PLANTING LEARNING
Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves.
STEPHEN MOSS,
NATURAL HISTORIAN AND BIRDER
Parents and families are the student's first teachers, and they are constantly learning new skills and information from their families.
Encouraging parents to not only interact with their child/children, but to interact with everyone in our classroom community. Kindergarten children learn with their whole bodies, their minds and their hearts. That learning is even better when the adults in their world work together to support them. Creating an open-dialogue for discussion and support benefits the student. Parents, Elders, and other community members are valuable resources when sharing their experiences. Welcome all languages into the classroom and have families/students teach simple terms to the class (ie. "Hello," "Goodbye," "Please," "Thank you" and "yes/no," or what we are inquiring about). Acknowledging that horizontal transitions (from home to school), can sometimes be challenging. As a teacher working with the parents and building trust with everyone is essential. |
ASK INQUIRY QUESTIONS
When looking outside and noticing the trees, we can ask "How tall is this tree?" or "How old is this tree?" We can ask ourselves the questions "I noticed..." and "I wonder..." when exploring the environment around us. Parents will be joining in asking inquiry questions with the students, and when possible helping the students explore to find out answer that can lead to more questions. As a teacher I would help model this for parents. BRINGING OUR LEARNING OUTSIDE As a class we can bring our learning outside. We can write our names in the dirt with sticks and rocks, we can count numbers for a counting collection. Students can read, and listen to, their favourite books with others. They can draw and create natural art. We can notice the science that is all around us. Parents will have the opportunity to listen as our class acknowledges the traditional Indigenous lands that we work, play and learn on. GROWING OUR OWN PLANTS As part of our classroom inquiry, students will have the opportunity to pick and grow plants in our school garden. We will learn how to plant, how to take care of and how to harvest the plants when the time comes. Parents will be able to help students through the process and teach them what they know about plants and gardening. |
Students will arrive at school with their parents, they will begin their normal morning routine without changing their shoes or taking off their coats/jackets. The teacher will speak to the adults joining us, explaining what our day will look like (including an itinerary if needed- translated if possible). The class will do a short calendar meeting, parents join in to be introduced and then be led outside to begin Wilderness Wednesday. It will be communicated to parents (on a calendar sent out at the beginning of the month), where our class will be for Wilderness Wednesday; for example, an outdoor classroom, a local park or pond, or a local forest trail.
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What About Families Who are Unable to Join? |
When families are unable to join, Wilderness Wednesday will be documented on our class page online (ie. Freshgrade), as well as our class Instagram (when possible). Daily (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) families are able to join in on our Soft Starts in the Morning.
When possible, there will be a "Kindergarten Night School" for students to share their learning with parents who are unable to attend during school hours (not mandatory to attend). |