Getting A Sense of Perspective

We naturally love rocks. Shiny, rough, large, or small.  It is initially sparked by Pranssi’s interest to collect a few rocks from our backyard. Friends, who notice, demonstrate similar interests to collect more rocks during our outdoor time. Once collected, we arrange them on a tray to start noticing our collection of rocks. 

We bring in A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel. This is a story about a rock that seems ordinary and unassuming, but to the animals around it, it is so much more - a haven, a hill. and a quiet resting place. Each animal approaches the stone from a different place and gets something different from it. This story shows how, despite the stone not changing in composition, the surrounding environment and animal's perspectives affect the stone's appearance.

The stone stays physically the same throughout the story, but is perceived differently by each animal that interacts with it. Using our own experiences with stones, we can discuss how our perception is influenced by perspective and our senses, and whether there truly is one objective view of the stone.  Everyday. we use our senses in order to draw conclusions and perceive the world around us, but does this mean all perceptions are necessarily correct? 

​While noticing, Nora reaches a stone to engage her right arm to lift a stone up and down as a weight. Another time, the rocks in her hands create some gentle sound of knocking. 

Afterward, we make connection between the above experience with the story of a stone and perception. When we rely on our senses to perceive the stone, how do we know which perception of the stone is correct? Is there just one correct perception? Or are they all correct? More generally, is it possible at all to perceive objective reality with something as subjective as our senses?  This emerging understanding may relate to our growing friendship in learning and working together. 

One of our essential roles is being mindful as we learn to work and play alongside one another, forming the foundation of strong social and communication skills. In our recent learning experiences, we’ve focused on fostering teamwork and supporting ourselves in managing conflicts constructively. Watching ourselves progress and see these skills unfold in real-time has been a powerful reminder of how capable we are in resolving issues when provided with the right tools.

​Our class has taken on a unique responsibility: caring for our classroom worms! Feeding and checking on our worms has become a beloved learning experience where we come together to ensure that our little composting friends are healthy and happy. Working in small groups, we each take turns gathering scraps, feeding the worms, and observing them. This routine has encouraged us to communicate with each other, decide who does what, and even talk about what the worms might need. It’s heartwarming to firsthand experience empathy and care to self and one another, and we are learning how to respect and nurture life, even in the smallest forms.

Luka and Kalyan are helping each  other to work on the number puzzle, with Kalyan recognizing numerals from 1 to 20. Through this experience, Luka may learn to develop strategies to assemble accordingly.

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​Kalyan and Kai’s teamwork with the tap-tap art activity is inspiring! Each child has own hammer, and they’re learning to share a large board, making space for each other’s ideas and creations. This activity encourages us to communicate and coordinate, reinforcing how cooperation can make creativity even more enjoyable.

​Watching Fides and Kai collaborate on building with magnet tiles has been a beautiful example of teamwork in action! We are  not only sharing ideas and materials but also encouraging each other to bring our shared vision to life. Our interaction reflects how cooperative play can enhance our social skills and deepen friendships, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie in the classroom.

​Whether we are designing our Halloween boxes or drawing in our journals, each one  of us is learning to balance creative expression with respectful collaboration.

Getting us engage deeply in our individual projects while allowing our friends to do the same reflects our growing social awareness. These learning experiences provide us with valuable opportunities to explore our own ideas, fostering a classroom environment where creativity and respect flourish side by side.

With Halloween just around the corner, each one of us has been eagerly designing our own goody bags, adding personal touches like our names, unique designs, and special words. This learning experience has not only sparked creativity but also given each one of us a chance to express individuality. We proudly create and share our designs has made the excitement of Halloween even more special in our classroom, fostering a festive atmosphere where everyone’s personal flair shines.
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Fides is thrilled to write his name independently on his bag, a wonderful achievement that he is eager to share.

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​Meanwhile, Nora adds her unique touch by writing “Happy Halloween” and drawing adorable little ghosts. Our excitement and attention to detail highlight not only our growing skills but also our joy in celebrating this festive season together.

One of the many interesting ideas when we come up with costumes is they allow us to make our characters alive! It is an opportunity for us to transform into another role, including:

• imagination: we can use our imagination to explore new ideas and behaviors, and to make sense of the world
• self-discovery: we can learn about ourselves by representing ourselves as someone else
• role-playing: we can practice different emotion
• independence: we can practice self-care skills and make decisions about what costumes and props to use
• problem-solving: we can practice problem-solving skills when deciding how to act out a scenario
• expressing ourselves: we can learn to express ourselves and have fun!

Kindest,
​Children & Friends.