Figure 1.--This children in this class came up with what they like best about their class and then everyone drew themselves.
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Figure 1.--This children in this class came up with what they like best about their class and then everyone drew themselves. |
Have a look here at some Year 3 classes.
Welcome into a morning in the life of Class One, here we are concentrating on building a class ethos, a group that supports each member and respects the needs of everyone. The arts of communication, respect, and reponsibility all have their beginnings in this year, the gentle building of a class society that will endure for twelve years and support each member, no matter their strengths or weaknesses, as they grow from childhood, through puberty, into young adulthood. The circle plays a large part in the day, many activities have their start here and some take place entirely within it. A circle is a form of unity, here each person can see and be seen, no one is excluded and no one is dominant. Within this form we sing, recite poems, clap and stamp rhythms, learn letters and numbers and, most importantly, learn to listen and share with each other. Activities flow from one to the other, holding oneself still and quiet while the candle is lit for the morning
verse; singing while the teacher puts out the "absent children" form; clapping a given rhythm (can they guess which rhythm it is?); moving like fairies then stamping like giants!
Beanbags on heads, stepping in the circle right around and back to your place, intense concentration to not lose that which is so precariously balanced. Body geography - which is the right hand, receiving from a friend with the left ..... the confusion that reigned at first has given way to more confident passing and receiving, but much practise is still needed. Throwing the bag up into the air with the right hand, catch it with your left, now
do it but don't move your feet, they are planted into the earth like the roots of a mighty Totara. Oh! look at her, how clever! She can do it! Now throw with your left and catch with your right; Do you see how firmly his roots are planted in the earth? Very good work!
Can you all make a straight line together? Yes you can, wonderful. Now can you make a curved line? Yes indeed, very good, now lets draw that line in the air, walk it with your feet, now run that shape. Draw it on the back of a friend, can they feel it? Good, now swap around. Lets draw that line in the sandpit, on the blackboard and finally lets put that form onto paper. All of the forms have been given to us by a special little gnome named Wecan, in his search for a new home he travels a magical path that has imbedded into it various signs and symobls to indicate when he is on the reight track. These forms are then worked on by the
children, each one holding within it a part of Wecans story. And suddently it is morning tea-time. The circle which was temporarily broken while we worked at our desks is now reformed, food containers beside us we join hands to sing a grace and refresh our busy bodies. The buzz continues, it is rarely quiet in Class One for long.
Pauline King, Raphael House Newsletter February 27, 1998 .
