When I posted the photos of our table centers I mentioned independent exploration as one of the ways children learn. Yesterday was a great example. Earlier in the month I purchased ten calendars for ten cents each at a clearance sale. They’ve been sitting on top of the bookshelf in science center ever since. I’ve just failed to mention them.
Yesterday one of my girls asked me why they were there. I said, “Well, I just thought they would be fun to look at. You can treat them like a book- take one to your seat or sit on the rug with it.”
Within two minutes I overheard excited conversations all over the room.
“Look, here’s March just like our calendar on the board!”
“There’s my birthday!”
“Mrs. Maurer! Look! Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday! All of them!”
“I’m looking for November. That’s my birthday!”
On and on. I just listened and watched in amazement as my students “studied” excitedly for at least fifteen minutes.
Now I’m wondering what other teaching tools I’ve overlooked at the discount store!!
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