#ChildCenteredLearning

[granbynaturepreschool]

Snowy days are the best days! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #snow #snowingranby #snowinct (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMtONCpal7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bcblearning]

The Clay Pit was an interactive, large-scale clay playground, installed as part of the British Ceramics Biennial. The Clay Pit was a place to play; a place for people to explore clay in it’s various states: liquid, wet, leather, hard, dry and fired. Using a person centred learning approach called Reggio Amelia, participants were invited to create anything that they liked, using as little or as much of the materials as they wished.

4000 participants visited the workshop space during the festival. Community and education groups, visitors and visiting artists used oversized clay tools, creative props and copious amounts of clay to let their imaginations run free.

The designers of the Clay Pit, Dena Bagi and Priska Falin are passionate about the use of clay, with its ability to stimulate learning, create unique tactile experiences and fire the visual senses and creativity. The Clay Pit is supported by the Ceramics and its Dimensions project, which brings museums, universities and research institutes together to provide a view of ceramics past, present and future.

During the festival, I was one of the artists working on the Clay Pit. Participants of all ages, backgrounds and abilities constructed, played, explored and manipulated the material in many different ways. Each of their pieces, were individual in process and unique in appearance. People joined, printed, stamped, built, shaped, modelled and painted with the various states of clay to create some fantastic work. They used the tools provided as well as their hands to create sculptures inspired by foliage, architecture and heritage. Participants created portraits, they made drawings using the liquid clay and built structures using fired ceramics, and created pots inspired by visits to local factories. Visitors combined the various states of clay to create work that had no boundaries. None of the work created was fired, this approach allowed space for freedom with the material. The Clay Pit encouraged communal hands-on play, exploration and construction.

The work created, connected participants to self, community and place. The way people experienced clay whilst meeting new people was wonderful to see. One participant said “I found it really difficult at first, but I worked with the people around me to figure it out! The different states of clay interested me. The clay is tactile and inviting!” Others spoke of their former connection to the potteries industry and how the skills they learned, automatically came back to them when touching clay again.

A local schoolteacher said, “I am surprised at the versatility of clay. I am very interested in how clay can be used in the curriculum for storytelling with clay and setting up landscapes for language!” We saw many visitors come with families, working together as a team! “My Dad created the bricks, and I built the structure!” said one youngster. Some participants took some clay home with them so that they could continue making. It was clear to me that every single person who experienced the Clay Pit found inspiration in some way, whether that was the comfort in working with their family and friends, or discovering clay for the first time as a new material, even though it is so close to our local heritage.

Liquid, wet, leather hard, dry and fired clay was laid out in large scale trenches, inviting participants to help themselves to as much of the material as they wanted. This was an exciting way for participants to have complete control over what they would create from the start, and how they would create it. Participants described the quality and texture of the materials ‘relaxing’, ‘therapeutic’ and ‘calming’. Partakers were surprised at the variance in the different states of the clay. “I found the clay really cold and squishy. I enjoyed the liquid clay as it was useful, yet fun at the same time!” said one younger participant. The slip was “messy and fun!” said another “I got really excited because I didn’t know what was going to happen! The wet clay is the most exciting to me.”

It was interesting to see the contrasting approaches from different age groups. Younger participants seemed much freer in their composition, some just playing for hours. “My son spent three hours in the clay pit. I have never seen him so engaged with a material.” said one parent.

It seemed that older participants were initially unsure of what to create; the free approach can be daunting, yet the outcomes were very interesting. Some participants used previous experiences of clay to help them create. “This experience has got me back in to working with clay.” said a local artist who visited the pit. “I love the free approach, it really is a fantastic way of exploring the material. My approach is really organic. I like going with the flow, and this is really therapeutic. A great way to be free!”

The Clay Pit has been an incredible and invaluable experience for me, as an artist. Seeing the participants enjoying the material that I work with was really inspiring, and has given me a better insight into the importance of projects like this. The drop-in approach has meant that more people could enjoy working with the clay, especially as the workshop space was free, and open all day and every day through the festival. I saw a wide range of approaches to participants working in the clay pit and was surprised at how experimental people could be with very little instruction or guidance. Also, I saw many people unleash their creativity and imagination whilst making. I saw families connect through working together, and friendships form in communities. I am looking forward to seeing how the project develops in the future.

[1alphabetz]

We help your child to understand every feeling!

Montessori also recognizes that children do not all learn in the same manner. So, lessons and activities are tailored to the needs of each child’s developmental stage and academic abilities. A study published by Frontiers of Psychology suggests that a Montessori Education is linked to elevated psychological well-being. The study is one more data point in a growing body of research suggesting that Montessori pedagogy is better for humans than the common model.Call Us: (210) 350-9000Read More: https://alphabetzmontessori.com/https://alphabetzmontessori.com/contact-us.html#MontessoriEducation #ChildCenteredLearning #ChildDevelopment #MontessoriEducation #IndividualizedLearning #ChildDevelopment #bestmontessorischool #montessorichildren #preschoollearning #education #playwithlearning #bestchildcareintexas #childcareinsanantonio #preschoolactivities #imporatanceofeducation #childcarenearme #ALAMORANCH #MontessoriApproach #QualityEducation

[analaurasancheztrainer]

Hello families! Dance is back… and so is the magic! ✨

I’m Ana Laura, and I want to share something that fills me with joy. It’s that time of the year when we meet again, when we move, when we create… Preseason ballet and dance classes for children are starting, and with them, a unique opportunity to plant a seed in our little ones — one that grows with joy, expression, movement, and art. I know that the beginning of the school year often comes…

[vishwankar2023]

Montessori vs Traditional Education – Which is Better? By Vishwankar Public School

The debate between Montessori and traditional education has been ongoing, each approach offering distinct philosophies and methodologies. While traditional education follows a structured curriculum and teacher-led instruction, Montessori emphasizes child-centered learning and individualized exploration. Both have their merits and drawbacks, making the choice between them a matter of personal preference and alignment with educational goals. In this exploration, we delve into the key principles and differences to shed light on the question of which educational approach might be considered "better."

Read More at:

[reggioemilianidoverde]

Reggio Emilia Philosophy In Early Childhood Learning

Experience the innovative Reggio Emilia philosophy at our preschool. In early childhood education, we believe in encouraging creativity, curiosity, and teamwork. Our Reggio Emilia preschool takes a unique approach that honours each child's basic potential by engaging their imaginations via experiential learning and creative arts. 

Visit www.nidoverdedireggioemilia.com to learn more about our Reggio Emilia-inspired programmes.

[granbynaturepreschool]

A little overdue, however, thank you to @friendsofholcombfarm Jack Lareau who took us on a wonderful walk last Friday. Jack told us many interesting things about our Holcomb Farm property including how trees communicate and that there was a Native American encampment on the land. Jack was wonderfully patient, too, and happily let our little friends explore and play on their own, as well. Here they are pausing to make and play on a makeshift see-saw! 📸: A.F. (current parent) #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #ittakesavillage (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClY4SJCLhyx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

We embrace risky play here at Granby Nature Preschool! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #riskyplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCElEJPo-d/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

What a wonderful way to start the weekend! A big thank you to Mr. Emery, of the @granbylandtrust, for sharing his knowledge of Dismal Brook Preserve with us this morning! Mr. Emery was kind enough to take us on a hike (focused on rodents) and share many facts about beavers, culminating with a chance for our friends to see a real beaver dam! We learned so much about the history of the property, and our friends were even invited to have snack inside the historic cabin on site! Thank you for taking the time to share a piece of the Granby Land Trust with our little community! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #ittakesavillage (at Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck1K-FjJyeT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

Today we are feeling very grateful; grateful for the weather and for being able to be outside! Friends loved being able to enjoy a beautiful morning outside participating in morning meeting, storytime, and having snack. Later, once inside, Miss Olivia helped friends brainstorm ideas for what to put in our gratitude jars. In talking about our favorite part of our day, friends shared that they liked eating snack outside in the cold! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkwE4t9v_Cc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

Hi everyone! What a crazy two weeks we have had here at GNP! So much sickness, our community is finally starting to feel healthy again. Here are some photos from over the last 2 weeks with descriptions for each one. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work as a community to regain our health! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay #gratitude (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CktfLd6vW0U/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

Greetings! Here at GNP, we have been dealing with many illnesses (teachers included!), which is why we have gotten behind on our daily updates. Thank you for your understanding as we focus on healing as a community so that we can resume our daily postings! Until then, here is a hodge lodge of photos from the past few days. photo 1 and 2: our hike in the woods behind the barn photo 3: face painting for Halloween. Not pictured: a lovely hike with snack under a cozy tree. #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkbONvhruRs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

With the return of the sun, came the merry little breezes today at GNP! With that in mind, we decided to stay in the wide open spaces and away from the trees and their branches that were blowing in the breeze. We crossed the street and on our way to the kiosk, we stopped at the stinky mushrooms. The next stop was to our rock houses to see if there have been any changes in the past few days. A short detour to the pond to see if friends could see any signs of animal life, and then on to a new to us meadow where friends had the opportunity to observe the pond from a different vantage point. After a quick stop to sit and enjoy the view (and a rare photo opp with both teachers!), friends played in the meadow. What fun to run and chase the wind and whirling leaves! On our return journey, we discovered a hollowed-out stump. Friends climbed up and immediately noticed that you could see to the bottom! This stump was so large, and with large holes by the roots, that friends would have been able to comfortably climb inside. However, we decided to save for another day. #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkOsBSNv9yu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

We are feeling spoiled here at GNP with the wonderfully warm weather for October! Today we spent the majority of our morning out in the meadow and deep within the forest. One friend pointed out that we could no longer see all the trees which ignited a lively discussion about why. Friends concluded that the trees had disappeared into the fog and that although we couldn't see them, they were still there. Friends made a similar discovery when they were trying to find our classroom, it was hiding in the fog. Once in the forest, friends made another exciting discovery. If you gently shook some of the smaller trees, you were greeted with raining leaves! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkMJLUOP_M3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

Today we enjoyed the warmer weather; it surely made playing in the rain less cold! We began our morning with a pattern invitation. We revisited what the word pattern means, and then practiced coming up with patterns as a group! After snack, we suited up for the drizzle and wet. Friends headed down to the bridge behind the barn and discovered very quickly that the bridge was slippery so we needed to use walking feet. Some friends noticed that there was more water flowing today than on other days. Other friends enjoyed throwing leaves in and watching them float away. Later, we walked back up to play with the mud kitchen; on the way, friends noticed a ladybug that was yellow and orange. While playing, some friends went to check on the compost. The rest of our time was spent running, and enjoying playing in the rain! For our last provocation of the morning, we created nature collages from found items in our science museum! Friends noticed that many of the items we have collected are so big, that they were hard to fit (and glue!) on paper! #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkJkqOPvwwL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[granbynaturepreschool]

We finally reached a week here at GNP, where we were so completely engaged as a class that documentation (although continued to happen) was not readily shared in daily posts. Let's pick up with our Wednesday investigations; today was a big day for us as we took a long deep walk into the forest behind our barn! We used a “helping” rope and walked single file. The trail was covered with leaves so we all had to be mindful of rocks and roots that might be hiding underneath. Friends noticed that you could actually smell the leaves! We used our listening ears and quiet voices so that we could observe all the sounds of the forest. Thursday brought us back to familiar places for our walk; although we did explore a new area across the street that we had not previously visited! Friends decided to stop along the way to check on the rock houses that we constructed earlier in the year. We named all the different colors of leaves that we saw and also discovered a new plant that we had not seen before. Friends compared it to “lamby ears”, and notice that this plant was not as soft to the touch. Friday was a pretty big day for us here at GNP; we had our class photos taken. We are so grateful for our village of families; one parent graciously offered to donate her time and energy to make this happen! Friday's are fleeting, especially when we are at the barn and not on an excursion! Friends did have to opportunity to help compost one of the pumpkins that we used earlier this month for our explorations. We also had a surprise visit from Kristine Vincent, Director of @granbyrec and Leisure Services! Our friends were eager to welcome her to our school and tell her all about what we do! We are forever indebted to Kristine, and all the staff of Parks and Rec and DPW for helping bring our dream of opening a nature-based preschool to fruition. #naturebathing #inquirybasedlearning #preschool #holcombfarm #westgranby #playbasededucation #playbasedlearning #childcenteredlearning #openendedlearning #fallingranby #fallinct #pumkins #ittakesavilliage #dpw #granbydpw #letthemplay (at Granby Nature Preschool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkA8zU2uuE7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=