3rd reflection

Reflection 3 – The Glue Gun -   and Scissors.

I was in the art room, covering for a lunch break, the glue gun is set up, X is making a long sword, using coloured ice block sticks, he has been making swords and weapons for several months, lots of boys are inspired by his designs, when he has finished putting the final touches on his “sword”  he announces “look , I made a sword gun “ and in response to my question announces “ its just a sword gun, hold like this” holds the sword gun upright in front of his chest. In response to my query, what will you do with it , he replies  “just this “and leaves the art area to find his mates, inspired by his creation , some other boys come to “make a gun”. They stand around each other ready to use the glue gun, taking turns to glue pieces of stick together, before leaving to use these tools outside. It is not long before they are back to do some mending

A has asked me for some help to make a mask,” can you make it?”  we look through a book , even though she continues to tell me she can’t, my response is to tell her that “I usually need to get my ideas from looking at something else, so lets, look together, what is your plan, do you have some ideas? ”,  “ glue gun it “ we keep looking through the pages, seeing a heart she changes her mind, with a request “ can you draw it” making out with my finger on the paper, suggesting ways to try, then A keeps looking through the magazine, and as I move back to sit further away,  A finds the mask page and begins to be inspired... selects her crayon colours, draws the circle for the face, eyes and nose, and proceeds to cut expertly round the face shape, stops when she remembers it needs ears, adds them and whiskers “like a cat”.

At this point P arrives and watches A cutting, he picks up the crayon, marks the paper, then using the scissors, attempts at cutting, watches A opens and closes his hand over the paper but it doesn’t continue cutting, watches a for a few moments then tears his paper. P is new to the centre and preschool environment, while he is very articulate within our environment; he is still making an emotional adjustment to being away from mum. It is good to see him exploring what is a challenging activity;(Ministry of Education, 1996), he would not be exploring new areas of play if he was not feeling comfortable. A is oblivious to P’s scrutiny, when he asks what you doin? A looked up surprised and said “ I’m making a cat mask”!

Looking through the lens with technology on the brain, creativity? or both! It’s hard to see them separated in this context, not because this event is happening in the art room, but the active thinking that takes place, to utilise a tool to  solve a problem, seeking out an answer to support their own understanding, developing confidence to extend on their own perspectives and acquire new knowledge ( Smorti, 1999). P watching A, Was he challenged by the experience, when the scissors were not doing the cutting, storing information for later use. A  needed some reassurance to take the next step. Inspired by the book, or, challenged to work it for herself to extend her own understanding? A did complete her mask, selected tape to anchor her string to the paper, asking me to hold the end while she cut it.  The boys solved their problem when their weaponry needed mending, coming back inside to repair.

From the technology perspective, the tools helped to do a task, and solved a problem of” what action will I take” (Smorti, 1999). Creatively; the process of thought, was thinking and making connections with their peers, being inspired by ideas (Cremin, Burnard, &Craft, 2006).

Cremin, T. ,Burnard, P., & Craft, A. (2006). Pedagogy and possibility thinking in the early years. Thinking skills and creativity. (108-119). :Science Direct. www.sciencedirect.com doi:10.1016j.tsc.2006.07.001

Ministry of Education, (1996). He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa, early childhood curriculum .Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Limited.

Smorti, S. (1999. Technology in early education.  Early Education. (19). Autumn. (5-10).