Twenty to Twenty-one Setting the stage: The teacher has added one straw to two bundles of ten straws, part of a daily exercise in class. He then asked the children how many straws there were, and the children shouted out lots of answers, especially “TWELVE!!” This short clip showed his response and the teachable moment. […]
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 […]
In this video the child feels safe enough to voice his feelings—he doesn’t want his picture taken–and the videographer honors him. “OK, I won’t take your picture,” we hear as the camera turns away from the child. A child learns trust and is empowered when adults respect the child. Think of ways this would have […]
When a child needs to have his temperature taken, teachers often get an emotional response similar to the one in this clip. The boy wants his mom and says so. What do you notice about the way the teacher responds? The teacher repeats the child’s words, showing the child that he has been heard. This […]
Often a child playing alone is in her own imaginative place in her head. If that’s the case, teachers must respect that and stay out of the child’s place. What would have happened if a teacher had come over and asked the child to tell her what she was doing/assess the child’s verbal skills, for […]
The children have been given the tools to understand what an “audience” is and the rules for being an audience are reinforced in an informational rather than punitive manner. When children say “I can’t see” it is because they can’t see. Their eyesight is still developing. Teachers should show pictures longer and help the child […]