Elementary Age Kids and Technology

I was talking to another mom about what kind of tech we buy for our kids who are ages six and eight and I realized that I have some thoughts about this. 

Ideally I want my children to be able to independently use technology that is safe for them. A cellphone is something they can work towards but they are not ready for yet. Though there are a number of functions the phone gives that are great, so I've been trying to focus on giving access to tech that allows some of those functions, often times, to make them safe, it would be in a device in and of itself. 

Music is one of those functions. There are a few different devices available to allow kids to listen to music independently. The ones that come to mind right away are devices with cards, such as the Yoto player. We rented one from our local library to try out and it was great. When I looked into it further, I felt it was a little expensive and limited in selection. So we went the old-school route and ended up getting a discman for each of the kids and a nice set of headphones each as their Christmas present this year. It is great because their dad and I both have a collection of CDs from many years ago. Also, CDs are still being made today and sold in stores, with a huge selection of artists. There's a bit of a learning curve for the children to play their discmen. However, they caught on quickly and as I am writing this, my daughter is listening to hers with one of my vintage CDs. 

Talking to each other is another one of those functions that tech does and we have a couple of ideas for this that don't include having a cellular phone. We use walkie-talkies when within short range--going to their neighbours houses or the backyard. It even reaches to our local park. Last summer I researched ways that the kids could call their friends and family independently and I found the tin can phone. I recently was reminded of it as they were talked about in my local Facebook group and then the other day a family I follow on Instagram posted about theirs. I had originally thought they could only call other tin can phones though found out from these families who had them that for around $15 Canadian dollars, you can call any number that the parent decides on the app. That made it a lot more worthwhile, though that's still kind of expensive and they keep a lot of information from the service, so that is not ideal. Gotta think about security too. So now a couple of my family members and our neighbour, who all work in tech, are thinking about getting some vintage phones and setting this up for each of our households. I'll report back if we end up going this route. I am very hopeful, though I can't say I would be much help, except perusing the second hand stores. My hubby thinks he knows where he can get some vintage phones though.

Playing games is another function that cellular phones do and it is a fun one. Currently we have a computer set up without internet on our main floor. It has Steam. Though, it just doesn't have an internet browser downloaded. We decided to have this computer in the main living space as eventually it could have internet and then we could monitor what it is being used for. The children are learning how to use a keyboard and mouse by playing games on this computer. I don't know too much about what this computer has available on it as I haven't explored much and I didn't set it up. Though I would like it to have a few simple programs such as paint and notepad as well. I have some exploring and research to do here. I have played a few games on it though. We have a few computers set up in the house and they use the other ones for playing games too. We also have a shared Ipad and though it doesn't have many games at the moment, we do have Procreate, which they know how to use quite well because I love that program and taught them. I have purchased memberships for apps over the summer to work on things like reading or French language learning. I just make sure I cancel my subscription come the start of school again.  

Video/TV/Movies are another side of tech that we let the kids engage in. As for Movies, we watch movies on our basement TV, as a family. The children also have Youtube kids on their Ipads, so they watch some of those shows. Plus I like to watch YouTube when I knit so if I watch one of my crafty vlogs, they sometimes watch too. We are trying to encourage long form video over short form.

We listen to audiobooks in the car on long journeys. It's not an independent thing, as I download it from Libro.fm on my phone, though it's worth mentioning as we have listened to quite a few books and series that way. 

Timing/Alarms are another function that we consider for the kids. They have a physical timer that counts down from 1 hour, that they use to time things. And one of them has my vintage alarm clock and radio for the time as well in their rooms. It has an alarm and radio function, though some of the buttons are not working efficiently so I've been considering getting new ones for each of them. I just haven't sourced a good one yet.

The kids get 5 minutes of screen time afterschool and can earn more by doing agreed upon learning, such as writing or reading, though most of the time they just take the 5 minutes. On weekends or non school days, they get an hour each. 

That's how we approach technology in our household. What kind of things are working for you? 

Introducing Siblings

There is a lot to consider when thinking about how to help siblings get along. Temperament plays a part though I believe there is a lot that can be done to nurture a sibling relationship. 

First of all, I think it needs to start really early. I let big sis feel little  sis moving around  in my belly and answered any questions that she had (they have a two year age gap). We talked about how to treat and care for babies using big sisters dolls before the baby arrived.

When our second was born, we didn't stay at the hospital very long so we got to introduce them at home, which was really  special. We let big sis sit on the queen sized bed and snuggle little sis with us right there. We let big sis be involved in the special moments like little sis's first bath. We put the baby bath on the kitchen table and let big sis use the wash cloth. We had lots of dolls that were literally  the same size as the new baby and I made big sis her own carrier while I used mine. I let big sis use the breastfeeding pillow and "play mom" with her dolls. They had baths together with the baby bath fitting in the  tub. We still did lots of the same activities as before the baby, like toddler art setups. We actually had the bassinet on the main floor during the day so that little sis would be  near us and would  get used to sleeping  with  some noise. Im pretty  sure it worked, she is an amazing  sleeper as a 6 year old. We did lots of tummy time for little  sis while I got down to their level and taught them to play together. 

How did I teach them to play together? I talked to big sis about  her little  sisters development when it came up. For example "oh, she is learning to build when she knocks the tower over. Do you think we could make a tower for her to knock over?" Or she's not telling us words yet but what do you think she could be feeling? I always tried to narrate what I thought little sis was trying to tell us as they day went along, sharing what I thought little sis needed. 

Volcanoes of Erudition (Study in the Project Approach)

[An article I wrote for Conestoga College Early Childhood Education newsletter]

While feeling stagnant in my ability to offer curriculum experiences in my after school program, and needing fresh insight, I turned to a book I ordered from Amazon called Inquiry into Math, Science, and Technology for Teaching Young Children by Arleen Pratt Prairie. A passage on responding to children challenged me to reevaluate my own way of reacting to knowledge in the classroom.

"Unfortunately children researching their own questions are usually not taken seriously in the social context. Often the adult takes it upon himself to answer the child's questions with information the adult knows. The result is filling up the child with information. This information given is treated as social knowledge, not physical or logico-mathematical knowledge as it truly is (Kamii & DeVries, 1993). The child accepts this information from the adult without question and thus the child believes that the adult is the "container" of knowledge. In believing that all learning stems from the adult, the child abandons his reliance on his own emerging thought processes. This kind of thinking may lead to the lack of autonomous learning (Kamii, 1982)." (Pratt Prairie, 2005, p. 95)

Having a degree in Science, sometimes when a child asked me a question, I would give a scientific explanation, without thinking twice. This is teaching a child to ask others for the answers, rather than giving them the confidence and skills to be able to research and explore questions on their own. So for the past couple of weeks, I purposefully set out to build a child's ability to research and explore concepts on their own and not immediately answer questions the children had about science. I used a project based, child centred approach to exploring their inquiries. The great thing about this way of educating is that you (the ECE) don't need to know anything about the topic or science in general when you start a project.

A week and a half ago, Travis collected a bunch of rocks outside and brought them inside for study. He was hopeful to find crystals or gold and with a friend looked at their details through a pocket microscope. James found a fossil and Travis found some shiny parts that he thought could be crystals. I looked at them with him and wondered if it could be mica, and explained that it is a dark shiny material found in rocks and used in makeup. The next day, I brought in five books from the library and the children found pages with large pictures of different types of rock and minerals with labels. They identified pink granite and we looked up what that is made of: feldspar, quartz and mica. Tanner said granite is expensive. I asked him how he knew that and he said because his kitchen counter is made of it.

The next day I decided we should start a project about their interest in rocks, so I brought in a diagram of the rock cycle. It gave me the idea to make a volcano and so introduced this idea to the children. With a piece of a cardboard, a tall bottle and a box of Plaster of Paris, the children made the primary structure of the volcano. Travis suggested that they make a village out of clay, so I started a list of materials they wanted me to bring in for it. Painting was on the list and Everett wanted black and brown. He wanted to paint the rocks black to represent obsidian. He explained to his friends and I that if the lava dries quickly, for example when it hits the water, it becomes obsidian. I looked up a photograph of it in one of our books to show the others.

I told the children of an island I visited in Nicaragua that had one active and one inactive volcano on it and how I had climbed the inactive one to find a pool of water at the top. We talked about the similarities and differences between the two types of volcanoes. Travis, whose family is Portuguese, told us about a volcano he visited in Portugal on Pico Island. He saw evidence of its last explosion: tracks in the earth, and damaged buildings. The children decided to make our volcano on an island as well and painted a blue lake around it. Later, I walked around the class and asked each child what they knew about volcanoes and took a list with their name beside it. Then I collected questions on what they would like to learn about. Tanner wanted to know the total number of deaths by volcano. Which inspired Jonah to talk about the theory that Dinosaurs became extinct by a volcano that erupted and left smoke that covered the earth and killed all of the plants.

Although we have been working on this project for a week, the children are still in the painting stage, and have been doing this for a few hours each day. They have painted the top of the volcano red like lava and streams of lava ran down the sides into pools at the bottom. There is also some red spatter from what we read are called lava bombs that can be as large as be as houses. Next week, we plan to make the volcano explode and have discussed how we are going to do this. There are two ideas that the children came up with. The first is to add vinegar, red food colouring, and baking soda to make a reaction. The second is add Mentos to Coke, which would need to be done outside. After that we will be able to talk about the 'erosion' that took place during the eruption as well as label all of the different parts with our own flags made of toothpicks and paper. Then, if we feel the project is coming to an end, it will go on display and we will choose our next project.

It is evident through the story that a lot of the knowledge and ideas which enhanced the project came from the children rather than the teacher. Although this group were school age and had begun science in school, the ideas may be applied to all age groups as children explore, experience and question the world around them. Much of the knowledge came from books and the children sharing with each other. 

By Rachelle, BSc, RECE

Reference

Prairie, Arleen Pratt. Inquiry for Math, Science, and Technology for Teaching

Young Children. Belmont: Delmar, 2005. Print.

Emergent Curriculum vs. Montessori... The Aftermath

Emergent Curriculum is play based learning in which the children learn by playing in different contexts with different ideas or interests. It is project based, in that the children and teachers work together to brainstorm different topics within a larger topic and carry out experiments and collect materials based on these topics of interest. Emergent curriculum is child-led and directed, being based on their interests. The children are able to move freely between activities and therefore choose which most inspires them and captivates them.
The Montessori environment and curriculum is quite different. It sees the child as an independent learner, where he/she can move at their own pace to learn about materials or concepts within their environment. The child is able to correct his/her own mistakes, as the activities are constructed to allow self-correction. When the teacher shows the child how to use a learning collection, he/she purposefully makes a mistake and corrects him or herself, as an example to the child. The Montessori method was created for children who worked during the day and so focused on housekeeping as an enjoyable, valued activity, as well as emphasis on math and language arts, which is taught well.

Emergent	Montessori
Open-ended materials valued	Many closed ended materials valued
Project based lasting weeks-months	Projects (individual or with a partner) lasting less than one day on average
View children as competent learners	View children as competent learners
Teacher as resource consultant	Teacher as educator
Dramatic play encouraged	No dramatic play encouraged

 When I compare and contrast Emergent to Montessori, I prefer Emergent, as it fits more closely with my personal philosophy. I struggled with having this preference while I was at my Montessori placement. I had admired Montessori for a while and was hoping to enjoy it more and be inspired. Instead, I felt more limited in the way the children learned and the way the teachers taught than my own curriculum at my workplace, which is Emergent.
Although there were many things in the Montessori environment I enjoyed, and could comment on, I do prefer Emergent more so as a whole. I think Emergent offers more freedoms, not only in learning, but how it is gone about. The project approach may involve making an ideas web and expanding on the children's topic and interests. It then relates those interests to the different areas of 'the brain'... language, math, creativity, and science for example. It is something that is built up more long term. The subject can be explored as long or as short as is preferred. A variet of materials can be used.
I also value dramatic play as part of the curriculum and think this is an activity that largely develops language, social skills, creative thinking, among many other benefits.
Overall, I enjoy collecting documentation for Emergent curriculum and sharing this with the children, other staff, and parents. I enjoy being involved in this type of creative learning and seeing the children's interests evolve into bigger questions and subjects. It is a joy to be a part of. 

Emmanuel at Brighton

Last week, our teacher invited us to her centre for a workshop on natural curriculum. Her centre is a great example of this and eventually they may have a full outdoor program. They shared documented stories with us, including a story of saving baby birds from a fallen bird house. We also brainstormed in groups for how to include math, science, physical development, language, and creativity with different outdoor areas, such as a hillslide, stone pathways, gardens, and log area. Here are some pictures I took during the walk-around:

 Indoors

Frame children's artwork--buy frames from second hand stores

Add leaves and nature items to playdough

Use nature items to count

 Have pictures of artists and famous paintings surrounding the easel to offer inspiration to young artists

Animal prints

Fragrant herbs with mortar and pestle

Counting, sorting, and designing

 X-ray vision

Gel beads for the light table with coloured plastic cups

Outdoors

Use brooms to clear the steps outside

Keep a basket of wheels for science play

 Outdoor blocks: pieces of wood and sticks

Values Assignment

This summer I have a course called Advanced Curricula. It is mostly personal projects and it seems, a bit of every other subject we have had. For the past while, I have been in England, on vacation, so had to miss some of the class. We had a reflection piece to write about our strongest values in childcare, which I handed in this week. Here are the three I chose, with definitions from dictionary.com and examples from my work place:

Relationships

Definition 1: the state of being connected or related 

Definition 2: the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties, countries, people, etc. 

 This includes friendship, interaction with peers, interaction with teachers, and family bonds. I help the children through problem solving by involving them to talk to each other. Sometimes I give them words to say, for example "I am sorry that I said I hated you, I did not mean it and won't say it to you again. Can you accept my apology?" When children tell me what their parents have suggested that they do to help solve a problem, I may say something like "that is a great idea. Your mom is wise." This could help the child feel proud of their mom and strengthens their relationship with her. I greet the children when they arrive and say bye when they are leaving, as well as taking interest in their day and what they are playing with and asking them for their ideas and opinions. This strengthens our bond and hopefully provides a positive influence.

Creativity

Definition: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.

Children are so creative and have rich imaginations. I watch them work and make comments on the things I see. Often they bring me things they have made and I try and guess what it is and then say something about it. For example, "that looks like the CN tower. I love the detail. It looks like you spent a lot of time on that." That last sentence honors the process rather than the product :)

Well being

Definition: a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare: to influence the well-being of the nation and its people.

I care about the children's emotional health. If I see they are upset, I will ask them what is wrong or say they look upset and talk to them about it. I encourage them to eat healthily by giving them seconds and thirds for vegetables and healthier foods, and limiting them more on the high sugar foods. If I ever have a daycare, I would try to buy local produce and give the children home cooking, rather than processed foods. If they talk to me about God (I work at a Catholic school) I respond respectful of their faith.


What three values would you choose?

For the Love of Nature

Today two girls were playing near a tree. They both reached up to touch the branches, and one of them broke off a piece of the branch.

I called over to her "Hey, that tree is alive! How would you like it if someone came along and broke off your arm?!"

From which, commenced a fit of giggles.


I was driving home in my car and saw a family of Canadian Geese. Two adults and four ducklings. When I looked at the ducklings, I was overcome with emotion. To my surpise, I found myself empathising with the mama goose!


The children have been enjoying the beautiful weather. A while ago, they found a big log and rolled it in pairs across the entire stretch of the field. They problem solved around holes and back on track from a collision with the edge of the sand box. They experienced the physics of keeping the object in motion, and felt its weight by trying to lift it.


We planted some flowers to make a terrarium in our room. It will be in a large jar. I had asked the children to draw pictures to decide what we were going to do with the jar. All of the other ideas were to have fish in it. Since we move our cart around so much, it didn't really seem feasible. The poor fish would probably get sea sick. So, we'll wait for summer camp, and a semi-permanent room, to do that :)