Why Hey Daycare!

 So I used to work at a centre for 6 years. I got to know extended families. Cousins, Uncles, Aunties, Kookums, Lolas, Grandmas, older siblings, really good friends, you know all those people who become family. I got to know all these people because this centre had family dinner once a week, every week. Well one time when I went to go and collect the kindergarten children form their school, across the street, and one of the cousins saw me, forgot my name, and yelled out, "Hey Daycare!" and giggled. I said, "I like that. But you can call me Quincey as well." He called me Hey Daycare quite often after, even when he could remember my name, it made us both smile. That is why Hey Daycare! is the name of my blog. To honor that relationship I have with families. Families are why I have this amazing job. 

Last day in the Infant Room.

 I had a 6 week practicum in an Infant room. Those little humans showed me just how capable they are. When they know they can trust you to be there for them, listen to them, and stand up for them they will share their knowledge with you. It did not take long for them to pick up my mannerisms. Walking with a stopping march, you know so they would follow me. When it would be time for someone to come with me they would look at their feet and start the march. It was a kind of signal to say we are in this together. Sometimes they wanted me to go somewhere and they would do the march, to show me that it was important for me to come. But the thing that made me smile the hardest was when we would be looking for something and I would say, "Hummmm," and point my finger to my chin. There is nothing so joyous than some year to year and halves pointing their fingers to their chins, humming, and stomping off to find the thing we were looking for. 

I am quite sure they will
remember me like this.
And I am OK with that. 

Mix Shredded Paper and Water and you get...

 

Some paper on the floor.

Mixing paper in water to create pulp.

Tossing handfuls of pulp into try.

Moved tray to up top to toss pulp in.

Mould to create blocks.

 

Blocks took days to dry.

Balancing blocks on educators head.

Children trying out balancing on their own heads.

...a lot of fun exploring the properties of paper when you add water and then let it dry out again. This is what science looks like in an Infant Room.

Just another Ordinary Moment

 

This was a quiet time activity.

There are eight bags of figures and blocks.

The children explore a bag on their own on their nap mat.

Change the bag when they feel they have explored enough.

After a while they have explored all the bags.

They begin to revisit and have new ideas.

So many ways to use the objects in each bag.

They amaze me every time with their creativity.

The evolution of their projects is awe inspiring.

 

Experimenting with the elements of design.

 

Working diligently on an idea, getting it just right.

 

Using materials in unique ways

 

 

Sometimes it is interesting and fun to wedge things in, lean things against, and then try something else.

Gone back to school

 It has been 22 years since I was in an postsecondary class for Early Years study. 20 years ago I did my final practicum for my Special Needs Diploma. I never though I would go and get my Infant Toddler Diploma. Things happen and it seemed like the right time to make an attempt at it. So here I am learning new things, mostly how to upload an assignment and where the mute button is on the Zoom window. I am getting reacquainted with some old friends like John Dewey. Having my values supported and getting to have big conversations about the image of the child. Frankly I think that all people are amazing and that the very young will blow your mind if you only listen to what they have to say about the world. Slow down, get down low, and listen.

 

Here is a view of a 4 year olds set up.

Here is another angle.

Here is some perspective.

So here is to trying to share some more learning I see and do every day in class, that is my class with the young humans.

Identifying Nature

Golden Trumpet

While exploring the play ground the children came across some mushrooms. They were concerned that they might be poisonous. I brought in my mushroom identification book and we looked up the two types we found. Not poisonous. 

Bleeding Mycena

A small snail

We also found a small snail, type unknow. I need to get a snail identification book.