BAKING CUPCAKES

I have noticed that the children have been interested in the cooking area, pretending to bake cup cakes. They used the play dough and glitters on this prentending play. I was amazed with the way they worked together in trying to plan step by step on how to bake the cupcakes. So I decided to cook with them but provided real ingridients. I added flour, sugar, egg, milk and chocolate. "Who want to bake cup cakes with me? I asked. Five children (near five years old) joined me. Then I  explained to them the ingridients I got and how to mix them. Then I gave each one of them an opportunity to involve in mixing the ingridients.

These five children love being involved with preparing and cooking cup cakes. They have learnt alot from this activity. For example, they have learnt maths and that is when we estimated how much of the ingredients is needed, how much time to cook the ingredients we have put together to the time we can eat it. They were not afraid to take risk and solve their own problems. They also learn the science concepts such as how properties of a food affect the different ways it can cook and used, that is chocolate cooked over heat makes its into liquid, which can be molded into a differnt shapes. According to Somerset (2000), the developing stages relate closely to language development,stimulation and encouragement received from adults and other children. This view is supported by Te Whaariki as it states that "children experience an environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive" ( Ministry of Education,1996,p.80). The children were exciting as they socialise with each other. They felt pride on a good job done and they were sharing the cup cakes when its cooked. "Ka pai tamariki ma".

“Food technology includes understanding and using safe and reliable process preparing, presenting, and storing food and the development, packaging…..” (Ministry of Education, 2010, p.2). Therefore, in order to extending on this learning, I believe that it's important that the teachers are there to scaffold and collaborate with the children. I will add more material like apron and hat to promote food hygiene. I will reapeat this cooking again with the children. "Children can learn from repeating practices (Hutchins & Sims, 1999). Not only that but I will talk to the parents so that when they cook at home, they can include their children. As Hutchins & Sims (1999) also state that "the most influential settings for many children are the home and their school" (p.2). Bronfenbrenner refers to these settings as microsystems.

References:

Hutchins, T. & Sims, M. (1999) Introduction in Programme Planning for Infants and Toddlers, An Ecological Approach. Australia: Prentice Hall . Retrieved from http://www.peelearlyyears.com/pdf/Program%20Planning%20for%20Infants%20and%20Toddlers.pdf on the 21st of October, 2010 at 12:30am.

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

Ministry of Education. (2010). Mixing food, technology and good ideas. Retrieved from http://www.yetrust.co.nz/Corporate/Media/Media%202010/April/Food%20Technology.pdf on Thursday, 2010 at 11:58am.

Somerset, G. (2007). Work and play: In the early years. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.

ANIMAL FARM

In the block area, there were 4 boys, building blocks. They interacted, shared the blocks and helped each other in building their farm animals. "Hey, hurry up and get that block over there for the chicken to stand on", said child M to child T. T did and they carried on building until they agreed that it was time to bring the animals. This time, I decided to approach them by asking them where would they get the animals from. Child M said, "I'll go home and bring my cat". child S said, "I'll go to the zoo and bring the giraffe and the elephant". Then I asked them, "how would u bring the animals? "I can drive", said child M. "I will ask my uncle to bring his big truck so that the giraffe and the elephant can fit", said child S. "Well done boys, good thinking", I praised. So they went to the small toys corner and bring not only the animal they've mentioned but they bring different types of animals including cows, horses and dogs. They put them in the farm then we talked about their colours, what they eat and we sang "oh macdonald had a farm". They enjoyed it.

Base on the children's interest, they have learnt and develop lot of skills such as social skills, language skills and mathematic concepts. This activity offerred children the opportunities to think critically, solve problems, make good decisions, be curious and open-minded (Alanxender, 2008). For example, when I approached them, I asked them open ended questions, such as 'where would you get the animal from? They started to expand their thinking (cognitive skills) and answered them. These young children have learnt to be independent and develop self helping skills when they had the ability to choose thier own materials, who to play with and how to play with the blocks and the animals.

In my role as an educator, I have discovered that blocks can be a technology because it help these young chidlren to build their farm animals. "Technology is about helping people and solving problems. It is also a creative and purpsoeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products or environment" (Smorti, 1999).  This view is supported by  the Te Whaariki as it states that in order to participate in this world, our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue aquring new knowledge and skills (Ministry of Education, 1996).


In order to extend on the children's learning, I would add more resources such as trees, people who look after the animals and so on. These would help them see the bigger picture and be creative about it. We can also talk about how to feed the animals. For example, some animals they drink bottle and some don't. Not only that but we can borrow books about animals from the library. This can help the children have an idea which country can we get that type of animals.


Refrences:

Alexander, P, N. (2008). The proffesional resources for teachers and parents. Excelligence Learning Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=397 on the 21st of October, 2010 at 12:15 am.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S (1999). Technoloy in Early Childhood. (pp.5-pp.10). No.19. Autumm.

OUR TREASURE BASKET

 I have noticed that toddlers that I am working with, always have the same resources everyday. They always play with plastic toys. So I decided to add more resources by ceating a treasure basket. I added resources that they've seen at home because it will help their transition from home as they feel a sense of belonging. I was making sure that all resouces are safe and age appropriate. I did not include small objects. However,  I put a big wood spoon and fork, phone, stick, stones, shells and so on in a basket. I left it in the center of the room and I was impressed with the way they were playing with them. I have decided not to interfere but to observe them carefully. I have observed that child 'M' (18mnths) picked up the phone, press the buttons and put it on her ear saying "babe, babe". This time, I assumed that she meant by the song by Justin Bieber, as she always listen to it on my phone. Child 'S' (14mnths) on her right, picked up the spoon, looked at it, put in her mouth and tried to stand up with it. Child 'X' (20mnths) and child 'Si' (16mnths) were joining them in exploring the objects to see how they taste, how they feel, how they smell, how they sound and how they look like.

I love the way that they were interacted and explored objects using thier five senses. From this activity, they have learned to make choices, develop their manipulative skills, imagination, solve problems, fine motr skills, sequence, anticipate and rearrange objects. The activity also promotes the development of concentration skills, through the exploration of interesting objects (Lambe, 2004). These toddlers also develop thier social and language skills as they interacted an sharing the resources. They have learnt to take turn and care for each other. According to Te Whaariki, children feel that they belong in the centre when their play is valued (Ministy of Education, 1996).


For toddlers, the question posed when participating in heuristic play is 'What can I do with this object?'. They have a natural curiosity to explore, and experiment with the different ways that objects interact with each other, toddlers investigated with all the physical possibilities of the objects, by rolling, filling, stacking, dumping, fitting things inside each other, balancing and manipulating an object in every possible way. I have observed that they make satisfying discoveries about how the world works, by exploring area's such as gravity, spacial awareness, density, and simple physics, which builds their cognitive development, hand and eye co-ordination and fine and gross motor skills.


In order to extend on this learning, I think it is important to provide a range of objects that can be used together. I will make up a range of 'activity kits' with a purpose in mind, but then to let the children explore them and use them as they would like to. I will add more resources and sort them in different baskets. For example, wooden objects, rubber objects, natural objects, metal objects and so on. The children will then sort the objects, interact with them and enjoy school.


References:

Lambe, E. (2004). TreeHugger Mums. Retrieve from  http://www.treehuggermums.co.uk/articles/parenting/article.php?article=236 on Wednesday, 13th of October 2010 at 11:00am


Little arcons to mighty oaks. Retrieved from
http://www.littleacornstomightyoaks.co.uk/Articles/Treasure%20basket.php on 13th of October, 2010 at 12:02am.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

STACK WITH ME.....

I have noticed that  child X (toddler) likes to stack the milo tins at the cooking area. For the last two weeks, when he arrived in the morning, he would go straight to the cooking area and started stacking. They are in different sizes and he stacked them carefully so that they wont fall down. "Look, look", he shouted as he pointed to the four or five tins he had stacked. "Wow! good stacking X. I like the way you concentrates and becareful with the tins", I praised. "Lets count how many tins you got there", I said. "One, two, three...", I counted. He tried to imitate what I said and he smiled while he hopped up and down.

Technology is an educational resources used by children for learning ( Smorti, 1999). That is what X has been using and he had fun doing it. From this activity, he had learnt mathematic concepts such as counting, reconising shapes and colors of the tins. He also learnt to make decisions, evaluate his own choice and develop ways of addressing real problems. He participated successfully individually (solitary play) at his own level of ability (Ministry of Education, 1995). X also learns to concentrate when stacking and this is an important way of learning for him. How? It will be easier for him to concentrate in his learning in the future. For example, when he writes, reads and around the teachers. Not only that but X feels that he belongs in the centre as he knows that his play is valued when I tend to praise his actions (Ministry of Education, 1996). He also had the freedom to choose his own materials. Reseach have shown that play is an essential part of young children’s lives. This symposium highlights the integral role of play in X’s mathematics learning and examines my role as a teacher in facilitating and extending this (Griffith, 1994).

In order to extend his interest in stacking, I will add more materials that can challenge his cognitive skills such small blocks. These will be harder for him to stack so its help in developing his hand and eye coodination, fine motor skills, concentrations and so on. Then I will get down on his level and count with him and talk with him about his work.

References:

Griffith, R. (1994). Mathematics and play. In J. R. Moyles (Ed.), The excellence of play (pp. 143-157).

          Buckingham: Open University Press.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood.