Worms! When outside I am reminded of the importance of modeling. Children are naturally interested in the natural world, in the way things work and in living things. They also gauge their reactions by our reactions. If I see a worm and am hesitant to touch it or say, "Ewww gross", many children will draw back and suppress their own interest or worse, they will move to kill it. If however, I model active engagement and a sense of wonder, their own natural and courageous curiosity takes over. Then something wonderful happens, the child begins modeling for peers and soon the playground is full of "Ooo's" and "Ah's" and pronouncements like "worms are cool!". Discussions break out about where worms live and other teachers become involved. Soon there is talk about what worms do. Which leads us to the compost, where worms are carried one by one to do their big work of digesting food waste and preparing healthy compost for our gardens.
Where the children have just finished planting carrots and strawberries with their parents.
Similar discoveries happen elsewhere when two boys race over to share a recent discovery of mushrooms growing in the moist earth. After I snap a photo, J. uses the school camera to capture a few pictures of his own, attracting several other children to the fungi discovery in the backyard.
In the studio, the experience is not forgotten, as is evidenced by this worm-wonderer's beautiful illustration of her recent worm encounter on the playground.
Learning opportunities really are everywhere, all the time!
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