My first blog

1/8/12
first time on blog!!

Reflection –2/8/12

The microscope becomes a tool suited for the job of studying items of interest (Murphy, De Pasquale, Mac Namara, 2003).

I brought a dead weta into the centre to put under the dolphin microscope; thinking to follow a particular child’s(R) interest in insects.  Previously we had been going on snail, worm and slug hunts around the centre garden. When R, arrived at the he was reluctant at first, there was a fascination but ‘I don’t want to touch yet’ approach, other children came to see what we had, to look, touch. With prompting and reassurance from me R looked and also touched the leg spikes. One of the more confident children put the weta on the slide, adjusting the lens, and moving it around. R looked through the lens too, moving the lens in and out of focus, later returning to  show off the weta to other children. It shows me, while one child is  following his interest, it drew in the curiosity of others; including others, doing things together (Ministry of Education, 1996) some with more knowledge by using the microscope. In this way contributed to each other’s  learning opportunity.  

The microscope has the ability to take photos of the item on the slide, and one child took a photo, which came up on the computer screen. When R showed other staff the weta, one member went to the centre library and found a book about weta, for the children to read. Read more about Weta http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/invertebrates/weta/

As I handed the weta over to the children’s control, I noticed my thoughts; the thought that they would be rough with the weta and it would begin to break up. Moving the microscope out of focus made the image blurry to see, the challenge to allow the experimentation and draw on the knowledge of the whole group.  I know I believe we should take care of the living and the dead however children should also have experiences to learn.. The weta travelled from my place to centre to the microscope slide, was photographed, travelled around the inside of the centre on a piece of paper in one piece, until later, as it was doing the’ tour’ outside, it was in pieces. My comment was on the tip of my tongue, “try to remember gentle handling “  I’m thinking take care of the weta,... but it’s dead already!, maybe the broken bits can be looked under the microscope individually any way the children want to.

Technology, what is it, how to incorporate aspects into the learning setting? Although similar to science, technology answers the how can we do this question, and becomes part of creativity therefore helping to solve a problem, (Smorti, 1999). A much wider definition helps to demystify technology by allowing us to think of the help that technology has in our everyday lives, from the simple such as scissors to the complexity of computers and software.

 How is the microscope beneficial for children? The children were in control of the microscope, I noticed that I moved in to adjust the focus several times.  Was this my protectiveness over the dead weta? Or, was it control over the situation?  Occasionally, if there was a comment,  I can’t see! I moved into adjust the focus, but there were times when I moved in anyway; telling the children the dial is for getting the image to be clear, in focus.

 The microscope became a tool for further study of the weta, the enlargement of various body parts enabling the children to see a clearer picture of the weta. There were opportunities for children to socialise as they discussed the weta size, asked questions, and overcame their fearful emotions to be curious and explore the weta further. Sometimes we can be so focused on the result that we overlook the learning which is happening during the process. Today there was lots of social connections being made with one another and the environment. Taking turns, observing one another are the opportunities of peer interactive learning and teaching experiences (Eklind, 1999). The learning of the inexperienced person from the more experienced, has the principle of ako where the core value is love and care for one another , and known as  tuakana teina (Whaiti, McCarthy, & Durie, 1997).

Reference List

Elkind, D. (1999).  Educating Young Children in Math, Science, and Technology.  Retrieved on 3  August, 2012. From,

          http://www.project2061.org/publications/earlychild/online/context/elkind.htm

Ministry of Education. (1996).Te Whāriki; He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa; Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Murphy, K., De Pasquale, R. & Mac Namara, E. (2003). Meaningful Connections, using technology in primary classrooms. In,  Beyond the Journal, young children on the web. November 2003.  Retrieved  3 August, 2012. From, http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200311/TechInPrimaryClassrooms.pdf

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.

Tangaere, A. R. (1997). Maori human development theory. In T. P. Whaiti, M. McCarthy, & A. Durie. (Eds.). Mai i rangiatea, Maori wellbeing and development. (pp.46-59). Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press with Bridget Williams Books.