Lachlan, this was the first day I met you and I was struck in the morning by how you
solemnly watched everything. Your eyes were wide open and watching, watching, watching.
When I checked with Mandy, I learned that you have been in the Kina room for only a short
time. In the afternoon I decided to take some time observing you as you explored this new
environment and the resources and people in it, and I was struck by the fact that it is
probably very hard for us adults to really appreciate how it might actually be for you. (more…)
Author: Evelyn Davis
Learning through play
Witnessing this cameo of play, on my last day in the Paua Room, was a real highlight of my time there. One of my interests is to explore the role of play in a child’s learning journey, and investigate what role the teacher and the environment play in that process. A leading educationalist, Vygotksy, said,” In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behaviour; in play, it is as though he were a head taller than himself.”
Having never seen Brody participating in sociodramatic pretend play before, I was delighted to observe such linguistic, social, emotional and dispositional competence.