K'nex connections

The children at my centre love to build and make things, so last week we put out a big box of K’nex building bits.  Just after lunch I joined a group of children on the mat inside and observed their building. The girls were concentrating on building long strands of eyes and J. came to me to show her creation. “It’s my fairy eyes, they look after the fairies, they go round and round the tree”.  A few days earlier we had walked over to the fairy trees to build houses for the fairies, and J, A, and N were not only recalling and problem solving (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009), they were also improving their creative abilities and imagination and as Vygotsky stated their ‘intellectual and social competencies’ (MacNaughton, & Williams, 2009, p. 372). I replied that I thought it was very long and inquired whether they did a good job. Just as she was about to reply the end of her line fell off. She looked at me, back to her model, and then back to me.  We both laughed at the same time and I asked her what she would do now, she replied “Put more on”. We then had a discussion about where to find the eyes (in the box and around the mat) and if she could make them stronger (she decided not, but she could just keep putting them back together again).  Meanwhile at the other end of the mat the boys were making very different creations. All five boys were experimenting in making spinning tops. They tried many variations beginning with a circle, and adding spokes, handles and tips of different lengths. Each individual spinner was then tried out and a discussion held to see how they could improve each top.  Even when they had made one which worked very well they still changed it in an attempt to find a better design. The New Zealand Curriculum states that this ‘adaptation and innovation” are at the centre of technological innovation (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 32). C. decided that he was going to make the biggest spinner he could, but when he found that he could not get it to spin at all he quietly dismantled it and made a smaller one. Eventually they decided to use a short tip, a longer handle and spokes.  They decided that the tops were a version of Bey Blades, and there was much enthusiasm over their inventing of as C. said “the best toy ever”.  They then decided to try a Bey Blades battle, to the point where T. added an imaginary pull cord to make his spin independently. They soon realised that they did not work as well as the real thing, but this did not diminish their enthusiasm one bit.

Using these types of building toys helps in the development of manual dexterity, precision, competence, perception, reasoning and judgement, which all help to develop mathematical and cognitive skills (Somerset, 2007), and in developing spatial awareness (Ministry of Education, 1996).  I found it interesting that the girls made models which related to a gentle, fantasy experience, while the boys made a “battling” toy which had links to what they had at home, and were very tactile.  There were three girls at the end of the mat while the five boys had spread out over the rest of the area. I was also interested in watching the proficiency (or not), of the spinning attempts, although after a differing number of attempts all the boys succeeded to spin their tops. They boys worked together and watched how each other made their respective tops, and this practice in solving problems helps their understanding of how technology can help all (Ministry of Education, 1996).  

 

 

References

 

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theoryand practice (3rd ed). Frenchs Forrest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He whariki mataurangi mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Somerset, G. (2007). Work and Play. Christchurch, New Zealand: Wyatt & Wilson Print Ltd.

 

references for computers and IPads

sorry missed this bit

Howard, J., Miles, G., Rees-Davies, L. (2012). Computer use within a play based early years curriculum. International Journal of Early Years Education, 20:2, 175-189.

McManis, L., & Gunnewig, S. (2012, May). Finding the education in educarional technology with early learners. Young Children, 14-24.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He whariki mataurangi mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Tsastis, L., Bewick, C., & Thouvenelle, S. (November 2003). Examining some common myths about computers in the early years. Young Children on the web, 1-9.

 

Computers and IPads



My centre has two desk top computers, one is slightly older and bulkier than the other and this one is available for the children to use throughout the day. However there is a slight restriction on the newer computer in that the children cannot use this independently until they have gained their ‘rainbow licence’.   The gaining of a licence involves the teachers observing and scaffolding the children when using the computer until they are able to work mostly independently, show competence, care and respect (McManis & Gunnewig. 2012). Recent research in Wales suggested that children perceive that using the computer/IPad is still play even when an adult is present, resulting in a higher level of commitment from the children (Howard, Miles, Rees-Davies,  2012).  The teachers support helps in  “abstract reasoning, plannning behaviour, visual-motor co-ordination and visual memory” (McManis,  & Gunnewig, 2012 p.15). Following an expectation of Te Whāriki which states that children ‘continue acquiring new knowledge and skills’ (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 18),  they then can produce and print out their own news/work pages, play games, and they can utilize either of the two IPads which have been recently acquired. 

Although I accepted the use of computers in my centre and felt that they have a valid educational worth, I realised that I did not feel the same about the IPad, which I felt was a bit of a ’novelty’ item,  and that we only had them because we could. I had seen them advertised but knew nothing else about them, unlike the children who were completely at ease in using them, new technology has no fears for them, they are excited and eager to try things out, and the IPad is perfect for them as it is very portable and tactile, and so satisfying to use. I held the same common view as discussed by Tsastis, Bewick, & Thouvenelle (2003), namely that their use would become an all consuming and solitary activity. However having observed the children using the IPads I have changed my views somewhat, (not altogether but that is probably more to do with lack of confidence on my part and not understanding just what these are capable of).  As I was passing the IPad table J. called to me and said that she was stuck, I approached and asked what she was trying to do. She was playing a pirate game and the object on that particular screen was to balance a net with weights so the next scene could start. She shrugged, and then before I attempted to help, C. who was playing on the next IPad said, “you have to do this” and he reached over and moved a weight into the net, he then went back to his own game.  Three more children arrived, added their names to the waiting list and watched J. and C.  Through trial and error J. eventually balanced her net and moved to the next screen,  and she exitedly told all around, one by one, “Look I did it”.  When she looked puzzled about what to do next the waiting children offered suggestions and mimed out with their fingers what she could try.  I realised that the IPad is very easy for the children to use and creates a lot of interest and interaction amongst the children. They are fascinated by the way it works, with no ‘keys’, just fingers.  They also further develop co-operation, reasoning, recall, patience, literacy, language/vocabulary, and social skills (Ministry of Education, 1996). 

Despite my lack of knowledge about the IPad I acknowledge that it is important to introduce new technology at a young age as this will help them to grasp opportunities, increase options and address needs in the future (Ministry of Education, 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why scissors?

                           ‘Why scissors? They’re an interesting invention; they cut through

                 things . . . . . . I mean scissors are both simple and complicated.

                They’re a very simple design. But I remember as a kid I could
                never figure out how they worked.’ (Burton, 1990)

In school at the age of 5 I was given a piece of paper with a circle drawn on it and a pair of scissors, (similar to the ones pictured), and I was told to cut out the circle. My end result did not please my teacher much, she took back the scissors and commented, “Well, we’re not very good at that, are we?”  I was disappointed as  I had concentrated on following the line so very carefully.  Using scissors on my own was a new skill I had not yet mastered.  These days we understand that ‘children who are given early opportunities to develop bodily skills and co-ordination of hand and eye, gain a sense of mastery over their environment and confidence in their own ability’ (Somerset, 2007, p. 6).  Learning to use scissors (and other tools) effectively and safely is one of the essential skills of the exploration strand of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996).  and also helps a child to develop hand-eye co-ordination, (for eventual control of their pencil to write), visual perception (the ability to recognise the difference between curved and straight lines, ready for reading), and spatial meanings by using descriptive language such as make a long/short cut,  cut from top to bottom, etc with the children as they work with scissors helps them  understand the meaning of the words (Lazarus, 1965).

I observed a group of children working together at the cutting and sticking table, and it was noticeable that the older children had more fine motor control than the younger ones just through how they managed their use of the scissors. The older children who had been at kindergarten for a while had no problems cutting paper but could not cut the long ribbon into the smaller pieces they wanted. I helped them when they asked by holding the ribbon tight so they could cut it. The younger children could start to cut paper, but struggled with re-positioning their scissors to get another cut through. When they lost patience they either appealed for help or tore the last bit of paper.  Lazarus (1965) recommends the use of training scissors (see picture) for children who have poor co-ordination or have tried unsuccessfully to use scissors previously and are afraid to try again, and although the article is quite old I can see that the use of these scissors may have advantages for some children. I feel however that other children would not want to use these scissors as they may feel they have no control of what they want to achieve, plus the scissors themselves seem quite bulky.

I was working with a small group of 4.5 -5 year olds, at the writing table, who were offered the opportunity to make a cardboard cube which they could decorate in any way they chose. This involved them cutting out a cardboard template to form the box and the pictures to stick over it. The children showed great competence and concentration when using the scissors, and all but one (left-handed child) managed to cut out their items independently. They worked together in deciding which pictures each would use, and some also decided to use the pattern bladed scissors when cutting them out.
Scissor design has come a long way since they were first invented, we now have (among others), scissors which:

·        produce patterns,

·         can be used by left-handed people

·        are rotary (perhaps a ‘digital’ version in     the scissor world).

·         Can have multiple blades.

.           Have curved blades.

.           Have been designed/developed to fit a specific need, which is a definition of technology as stated in the New Zealand Curriculum (2007).

 The New Zealand Curriculum (2007)  requires that children experience technology at a level in line with their development.  We can facilitate this for young children, by allowing them to use age appropriate scissors, they learn that although seeminly simple, they are tricky to master, but once this is acheived they have a tool which allows them to transform materials into something different (Ministry of Education, 2007 p.37) 
 

 

 

References

Burton, T, (1990) quoted in Easton, N.J. ‘For Tim Burton, This One’s Personal’, in the Los Angeles Times 8 December 1990 quoted in Tim Burton by J. Smith and J. Clive Matthews. London: Virgin Books.  Found in Case, C. (2006). Observation of children cutting up, cutting out and sticking down. International Journal Of Art Therapy, 11(1), 42-52. doi:10.1080/17454830500382820

Lazarus, P. W. (1965). Cutting: A kinesthetic tool for learning. Exceptional Children 31(7), 361-364.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He whariki mataurangi mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Somerset, G. (2007). Work and Play. Christchurch, New Zealand: Wyatt & Wilson Print Ltd.