Do we let them do what they want to do?

Situation one

Circle time is going on in the classroom, children have a lot to share with each other.  Somebody is not in the mood to listen and starts making noises to distract the rest of the children.  Teacher looks at him and encourages him to listen and participate.......no response, soon the flow of the circle time is no longer the way it began.  

Situation two

I do not like Hindi and therefore will not do anything in the class.  I will sit in the classroom and disturb the rest of of my friends.  Look! I have torn the pages of my friend's book.  This teacher thinks she can stop me, no, I am strong and can hit her.

Situation three

Outdoor time, well! today I don't wish to run and play so let me go the class and read a book.  I also have the freedom to decide and choose, so please don't stop me.

Situation four

Why do you want children to submit their assignments on time all the time?  My child feels pressurised, I thought children were free to decide.

Do we always let children do what they want to do and call it 'freedom' ?

Freedom is the ability to think and act independently and it goes hand in hand with responsibility.  A teacher has to define boundaries for the children and help them understand the same.  Freedom does not mean letting the children do what they want all the time.  Children have to be guided to know and understand consequences.  If boundaries are created along with children, they relate to them much better.      

How do we help children understand freedom with responsibility?   

• Making children sensitive.
• Providing a positive reinforcement.
• My own sense of being - as a teacher, am I a collected person - the way I talk and dress, the way I create order in the classroom.
• Distinguish between the child and the behaviour?
• Offer a solution when you sense something.
• Be what you want the children to be.
• Be consistent with rules.
• Give reminders to children with humour, do not be too repetitive, be selective with your words and follow up the message.
• Reminders should come with love.
• Discuss the consequences with children,  make them accountable.

Lesson Plans

Lesson plans are guidelines which provide a direction to our work with children. A well thought out lesson plan for a week would reflect the flow of activities for each day. Choosing the lesson plan theme itself requires a lot of thinking. Have I let the children guide me while choosing a theme? What are the questions being asked by children? What are the observations being shared by them? What are the observations that I have made about my children? What is it that they share during the Circle time? Do I need to address certain learning needs or group issues? Is there a need to create linkages between the last week's theme and the theme for the next week?

The session on' What is Inclusion' in our weekly Friday meeting left me wondering about the need to sensitise children about inclusion in classrooms. Also how can it be facilitated thoughtfully and sensitively. It further led me to think whether 'Inclusion' could be a theme that could be taken up with the children. Beginning with inclusion within me, inclusion in the environment, inclusion in language, Maths, Science, Art, Music, Sports, elements within me, emotions and so much more. I could create a lesson plan and sensitively facilitate inclusion in my classroom.

The aim of my lesson plan would be - relating to what is inclusion and creating sensitivity about inclusion around me. Next step would be to work on the lesson plan.

The aims of a lesson plan should be few, lesson plan should be simple and a lot of focus should be on how we would create a context for our theme. What are the experiences we would provide to our children and how would we bring the conceptual clarity.

Some points to be kept in mind while working on a lesson plan:

* Is is integrated?

* Are we looking at individual levels?

* Are we giving challenges? /Taking children forward

* Is there scope for exploration?

* Is our research thorough?

Reflecting on the lesson plan after its implementation helps in understanding what is it that I have achieved with my children through this lesson plan. It helps in identifying the gaps and planning for the next week.

Making Choices

Children sitting in one of the classroom corners, creating buildings and bridges with wooden blocks, making estimations about the sizes and shapes of blocks. Some engrossed in expressing their imagination and feelings through spreading vibrant colours on paper sheets. In the process, touching , mixing and feeling the colours. Little hands using scissors to cut paper and create patterns,sticky hands with glue and pasting the cut shapes on paper to create more patterns. These streamers will be put outside our Class and add to the liveliness of the room. Two little figures walking around the room wearing over sized T shirts and hats- a role play is in the air. A few serious faces sitting on little stools and writing words to add them to our "word Box". These would be shared in the morning circle time. As I step out in the play area, muddy hands mixing water in the sand and offering this as ice cream, a beautiful and serene temple being created in the sand pit and fallen flowers adorning the temple peak. Confident and sturdy feet running up and down the grass mound. Well! these are images of 'choice time" in my Kindergarten. Memories of days I so much cherish!!

Choice time was a very significant part of my day with children. They had made their choices and were creatively and meaningfully engaged, abundant learning was happening.

In all the activities being explored by them,there was space for inquiry,manipulation,imagination,expression and cognition.

Choice time for children would have different meaning at different age levels. Also the nature of choices and challenges for children at various age levels has to be thoughtfully planned. The question to be answered by a teacher at all times should be "Am I taking my children forward?"

Choice time according to me can be defined as the time where a teacher provides meaningful choices to children,which help in the development of skills like thinking abilities,application,creativity,observation and building lasting relationships with Language,Maths and Science around them.

Three significant stages of creating choice time corners are:

*Planning and preparation of corners.

*Orienting children about the choices.

*Meaningful implementation and monitoring the choices made by children.

What teachers should keep in mind:

*How do we interpret and implement choice time?

*Do we initiate children to the choices available?

*Do we observe how children respond to the various corners?

*Do we observe children creating and manipulating?

*How do we encourage children to explore more corners in case they move to the same corners?

*If children show trends during choice time,do we incorporate them in our lesson plans as themes?

*Do we talk about changes in choices during our circle time?

*Do these choices enhance the skills and take the children forward?

Suggestions for choice time corners:

*Discovery Corner - Box with magnets,magnifying glass,measuring tape,small weighing scales,threads,strings,torch,plastic cups etc.

*Beads and strings - creating jewellery

*Project activities done in the Class - Children like to revisit activities,some of them who have been absent miss out on them.

*Reading corner - Books relevant to the theme can be kept.

*Making resources and games - Word games,number games,riddles and board games

*Knitting and stitching corner.

*Art corner.

*Math aids and games.

*Gardening - creating a flower bed or vegetable patch.

*Not to miss playing out and outdoor games.

*Role plays using props.

Happy Choice Time with your Choices!!