Young Children - May 2008 - (Page 37) Partner activities These are things that two can do together. In the beginning of the year, we may select a partner for a child; later in the year, we invite children to pick their own. One such activity is making grilled cheese sandwiches. The teacher calls over two children at a time, with a plan for these two to play together after snack. Our teachers testify that almost without exception, a pair who butters bread slices side by side, then cooks and eats them together, will spend the rest of the day playing together! Another school regularly plans “buddy reading,” with two children taking turns reading or listening to a story. This supports literacy and social growth. At our school, sledding is a partner activity: the rule is that there needs to be at least two on a sled. Yes, this keeps the hill less crowded; but another benefit is the social learning that occurs—children ask friends to go downhill with them, negotiate who will carry the sled back up, wait for buddies, and negotiate themselves onto a new sled that may be faster. This is true social learning, just as important as the healthy exercise they’re getting! have to work together to bring out the blocks, the wood for the woodworking bench, and so on. Once they’ve worked together to set up, it’s easy to go right on playing together. Teachers can facilitate particular groups by inviting specific children to come and help with a certain setup. For larger groups, we use “big jobs” such as shoveling snow together or raking leaves. The social and emotional benefits are many when teachers routinely ask several children to pitch in at one time. Our rule for teachers is, Our rule for teachers is, “Never do anything a child could do.” Teamwork When you plan an activity that two or three children need to do together, it’s not just about getting the job done, it’s about structuring for social growth. Resist filling the water table before class starts. Have empty buckets ready, call children by name, and ask them to go together to get water. Another team job is sweeping. Have brooms with dustpans nearby, and watch for the children who need some social time. Cleanup is one time when children can work together, but for social and emotional growth, why not try setup too? We intentionally position some of our activities in crates or boxes beside the play area. Children Young Children • May 2008 37
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