUniSQLAMw_arfxYIlcfKTj5ezkZzqBOeFBub4yLnlKvbK63GGWqMK2HZ6peDrtKqY-l-TBm647okg2ev2ngXd9ju4nrW2C4h9akQmKtsPqAgYyyf9j/s320/IMG_20190104_103241.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monkey was driving the boat and then he sinked in the boat. Then he realized<br />the pirate came and saved him. And then a crocodile ate them. The monkey found<br />the treasure and the man came looking for him but the alligator ate him too quick.<br />And then he went to bed and had a dream about it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3vbrjqOfTcbjUwoRTQHaG17jXE8PEqnOzARpv_prUNJAM1BQanHTtR9t9vVRniuFZjBsBLQIe65A9C_uAHSQyhZBv6AJ26UjRwPPgAX0meEm1eogNkLGTlhQR8-l7DGKyf4NJxyyvVLb/s1600/IMG_20190104_102757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3vbrjqOfTcbjUwoRTQHaG17jXE8PEqnOzARpv_prUNJAM1BQanHTtR9t9vVRniuFZjBsBLQIe65A9C_uAHSQyhZBv6AJ26UjRwPPgAX0meEm1eogNkLGTlhQR8-l7DGKyf4NJxyyvVLb/s320/IMG_20190104_102757.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pirate is looking for treasure and a parrot. And the whale is looking for an elephant seal.<br />She misses her little pet seal. She's looking for that trap so she can<br />recognize it. </td></tr>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-18436563895352737372018-12-18T14:35:00.000-05:002018-12-18T14:39:35.121-05:00Growing Inch By Inch<h3>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Here We Grow Again</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GaBuYsip3F_S0sfU7ehUjQN5mQuIWqydWH-4-p-epkE2btQ5xCYKq_xzDCJrPIhOFWJ_gZgQAbvRWeEBmCjNsS1ptRrBMMJ85UfUZEwHI1pELD_JsayPkJodc9rMD2iCWoLrCZQNS1r3/s1600/IMG_20181213_174350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GaBuYsip3F_S0sfU7ehUjQN5mQuIWqydWH-4-p-epkE2btQ5xCYKq_xzDCJrPIhOFWJ_gZgQAbvRWeEBmCjNsS1ptRrBMMJ85UfUZEwHI1pELD_JsayPkJodc9rMD2iCWoLrCZQNS1r3/s320/IMG_20181213_174350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I visit my here often. I look back. I reflect. I share these ideas from many years ago.<br />
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There have been so many changes over the past several years, but the basis for this blog remains the same. Inch By Inch Preschool is focused on creating a sense of community through nature, play and friendship.<br />
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I have recently decided to bring back this special place where I used to store and share all my thoughts.<br />
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I would like to share my top five favorite posts (in no particular order) from the past and then I would like to move forward with a new journey. Please visit us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/growinginchbyinch/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/growinginchbyinch/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/inchbyinch2011/">Pinterest</a>.<br />
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Thank you!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Top Five Favorite Growing Inch By Inch Posts</h3>
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<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2013/09/cooperation-island-game.html">Cooperation Island Game</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/01/sometimes-i-just-ignore-children.html">Sometimes I Ignore the Children</a></div>
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<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-leader-of-pack-giving-them-time-to.html"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-leader-of-pack-giving-them-time-to.html">The Leader of the Pack</a></div>
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<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/05/every-year-it-happens.html">Every Year it Happens</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2013/08/our-new-risky-rope.html">Our New Risky Rope</a></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-26649199218531543912015-11-27T07:27:00.000-05:002015-11-27T07:27:48.880-05:00Friendship Soup 2015<span style="font-size: large;">Every child brought an ingredient of their choice in to share. We all worked together to prepare the soup and then had a feast. The children were very proud!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 1</div>
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Day 2</div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-70797135671238841882015-11-02T20:31:00.000-05:002015-11-02T20:31:39.937-05:00Joining Hands (and Hearts) as Professionals: Part 2<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A couple months ago I posted <a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/09/joining-hands-as-professionals.html">Joining Hands as Professionals</a> about a new adventure in my learning journey</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On September 19th five amazing people, Kimberley, Jerome, Annette, Amy, and Sally adventured here as "Team Maine" from England and I got to watch months of planning become real. My experience at the <a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/11/play-iceland-2014.html">Play Iceland</a> 2014 conference played a huge role in how I chose to plan and organize this next step of the journey. I knew the importance of visiting different settings, but also ensuring there was time to reflect and compare notes with others at the end of each day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQVhTJlUnMbHnXs-fiVfVvAWN8-3cqf1cF9T27pRlx8oR7UWCR3i1nqvGPoR_EC7wQTUNpUi03S7_CLPHsY5Mj7-hillRVVTjkG8pvpvBbiBJVwhWpZxHNFXXWDZ4YXzG2fX-nAnB4gK5/s1600/IMG_20150927_122751806_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQVhTJlUnMbHnXs-fiVfVvAWN8-3cqf1cF9T27pRlx8oR7UWCR3i1nqvGPoR_EC7wQTUNpUi03S7_CLPHsY5Mj7-hillRVVTjkG8pvpvBbiBJVwhWpZxHNFXXWDZ4YXzG2fX-nAnB4gK5/s400/IMG_20150927_122751806_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we work together, we can climb mountains.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The knowledge and experiences I gained from this would make a list far too long to share. I think overall the highlights of the experience were meeting, sharing, and collaborating with new early childhood practitioners from both near and far! I was able to reach out to and visit new settings and have visitors in my setting who had different perspectives. Forming a unique bond with a small group of individuals who can now extend the knowledge we gained back into other early years opportunities. I strongly believe we all grew as professionals and advocates for childhood, but also as individuals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The group that was formed was an international one, but this type of professional development could be easily planned with a local group of providers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My planning process and suggestions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Planning</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I reached out to programs in a more populated area of my state. They were far enough away from my setting that there was not as much worry about being the competition. I think some of the appeal was having visitors from England visit their school, but there is no reason you can't form a small group of practitioners (or even just yourself) to visit other early childhood programs. It was easier for me to connect with these programs, because I was organizing for an outside group, but realized what a valuable experience this would be for anybody to do. These are beautiful programs right here at home, that I would never have experienced on my own and I had to ask myself "Why?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I met several of the people in person ahead of time. It seems to be a growing trend that daycare providers and directors form small groups to meet with once a month to network and share ideas. I was able to sit in on one of these meetings in the area we would be visiting. I became familiar with many of the providers that we would be visiting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I set up specific dates and times with the programs during a three day period. And made sure that I was clear what type of involvement they wanted us to have while we were visiting. Some of the programs allowed us to be involved with the children's activities, while others preferred we sit quietly and take notes. Some allowed photos with children and others asked us to take photos without. We visited in pairs, so that we wouldn't overwhelm the staff or children, but would still be able to reflect with somebody after the visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Visits</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The team made time at the end of each day to discuss how our visits went and what we were going to take back to our own classrooms. It was so helpful to have a the small group of people to reflect with about the visits. I am happy that we mostly visited settings in pairs, so that we came to the "table" with more than one perspective on each setting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Reflection</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the directors (The Children's Center) was so enthusiastic about our visits that she and I planned an evening mixer where we could meet with her staff and have a chance to talk. "Team Maine" shared a video presentation of their settings at Child First Day Nurseries. It was a magical evening filled with inspiration and like-minded individuals who all shared the same passion for working with children.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hosting Visitors</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another important part of the experience was having visitors observe and spend time with me at my preschool. They were able to share ideas, suggestions and feedback on our philosophies and daily routines. The relationships that were formed during our week together made it so easy to have them come into my classroom. I was so worried about the way the children would respond to so many new adult faces. Everybody was so comfortable with being there together. The children still ask about them and we have a picture hanging in our classroom. The impact that they left on us teachers and the children will never be forgotten.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSSqc2lBp7bnrg-okAetOYHIn477n22gq_JL1FpfpfgbhuSeoxVVNgJ3MN1ORHNnP9rDWyJ4eQowTfocMoz69cWoF8LVkCmsSeIJmv0SY44b-Q4X0ENAUqRiWxSu155_qpYNXo8wVuZMn/s1600/20150923_190440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSSqc2lBp7bnrg-okAetOYHIn477n22gq_JL1FpfpfgbhuSeoxVVNgJ3MN1ORHNnP9rDWyJ4eQowTfocMoz69cWoF8LVkCmsSeIJmv0SY44b-Q4X0ENAUqRiWxSu155_qpYNXo8wVuZMn/s640/20150923_190440.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Grand Finale: Joining Hands</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the week, I hosted a free event at my preschool and invited about 15 other practitioners to attend. The attendees were Team Maine, teachers from the some of the settings we had spent time in and also colleagues of mine from another state who were able to share photos and information about their settings. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVoWaa_GTCm8vnzohECUsetQ1vk4q_zjqVrSUx-UoKRlaZaFpuzRtIXem5pB9qEQl5fgZEy4IU_pwL6fhhEUzMmojGfrM-NBxqB4kUAG6968V2K0xYQG5pTNvoGj7gMhLf4GgmLZqL5IR/s1600/FB_IMG_1445909028491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVoWaa_GTCm8vnzohECUsetQ1vk4q_zjqVrSUx-UoKRlaZaFpuzRtIXem5pB9qEQl5fgZEy4IU_pwL6fhhEUzMmojGfrM-NBxqB4kUAG6968V2K0xYQG5pTNvoGj7gMhLf4GgmLZqL5IR/s1600/FB_IMG_1445909028491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVoWaa_GTCm8vnzohECUsetQ1vk4q_zjqVrSUx-UoKRlaZaFpuzRtIXem5pB9qEQl5fgZEy4IU_pwL6fhhEUzMmojGfrM-NBxqB4kUAG6968V2K0xYQG5pTNvoGj7gMhLf4GgmLZqL5IR/s640/FB_IMG_1445909028491.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I had a tie-dyeing activity available in the middle of the day to give people a chance to be creative and to continue their discussions during a break. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Everybody brought food to contribute for lunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had three different speakers and time in between to talk and share. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I asked that people bring any paperwork they were willing to share including: handbooks, assessments, planning sheets, etc. We had time scheduled in for small group discussions and brainstorming, but unfortunately ran out of time. I think in the future two speakers would be sufficient at this type of workshop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is just something about a room full of people talking about their love for children that will stick in your heart for a long time. Everybody just seemed so relaxed and happy to be there together sharing conversations about why we do what we do!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 26.6667px;"><i>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A special THANK YOU! to all the people who were involved in this amazing experience, including Tom Shea, Team Maine, all the settings that welcomed visitors into your programs, our wonderful speakers, and all of the teachers and providers who joined us in the evening and on a Saturday to share your passion!</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stay tuned for more information on Play Iceland 2016 (now <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/international-play-iceland-usa-uk-australia-tom-shea?trk=pulse-det-nav_art">Play International</a>)! Iceland, UK, Australia and USA.</span><br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-67921124703498663322015-10-20T13:41:00.000-04:002015-10-20T13:41:59.140-04:00All About Me: BIG and SMALL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">This week our intern Lacey planned a week of "All About Me," for her class. For today's activity each child had a turn to get traced and then paint themselves. It was a lot of fun and fascinating to see all their individual artistic styles through the way they decorated themselves. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUKiKR1jVtpauc_m-8CXxXrcyW0VJJsXv4zQy6Co5cFTvbHv1x7T3K2cQeDPHazpoVCvifwVQWyU_uGFC0aGKr8VqByuG3DfSUKDBgDenLrQGt6LZIj4acPW2b_hOfMLv_f73JY8e3NQt/s1600/IMG_20151020_095444643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUKiKR1jVtpauc_m-8CXxXrcyW0VJJsXv4zQy6Co5cFTvbHv1x7T3K2cQeDPHazpoVCvifwVQWyU_uGFC0aGKr8VqByuG3DfSUKDBgDenLrQGt6LZIj4acPW2b_hOfMLv_f73JY8e3NQt/s400/IMG_20151020_095444643.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once the children were given the paint, we did not interfere with how they wanted to decorate their people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To some of them it was simply a giant piece of paper and they were not going to let that person outline get in the way of their painting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2qgYkdmBeNP6c0M8MJsiumVHAkOpP_Ayl63R3RGhI5pJUitrNCIxcItA8twwvGZV3hxUtsgC4BGyPajGNAgf-wzhAff0HhpaSrucKV1f1UeI9U1vmJ-ZxnhCZbgC4ziizzXS-neYaWNK/s1600/IMG_20151020_101251674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2qgYkdmBeNP6c0M8MJsiumVHAkOpP_Ayl63R3RGhI5pJUitrNCIxcItA8twwvGZV3hxUtsgC4BGyPajGNAgf-wzhAff0HhpaSrucKV1f1UeI9U1vmJ-ZxnhCZbgC4ziizzXS-neYaWNK/s400/IMG_20151020_101251674.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> For others it was a template for making a face and hair and a colorful outfit. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM0wcKHWksPGItMkrzi0iQjCzpI6u5qAjexUW56vqZgaMjf8iQGXDNW-ukXaIFiDlwOL3RNp6qIhXQAQuhj0wuhB3xCFMgx3Uw78Gxf45LEB2CD75Op4DSHbBAflm4hIIW2vBiag449If/s1600/IMG_20151020_104618535_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM0wcKHWksPGItMkrzi0iQjCzpI6u5qAjexUW56vqZgaMjf8iQGXDNW-ukXaIFiDlwOL3RNp6qIhXQAQuhj0wuhB3xCFMgx3Uw78Gxf45LEB2CD75Op4DSHbBAflm4hIIW2vBiag449If/s640/IMG_20151020_104618535_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some started with a face and hair, but enjoyed using the paint so much they painted right over the face when they ran out of blank space elsewhere. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHGRHISEC3GVC6mtv-AbWALYwau4R8pNzBO4ZU8keuKCoG23YQQf4hCJQqB3pKiKCc5e440iQQUMWkhw48pJMg3n_0tPpMeu8MNliCeGSwtEsH_GPQenWq4BGqWZBWFoPmq2P8pPN4uU-/s1600/IMG_20151020_102850954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHGRHISEC3GVC6mtv-AbWALYwau4R8pNzBO4ZU8keuKCoG23YQQf4hCJQqB3pKiKCc5e440iQQUMWkhw48pJMg3n_0tPpMeu8MNliCeGSwtEsH_GPQenWq4BGqWZBWFoPmq2P8pPN4uU-/s640/IMG_20151020_102850954.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some chose to stay in the lines and others used the WHOLE paper. Some of them traced the outline with paint, while others made a few very intentional blobs of color and stated, "I'm done."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyumOgWA5_o-W-O_-viGM7PfltLO4L6-7us0Pw5wPFYG0nuoeDixyM3YR33GCkJUNaecaZR4anfB4CoqaoYX1t2gzDmLprmjTs4RBJ4A2SKDnnKGJEvC_BNVgjw1RELv6fmRaHHQGETdS/s1600/IMG_20151020_095406055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyumOgWA5_o-W-O_-viGM7PfltLO4L6-7us0Pw5wPFYG0nuoeDixyM3YR33GCkJUNaecaZR4anfB4CoqaoYX1t2gzDmLprmjTs4RBJ4A2SKDnnKGJEvC_BNVgjw1RELv6fmRaHHQGETdS/s400/IMG_20151020_095406055.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No matter their styles, they all really enjoyed having a turn being traced and seeing their "big" selves on the paper. They also loved having a large piece of space to create all on their own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCllK6wRo-pGMrgw_0Ug1Z-dHz26AZVzST2GrdFMNzEfDS1RNQFyE3mz7uEyO03oh0l-nZ7MZIy-vF1-HWNaxHFTk9oeBXAUF7jqExDNkC2yhXw3MiXaYXrMbNSuRP__lnTkJBF0f173mW/s1600/IMG_20151020_102519860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCllK6wRo-pGMrgw_0Ug1Z-dHz26AZVzST2GrdFMNzEfDS1RNQFyE3mz7uEyO03oh0l-nZ7MZIy-vF1-HWNaxHFTk9oeBXAUF7jqExDNkC2yhXw3MiXaYXrMbNSuRP__lnTkJBF0f173mW/s320/IMG_20151020_102519860.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbacNt5HDAFPXt2oX4f0RCUHJYsPkVCLARs_iczI-8K545glwPzzqL-iXJ6WbFKW-GmQ5uFpOYB22dzfZXgO91msLT4WF_ahbyI7SJlvBydgsNj0x_hAqaqAN45jQzwlsMcdLOw5S5maM/s1600/IMG_20151020_102315490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbacNt5HDAFPXt2oX4f0RCUHJYsPkVCLARs_iczI-8K545glwPzzqL-iXJ6WbFKW-GmQ5uFpOYB22dzfZXgO91msLT4WF_ahbyI7SJlvBydgsNj0x_hAqaqAN45jQzwlsMcdLOw5S5maM/s320/IMG_20151020_102315490.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-SEwqxoFZR8mkGvmC_qliLVdRlI2EJR3SaQcDuIBxRsMSIoDmVzCBn1FknZc45Zggs0g0lUNLBsYC2h9-uco5HnPUU_IIQlYF8d9yLHgdO98w2yMOLRwYBNaH9iOOueRpuB2xMunaSnF/s1600/IMG_20151020_101101982_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-SEwqxoFZR8mkGvmC_qliLVdRlI2EJR3SaQcDuIBxRsMSIoDmVzCBn1FknZc45Zggs0g0lUNLBsYC2h9-uco5HnPUU_IIQlYF8d9yLHgdO98w2yMOLRwYBNaH9iOOueRpuB2xMunaSnF/s640/IMG_20151020_101101982_TOP.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAMN7Oqhyc4MS7TyWHZ8_kjYHA_XLOV7Iz2jIRRk1i1V1CxrRwIKX-wvpmVUbTtKptP9nlrzANn104ovqQUWVNYLYgSiP5oeXlpiCBWTdLR3Dh66_PSuPxfiJ6lZ3jf845yyCtM0fvT_H/s1600/IMG_20151020_094352106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAMN7Oqhyc4MS7TyWHZ8_kjYHA_XLOV7Iz2jIRRk1i1V1CxrRwIKX-wvpmVUbTtKptP9nlrzANn104ovqQUWVNYLYgSiP5oeXlpiCBWTdLR3Dh66_PSuPxfiJ6lZ3jf845yyCtM0fvT_H/s400/IMG_20151020_094352106.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also have mini-me versions of everyone that they like to carry around and play with. This week we taped them upright on to blocks to encourage even more play with the photos.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe0GEHKZkL_O3aq0LTxvCeSqWtXFm8SvPduzN2eS4ImWQVxgq4C6frYPkadHHyib346jF3aJ8Fx7B2SS0VHFHoKbosIfALWsjaLkl2ovulXwUH30cHkEDTIHUa9wg8Q-UTC-WALyLhRZR/s1600/IMG_20151020_130054765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe0GEHKZkL_O3aq0LTxvCeSqWtXFm8SvPduzN2eS4ImWQVxgq4C6frYPkadHHyib346jF3aJ8Fx7B2SS0VHFHoKbosIfALWsjaLkl2ovulXwUH30cHkEDTIHUa9wg8Q-UTC-WALyLhRZR/s640/IMG_20151020_130054765.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm realizing right now that these are all girls in this picture. I just went to check and one (or more) of the children seemed to have created a boy shelf and a girl shelf. Not sure if it was intentional or not. Very interesting!<br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is such a fun way to get a group photo when everybody has such different schedules.</span></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_395557586"></span><span id="goog_395557587"></span><br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-62870002152185283162015-10-13T14:18:00.001-04:002015-10-13T14:18:33.766-04:00International Fairy Tea Party 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">This was our third year participating in the International Fairy Tea Party. Every year looks different from the last. This year was a very hot day and eating outside comfortably was not an option. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We started the day by decorating a fairy house with sparkles, which can be seen <a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/10/international-fairy-tea-party-2015.html">here.</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWH4LzFlGuc/VfyYuAT7TuI/AAAAAAAAhX8/iDLd4--5yWw/s1600/IMG_20150918_112634453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWH4LzFlGuc/VfyYuAT7TuI/AAAAAAAAhX8/iDLd4--5yWw/s400/IMG_20150918_112634453.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We shared a fairy book down in the woods, before we came up to our classroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I told the children that I had seen some flutters and flitters up by the school and suggested that maybe the fairies had arrived to see the new house they had created. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">When we arrived inside the school, we couldn't find any fairies, but we did find a wonderfully decorated lunch the fairies had left behind for us to say thank you. </span></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-72590707151489605492015-10-12T07:30:00.003-04:002015-10-12T07:31:55.438-04:00International Fairy Tea Party 2015: Inviting the Fairies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I saw an old bird feeder for $1 at a roadside farm stand. I instantly saw a fairy house. Here was the first part of our day on September 18th, for the International Fairy Tea Party. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Glue and Sequins = Magic</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because, as one child said, "Fairies like shiny things."</span></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-5932521790062600332015-09-05T22:27:00.005-04:002015-09-05T22:27:52.444-04:00Joining Hands As Professionals<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCjAF1pcW-lUczmBSak9EHUVJkdzdatXgyUX2qDYB4nIpxkr4evzuuSFTByYeTPa2tdgtgAtve0mh_kIG-BI-IggVnFy3jVT4KDC1y8YbLaFUrQkPH6u0bXV2hjEGxciTUartLE6Wms_6/s1600/IMG_3954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCjAF1pcW-lUczmBSak9EHUVJkdzdatXgyUX2qDYB4nIpxkr4evzuuSFTByYeTPa2tdgtgAtve0mh_kIG-BI-IggVnFy3jVT4KDC1y8YbLaFUrQkPH6u0bXV2hjEGxciTUartLE6Wms_6/s640/IMG_3954.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My visit at Leikskollin Stekkjaras during Play Iceland.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Over the last four years, I have learned a tremendous amount about the wide variety of things happening in Child Care and Preschool across the globe. I owe a lot of credit to Facebook, Pinterest, and reading blogs that I have discovered through both. I have connected with some very inspiring people. I have also learned that NOTHING compares to meeting other professionals face to face and exploring other settings in person. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom and I during the visit to Gullfoss Waterfall in Iceland.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tom Shea, who is the owner of Child First Day Nurseries in the UK, contacted me in January about hosting a small Team of his staff in Maine for a closer look at best practices happening here in the United States. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After reviewing many creative and thorough bids from many of his staff, five people were selected to create Team Maine. They have had several meetings in person to work together and have also met with me through Skype. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of September they will spend 10 days in Maine investigating, observing, exploring, and taking notes at a dozen different settings in both urban and rural areas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The focus is to observe, interact and to be inspired by the providers, environments and the children themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The journey doesn't end there. We will spend a whole Saturday with a group of about 25 preschool teachers and daycare providers reflecting, sharing, and discussing similarities and differences in all our settings both near and far. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me presenting at Play Iceland 2014</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When they return to the UK they are expected to present to additional staff (and outward) regarding the ideas and observations they have gathered during their time in the US.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>We can communicate across the world, but linking is more than just Facebook - we want to challenge and encourage - we want to visit and revisit - we want to remove the hurdles the best we can. Child development is far too important and where there is great practice we should be proud to share it." -Tom Shea</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 15.4559993743896px;">A bit more about Tom Shea...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tom has been working in Early Childhood for over 40 years and is very passionate about PLAY and joining hands around the world to create a united front of advocates who care about healthy children's development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Beyond his Nurseries, Tom is also involved in many other projects that are aimed at improving childhood. F<a href="http://www.fafuplay.com/" target="_blank">afu. Play Iceland. The Factory Where We Can Build Anything</a>. And now it appears possibly... Play International?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>We keep bumping into people who have the imagination and drive – we encourage some, support some, enthuse with some and grow stronger for the doing.... -Tom Shea</i></span></span></div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-78369293327273003642015-09-03T20:19:00.000-04:002015-09-03T20:19:07.550-04:00Group Block Building<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today we practiced a lot of skills at our group meeting time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had a platform in the middle of the rug that the children were gathered around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each child waited for their name to be called (mostly in groups of 3 or 4) and they sneaked through our secret entrance into the block area to choose two blocks to add to a group structure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My goals were for children to practice patience, turn taking and to create something as a team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I watched and guided the activity I realized that there were so many more skills being practiced. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yX5CT8TDc68/VeiAP5ACtYI/AAAAAAAAhRQ/pCFHpzO9gCE/s1600/IMG_20150903_090659377_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yX5CT8TDc68/VeiAP5ACtYI/AAAAAAAAhRQ/pCFHpzO9gCE/s400/IMG_20150903_090659377_TOP.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cD78CXM_OAk/VeiBhtBLOoI/AAAAAAAAhSg/DjW66GpLkIY/s1600/IMG_20150903_090847752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cD78CXM_OAk/VeiBhtBLOoI/AAAAAAAAhSg/DjW66GpLkIY/s400/IMG_20150903_090847752.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We talked about what we thought the structure reminded us of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Most children agreed with each other that it was either a maze or a city.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gmAmSnLnNH4/VeiA43aLIbI/AAAAAAAAhR0/GnoEz5-CbwA/s1600/IMG_20150903_091045419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gmAmSnLnNH4/VeiA43aLIbI/AAAAAAAAhR0/GnoEz5-CbwA/s640/IMG_20150903_091045419.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Making space and taking turns through our secret entrance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I learned a lot about a few personalities when I realized many children were choosing only certain blocks from certain shelves, while a few were more interested in finding something unique to add.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As the city continued to become more complex, children needed to be more aware of other blocks that were already in place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Several children knocked over blocks which started a chain reaction of other blocks. Some children took the time to set other people's blocks back where they were. Only a couple children almost became upset when they knocked a block over or when something they had placed was knocked over. Some interesting observations about their social emotional development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some children reached very carefully through blocks to try and retrieve those that had been knocked, while others were unaware and knocked several more over in the process. Lots of observations about spatial awareness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We talked about when you work together as a team on something, than everybody has to decide together when is the right time to knock it all over. We took a vote and destruction hit the city along with laughter and giggles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Clean up and sorting. The children all worked together to deliver and sort the blocks on to their proper shelves. They continued to manage squeezing through the secret entrance. Not only were we managing our bodies and focus in a small busy space, we were practicing to put things away where they belong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Blocks are one of the items in the classroom that can be frustrating and overwhelming for children to clean up, but suddenly it was fun.</span></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-60203534204749147752015-08-31T20:10:00.000-04:002015-08-31T20:10:19.089-04:00Back To School Week: Monday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a fantastic start to a new "school year!" </div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-72217002458242968282015-06-22T14:33:00.000-04:002015-06-22T14:33:30.423-04:00Pizza Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Today we made pizza, but we didn't eat it. Actually we did eat pizza, just not these ones. </div>
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We were just Preeee-tending. :) Lots of silly conversations about the differences</div>
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between making these pizzas and real pizzas. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecZvpT33zIWaUETF0kuFYcggCChP_pNULp9sHFI2RYSsgt_SmeL9p0c_N9KU-eeWnc7yjqknMlZjkE4geDb4wXeVtweH4EQToHYlQxOEXlYwYO-hIwWJgcToGLLbzZj-bmm_bPVn93agO/s1600/IMG_20150622_093727991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecZvpT33zIWaUETF0kuFYcggCChP_pNULp9sHFI2RYSsgt_SmeL9p0c_N9KU-eeWnc7yjqknMlZjkE4geDb4wXeVtweH4EQToHYlQxOEXlYwYO-hIwWJgcToGLLbzZj-bmm_bPVn93agO/s640/IMG_20150622_093727991.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First you spread on the sauce. Some people like more sauce than others.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3uITcHqplQDLjqBJhpKGA3N1P3ZD5dqSPLWQBntqLBAjSdzPPaRVvlXwiVZwwPNt-hxbnGRdueUB-cZdgv957gJ-EUrAtE3b0xcrd1w8uQMRH8Azi1cHiwLf_KThOM5R3CJwbMzstIZ1/s1600/IMG_20150622_101315626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3uITcHqplQDLjqBJhpKGA3N1P3ZD5dqSPLWQBntqLBAjSdzPPaRVvlXwiVZwwPNt-hxbnGRdueUB-cZdgv957gJ-EUrAtE3b0xcrd1w8uQMRH8Azi1cHiwLf_KThOM5R3CJwbMzstIZ1/s640/IMG_20150622_101315626.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then we added the cheese.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lA8F-lEyTv4/VYhIYIaucDI/AAAAAAAAg4A/0GJoWLKuyXg/s1600/IMG_20150622_095721028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lA8F-lEyTv4/VYhIYIaucDI/AAAAAAAAg4A/0GJoWLKuyXg/s640/IMG_20150622_095721028.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then you add the toppings that you like best.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNm46y8uRuKdP6yThFgPU1LNagKi4V6A7o7KD076pHIUuRyQmgcpxZTODXEKxzRtdFVP1a4n4oIHN4E4YnXFFfMIhfSPpText2IH5sg499tG5_1kP8a5xwPiuoY9HoVg8nS-90yxN6ovf0/s1600/IMG_20150622_101708922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNm46y8uRuKdP6yThFgPU1LNagKi4V6A7o7KD076pHIUuRyQmgcpxZTODXEKxzRtdFVP1a4n4oIHN4E4YnXFFfMIhfSPpText2IH5sg499tG5_1kP8a5xwPiuoY9HoVg8nS-90yxN6ovf0/s640/IMG_20150622_101708922.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some like to make their pizza fast. Some take lots of extra time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2g0tK2sZAcU/VYhIoeRG_3I/AAAAAAAAg4Y/lvFU_r5-hBg/s1600/IMG_20150622_100357742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2g0tK2sZAcU/VYhIoeRG_3I/AAAAAAAAg4Y/lvFU_r5-hBg/s640/IMG_20150622_100357742.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adV2BPnDWXE/VYhJTFNnLmI/AAAAAAAAg44/jDn5iItAsNE/s1600/IMG_20150622_101727763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adV2BPnDWXE/VYhJTFNnLmI/AAAAAAAAg44/jDn5iItAsNE/s640/IMG_20150622_101727763.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place them in the oven to cook. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ0WKEXFd7k/VYhI8g0wz8I/AAAAAAAAg4k/jsdMx4K1x4I/s1600/IMG_20150622_100940262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ0WKEXFd7k/VYhI8g0wz8I/AAAAAAAAg4k/jsdMx4K1x4I/s640/IMG_20150622_100940262.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make sure you set the timer. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalPN17SwNGCjbI0yf8SGELebwZydOsMGY2MWSa20OmyjjtQ_Q3MPnchvhozuw3v9R8_-C-3CjUZ5cLP3R8_6NeZjm6D3X9Hx_xxiwL8C024DLW-BKT1Mpv-PGZFO01EChJ0dOcm5qWl9N/s1600/IMG_20150622_102844702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalPN17SwNGCjbI0yf8SGELebwZydOsMGY2MWSa20OmyjjtQ_Q3MPnchvhozuw3v9R8_-C-3CjUZ5cLP3R8_6NeZjm6D3X9Hx_xxiwL8C024DLW-BKT1Mpv-PGZFO01EChJ0dOcm5qWl9N/s640/IMG_20150622_102844702.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza is a great conversation starter.<br />They all look so different!</td></tr>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-39898218043069849632015-06-16T21:45:00.001-04:002015-06-16T21:45:25.080-04:00Circles, Spots and Polka Dots: Art Show 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VYpuqsiegznes_QctpDvVfyImEdiwn4gbGM_m0JbWIcImoFODNg2eoC2VuqoXZjml5ovIXqaB5zWsTr2zGjL_52VbX7bIFyfJJ7ElsJFS23bS59s6i89RWh8a7WrqHJ0E0IpmjtgVA_N/s1600/20150616_203845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VYpuqsiegznes_QctpDvVfyImEdiwn4gbGM_m0JbWIcImoFODNg2eoC2VuqoXZjml5ovIXqaB5zWsTr2zGjL_52VbX7bIFyfJJ7ElsJFS23bS59s6i89RWh8a7WrqHJ0E0IpmjtgVA_N/s640/20150616_203845.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This was our Third Annual Circle, Spots and Polka Dots Art Show. The goals is to create art with circles using many methods over several weeks. The children love the repetition of using the circles. They love that we can find circles anywhere at anytime. </div>
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It opens their eyes to the fact that circles are a huge part of our lives and world. </div>
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The Art Work</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5mj2HCb4eNZbQEYPHgyjWjyj72X4tp_TA704pstZj0z_QxEHbAC7qELp3l_X2Q0u66A4cn2AIPp2qDE6CHRrgbiTDYresAN-8D9wr2Gi05dOCECm9_hI0ntg3NN_sBlUU6nPbme6DDkU/s1600/IMG_20150605_190958370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5mj2HCb4eNZbQEYPHgyjWjyj72X4tp_TA704pstZj0z_QxEHbAC7qELp3l_X2Q0u66A4cn2AIPp2qDE6CHRrgbiTDYresAN-8D9wr2Gi05dOCECm9_hI0ntg3NN_sBlUU6nPbme6DDkU/s640/IMG_20150605_190958370.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sculpture was created with recycled materials that families contributed from home.<br />The artists took turns adding pieces over the course of a week. They were able<br />to come back and add more pieces as the sculpture grew. The base of the<br />sculpture was a piece of artwork created for last year's art show.<br />After it was finished the artists each shared a title or words about the piece of art, which<br />were displayed around the edge of the table with their names. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nLU_9NpOgYU/VXT0onF4utI/AAAAAAAAgs8/d10Z9A3mBKs/s1600/IMG_20150605_190954137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nLU_9NpOgYU/VXT0onF4utI/AAAAAAAAgs8/d10Z9A3mBKs/s640/IMG_20150605_190954137.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each child selected circles from a large collection of paper circles that<br />had been cut from construction paper and hole punches. They glued them in layers<br />from largest to smallest. Each child had one circle stack displayed on this tower.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEnTRaLfDwALytUD9kibpwhghO1woiFRKowyhwmF6hArBG5et5XOZharglaO58DFb9oNYD9dMwEYemKO2LsxG2mbwY9DXbzlbDLjm-Y1rQMDznbQjYoMpdxDBAj4pIpgt8F4LNOFMpSnF/s1600/IMG_20150605_210137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEnTRaLfDwALytUD9kibpwhghO1woiFRKowyhwmF6hArBG5et5XOZharglaO58DFb9oNYD9dMwEYemKO2LsxG2mbwY9DXbzlbDLjm-Y1rQMDznbQjYoMpdxDBAj4pIpgt8F4LNOFMpSnF/s640/IMG_20150605_210137.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These circles were created with tissue paper and glue. The children chose their strips and<br />used glue sticks to attach them. The next step was to paint over them with watered down<br />white glue and a paint brush to create a shiny and smooth effect. They then folded the edges <br />onto the back or cut them with scissors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPav8Ozl-D0lhS8D6QHHKUfY6XeQ2lh0EOCeDQ8j_YY_5r0O3238cIB4g3fNwNYSqSASIEEXdQziQGlB2OPj4cllGhs3QmhIeUFnoqjFnQf-7WATFCU13MIfHwwukc1xs4kqdc3n8pXNd/s1600/IMG_20150605_170927784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPav8Ozl-D0lhS8D6QHHKUfY6XeQ2lh0EOCeDQ8j_YY_5r0O3238cIB4g3fNwNYSqSASIEEXdQziQGlB2OPj4cllGhs3QmhIeUFnoqjFnQf-7WATFCU13MIfHwwukc1xs4kqdc3n8pXNd/s640/IMG_20150605_170927784.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children each had turns to wet-felt balls from white and dyed wool. They also created clay beads.<br />Some children had a chance to paint the beads and others sewed the strings together.<br />This was truly a group effort. The strings were attached to a horizontal stick and hung from the ceiling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDHf-SS9X_8/VXT0J_m6BII/AAAAAAAAgsg/k8l512uPBTg/s1600/IMG_20150605_210153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDHf-SS9X_8/VXT0J_m6BII/AAAAAAAAgsg/k8l512uPBTg/s640/IMG_20150605_210153.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The artists used three different sized tree blocks to print small, medium and large circles.<br />I loved how much their personalities were reflected in the way they chose to use these materials.<br />They wrote their names with a silver sharpie on the front of the display.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OdX-vGR1Y4E/VYDEdV7_teI/AAAAAAAAgzg/7hQsPJ92s6I/s1600/IMG_20150608_100755617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OdX-vGR1Y4E/VYDEdV7_teI/AAAAAAAAgzg/7hQsPJ92s6I/s640/IMG_20150608_100755617.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were created with school glue that had blue watercolor added to it.<br />The children were shown how to slowly make circles by squeezing and moving the glue bottle.<br />They were also shown that they could make dots instead of circles.<br />A day or two later after they had dried, the children used watercolor and q-tips to add more dots,<br />fill in their circles or create new circles. The labels displayed the children's titles for their artwork.<br />Names such as: Ocean, The Future, and Circles.</td></tr>
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The Show</div>
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Families were invited to attend our art show on a Friday evening. They were encouraged to sign up to bring a circle themed food to contribute. Of course we always love seeing the children and some parents coordinate their outfits to match the theme. This was our biggest year yet and we decided to make it an indoor/outdoor event. The art was inside. Food table and activities were on the playground attached the preschool.<br /><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCzUjQcWASyn8MkyuKVQhA8JX1LSAHJH2W76_mX7zyCCcB8A1wn-5mPNbPQV1umDblylmUDiyFk9hTwxJwEVlSjvmoYxtmslJ_MJeGN0vgqR5uRJTgIxekfLlH6JHH-pFZMzbQ40DyamZ/s1600/IMG_20150605_165700123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCzUjQcWASyn8MkyuKVQhA8JX1LSAHJH2W76_mX7zyCCcB8A1wn-5mPNbPQV1umDblylmUDiyFk9hTwxJwEVlSjvmoYxtmslJ_MJeGN0vgqR5uRJTgIxekfLlH6JHH-pFZMzbQ40DyamZ/s640/IMG_20150605_165700123.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each child could find a picture of themselves hanging from one of the balloons around the classroom.<br />The pictures were taken the week before to look as thought they are floating away.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqvXCuTAG6QmYHjgdof4k-BaTgzJdAxIrWEmNGQ6XKpLiOEPnbAprf_20WOVhAdxU-W16-soebjfcGFhpMet584_eYheyyPQrnfR_bWXU-JXGiGGoiYoRYvDM8qE03_HlrK-fGqUmPmQP/s1600/IMG_20150605_170857920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqvXCuTAG6QmYHjgdof4k-BaTgzJdAxIrWEmNGQ6XKpLiOEPnbAprf_20WOVhAdxU-W16-soebjfcGFhpMet584_eYheyyPQrnfR_bWXU-JXGiGGoiYoRYvDM8qE03_HlrK-fGqUmPmQP/s640/IMG_20150605_170857920.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I always love to display any extra circles that I can find around the classroom and<br />our favorite circle themed books. The children created<br />many of these circle garlands to hang around the art show as well.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjK8mIuxz3CpMq2VIPp_DRvWhh6hyphenhyphennhqfF8II0W6HmLZM480uOpvHvxXXy_aYoKW70NWyBcrm37I4LIh6jVRfzhmlU7nTRrPGQu5wB-W_d6GwA505LBsrjtG_RqlDzonMKguTcIFgiPVle/s1600/IMG_20150605_170907052_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjK8mIuxz3CpMq2VIPp_DRvWhh6hyphenhyphennhqfF8II0W6HmLZM480uOpvHvxXXy_aYoKW70NWyBcrm37I4LIh6jVRfzhmlU7nTRrPGQu5wB-W_d6GwA505LBsrjtG_RqlDzonMKguTcIFgiPVle/s640/IMG_20150605_170907052_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCkQ6AAmTBY/VYDMAjYRZuI/AAAAAAAAg0c/llSaP_JMyYM/s1600/IMG_20150604_110831435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCkQ6AAmTBY/VYDMAjYRZuI/AAAAAAAAg0c/llSaP_JMyYM/s640/IMG_20150604_110831435.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children helped draw chalk circles up our stairs and along our ramp<br />to welcome guests to the show.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZbaBDFkTtJQNCeay3Xe7OrXBStD064nTkBAkffVyAxvJbN1jGPnXgyINDNmM_92BCvE-2GQBpIvVt1suS86OvWQJvp15tJV47YjnyQWjcNYQ1SSeE_VkJNbzyS6tbRemMNymLhmwj3Ln/s1600/IMG_20150605_175211719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZbaBDFkTtJQNCeay3Xe7OrXBStD064nTkBAkffVyAxvJbN1jGPnXgyINDNmM_92BCvE-2GQBpIvVt1suS86OvWQJvp15tJV47YjnyQWjcNYQ1SSeE_VkJNbzyS6tbRemMNymLhmwj3Ln/s640/IMG_20150605_175211719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone seemed very relaxed and the artists were SO proud to have their families attend.<br />I was very excited that we had 100% of our children attend with family members.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2kA3Wz_RB5pwhDXceigb0dKomVUJ6vU8cFAIyV9fe3-1yw4dtpwIuwz23usKDiBectxye9EbP1DTr_6KzaJXUmNEob-NZdkGSeTG6atLVT_Od_puUS1iD638cEmwy5qYo9hdm1ZPBkTC/s1600/IMG_20150605_182803556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2kA3Wz_RB5pwhDXceigb0dKomVUJ6vU8cFAIyV9fe3-1yw4dtpwIuwz23usKDiBectxye9EbP1DTr_6KzaJXUmNEob-NZdkGSeTG6atLVT_Od_puUS1iD638cEmwy5qYo9hdm1ZPBkTC/s640/IMG_20150605_182803556.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubble blowing was a big highlight for the children outside.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL6E-JJcEvVRyrrl_ySVgT4YCHvinD2Qt92M2KSNvRQSjz3ewDuTXhy84jl-OhGFcR7tP31Ch8MPLMN5trL0sMsZHJOrRB9xARbc-gghkcKmgS4E9GHjtNGvLJSaVVRNAHPLUJp7luzcZ/s1600/IMG_20150605_184304101_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL6E-JJcEvVRyrrl_ySVgT4YCHvinD2Qt92M2KSNvRQSjz3ewDuTXhy84jl-OhGFcR7tP31Ch8MPLMN5trL0sMsZHJOrRB9xARbc-gghkcKmgS4E9GHjtNGvLJSaVVRNAHPLUJp7luzcZ/s640/IMG_20150605_184304101_TOP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children were surprised to find a Ball Pool under the covered climber.<br />The enjoyed lounging around and being silly with friends and siblings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGnyUzjf5kMfDzujZU796EMnouM-a4sgAuxbhPFHBm0BZKoWKEEStKNhKsBzwSfL3VWck3FgNLmd9OIIzgQIHgjXtn1W9a7ifq72gfrwRtktEqRJPYxkYN1w2OAFRsb1919AJ9BkMYShM/s1600/IMG_20150605_175439776_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGnyUzjf5kMfDzujZU796EMnouM-a4sgAuxbhPFHBm0BZKoWKEEStKNhKsBzwSfL3VWck3FgNLmd9OIIzgQIHgjXtn1W9a7ifq72gfrwRtktEqRJPYxkYN1w2OAFRsb1919AJ9BkMYShM/s640/IMG_20150605_175439776_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were many circle themed foods contributed by families.<br />This is a chance for the parents to show their creative side.<br />Notice even cups, plates and napkins have polka dots and circles on them.<br /><br />Some of the menu:<br />Circle Pasta Salad<br />Pepperoni, Cheese and Crackers<br />Circle Cereal Mix<br />Circle shaped fruit salad<br />Mini Pizzas<br />Cookies<br />Circle Tortilla Chips and Salsa<br />Meatballs<br />Circle Cut Veggies<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The children are so proud of their artwork and of course a chance to share their preschool with their families. A big thank you to all the families of Inch By Inch who continue</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">to make this event wonderful for us all.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">You can find previous year's posts </span><a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/05/circles-spots-and-polka-dots-2014-art.html" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and </span><a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2013/05/circles-spots-and-polka-dots-art-show.html" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: center;">.</span></div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-85712450443655377432015-05-25T19:53:00.000-04:002015-05-25T19:53:52.878-04:00Every year it happens...<div style="text-align: center;">
Every year around January, I start to panic about the children who will </div>
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leave us for Kindergarten in the Fall. </div>
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Where did the time go? Did I do enough?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR4daH_aLxfxdag5oIWvWJjiX0bPTWDzjaPsi5fMptpOaXNCj3tuRq9YElNFQ0OJpOiRu66-cBMD9wwEOVxeb-FRFD_0HI1Egn1oETaBK16ltF11uTolbVy95-dsKTu-fkXYvkpw-q21r/s1600/IMG_20141113_102129603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR4daH_aLxfxdag5oIWvWJjiX0bPTWDzjaPsi5fMptpOaXNCj3tuRq9YElNFQ0OJpOiRu66-cBMD9wwEOVxeb-FRFD_0HI1Egn1oETaBK16ltF11uTolbVy95-dsKTu-fkXYvkpw-q21r/s640/IMG_20141113_102129603.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Are they ready? Am I ready?</div>
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Do they know enough letters? Can they write their name?</div>
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Do they express their feelings? Are they too shy?</div>
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Am I just being overprotective?</div>
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Will they adjust to a larger group?</div>
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How will the group change without them?</div>
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Every April and May they grow up!<br />
Suddenly, like somebody has flipped a switch. </div>
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They are too big for preschool.</div>
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Are they bored? Are they anxious about Kindergarten?</div>
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They are wild. They are independent. </div>
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They are READY!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAAye9mUd2ITmtvBcE3AmIZC-b1CWAMsLyBUskgy-DHo7dZw8gEi_1KbjL8CpFLqJMqXxKwbWdFD2vCxBDc5Osc3orMJSX6phyphenhyphenslxu6htEYdJF0nomeBAhQO2eIM8iGIkoQqMgtO_tqjr/s1600/IMG_20150403_111649873_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAAye9mUd2ITmtvBcE3AmIZC-b1CWAMsLyBUskgy-DHo7dZw8gEi_1KbjL8CpFLqJMqXxKwbWdFD2vCxBDc5Osc3orMJSX6phyphenhyphenslxu6htEYdJF0nomeBAhQO2eIM8iGIkoQqMgtO_tqjr/s640/IMG_20150403_111649873_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Their last week comes...</div>
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They are ready. We are ready. It's time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx7nCcxI9czeM4UXLEoEEeG76087esT3WkKwgHT7Id3Q2AAIiIYpdjxDE1WtWl6wAQq2JrNi-zNmwhiWFkTS3dL2FiFHbihi6Kldfk2JG5ypnerCGYCsi7tT_3rfUS644oUfBEL1DzPGx/s1600/IMG_20150521_112928140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx7nCcxI9czeM4UXLEoEEeG76087esT3WkKwgHT7Id3Q2AAIiIYpdjxDE1WtWl6wAQq2JrNi-zNmwhiWFkTS3dL2FiFHbihi6Kldfk2JG5ypnerCGYCsi7tT_3rfUS644oUfBEL1DzPGx/s640/IMG_20150521_112928140.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Their last day comes....</div>
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They are ready.</div>
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I am not ready.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimulowcG2D26CnMGwaDExOXx8rmLsSZrlOIZ_6a_AIY4IZX0zvs4hcqNPk-X8xn_HfL9UpUjhIKqLVdjsgvCg-_-z9nYSDRHXT-Jhsu05P7PMWK9FxfRDpdu0QKNRtOi1q6lnbkpMlpz2X/s1600/IMG_4546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimulowcG2D26CnMGwaDExOXx8rmLsSZrlOIZ_6a_AIY4IZX0zvs4hcqNPk-X8xn_HfL9UpUjhIKqLVdjsgvCg-_-z9nYSDRHXT-Jhsu05P7PMWK9FxfRDpdu0QKNRtOi1q6lnbkpMlpz2X/s640/IMG_4546.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The last hug comes...</div>
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I am thankful that they don't all leave me at once, like many preschool programs. </div>
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I am thankful for Facebook that helps me see their First Day of School photos year after year. </div>
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I am thankful for families that want to bring them by to visit. </div>
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I am thankful for being part of their lives.</div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-27193555849963922912015-05-21T15:08:00.000-04:002015-05-21T15:08:23.106-04:00May Day Festival<div class="Body">
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<i>Our teacher Angela planned a wonderful celebration for the children and has shared the experience here for everyone to read about. Thank you Angela for all the loveliness you bring to our little community.</i></div>
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Despite all of the recent illnesses and other setbacks, I still
set out to do a small festival with the children as a part of my Lifeways
training. Thankfully, festivals are a source of healing and harmony for a
community, in our case the children were the community. It's very easy to
forget that what is central for a festival is really to come together to
celebrate, in one sense our togetherness, and in another more specific sense,
depending on the festival, spring.</div>
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May Day is a wonderful chance to welcome the joys of spring and
to come together after a long chilly winter. I brought a very simple small
version of this to our preschool. The children don't need long explanations or
fancy decorations, they really just need a few drops of magic in what is already
there. We spent a majority of our festival outside on the most beautiful spring
day in which the blue sky, rays of sunlight, singing birds, and budding flowers
were all the decoration I needed to make it special, and of course their
favorite place to be. I imbued a little magic into the celebration by
introducing Lady Spring who had finally awoken from her long slumber and began
to spread her springlike ways with flowers, berries, and more. These two things
were really the platform of our celebration, magic and magic outside. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We started the morning with a short story about Lady Spring (whom
we had the chance to meet briefly), a song, and finally a joining of hands to
gather outside for the activities. </div>
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We joined the birds, blue sky, and
dandelions, to craft our own magic wands to fly in the wind, join in a spring
snack of berries and coconut cakes, and finally to dance around our maypole
decorated with ribbons in the many spring colors. </div>
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A lot of these activities,
small, but meaningful were special to the children. One child even suggested
that before we dance around the maypole we collect as many dandelions as we
could and all throw them in the air at the same time, what a small yet joyous
activity inspired by Mother Nature for our festival. It was really the simplest
parts of the whole celebration that brought them great pleasure; plucking
dandelions from the ground, waving wands in the wind, joining on our rock for a
special snack, and singing songs together. </div>
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One of the most amazing things about
sharing this day together was watching the joy in the children's faces, seeing
them engage with each other happily, and playing outside joyously with what
Mother Nature provided for them. We certainly felt a sense of healing and
harmony in our tiny community for that time spent together.</div>
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Check out more Outdoor Fun at the...</div>
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<a href="http://www.nosuchthingasbadweather.blogspot.co.uk/" title="Learning for Life"><img alt="Learning for Life" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VVv-KWRKc9vZyt6t28KDocZHlGQrQPBwXStp61sMm_E0kHYf2MJEL0YJGigb1aUF60tol-ksxnS-in3YUhd6zOPS94Vrf266sqvIQj3xB3B1ilvoiBuAzOi5cAvlMA2gC8XBpeXDNPU/s1600/outdoors.aspx.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-20379143934459649662015-05-19T14:45:00.000-04:002015-05-19T20:38:05.311-04:00Preschool Around the World: Sweden<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2f3c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"><i>I have asked several of my international friends to write a guest post about what preschool is like in their part of the world.</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2f3c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2f3c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2f3c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2f3c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; line-height: 24.6400012969971px;"><i>Suzanne Axelson lives in Sweden and is the writer behind the blog <a href="http://interactionimagination.blogspot.se/" target="_blank">Interaction Imagination</a>. Suzanne and I were in the same group during <a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2014/11/play-iceland-2014.html" target="_blank">Play Iceland 2014</a> and had a lot fun discussing and learning with each other on our journey. She is also one of the people behind the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Fairy-Tea-Party/215796578569839?fref=ts" target="_blank">International Fairy Tea Party</a> that we take part in every September. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u><b>Is preschool private or public?</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$6:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Sweden there are a mix of private and public preschools... but all are funded by the state and all parents regardless of what type of preschool they send their children to pay the exact same amount of money - 1,260kr per month being the maximum amount a parent will pay for the youngest child in the family - 840kr for the next youngest, then 420kr for the next and any other children are cost-free. This is for full-time preschool (preschools are legally required to provide care between 6:30 and 18:30) - parents with a household income of less than 42,000kr per month are entitled to reduced preschool fees. Parents who are on parental leave (there is a generous parental leave in Sweden (you can read more about it <a href="https://www.forsakringskassan.se/wps/portal/privatpers/foralder/barnet_fott/foraldrapenning/om_foraldrapenning/!ut/p/a1/hdBBTsMwEAXQs3AAPDN2nU6XNpA0LQVBCQ3eoAS5JlKToLTCHJ9UYlVEmd2X3l_8AQcluK76bEJ1aPqu2h2zS15Z4spaMoi6MGgYi9srUpjlOIKXEeAfZ_C__tp3sAF3lkn8Be6R0GQpSkytxGJ6CrJJokawuHme64J4SaeATUKY0_yJHu7s4_VS_4AzSxbgmroV8a0VKIiJeCJZKz1Vs4QVbCy4LdarWTw-xXS14gBu8Fs_-EG89_sDlDFGEfo-7LzYe_hoy6-8yS9dGi6-AYO43Tk!/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYl3mDdFodebT_PG1xCbrJbq62QaOFDq_il4wx4ONsen0WazIJnQhHcHPOMKuSORoOKXxe_Mf_HXTntwoMbXKQOAVCJHTJg3DFOUY627ZaFxkaJLKQoSfFmkvS6fo0nY1QtorEmIGED0C/s1600/11294352_10153419364414434_332890713_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYl3mDdFodebT_PG1xCbrJbq62QaOFDq_il4wx4ONsen0WazIJnQhHcHPOMKuSORoOKXxe_Mf_HXTntwoMbXKQOAVCJHTJg3DFOUY627ZaFxkaJLKQoSfFmkvS6fo0nY1QtorEmIGED0C/s640/11294352_10153419364414434_332890713_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$2:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$2:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">These children in Stockholm can be at preschool for 30 hours per week (at a reduced cost) while in most parts of Sweden children with infant siblings may attend preschool for 15 hours per week.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have worked at both public and private preschools - and these can have as much differences between the same sector as they can have similarities across the sector. There are Reggio, Montessori, Ur och Skur (outdoor/forest preschool), traditional Swedish, Waldorf - there are also parent co-operatives and teacher co-operatives.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$9:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$10:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My children attended a parent co-operative preschool, where we as parents contributed to the running of the preschool. Right now I am working at a private preschool, Filosofiska - we also happen to be Sweden's truly only non-profit preschool (and this includes the public sector - as they can be sold at a profit).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$30:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>What does a typical day look like?</u></b></span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$31:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$33:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$34:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Children will start arriving between 6:30 and 9:00 in the morning... so there is free play when most children arrive. The group that I have just now (those turning 5 and 6 this year) are also a group that tend to turn up late... so I have not been getting going with our morning routines until 9:30, to ensure that it is an inclusive group.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$34:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$34:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preschool is not something children HAVE to do, so I feel that I should not be forcing them to get up early - let them have their slow mornings for as long as possible, as school will start between 8:00 and 8:30 - so there will be plenty of early morning to come in their future.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$35:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$36:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We start with a morning meeting with a sandwich or fruit snack, where we talk about what we will be doing during the day. Then we have our morning activity... which could be anything from art, to philosophy, to dance, to outdoor excursions... but by lunch at 12:00 we have completed the activity and played outside - we are outside for at least an hour every day... often longer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$37:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$38:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After lunch we have rest time. We lie down and relax, listening to stories or just daydreaming for 30 minutes.. those who sleep have the opportunity to do so... and yes we have 5 year olds who regularly sleep and are healthier and happier for it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$38:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$38:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having a sleep research husband means I see great value in rest and sleep.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$39:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$40:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the afternoon until 14:30 we have quiet play and then we eat snack. After snack there is free play... either indoors or outdoors.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$41:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$43:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$44:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALL of the activities we do are based on the children's play and interests... we have a basic plan for what we hope to do, and we have the curriculum to guide us on the learning outcomes we as teachers need to be scaffolding in order to enable the children to reach their potential.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$45:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$47:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$48:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We work at Filosofiska in a philosophical way... the children and teachers alike... this being that we are a community of learners. if you would like to learn more about how we work with philosophy then please check out </span><a data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$range1:0" href="http://interactionimagination.blogspot.se/2015/03/philosophy-and-prephilosophy-with.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://interactionimagination.blogspot.se/2015/03/philosophy-and-prephilosophy-with.html</a><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, it is not common practice to use philosophy with children here in Sweden, especially with preschoolers.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As preschools are open long days we teachers work shifts.. this means we are only fully manned between 9-15 every day - so even if the ratio sounds great there are times when the child-adult ratio is not as fantastic. Some preschools have a great ratio - we at Filosofiska have a 1:5.5 ratio while there are those with many more children per teacher. Also when we need to do our planning it also means that we leave the child-group, and there is no replacement teacher while we do this. Teachers get often 2 hours of planning reflection time a week, assistants get an hour - this can vary from preschool to preschool, but on the whole this is what I have worked with the most. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once a week we get a 30 minute planning as a team (each class/group teachers getting the chance to plan and reflect together). This too can vary from preschool to preschool, sometimes it has been an hour each week, sometimes 90 minutes every second week. When I interviewed preschool teachers as part of my masters thesis all of them had concern for planning/reflection time - as they all felt there was a huge need to be able to plan TOGETHER to be able to offer a great learning environment, but at the same time felt guilty that the child-teacher ratio was so affected. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is something that teachers in school do not experience as they have other teachers that take care of the children (with the same or even better ratios) when they have their planning. They also get more planning days than teachers in preschools... I assume this is due to the fact the preschool is still viewed as care compared to school.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDmzkI2vWdF6w2WOPfM-2r6OZfkE03UiEW30jpin-bBKc9fnyROE_2ajDFM1Kqpi_09gEeh-ttVENuD43zAq6uf0uyy5QsJA3Wxe20KgoytEwRiiZt0PkVq-XE4CohnHPDrL0a9myPjP/s1600/11297074_10153419367544434_212733079_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDmzkI2vWdF6w2WOPfM-2r6OZfkE03UiEW30jpin-bBKc9fnyROE_2ajDFM1Kqpi_09gEeh-ttVENuD43zAq6uf0uyy5QsJA3Wxe20KgoytEwRiiZt0PkVq-XE4CohnHPDrL0a9myPjP/s640/11297074_10153419367544434_212733079_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8;"><span style="color: #373e4d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 13.9636354446411px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our preschool does not have its own yard... this of course means that we have no outdoor space to develop with the children... which makes me a little sad, I have to admit, BUT it does mean that we are a part of the community we are in... the square is right outside our window, and is a place the children play in... there are many parks and the forest to visit... which means we can meet their play needs in many different ways. AND we see just how competent children are, even from the age of one, managing to go out on excursions every day... many preschools I have worked at have said 1-2 year olds were too young to be able to go on excursions.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOzLncq-p2KNpWUO-2oesO_aBMS1-l-WaIGnWk-ThLAKk7oeIjLNZeg9NDkwnPBdGaHoI393ry9kOzH0OYhj_wax1P-sI1HJFI6JqSO868QMoIJdIA9uE4nJ-Vl1p2uNn2CXq9jSsJU9O/s1600/11294473_10153419371789434_825996926_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOzLncq-p2KNpWUO-2oesO_aBMS1-l-WaIGnWk-ThLAKk7oeIjLNZeg9NDkwnPBdGaHoI393ry9kOzH0OYhj_wax1P-sI1HJFI6JqSO868QMoIJdIA9uE4nJ-Vl1p2uNn2CXq9jSsJU9O/s640/11294473_10153419371789434_825996926_o.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We work hard on the children being able to do things themselves... a hand just behind, as a safety net, to allow them to feel safe, but also to discover just how much they can do themselves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The great thing in Sweden is that we do not have to write risk asessments to be able to go on excursions... if the children say we need to go to the forest to look for fairies we can up and go to the forest...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOF05mhB-qfAEM4-1O6fLotP7XnbAdPBkFf95Hy85R89_bTjUmxIPUVaDNLaREmC6HHH4adMWu4iGaJZMbErceHFX0Plgycae62MHsG1TRNgAdu45OtoOR5NhStgzc6zYQYCT44B176J9/s1600/11277998_10153419377259434_18909177_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOF05mhB-qfAEM4-1O6fLotP7XnbAdPBkFf95Hy85R89_bTjUmxIPUVaDNLaREmC6HHH4adMWu4iGaJZMbErceHFX0Plgycae62MHsG1TRNgAdu45OtoOR5NhStgzc6zYQYCT44B176J9/s640/11277998_10153419377259434_18909177_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Sweden the weather requires us to wrap up a lot... either in full rain gear to deal with the cold puddles...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMmF3NrUeT_NBu7B4jxb_krfWozIOHdHIwN6iniPSgCFAP1hyphenhyphenvmIQRBwqOlsY6b0ruEDTiavsepNsxKsRlgLYfAPAy5jAErjBGjvSU-GxAqgb-aC4FvyExxhSK25IBzwQgX_vBRdUj9Kz/s1600/11242307_10153419380564434_2110194349_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMmF3NrUeT_NBu7B4jxb_krfWozIOHdHIwN6iniPSgCFAP1hyphenhyphenvmIQRBwqOlsY6b0ruEDTiavsepNsxKsRlgLYfAPAy5jAErjBGjvSU-GxAqgb-aC4FvyExxhSK25IBzwQgX_vBRdUj9Kz/s640/11242307_10153419380564434_2110194349_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">or wrapped up warm to deal with the snow and minus degrees...
We are usually wearing winter gear between early October and late April (sometimes even early May)</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKa6nSh3DI3-O4cdIaBnbC2FlHfVL5ayNRbnRIoauR6y91z39bNrWeT1kMLycyYklkUVLhrRBZsolBX45IuXGO7thWOuxvZBe8RMTS07EGSL3qwdQaDWynMoFYVUPUX1yILF14P4QpRzB/s1600/11303604_10153419396764434_1527214970_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKa6nSh3DI3-O4cdIaBnbC2FlHfVL5ayNRbnRIoauR6y91z39bNrWeT1kMLycyYklkUVLhrRBZsolBX45IuXGO7thWOuxvZBe8RMTS07EGSL3qwdQaDWynMoFYVUPUX1yILF14P4QpRzB/s640/11303604_10153419396764434_1527214970_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also take part in International Fairy Tea Party every year - the first year just being a small one group celebration... and last year all the children in both the preschools celebrated... and they are all looking forward to celebrating again this September... it is so much fun to see how the celebration inspires their play and learning... they have learned to see and appreciate the small and insignificant things - and to see magic in the everyday.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGDSqKCy_8BqS4hR9gPxU432bRtH68Ld_8i-egHXgXwMe6-s6wKZjx7fpAiBrJEMPq1eyP-ZW_pJWDHIX7Ykwt66m5MvPZpxOR4s9cbY00QvMIF1dhOLrHR9IthRkDhMSx-uYPeSTaoEt/s1600/11293542_10153419401004434_1549826711_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGDSqKCy_8BqS4hR9gPxU432bRtH68Ld_8i-egHXgXwMe6-s6wKZjx7fpAiBrJEMPq1eyP-ZW_pJWDHIX7Ykwt66m5MvPZpxOR4s9cbY00QvMIF1dhOLrHR9IthRkDhMSx-uYPeSTaoEt/s640/11293542_10153419401004434_1549826711_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We always try to make use of everything... like when a big delivery arrives the boxes become a maze with so much play potential. We are lucky to have a large room specifically for movement on a big scale.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>How old are the children?</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$15:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$16:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preschools serve children aged between 1 year and 6 years. These can be divided up in mixed age groups, in groups with each year in their own group (like the school system) there are sibling groups... which means that there is a 1-3 group and a 3-6 group. There is no one way to have a preschool.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$17:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$18:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The year children turn 6 is the year they will start a preschool class in a school environment in August. The year after, the year they turn 7 is when they officially start school.</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$19:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$21:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$22:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The routines of starting school should be a smooth transistion, but experience has taught me that some schools are better than others at reaching out to the preschools. Some will insist on meeting the children in their preschool environment before school starts and check with the preschool teachers about any possible strategies that would enable the children to transistion better, some schools only have contact with the parents and the children visit before hand with their parents... although when we contact the school we are welcome to visit as a preschool, and then there are sadly some preschools that just ignore us in preschool altogether...</span><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$23:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br /><br /><br /><br data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$25:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".co.$mid=11431882329028=2606954b844c2fc4369.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1:0:$26:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like most places in the world, preschool is not valued in the way that it should be and more focus is placed on the importance of school. But hopefully this is something that will slowly change.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-26778875506362166772015-05-11T21:25:00.001-04:002015-05-11T21:25:19.714-04:00Preschool Around the World: Northern Ireland<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><i>I have asked several of my international friends to write a guest post about what preschool is like in their part of the world.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><i>Kierna has so kindly agreed to be the first. She has a wonderful blog <a href="http://nosuchthingasbadweather.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Learning For Life</a> about her teaching experiences in Northern Ireland. Kierna has been a great inspiration for how we use our outdoor time at Inch By Inch over the last few years.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVYncQFp4ECBy8HyPbnZX6i_grv9LSJDyOyZLn3ZuBGEns5NTd2XTEfiRbSvNpGRdXWIBgFrJhxLJ-A-Vg5IPtg_1pkXCBRIheZicxqZR03L4-1e8VWmWwEd2MiGR8nq6jXYHpC3WN4V4/s1600/1459150_561268800621255_952313427_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVYncQFp4ECBy8HyPbnZX6i_grv9LSJDyOyZLn3ZuBGEns5NTd2XTEfiRbSvNpGRdXWIBgFrJhxLJ-A-Vg5IPtg_1pkXCBRIheZicxqZR03L4-1e8VWmWwEd2MiGR8nq6jXYHpC3WN4V4/s640/1459150_561268800621255_952313427_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of main primary school over the playground fence.</td></tr>
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Kierna writes:</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Despite the name of United Kingdom each of the 4 countries within it has
their own education systems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">In Northern Ireland, all children are entitled to one free year of
pre-school education in the year before they start formal compulsory schooling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsWIqbPw1r7fANoaU_1_sD3-UjT4Fde022CmocaNOGp3VB9vL8dOifJ18q05Td1v9oZqlPSKDsmXL7Lm50Bks3J-8W2LTPaM45y-BdlyfugECFDwqAe48W24ppYFl0THRxnHZ5tDwgCZw/s1600/10604051_734732009941599_3943868473871696342_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsWIqbPw1r7fANoaU_1_sD3-UjT4Fde022CmocaNOGp3VB9vL8dOifJ18q05Td1v9oZqlPSKDsmXL7Lm50Bks3J-8W2LTPaM45y-BdlyfugECFDwqAe48W24ppYFl0THRxnHZ5tDwgCZw/s640/10604051_734732009941599_3943868473871696342_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">There are 2 main types of preschools settings – playgroups or nursery
classes. Playgroups were traditionally set up by parents and are generally
staffed by people who have childcare training and sometimes a degree in early
years. The staff child ratio in a playgroup is one adult to 8 children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Nursery classes have qualified teachers and within this ‘sector’ there are 2
main types – stand alone nursery schools with a principal or nursery units
within larger primary schools. The staff child ratio in all nursery classes is
one adult to 13 children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Playgroups tend to be part-time 15 hours a week over 5 days. Nurseries can
either part-time or full-time – up to 25 hours a week over 5 days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Children attend everyday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">I teach in a nursery unit attached to a primary school so the children can
attend the school from the age of 3 until 11. It is a full-time class and we operate
from 8.50 – 1.45.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">I usually have 26 children & work with an assistant who has her training
in childcare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">The children in my class are aged 3 and 4. They have to have their 4<sup>th</sup>
birthday on or before the 2<sup>nd</sup> of July, the year they enter the
class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Usually the majority of the children in my class transfer to the Primary 1
class within the same school but there are always some who go to other schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">Some children will also go to special schools where their particular
additional needs can be met in smaller classes with more specialist teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">The children get an opportunity to visit with their new P.1 teacher before
starting school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">I share a transition report with the next teachers that gives them a
background knowledge of the child they are receiving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">For children in my class I try to keep the routine as similar as possible
each day but of course the weather has a big influence as to whether we go
outside again after lunch or not. We also have 2 days when we stay outside
until story time. But the general flow of a nursery day in my class goes as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWWB_xKDrqZF0ARMYsF-Ff8O9hHayohDkZ3c81GjtThSNFFqRJ-TtyaQCgvyectcK6dh2ddcF71XJLKlMAh5LLqjfzkLC_2gWmUJpXFWwhVD90a0Z7nkoinvt6Ng5zg43rEx3tVBQRP_3/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWWB_xKDrqZF0ARMYsF-Ff8O9hHayohDkZ3c81GjtThSNFFqRJ-TtyaQCgvyectcK6dh2ddcF71XJLKlMAh5LLqjfzkLC_2gWmUJpXFWwhVD90a0Z7nkoinvt6Ng5zg43rEx3tVBQRP_3/s400/3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbruIrLhLuw4Oc2HgyPM9GxjvO8jldr4Ffg_0mIwPxjhOb1oHYA01bTuSt3hp1JHPoNH4PC2xHrJaZ2qM7ZW8oOL94eG21C228jBzG1kpatiEkVWksCIsewvH21ktllHg6lxk672pX4_DM/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbruIrLhLuw4Oc2HgyPM9GxjvO8jldr4Ffg_0mIwPxjhOb1oHYA01bTuSt3hp1JHPoNH4PC2xHrJaZ2qM7ZW8oOL94eG21C228jBzG1kpatiEkVWksCIsewvH21ktllHg6lxk672pX4_DM/s400/4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">8.50 – 10.30: meet & greet, the children go straight outside to play,
snack is on offer outdoors. </span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"> They play outdoors for at least 60 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">At 10.30 they come inside & hang up their coats, self register by moving
a photo & sometime half the group will tidy up outside at this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzuSWH_rd6BPVmMk0P0gD_4BK-nGnYLLHtT6iQU8Ga_LFEn-57H1pGdner6opvpt73__UZukJUKZ-SNAhTqLudWQ2SEL00ioEU2_o8mC-EovDxIgm8vaHg7tlsguWLG0bZn0ViP7Qx54J/s1600/523287_355311041217033_617090016_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzuSWH_rd6BPVmMk0P0gD_4BK-nGnYLLHtT6iQU8Ga_LFEn-57H1pGdner6opvpt73__UZukJUKZ-SNAhTqLudWQ2SEL00ioEU2_o8mC-EovDxIgm8vaHg7tlsguWLG0bZn0ViP7Qx54J/s320/523287_355311041217033_617090016_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Self-registration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">10.30 – 11.40: indoor play time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">11.40 – 11.50: tidy up time & toileting before story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">11.50 – 12.20: story time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">12.20 – 12.50: lunch time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">12.50 – 1.15: either indoor or outdoor play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">1.15 – 1.25: tidy up time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">1.30 – 1.45: doors open for parents/carers to collect children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2f3c; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%;">It is a busy, busy day & most teachers who come to cover who are used to
teaching in primary school can’t understand how a nursery teacher functions without
a break until 2.00!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-32031025808397298422015-04-19T21:04:00.002-04:002015-04-19T21:04:45.259-04:00Woven Preschool Philosophy: Reflection and Intention<div style="text-align: center;">
Several years ago I read the phrase "Woven Philosophy" and fell in love. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzWdAPoZ8qg/U18DI45uBVI/AAAAAAAAOHc/ADkBk64DcKQ/s1600/_20140428_101622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzWdAPoZ8qg/U18DI45uBVI/AAAAAAAAOHc/ADkBk64DcKQ/s1600/_20140428_101622.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have grown to embrace the phrase and pride in the fact that our preschool isn't labelled under any specific curriculum or philosophy. The children and program are continuously growing and changing. This means that our approach, environment, and opportunities should be changing along with them. Instead of saying we are Montessori, Waldorf, Play-based, High Scope, Reggio Inspired or any other system of teaching, we belong to a Woven Philosophy. A method that takes pieces and parts from any philosophy to fit with the children's changing goals and growth.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BH1TRfZKR8/VGVp8jprSjI/AAAAAAAAa0I/FR4n5ZjpWtc/s1600/IMG_20141112_101256714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BH1TRfZKR8/VGVp8jprSjI/AAAAAAAAa0I/FR4n5ZjpWtc/s1600/IMG_20141112_101256714.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love aspects of all of these philosophies and many schools do follow them exclusively and that works for them! I don't feel there is a need in our community (or for myself) to create a focus or label for our preschool.<br />
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If you put two adults and twelve children into a room together, you are going to have so many different learning styles, strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and interests. People say variety is the spice of life and I think this is true in the classroom. If I only offer activities in a certain way, then I am possibly excluding certain children who need me to present it in a different way. <span style="background-color: white;">Some children are going to miss out on certain skills if they are not intere</span><span style="background-color: white;">sted in the activities offered, unless I encourage them through multiple approaches.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzSPnW8mJ_OyZBhZbYZL9jm6PkJCXyKPbpz5Fji_mS9Gu5off0QSVF3kY5KIP4k6OWx134ZoUq6RwXGhYWVputPDWH9fH_X6kUhmDXokZhu5QDr2h_hiK1e_Di0X3j99gEf1rI8T3A07Z/s1600/IMG_20150226_083545902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzSPnW8mJ_OyZBhZbYZL9jm6PkJCXyKPbpz5Fji_mS9Gu5off0QSVF3kY5KIP4k6OWx134ZoUq6RwXGhYWVputPDWH9fH_X6kUhmDXokZhu5QDr2h_hiK1e_Di0X3j99gEf1rI8T3A07Z/s1600/IMG_20150226_083545902.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Intention and Reflection are the most important pieces to making my work successful. If I am not constantly reflecting on my day, conversations, interactions and activities, then I will never know what is working for my current group. I then need to intentionally plan the environment and routines based on the children's personalities, learning styles, personal goals, and relationships with their classmates.<br />
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Know the children and their backgrounds.</div>
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Know the families and community.</div>
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Be thoughtful about the environment.</div>
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Be thoughtful about the materials.</div>
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Find a balance that meets the needs of the group you are with.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCldSE969JcPKfWPCBe42arjWWARD5_dor2NDDbJg9tFu3vjqGLPku1uX-8hySnITCAHTxoH5h1fQ0QQ8r-XWH1Qjn2oaZRKhawEZ-mTCZEZbPFmYkAiHRWhBaQZ3gPRYf2ArqxyqaZJsY/s1600/_20141111_183700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCldSE969JcPKfWPCBe42arjWWARD5_dor2NDDbJg9tFu3vjqGLPku1uX-8hySnITCAHTxoH5h1fQ0QQ8r-XWH1Qjn2oaZRKhawEZ-mTCZEZbPFmYkAiHRWhBaQZ3gPRYf2ArqxyqaZJsY/s1600/_20141111_183700.JPG" height="640" width="522" /></a></div>
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Here are three of my favorite blog posts that demonstrate further how being intentional and reflecting make a difference in working with children.<br />
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<a href="http://notjustcute.com/2012/02/07/repost-intentional-deficit-disorder/" target="_blank">Not Just Cute: Intentional Deficit Disorder</a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27.2000007629395px;">"Consider what you really hope for and turn that into intention. Use your intentions and purposes as filters. We can simplify our classrooms and our homes by knowing our intentions and living and teaching by them. Begin to recognize that we don’t have to do everything. </span><span style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We just have to do what matters most." -Amanda Morgan (Not Just Cute)</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://interactionimagination.blogspot.se/2013/05/do-templates-kill-creativity.html" target="_blank">Interaction Imagination: Do Templates Kill Creativity?</a><br />
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"Can templates be a skeleton for children to hang their own creative skins on? Or do templates kill creativity?" -Suzanne Axelson (Interaction Imagination)<br />
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/11/sometimes-we-craft.html" target="_blank">Child Central Station: Sometimes We Craft.</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">"I have spent a lot of time in my journey has an early childhood educator exploring, growing, and learning, coming to conclusions of what I believe to be true, and the best path for the children I work with." -Amy Ahola (Child Central Station)</span><br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-11006390687560239442015-03-22T20:49:00.001-04:002015-03-22T20:49:21.625-04:00Storytelling: Who? What? Where?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This week we have been focusing on the parts of a story. This includes both storytelling and also investigating the books that we are reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have been focusing on the Who? What? and Where? of the story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When we create the story, we start with "where?" and create a scene. This can be as basic as setting out a piece of fabric to stand on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we move to who. Who is going to be there? We choose fabric or costumes to show our characters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then finally, what are they doing there and what props do we need? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the stories we worked on was our own version of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giant_Turnip" target="_blank">The Big Turnip</a>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each child got to choose their character and the costume they needed to represent that character. We also practiced taking turns being in the audience and clapping at the end of the show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Group One</u></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlV7D7PXv__Ii8LxiiFS2vaLMsTIdVjdwKg4fWCZUNktrPHL2JZ0lN8zXsbvA2cuZQJL2UgJ36sWL3ZMAuww6FLULybU6boczBQuekKYxv6WJACFfBJg8FXX5u-b3mtaSx5m2DdM8y5uL/s1600/IMG_20150318_110533022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlV7D7PXv__Ii8LxiiFS2vaLMsTIdVjdwKg4fWCZUNktrPHL2JZ0lN8zXsbvA2cuZQJL2UgJ36sWL3ZMAuww6FLULybU6boczBQuekKYxv6WJACFfBJg8FXX5u-b3mtaSx5m2DdM8y5uL/s1600/IMG_20150318_110533022.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A bear planting the seeds in the garden.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-_8BSA07QPhPG2ps9iHGqO2ylc77Lj9_zubMYE41FY6ijpLCsbjwSSZxevgRJXzww-kBl7h5yb7BP67znIYBSwkDxxIXgE2mSi9Qn8pYGZVXT0xBiR2dijL2mwKM0I66wJd7fplpWW1W/s1600/IMG_20150318_110645104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-_8BSA07QPhPG2ps9iHGqO2ylc77Lj9_zubMYE41FY6ijpLCsbjwSSZxevgRJXzww-kBl7h5yb7BP67znIYBSwkDxxIXgE2mSi9Qn8pYGZVXT0xBiR2dijL2mwKM0I66wJd7fplpWW1W/s1600/IMG_20150318_110645104.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bear's friend Chicken watering <br />the seeds.</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGj57xf14oHIOnUBAY-zvbRT0yrXpnLoHs-cmxkSZjS32b0L95Rx2jq6A6vVaAU0U3BVC8Kl85oZ2ZJyeu1p_e46n54l5SY72-x3dX9CUgo_dpGTqlOq7rktUXVeTTyzSHewoG7x680lD/s1600/IMG_20150318_110725323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGj57xf14oHIOnUBAY-zvbRT0yrXpnLoHs-cmxkSZjS32b0L95Rx2jq6A6vVaAU0U3BVC8Kl85oZ2ZJyeu1p_e46n54l5SY72-x3dX9CUgo_dpGTqlOq7rktUXVeTTyzSHewoG7x680lD/s1600/IMG_20150318_110725323.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sun shining on the seeds.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC58pq7mwlw2dgzvq7eRZlLMZlKI6F07r_H9RJ2g9VkkZRm6khwhB2UHDggfpqH2_gCFSlN8uXzzDlfTcTnJLRwzvISRdemglEuf6ywoHTg-euFYJFFBJShsZxEhUfDf-FkSfMpkKlqFy8/s1600/IMG_20150318_111336813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC58pq7mwlw2dgzvq7eRZlLMZlKI6F07r_H9RJ2g9VkkZRm6khwhB2UHDggfpqH2_gCFSlN8uXzzDlfTcTnJLRwzvISRdemglEuf6ywoHTg-euFYJFFBJShsZxEhUfDf-FkSfMpkKlqFy8/s1600/IMG_20150318_111336813.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />Bear pulling on the vine of the giant berry, but it was TOO BIG!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CFk-fUGf-zc6mMRMJGz2HvQAf_LtdpZIvBar6ArTQZROEjQLSz6tyV1Qi6qRlnjA9dSIaFWuMdrUWeFv1SX-qoRZyGbNrrGWkhu7czt49dP5j3LYDA2fpW1fnQ_sRuzrzOS0MC3X9Ftg/s1600/IMG_20150318_111440806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CFk-fUGf-zc6mMRMJGz2HvQAf_LtdpZIvBar6ArTQZROEjQLSz6tyV1Qi6qRlnjA9dSIaFWuMdrUWeFv1SX-qoRZyGbNrrGWkhu7czt49dP5j3LYDA2fpW1fnQ_sRuzrzOS0MC3X9Ftg/s1600/IMG_20150318_111440806.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bear, Chicken and another Bear trying to pick the berry.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSchQv785Pg5GO79ewrvnRRhXdGlOS7SVqvpg-rxVTCkWLnEl2bijYUF6PBRweqAfyr7ONk7wrV-zyI6s2d3pnnBqJFy30I98V0LGtBzjtzKaREKR6TYj1Qg0zpG47n_5Cpddf1bmcg9i/s1600/IMG_20150318_111622377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSchQv785Pg5GO79ewrvnRRhXdGlOS7SVqvpg-rxVTCkWLnEl2bijYUF6PBRweqAfyr7ONk7wrV-zyI6s2d3pnnBqJFy30I98V0LGtBzjtzKaREKR6TYj1Qg0zpG47n_5Cpddf1bmcg9i/s1600/IMG_20150318_111622377.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two chickens, two bears, and a blue monster all working together. And the sun up in the sky.<br />"And the pulled, and they pulled, and they pulled..."<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Group Two</u></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J4pDk8IZuSV_06T4xnyCGYFoP5K7JRItjNqusxUDT1WWlTbLPDZLXqEcBceiNDKv5kghHnaFRZX2phjSyEyijF4dC_U3PAgdw1BqWu0I9b6cS-gYjkZNccPKJ5fsaQYurpO-EYtIpaft/s1600/IMG_20150318_111838091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J4pDk8IZuSV_06T4xnyCGYFoP5K7JRItjNqusxUDT1WWlTbLPDZLXqEcBceiNDKv5kghHnaFRZX2phjSyEyijF4dC_U3PAgdw1BqWu0I9b6cS-gYjkZNccPKJ5fsaQYurpO-EYtIpaft/s1600/IMG_20150318_111838091.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blue Monster planting seeds in his garden.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIdO77ZYrGNZozJTwBpSg9zl-fAKg1xswE80-QCpmTFncsSt0zmTMxzK5fFJsLM64Ret7c2Lm8yZI80LsrKpDOgmUvtMCK5CvrQjkgzdY1z0lI9Pj948Q5Iu0SPA9emYrDJMATT6rixyP/s1600/IMG_20150318_112032856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIdO77ZYrGNZozJTwBpSg9zl-fAKg1xswE80-QCpmTFncsSt0zmTMxzK5fFJsLM64Ret7c2Lm8yZI80LsrKpDOgmUvtMCK5CvrQjkgzdY1z0lI9Pj948Q5Iu0SPA9emYrDJMATT6rixyP/s1600/IMG_20150318_112032856.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sun shining on the seeds. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBYMNpCKe8g/VQm98ypnIrI/AAAAAAAAgBc/XEgt6yhRx4k/s1600/IMG_20150318_112341338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBYMNpCKe8g/VQm98ypnIrI/AAAAAAAAgBc/XEgt6yhRx4k/s1600/IMG_20150318_112341338.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blue monster, a bear, a duck and a red monster trying to pick the watermelon.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfXTi35h3PQjLRWQ78cE4ZJYtJUd1XPZ4QANDjkoryluYDyOPWA0Nyyw3vHsrJ0GR0JxDhEKuL5IfskvSp1QYPUCumNrf8mnms0KF2aTvCoj1h8jzE2ORXZqhVkLF4YcKD409RK5cFrNS/s1600/IMG_20150318_112448228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfXTi35h3PQjLRWQ78cE4ZJYtJUd1XPZ4QANDjkoryluYDyOPWA0Nyyw3vHsrJ0GR0JxDhEKuL5IfskvSp1QYPUCumNrf8mnms0KF2aTvCoj1h8jzE2ORXZqhVkLF4YcKD409RK5cFrNS/s1600/IMG_20150318_112448228.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Along came a tiny green chicken. They pulled. And they pulled. And they pulled.<br />Until FINALLY! Pop!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The children continued the storytelling after I stepped away. A couple of the children took turns being the narrator/director of the play. I can't wait to see if the same story line appears again during free play. This has been just as much of a learning process for me as it is for them and I look forward to taking it further with them.</span></div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-38830406127811186802015-03-15T21:35:00.000-04:002015-03-15T21:35:09.587-04:00I can do it myself. <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Never help a child with a task at </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>which he feels he can succeed.</b></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: x-large;"><b>-Maria Montessori</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of our major goals is to help build self-confidence in the children and provide time for them to practice important life skills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are just a few of the daily routines, where the children have a chance to gain independence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">The children are reminded and encouraged to do as much of their own dressing and undressing for outdoor play as possible. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">We give reminders to the children to guide them to remove their own shoes and jackets. Sometimes they need help with the velcro, laces or zippers, but then they can actually remove the item and put it away themselves. When getting ready to go outside, they are asked to put on as much as they can and then approach us to be zipped, buttoned, tucked etc. Often we will hook their zipper and have them pull it up themselves.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmBRNl5Tm_Dd5YKDQpJvfbv_TmyyxkZ_9ufo7KEOk7mAIa7is1nESCKD5-RHMiKhPRjidD6ARgPuNlAYmAK-PuKnqBTAxkhaPsdAksQhrV4XWIhqtLc4ipbS7jB-_TS3iNDDjVQ7hQKhX/s1600/IMG_20141118_095545261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmBRNl5Tm_Dd5YKDQpJvfbv_TmyyxkZ_9ufo7KEOk7mAIa7is1nESCKD5-RHMiKhPRjidD6ARgPuNlAYmAK-PuKnqBTAxkhaPsdAksQhrV4XWIhqtLc4ipbS7jB-_TS3iNDDjVQ7hQKhX/s1600/IMG_20141118_095545261.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toileting</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the bathroom children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. If the child is still in pull ups (or diapers), they are expected to pull everything down and then back up after they have been changed. These are the beginning steps to helping themselves in the bathroom. In order for children to feel successful they need to have stretchy clothing on. Things that discourage independence in the bathroom: tight fitting pants, buttons, snaps, belts and overalls. These can also be a problem if a child is rushing to the bathroom in an emergency and can’t get onto the potty in time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbWZFGe39Wc-LA3El9g7lMwmoUjV1Oot3TJPdj_e6sI2EwkG5ov_kBMidGU_MfDOughcs1QVKIPT-AGPvFRcjrqpHom-BHsrfqnPCkvYo9z4gq4R49bwJihAISlaD9r58CNRGMuCtefIi/s1600/_20141028_172710.JPG" height="640" width="398" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the table.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Children pour their own water and pass the water pitcher to their friends. They ask to “clear” or to be excused when they are finished. They sometimes have to make two trips to the kitchen, but they scrape their plates and put them in the sink. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; line-height: 36.7999992370606px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the year goes on children are provided with more opportunity to serve themselves. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have recently started experimenting with occasional buffet style meals.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHaZI6i6TxU/VQYt6Mr_E-I/AAAAAAAAf-w/7Yx0s0eW7iM/s1600/IMG_20150312_120922896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 24.5333347320557px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHaZI6i6TxU/VQYt6Mr_E-I/AAAAAAAAf-w/7Yx0s0eW7iM/s1600/IMG_20150312_120922896.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z56yVVJ5Vc/VQYuR20cLPI/AAAAAAAAf-4/N5kUN7OsRyA/s1600/IMG_20150312_121350256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 24.5333347320557px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z56yVVJ5Vc/VQYuR20cLPI/AAAAAAAAf-4/N5kUN7OsRyA/s1600/IMG_20150312_121350256.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are lots of different experiences for the children on the playgrounds. Some of the elements are simple and some requires a bit more balance and physical ability. The general rule at Inch By Inch is once they can safely get on and off by themselves, than they are ready to use it. If a child climbs onto something and needs assistance to get back down, than they are redirected to something easier that can strengthen those same skills. Teachers act more as observers on the playground, allowing the children the time and space to explore and problem solve on their own.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXz1FIMrt8FP4vOJX_cpTiuqiUB2GyL1Sbs4WzWc2dUGXA2s0uP2wTYUysgFLqm0MqGsMQMnSkTvtkM3rcnFTFCCMa3xV-CcbpC2OP0V8gnnLxi_GJQFVy8turA3rL28TC4jIM_IwlbT6/s1600/IMG_20150206_110309788-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 22.0799999237061px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXz1FIMrt8FP4vOJX_cpTiuqiUB2GyL1Sbs4WzWc2dUGXA2s0uP2wTYUysgFLqm0MqGsMQMnSkTvtkM3rcnFTFCCMa3xV-CcbpC2OP0V8gnnLxi_GJQFVy8turA3rL28TC4jIM_IwlbT6/s1600/IMG_20150206_110309788-EFFECTS.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN6De7AI8kCENcViH1tfLLGbP4hD-YRRdIxhZKD-Ht7heBFLD0IYFEHDJm5JTi28WdLITQ7_vafsneUqStMF1vMQOBdVLlGVfbGWX9_PTMc-k1QmBMVgfoPw0mIX1XJiMITuHZ8kTP2um/s1600/IMG_20150129_114317320_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN6De7AI8kCENcViH1tfLLGbP4hD-YRRdIxhZKD-Ht7heBFLD0IYFEHDJm5JTi28WdLITQ7_vafsneUqStMF1vMQOBdVLlGVfbGWX9_PTMc-k1QmBMVgfoPw0mIX1XJiMITuHZ8kTP2um/s1600/IMG_20150129_114317320_HDR.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think that being in a social environment is a great place for children to practice these skills. There is often more time for practice at preschool than there is at home. The children are usually more willing to try for another adult besides their parents. And of course, most importantly, they are learning from and watching each other succeed. Self-motivation is the best motivation.</span></span><br />
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-19419734462104090132015-02-27T20:07:00.000-05:002015-03-04T19:54:29.870-05:00Welcome to Our Preschool<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">We are fortunate to have such a big space for our small group of twelve children. We have divided the classroom into several areas to encourage different types of play. You can read more about the system we use in the classroom here <a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/01/making-choices-where-are-you-playing.html" target="_blank">"Making Choices: Where are you playing?"</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I thought I would give a tour of the different play spaces in the classroom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSzLFkVI5E1XPMyCMooqC-81wCVLS_bbQR0PQk20vhU_c4xCIfMk__fJZFbZ5CMXb0jd0HBxxyguTTDZczq9pIF6wB7R4LylK_7juTD3wUIrxpBG0epbkEHd6Y9VPg1Eow2xGEB9vQ_-1/s1600/IMG_20150209_100544388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSzLFkVI5E1XPMyCMooqC-81wCVLS_bbQR0PQk20vhU_c4xCIfMk__fJZFbZ5CMXb0jd0HBxxyguTTDZczq9pIF6wB7R4LylK_7juTD3wUIrxpBG0epbkEHd6Y9VPg1Eow2xGEB9vQ_-1/s1600/IMG_20150209_100544388.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38;">Imagination Station:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">Imagination Station is a new area we created from combing our dress up and block area. It currently has baby dolls, Fafu dress up clothes, wooden play food and table on one side and blocks, tubes, loose parts, small cars, people, and occasionally ride-on cars. There are two different floor surfaces and it is common for the children to dress up on the "home side" and travel to work, camping or the ocean on the other side.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QTE3VOiBfAQ/VPEgfOYpsHI/AAAAAAAAf3U/bbi-md8HhuA/s1600/20150219_094049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QTE3VOiBfAQ/VPEgfOYpsHI/AAAAAAAAf3U/bbi-md8HhuA/s1600/20150219_094049.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Art Table: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are always open ended art materials available for the children to explore on their own. We paint, cut, glue, color, collage and use playdough. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUhD83FV8MR36qEVReDv103v3PW6uOCUrUCa2CTF96fDCoq66djmjPSaUhECc0S9DJsrEVhT1HULuhOC31aN3_bTd18-q7O4Me-da6_u0DLyrN7fepKmFBI1UxiRswDDpxHoGA2R3ACKF/s1600/IMG_20150302_100942706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUhD83FV8MR36qEVReDv103v3PW6uOCUrUCa2CTF96fDCoq66djmjPSaUhECc0S9DJsrEVhT1HULuhOC31aN3_bTd18-q7O4Me-da6_u0DLyrN7fepKmFBI1UxiRswDDpxHoGA2R3ACKF/s1600/IMG_20150302_100942706.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; line-height: 31.0810813903809px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small World Play: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; line-height: 31.0810813903809px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">This a cozy area where children have access to loose parts, natural materials and small dolls or animals to create worlds and use their imaginations. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GZje8i-ex9Lxx1QkwCpeXJcphbDO1-CecOfqlRlN82se9pBWjKHaDUWJ2QUSADsAs2LrJKMHwNBzHg_9-vZnANRgUzLzG0wL-7lcawJa849aYvzBbyzTzThw4hij_e1A_0_JBZsNjikK/s1600/IMG_20150226_100121564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GZje8i-ex9Lxx1QkwCpeXJcphbDO1-CecOfqlRlN82se9pBWjKHaDUWJ2QUSADsAs2LrJKMHwNBzHg_9-vZnANRgUzLzG0wL-7lcawJa849aYvzBbyzTzThw4hij_e1A_0_JBZsNjikK/s1600/IMG_20150226_100121564.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quiet Reading Area: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a space that is limited to one or two children. A quiet nook with books, blankets, pillows and a small place to "escape" to</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbPBbx-9curOILQVjrqEScAcxpLJdjqE3MfeE3SwY8yJ-fTVU4phYvgs83H54L5OHm4ZeD2WnbrMiuWEchs2l-FAOfUkXeT3_Vq5c6FCT0cxdegiXeXIxJvwj_XTwpgIYrFc1nnBPa5tf/s1600/IMG_20150225_102121519_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbPBbx-9curOILQVjrqEScAcxpLJdjqE3MfeE3SwY8yJ-fTVU4phYvgs83H54L5OHm4ZeD2WnbrMiuWEchs2l-FAOfUkXeT3_Vq5c6FCT0cxdegiXeXIxJvwj_XTwpgIYrFc1nnBPa5tf/s1600/IMG_20150225_102121519_HDR.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIzrpqeza_T_4HmbW8wnCovloSCLzQaqAdSqbcdadrG-a-2UH2Bx1fyeHslQaQWMpmNOWkqwsMZpUI-QJW-QLtNuyepjB6LYcapw2_GE3qlNymtdc1f43nZwMP5gAwzHLzxvVEeoNZFqV/s1600/1384064_10152504667137568_7696314271968982780_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIzrpqeza_T_4HmbW8wnCovloSCLzQaqAdSqbcdadrG-a-2UH2Bx1fyeHslQaQWMpmNOWkqwsMZpUI-QJW-QLtNuyepjB6LYcapw2_GE3qlNymtdc1f43nZwMP5gAwzHLzxvVEeoNZFqV/s1600/1384064_10152504667137568_7696314271968982780_n.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Octagon Table: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A large table that is used for standing activities such as trains, lego, small building blocks or other manipulatives.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4vttGgLsWzM/VPEVuXylTTI/AAAAAAAAf2I/yGyzraorzgI/s1600/IMG_20150212_081450660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4vttGgLsWzM/VPEVuXylTTI/AAAAAAAAf2I/yGyzraorzgI/s1600/IMG_20150212_081450660.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sensory Table: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have recently heard another educator refer to it as the "touch table." I love that. The contents of this table usually shifts every week or two, depending on how long the children stay interested. Sometimes we put the cover on it and use the surface for other activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gathering Rug: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is our place to have meetings and circle time. It is also a place where the children know they can go to get out some extra energy. There is always some sort of big muscle supplies (bean bags for throwing, weights for lifting, carpet squares for hopping on.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is a blog post about it what one day looked like on the Gathering Rug: </span><a href="http://growinginchbyinch.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-balancing-act.html" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Balancing Act</a><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hope you enjoyed the tour! Our classroom is forever evolving and moving to meet the needs of the children throughout the year and from group to group. </span></div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7622623736195460205.post-3280361536353032732015-02-16T08:41:00.000-05:002015-02-16T08:41:34.519-05:00Masking Tape Art<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSitOcKyBoHYWy9m1dslVdIIiOnj_3V1A28NI8uOUBqNzTCgoXJCTFiclcPFVLSDpxdiYaCDSIqqcrWnk2xfuumByIZ6-5MpO_Nz2pB6AL1lYZPjil_l9x3DxWrajDWY3zrq8h6nDTImS/s1600/20150216_074803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSitOcKyBoHYWy9m1dslVdIIiOnj_3V1A28NI8uOUBqNzTCgoXJCTFiclcPFVLSDpxdiYaCDSIqqcrWnk2xfuumByIZ6-5MpO_Nz2pB6AL1lYZPjil_l9x3DxWrajDWY3zrq8h6nDTImS/s1600/20150216_074803.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Every year I volunteer to set up a table at a local children's festival put on by the Children's Task Force. This festival is over two decades old and I remember attending as a child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Local organizations and businesses set up tables with hands on activities for children. The first few years I did paper bag puppets, pasta necklaces and things like that. I found there were often duplicates of my activities around the room. </span></div>
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Several years ago I started bringing colored masking tape and black cardstock. This is such a hit every year now. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEvaeIXrkqwNVjdCTuWBxqD6B5vJWYygIJGAttbJHVn8YPhXuXcHCLRenZVk9MmgpzgfQJAaqI7YXfFol3KtgzftYcjPHc0ovfH3UprWi-ahybSp2zdxUGemZ8-0ugX-i9_E8Ktb3msN_/s1600/20150216_075336.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> I am always amazed by the different ages that participate and the amazing creativity that I see. The last couple years I have also added stickers for the smaller toddlers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJelIglCG8eCJ3875pRFAjzIlYSPKQobja7coha6seCCnrZnphS93iY_K3OtGlcXSWV3NB5yAcmamcIYHHLhfPt930r1ZJTB0ebleiYyrH2IOtUYKbwH8UHOOSyHDH0XTpk9UmLj5bnYg/s1600/20150216_075311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJelIglCG8eCJ3875pRFAjzIlYSPKQobja7coha6seCCnrZnphS93iY_K3OtGlcXSWV3NB5yAcmamcIYHHLhfPt930r1ZJTB0ebleiYyrH2IOtUYKbwH8UHOOSyHDH0XTpk9UmLj5bnYg/s1600/20150216_075311.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Some children sit and stick two pieces of tape and are ready to move on (there is a lot of things to do).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Some children stay at the table for A LONG time working on one picture or sometimes making several (if their parents allow them the time).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Some children come back later in the day to make a new picture (or to add details to their original).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ol_bYyK7zOYwsD0JnfgAgvq7kd98H8HwsSI536FtKr9rGa3a7zBtMwVCGdeZ8nrExmnhH_GnpPZRgXaYz-EVVjBmlzS4vln-V0fRCxXaHMIvEa7DqjFiKJC1g8A-XWCrzSCfRsB5xESf/s1600/20150216_075636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ol_bYyK7zOYwsD0JnfgAgvq7kd98H8HwsSI536FtKr9rGa3a7zBtMwVCGdeZ8nrExmnhH_GnpPZRgXaYz-EVVjBmlzS4vln-V0fRCxXaHMIvEa7DqjFiKJC1g8A-XWCrzSCfRsB5xESf/s1600/20150216_075636.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The children use this open ended material in so many different ways that reflect their age and creative styles. For the first time this year a child (4 years old) cut up his paper and taped it back together into an animal. "Naturally" if you have tape, you must need something to tape together. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqYKSqFWRc-y76Ni9AiwzSfF61qDV5zNPKGFCtLVFd1V58HtorDD-d_ZJx9IDdVqwpzrMcV0CfOs5s344GtghOLwpkQ-IAlbC2wBl_ANIkTAHyGY79h25kx8LkNzppxZTRPsmtZpvbgeD/s1600/20150216_075518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqYKSqFWRc-y76Ni9AiwzSfF61qDV5zNPKGFCtLVFd1V58HtorDD-d_ZJx9IDdVqwpzrMcV0CfOs5s344GtghOLwpkQ-IAlbC2wBl_ANIkTAHyGY79h25kx8LkNzppxZTRPsmtZpvbgeD/s1600/20150216_075518.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Other creative styles I see:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Concrete images</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Abstract Designs</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Initials and Names</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Rainbows</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Patterns</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Frames</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Smoothed out tape</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Crumpled table (intentional and not)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIECwWtAKTTJNlsS9vD-juc9aPmvZB96r8PorQsMpsc6TMuFOwpVih21eh6RjmTJBJbj7XkmAV-zutwD3_-8qAtW8dAuO-UB9kajLVRxtSzYPXAv55yQRpjLRE3vlfUHtOTA_xeIqZzvM/s1600/20150216_075108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIECwWtAKTTJNlsS9vD-juc9aPmvZB96r8PorQsMpsc6TMuFOwpVih21eh6RjmTJBJbj7XkmAV-zutwD3_-8qAtW8dAuO-UB9kajLVRxtSzYPXAv55yQRpjLRE3vlfUHtOTA_xeIqZzvM/s1600/20150216_075108.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Kids love tape. The End.</span></div>
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** I purchase the tape from Discount School Supply. I prefer the 3/4" size. </div>
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269006192529676739noreply@blogger.com0