It was the beginning of school and the heat was humid and hot. Children complained about it being “too hot.” I asked the children what they thought we should do to help keep ourselves cool. After brainstorming the different ideas, we agreed to make our very own fans.
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| A sample of a Fan. |
I brought in a sample of a fan, and together with the children we made our fans using paper, pencils and crayons, cardboard, glue and feathers.
I demonstrated to the children what to do. I watched them make their products and interacted with them by asking questions. Once the fans were finished, we left them out to dry and in the afternoon, we used them to fan ourselves and keep cool.
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| A fan one of the children made. |
After this activity, I decided to use mat time as a time to talk about what we did and what we learnt in this activity. I gave children the chance to share with everyone else their experience in this activity.
After this activity, I reflected on my actions, examining myself and my practice so that I can be a better teacher (O’conner & Diggins, 2002). I do this because I believe it will help me to notice what has worked well, what has not worked well, what needs to be changed, what needs to be improved, and at times I will result with a need to change the way I view a situation (O’connor & Diggins, 2002).
I noticed myself using different teaching techniques such as asking open-ended questions which according to MacNaughton & Williams (2008), “Open-ended questions generally inquire into the child’s thoughts processes and require the child to share their theories, understandings, imaginations, and feelings with adults” (2008, p.154).
I also used demonstrating technique which helped the children understand what they were going to do instead of them being lost. I used Vygotsky’s scaffolding technique where I was “Changing the level of support” (Santrock, 2009, p. 220).
My teaching strategies helped me have a better understanding and communication with the children as I questioned them, displayed the activity and involved them. The children experienced social skills, motor skills, and language and observation skills.
I took the time to explain to the children that we had a problem which was the heat, and we had solved this problem by inventing something to solve our problem. I have noticed that technology happens in the centre daily. It can happen without us planning. For instance, it started with a problem we were going through and with our knowledge and imagination we were able to make something to help solve our problem.
I believe the children gained an experience with technology when making their fans, according to Sue Smorti (1999), “Technology is about helping people and solving problems” (5). Sue Smorti (1999) also mentions that technology includes putting different ideas, knowledge and skills together to find the solution and this is exactly what I noticed the children doing. I believe as an educator, I need to challenge children so that they use their skills, whether it be gluing or folding, and encourage them to use those skills to produce products using their imaginations.
I believe that if I continue giving children these experiences, where they identify a problem and then find a way to solve this problem then I am giving them an opportunity to understand technology and its significance to our lives.
In Te Whāriki it portrays the importance of technology and how a “Growing experience in solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.96).
References:
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki, he whāriki mātauranga mo nga
Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand:
Learning Media.
O’Connor, A., & Diggins, K. (2009). On reflection: Reflective practice for early
Childhood educators. Lower Hutt: Open Mind Publishing.
Santrock, J.W. (2009). Lifespan development (12th ed., International).
Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.
Hi, What a good idea, making fans! I bet the children really enjoyed this activity. I really liked how you said you used mat time as an opportunity to talk about what they had done and what they had learnt from the experience. giving them a greater understanding of how things work and ways in which to problem solve. All of which are really good qualities for them to have and use in their daily lives. Its great that you plan to continue teaching them these skills. Hearing something as simple as making a fan create such conversation is great! Again I really l ike your idea of discussing it at mat time. Such a great idea to have all the children involved. I am thinking of doing this next time I do an activity with the children to see what kind of conversations and reactions I can achieve from the children! :)
ReplyDeleteKiora Kaufuaou its very interesting to see how you consider some ways to improve especially in the area of facilitating and demonstrating the children of how to create fans. We used to have perceptions of technology that refer to electronic devices and how they work, and good that we change.
ReplyDeleteLooking closely in the depth of this activity children's learning are influencing by implementing of your knowledge of technology. This shows by the strategies that you have used and implement in the learning in this activity. I like the way you challenge children so that they use their skills, whether it be gluing or folding, and encourage them to use those skills to produce products using their imaginations. It is very good to respond to children's interests and willing to take actions immediately to solve the issues arise. Giving children many opportunities to understand technology and their significances to our real life situation is good.
Yes O'u, the using of these non-digital technologies with the children in early years is very important. It is because they lay a firm foundation for the young children to experience new skills and new knowledge as you have mentioned O’u. I think the impact that the crayons, glue and pencils have on the children is that they develop the children to be more confident with the use of these resources. I believe when they develop their confident while they are young, they will be more capable of using these resources in later life or at school. I think the children are also connecting themselves to their cultures when they started using the feathers to make fans. From my experience, I think that maybe next time you do this activity, I suggest if you try and use the glue gun for children to experience the using the glue guns. Another impact that these resources has on the children is that they promote the children’s understanding of creativity in terms of creating their own fans and be able to have knowledge of what to use to produce man made fans. Nice work gal, please comment on my blog 2..hehe..
ReplyDeleteHi O’u
ReplyDeleteWow! Making fan is an ordinary way of using non digital technology with children. It is very important to know that you share your own experience with the children to enhance their learning by using simple resources that easily find in the centre. Working and interacting with them is the exact part that is so relevant not only for the children but as the teacher itself. It will also give confidence to the children to work on their own or share ideas with peers especially the girls because they are more into hands on experience. In the other side, fans are commonly seen at our homes especially the pasifika families. So the children are quite familiar with the activity and they will also express and extend it at home with whanau.
Sharing of what we know with the children will encourage them and motivate their learning experience in creating things on their own. It is also a great opportunity to share this experience with some pakeha and Asian families that they have never experienced before.
Awesome experience O’u, Well done!
Hey Ou! Reading your blog reminds me of my own country and where I came from. In New Zealand we hardly find people using hand-made fan, because the weather in New Zealand is always cool, not like the weather in Samoa and other islands of the Pacific. This is a very good experience, not only introducing the children the use of paper, pencils, crayons and other technologies, but to remind the children about their own cultures, and the differences between our ways of living. Te Whāriki states that “the wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p.42). Children’s learning and development are fostered if the well-being of their family and community is supported; if their family, culture, knowledge and community are respected; and if there is a strong connection and consistency among all the aspects of the child’s world. I am so proud that I am living in a country that we- adults and children are all feeling belonged. Nice blog Ou!
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