Changes to Our Environment and Schedule

Children explore materials at our new, long
"harvest table."  16 children can sit and
create at this new table.

You and your child may notice some considerable changes in our program over the next few weeks and months.  As a kindergarten team, we have observed that many children are struggling with the number of transitions we had in our previous schedule.  For example, a normal morning might have looked like this in the past:

• 8:50 - Arrive, all students come in, take off outdoor clothing, put on indoor shoes, O'Canada, Table Activities
• 9:25 - Tidy up
• 9:30 - Group Learning
• 9:40 - Discovery Time
• 10:10 - Tidy Up
• 10:15 - Get ready for outside
• 10:30 - Outside for recess
• 10:50 - Students come in, take off outdoor clothing etc.

Wow!  There are two tidy up times in there!  Here is a sample of what we would like to achieve as our new transition plan and schedule:

• 8:35 - 8:50 - Arrive, sing O'Canada outside.  Play outside
• 9:05 - 9:15 - Children transition inside to discovery time in 3 small groups.  Between 8-10 students go in at a time 
• (10:00 - Tidy up) - we often allow children to leave what they are doing to continue later.  There will be days where we do not tidy up here.
• 10:10 - Focused Group Learning, get ready for outside
• 10:30 - Outside for Recess
• 10:50 - Students come in, take off outdoor clothing, etc.

The overall goal for our program as we move forward is to give the children less transitions and more "discovery time."  What is discovery time?  Put very simply, discovery time is child led and focused intentional play.  As a team, we will create and set out provocations to prompt the children to create and experiment with materials.  They are free to explore all areas of the room.  While they are discovering and playing, the teachers will be doing a variety of things:

• Observing and documenting children at various activities and learning centres
• Working with small groups on focused literacy and math activities
• Working one on one with children to assess, document, and challenge students
• Participating in activities with children to further provoke their thinking and ask them meaningful questions about their play.

What are Provocations?

A very simple math provocation in our
classroom.  The sign reads: "What is
longer? What is shorter?"  Students are
encouraged to measure materials and find
objects to compare them with in the
classroom.

Provocations in early childhood are a concept that come from the Reggio Emilia Approach.  Reggio Emilia is a city in Italy where parents and educators have collaborated to create a new approach to student learning that focuses on the environment and lets children explore and experiment.  Provocations are used to provoke students' thinking and expand on children's thoughts, ideas, questions and interests.  Put simply, we observe the children and then set out materials in an interesting way in order to prompt them to explore their interest further and provoke their thinking.

Provocations can range from very simple (like the picture from our class to the left) to more focused and detailed.  As a team we are constantly looking for ideas for provocations.  For examples of the kinds of provocations we are aiming for, you can visit Mrs. Piquette's Pinterest board, "Provocations" by clicking on the link below.

Follow Marcia's board Provocations on Pinterest.

Questions?  Please ask in the comment section!