|
Recently a local middle school jazz band performed at a nearby mall; their music filled the air. Among the many listeners was a pre-schooler. Attracted by the sound, he stopped to listen and watch; soon his whole body began to move. He was caught up in the moment and the music and did not move away until prompted by his dad.
As teachers, how many moments have we experienced in the classroom where children are this captivated and absorbed? In some instances, we may fail to take advantage of meaningful learning experiences≈to raise questions for investigation, to identify problems to be solved, to discuss, to wonder. Too many times we move children away from what intrigues them because it is not specified in the agenda set forth by state and local guidelines.
Utilize natural curiosity
There is something intrinsically interesting in toys≈for children and adults alike. From bubbles and balls to marionettes, magnetic figures and toys with mirrors, motion, and noise, the natural curiosity we demonstrate as youngsters resurfaces as we play. Toys encourage us to tap into our inclination to explore, to question, and to find out what the world is made of and how it works. We explore what a toy will do≈perhaps setting it in motion time and time again, never seeming to be less fascinated with it than the first time we made it work, yet increasing our understanding each time.
For educators, learning to be better and better at working with children means, in part, finding and using materials, tools, strategies, and methods that engage children in ways that challenge their prior knowledge and that extend their understanding of the world. The more familiar children are with something, the more likely they are to have questions about how it works and how it is related to things around it. Starting with something familiar yet intriguing opens a world of possibilities for children's learning. Toys are one of the most accessible and powerful materials for working with children.
"Toys fill a niche in the child's world. They are instruments of play in which actuality and imagination are inextricably mixed," write the authors of Science From Toys.1 Given a new toy, a child will manipulate the toy and experiment to find out what it can do. She may take it apart to see the mechanism that makes it work. She may reassemble the toy or modify it in a way to make it work differently. If you listen to the conversations accompanying the children's initial play with a new toy, you will hear the productive questions: "How does it do that?" "Can it . . .?" "What if I . . . ?" Consider the investigations that might arise from these testable questions initiated by children! Working with toys provides a rich and engaging context for learning and applying skills and understanding in mathematics, science, and language.
Learning from toys
How often do we, as teachers, take advantage of a child's interest and fascination with some phenomenon? How well do we captivate and engage the reluctant learner in each of our classrooms? It is possible to use familiar objects that naturally intrigue children as contexts for learning the processes, skills, and content required by national, state, and local curriculum objectives. Children are familiar with and have easy access to toys. Recognizing this as a possible topic for engaging children in integrated project work, at Y.E. Smith Magnet School, an elementary science and technology magnet school in Durham, NC, the second grade teachers use many old and new toys as starting points for investigations in science and mathematics.
In our growing collection of toys, the most compelling ones are the wooden toys available in the Science Lab and the classrooms. Not only are the wooden toys aesthetically pleasing, they are enduring; they can be mended and fixed so the children feel safe in touching and exploring. Children return to these wooden toys time and time again≈manipulating them, exploring, questioning, and investigating as only children can.
From marionettes to yard art that spins and rocks in the wind, the first question the children always ask is, "Did you make this?" Children somehow connect wooden toys to the world of people≈some person had to have made this. When questioned about why they are drawn to a particular wooden toy, the children invariably answer, "It means I can make it too." (If some other person can do this, can have this idea, then I can too.) These toys appear to make a direct connection to the world of people≈people can and do have ideas about how to create and construct interesting things. They empower the children with confidence in their own ideas and contribute to their willingness to raise questions and set about answering them. Using toys as a starting point for learning provides a context that is familiar, fascinating, and intrinsically motivating.
Elastic energy
At Y.E. Smith Magnet School, in conjunction with a classroom Social Studies unit on community workers, toys with elastic energy were introduced in the Engineering Lab. Pull-back cars, a wooden woodpecker on a spring, and a rubberband roller were used to prompt second graders thinking about springs and rubber bands to make something "go". Could we use a rubber-band to power models of community service vehicles?
This question led to investigations to find "the best" rubberbands to make something move. The children's statements and questions became the focus of our inquiries. Are wider rubberbands stronger than thin ones? Will long ones wind-up more and make something move for a longer time? Which rubber bands are stronger≈which stretch more without breaking? Does the number of twists, or the amount of stretch of a rubberband affect the length of time and the distance the toy will move? Rulers, meter sticks, and stop watches were made available to quantify the test results. Pictures of community service vehicles were collected. Questions about the invention of the rubberband led to research in the Media Center. Teachers found related literature, such as Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni, to share. In the course of the research, box modeling techniques were reviewed as children designed and constructed the body of their vehicles. Geometry skills were applied in constructing a rectangular, wooden chassis and techniques for attaching wheels and axles to frames were learned.
Simple toys can be powerful starting points for children's work in school. They make connections to the child's world and invite them, even give permission, to do what comes naturally≈to be curious, to imagine, and to make sense of the world around them. The possibilities for meaningful learning are endless!
|
|
