Classroom and Curriculum
The Blue Group
As children enter the Blue Group at four or five years of age, they are beginning to shift from the typical egocentrism found in younger children to the ability to understand the perspectives of others. Blue Groupers are also celebrating increased independence that goes along with their growing repertoire of skills, expressive language and cognitive power. A classroom goal for this developmental stage is to extend the children's awareness of both individuality and cooperative learning. Therefore, the curriculum places an emphasis on self-expression, confidence building and cooperation.
Positive self-esteem is essential so that Blue Groupers may explore their school environment and feel comfortable taking risks cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically. Self-esteem is fostered by giving responsibilities and opportunities to exhibit the children's expertise. For example, when a child needs assistance with a computer game, a teacher will direct that child to a peer who is an expert in this specific domain. Teachers encourage children to tap into the resources available in their peer group to give empowerment to every child's strength.
Validation of hard work is supported using a variety of methods. One example is the "Save Shelf," which is where work can be saved such as a Duplo structure or structure made of recycling materials to share with friends, teachers and families. Ongoing projects such as a costume or a book are also housed on the Save Shelf until complete for final celebration. Other methods of validation are captured with a camera, the creation of Big Books or with drawings of creations produced.
In the Blue Group, there is an increase in shared responsibility in the choice of curriculum. While teachers remain the guides of the journey, they allow room for children to bring in their own thoughts and encourage them to exercise their own passions. Children in this developmental stage possess the cognitive ability to implement any ignited passions they may hold. The activities in the classroom are ones that teachers have chosen or that children have suggested. For example, Blue Groupers were enthralled with the weaving loom in the classroom. This interest in manipulating fabric led teachers to implement a unit on quilts. Soon after the quilt unit started, the children began working on a quilt for a new baby that one of our families was expecting. Through this unit the children were immersed with activities involving pattern recognition, fine motor coordination, community building and story telling concepts.
Children in the Blue Group are becoming aware of both what makes us different from each other and what makes us similar. Along with this growing self-awareness comes age-appropriate gender difference recognition. Blue Groupers begin to identify physical similarity and differences that extend to conversations regarding the many differences among us. Conversations pertaining to physical attributes such as hair color, to differences in our family structure, weave us together as a community. Self-awareness in the large community brings many learning opportunities for children to form a variety of relationships. Children with special needs and those developing more typically are given an environment where their strengths are recognized and celebrated. Challenges are also acknowledged and supports are put in place with the necessary accommodations to create an environment where he or she can succeed. For example, a child with Down syndrome who has expressive language difficulties is supported with the use of American Sign Language (ASL). In order for this child to communicate, all of the children learn and use ASL in the classroom. This double advantage is the hallmark of how the Blue Group approaches every child.
Children are emergent readers when they enter the Blue Group and are beginning to recognize the conventions of print. They understand that print in the environment conveys a massage and are exposed to print throughout the day. "Shared Reading" is teacher directed and often involves a predictable and/or repetitive book. The same book is the focus for consecutive Shared Reading lessons, as repetition is a powerful tool for learning. Extension activities from the Shared Reading story are woven throughout the curriculum to expose the children to the concepts of print and, at the same time, adding excitement to the literacy experience. An example of an extension activity using the story Who Sank the Boat?, by Pamela Allen, involves the reenactment of the story through children role playing the characters. An imaginary boat may be used as children retell the story about animals piling on a boat until one animal joins and the boat begins to sink. Through their enjoyment of books, they are learning that they are powerful storytellers whose ideas can even be captured in print. Each day in the Blue Group all of the children work on their representational skills with writing tools. This time of the day dubbed by one of our youngsters "Paperwork," validates the varying stages of writing and drawing that are represented in our classroom. During Paperwork the children are experimenting and building their writing and reading skills as they attach print to their drawings.
Families are the ultimate experts in understanding their own child and are sought out by teachers throughout the year. Blue Group families have many opportunities to be actively involved in the classroom and are encouraged to join our daily activities. There are numerous social gatherings, such as potluck dinners and Sing-Alongs, when all members of the Blue Group can come together and appreciate each other.
The Blue Group year is filled with learning opportunities for growth in all areas of development. It is a year in which children begin to reach out beyond their immediate context into the larger community of the school and its surroundings. Blue Groupers learn to extend the horizons of their skills and generalize them to new situations as they explore through self-expression, confidence building and cooperation.
