We felt that the children were ready to explore new spaces and increase their sense of community. So this week, in the afternoons, we have invited all of the Early Years children to participate in time together to explore our Atelier, the EY1 (Nursery) room and the EY2 (Reception) room. In the afternoon the children have been able to choose where they would like to work. The adults too have been working in less familiar spaces and getting to know all of the children more deeply. Our wish is to open up multiple possibilities for relationships, curiosity and inquiry to develop, in order to promote learning.
The children expressed how they felt…
“I love to and I like to and I love all the nursery children. That’s why I like coming in.”
“They got fun toys.”
“Yes, we need to keep doing it and go to Atelier and to Reception and Nursery.”
“Because of all the friends and I can play here.”
“They have a lot of toys.”
“They have nice stuff and I can be a dinosaur and roar and have big claws.”
“Because it’s fun, fun stuff, like making playdough and teddy bears who need a doctor.”
“I like to play dress up.”
“I like to play doctors. In Reception. I like to go on computer. I like to play with Isabella in the Reception and in Nursery.”
“In nursery. It got more toys. I like my Nursery friends, some friends.”
“I like to go to the Nursery because there’s so many cool things, cars, things on the walls.”
“I like to go to the Nursery because I like to play doctors and cars and everything.”
“I like to play baby in my tummy.”
“I like going to Atelier. I like to play rockets with Freya and my best friends.”
“Nursery, by doctor, house, plays, playing with everybody.”
They all agreed that they would like to be able to continue to delve into different learning spaces and find new friends or re-connect with familiar friends.
The children seemed to feel the joy in belonging to our Early Years community and sensed that this was something special. A strong belief for us is that the community in a school, inspired by relationships, respect and participation, has the children, teachers and parents at it’s centre. All participate in generating the educational design and the life of the school, where dialogue, reciprocity and exchanges by providing a sense of belonging and enjoyment in being part of a learning experience are favoured.
As the year passes I am sure that the children will deeply feel that sense of belonging and feel listened to and loved at school. A school that takes care generates a mutual sense of care, and in turn the children when they grow up, return this regard by caring for others, becoming good citizens of the world.