Small Sticks Build Relationships 2013

7/28/2019 Small Sticks Build Relationships 2013

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Sam always seems to have something in his

hands. Ever since a baby we remember him with

small objects tightly held in one hand as he went

about his day.


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Shafer (2002) says the significance of listeningto the children and documenting is to see

the complexity and brilliance of ordinary

moments(p.185)

Uncovering the extraordinary in theordinary is, to a large extent, a matter oflistening....... (p.194)


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Small Sticks build

relationships


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Gathering sticks


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Sam talks to himself

explaining exactly whateach stick is for.

I'm collecting tools, Im

going to fix things.


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Yellow for cutting off.

Green for hammeringGrass for poking in then you hammer it like that

Sand thats for making it dry


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Sam finds a bigger

stick.

Its a hammer and I

painted with it. It's allfixed up.


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Its a helicopter.


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The digger needed urgent mechanical repairs, requiring two

mechanics. Sam and Lexi used his sticks to solve the problem.

The longer ones are the hammers and the smaller ones are the

screwdrivers.


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Sticks Bridge the Gap ?

Sticks are something Sam is not only connected to

in the physical sense they are also used as tool to

make connections with others.

As teachers we wondered if the sticks were a tool

to invite others into his world, to take the time to

slow down and become connected tohis thinking, his thoughts and ideas.


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Sams ongoing interest in gathering sticks

and offering these to others has enhanced

his relationships which have grown overtime.

Through his quiet communications,

Sam continues to draw us into his world.


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Sams interest in sticks is

never a one dimensional

learning opportunity,

but interweaves with many

possible connections to

other curriculum areas.

Sorting his sticks into different

lengths he again illustratedhis mathematical knowledge

and understanding of

classification and

measurement.


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Sams sticks are often connected to a

journey or a significant happening.

They may be gathered on his walk to

the centre or from his own garden.

They have meaning,

share memories and reflect

times ofimportance .


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Using his favourite sticks as aprovocation

Sams stories emerge through

his drawings..


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Look at mine. Thats sticks got a road through it.

Thats how this one is.

As he explained this he compared the stick with the one he had drawn

and was very pleased as he realised they were the same length.


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That's a storm that blew the

sticks off the tree, and thats

clouds and a big rain iscoming down.


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This is a boat. This is a man hes fishing. Thats another man.

Theyre going on the sea and this is the line they need to pull

another boat and another line.

Sam then held up his drawing to show me. Placing hispaper back on the table Sam began to draw with ever

increasing speed and intensity.Storm, he explained.

The men got rain all over them. This is the cloud with the raindropping all over them. They got sick from the wet.

When this drawing was finished Sam asked that both his

pictures be put in his portfolio so mum


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Sams teacher wrote; Sam I really enjoyed sharing

story telling through your drawings. Using experiences you

are familiar with and adding your imagination you were able

to create a great story.

I was also impressed with your perception of length as you

drew a line which was the same length as the stick you had

chosen from the collection you displayed on the table. I

look forward to sharing more stories as we communicatethrough mere marks.

Having emailed the learning story home Sams dadreplied; The versatility, the creativity and comedy ofSams magic sticks never ceases to amaze us.


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Mere MarksKolbe writes, at some point children make aremarkable discovery: mere marks on a piece

of paper can stand for things not actually

present. Although the early named drawings

dont resemble anything the achievement issignificant. Why?

By labeling marks and shapes, children show

they understand that marks can communicate.

They are at the threshold of learning to makeimages, letters and numbers.

U. Kolbe, (2001). Rapunzels Supermarket


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The collection of small sticks from papatuanuku

offers us a glimpse into the perspectives of a

child's relationship not only with the materialitself but also with others.

These relationships and connections to the naturalworld transcend into his relationships with peers

and teachers.

Are his sticks a conduit for making

connections and building

relationships?


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Listening with our eyes


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The photo itself is not the essence, ratherthe thinking, reflecting and the analysis of

this experience - is the essence.

We continually ask ourselves.

What is really happening here?Why?

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Two teachers viewing the same photos willinvariably create two meanings.

Their dialogue then creates a synergy,ajoint understandingto support further

opportunities for the children

Photos open the door to other possibilities.53


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Childrens play is complex.

Children use multipletools and

multiple strategies to exploretheir thinking and their working

theories.

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Small Sticks Build Relationships 2013