This week of observations went pretty well besides it being chilly. When I arrived two students were already present and engaging in activities. I was able to settle in quickly. I was wondering to myself what the mood of the children would be this week since last week they were taking over the place. As the children begin to arrive they all seemed happy, greeting their teachers and classmates in high pitched tones. The first two students to arrive had started building a large circular train track so when the other students arriving saw this they were like "ohh, trains, I wanna build or play." Once they washed their hands they make their way to the literacy area where the train tracks were being built. The children were all playing together peacefully despite there being very little room for all them to move about. As some of the children left the area the tension started to erupt over who's train it was and children went to throw "blows" at one another.
This week I had to observe one child and complete measurements from DRDP. I choose to observe male student A because he is very active in the class doing almost every activity. Measurement 15: Expression of self through language. (Child uses language to communicate with increasing complex words and sentences.) I would descride this child as transitioning into the intergrated developmental level and has mastered the building level. Student A is playing with a set of trains on the floor in the literacy area, he leaves his train sitting there as he walks over to the train table to get another train. As he is getting the train another student picks up his train and starts to play with it. Student A looks over and sees the other student playing with the trains he had. He runs over to the other student and tries to grab the train out of his hands, but other student continues to hold on to it. Both are pulling at the train. Student A tells other student " I was playing with it first. I wasn't finished playing with it. Mine. I wanted more trains, I had it first give me." Other students says "no, I want to play with it" and begins to start yelling. Both students are "whining" loudly and teacher comes over to mediate the situation. She asks to hear what happened and student A goes first. "I was playing with that first and he took it and I was still using it. I wanted more trains and he took it when I get more trains." Teacher asks other student about the train. They both compromise and let student A have the train back and will let other student use it when he is done.
The student was able to explain the events that happened when the train was taken while retrieving more trains. He used complex language to illustrate that he had the train first and that he wasn't leaving the train there because he was done playing with it. The students were using motor, social, language, and problem solving skills in this activity. An activity that I would plan for the students would be to setup an outdoor dramatic play area of a train station. I would have conductor hats, gloves, pictures, etc. for the children to prepare they are working at a train station. Also, I would encourage the students to build their own trains with the large blocks.
Hi Janet
ReplyDeleteNow was this blog suppose to be about our 5th observation? Because I didn't get that memo! :) but It looks as if you got this DRDP down packed. Great Observation!!! Sounds Student A is also working on his problem solving skills.
I loved hearing about "The Great Train Robbery" and its peaceful resolution. This scenario seems to repeat itself often in ECE classrooms--and in K and the primary grades as well, now that I think of it; although with the older children it's easier to work through a conflict because they have better language skills and have mastered the "object permanence" concept. Sharing doesn't come easy for some kids. Week before last in a 2nd grade class I was subbing, a boy took his tablemate's water bottle, opened it and drank half of it, then put it back in front of the owner. A huge brouhaha ensued. Everyone agreed, even the culprit, that the water belonged to student A. The question was, why did student B take something that didn't belong to him? He had no answer and began to pout and shed a few tears.
ReplyDeleteLooking back I should have gotten more involved and been a better facilitator, but I was swamped with other duties. The class calmed down, but an undercurrent :o of whispering and chatting about the event continued for the rest of the day. "Did you see what X did?" Anyway, I guess my point is that I need some practice being a better conflict interventionist.
Hi Janet!
ReplyDeleteAs Jim mentions above, "the great train robbery" does repeat itself through the classrooms. I can't tell you how many times I have observed the boys engage in that situation. I have not seen any girls engaging in it though. The girls in my classroom will usually help the boys build the track but they do not make the trains come alive. They prefer to go to the kitchen and play there. I have seen the boys pull a doll playhouse and use it as a "safe house".