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We've begun using Leader Cards to designate one child to lead the group when we leave the classroom. These are simply index cards printed with each person's name. We'll randomly pull one each day, then ask if that child would like to be the leader. Children have been clamoring to be first in line, so it's a pretty good motivator to become familiar with print, and a meaningful way to use it. When we showed the cards lots of kids could recognize their own name. Some weren't so sure, others definite about their letters and the order they should be in. Some thought it was their name any time they saw a familiar letter.
This is one of the examples of ways that literacy awareness is creeping into our classroom. We try not to hit kids over the head with 'lessons' about letters and words and reading, but JK kids really are becoming more interested, so we find ways to infuse our classroom environment with meaningful ways to incorporate reading and writing. We often find children's first interest in literacy centers around their own name - recognizing the letters, starting to write them, noticing them in other people's names and in other words. When picking names we will make a short guessing (that is, thinking deductively) game before revealing the name by giving clues about the name: how many letters, first letter, last letter, repeated letters, etc. Most kids get pretty good at knowing the spelling of most kids' names, and it prompts a lot of discussion about names with similar letters, whether more than one name fits the clues, which clue clarifies the selection.
The Class Project (an auction item everyone in class is working on) was mentioned in last week’s bulletin, and we began working on it this week. We’ve told children that “we’re working on one art project for all of us to see at school when it’s done.” We’ve done other group projects already so it is not a new idea. We also mentioned that we’ll get a chance to see the project after it’s “put in a very hot oven to melt the pieces together,” and then it will be at a party for the grownups so everyone’s parents can take a look. We have not shared with children that one family will ultimately have it at their home after the auction. This information seems less important to share with kids than the idea of working together and then seeing the end result. So far, they’ve enjoyed having a chance to add their ideas to the piece and it’s looking great!
Here’s how it goes: children sign up for a turn to work with one other person. We prompt them to take a moment to look at the materials and the work that’s already done. Then, when they’re both “ready with some ideas” we turn over a 3-minute timer. This sounds like a very small amount of time, but in the world of early childhood, so much can happen in 3 minutes. Watered-down glue is applied with a brush and pieces of glass (not sharp glass) are applied to the glue. Children can sign up for another turn if they’d like to. Later, the piece will be fired at a glass studio and then returned to us.
