Curious about Cameras

Curiosity, Cameras and Caring

Children are curious by nature; embrace that! Foster that!  In this video, the children ask questions of the videographer, who gladly responds with honest answers. The last seconds of this clip show the classroom teacher extending the learning while providing comfort and companionship to one child. We don’t see who found the camera and began the interaction–if it was the teacher, she found a way to let the child touch and hold a camera, something the videographer couldn’t do. If it was the child, the teacher became a caring companion, holding the child close, turning her attention to what the child was interested in. Hopefully she is listening to what the child has to say to her before she speaks.

While we can’t hear what is being said, we hope this is a “teachable moment” in which the questions asked stimulate thought and curiosity.  “What do you think that part of the camera is used for?” “How does it look different from the video camera? How does it look the same?” “What parts of the camera move?” “What do you want to take a picture of?” Think of how much more thought goes into those questions than “What color is it?” What part is made of glass?” “What letter does ‘lens’ start with?”