Observation Week

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You can take the teacher out of the School……  Observation day/week is what we do when we feel the need to shake up our routine a bit, step back, process some ideas.  Even the most autonomous educators among us occasionally want to take a break from strewing, researching interests and actively facilitating interest based learning.  Ross Mountney has a great post about this.  This week was one of those weeks, it’s great to just step back and observe what the children do, it gives everyone the chance to recharge their batteries.  

So what occurred?  Monday began with the children negotiating room swaps – it had been on the cards for a while.  Plans were drawn out, ideas discussed, compromises made.  Then the big swap commenced, all three biggies worked together – with a little help from Daddy with the big furniture.  The next morning the swap prompted a big clean up – totally child initiated – they hoovered, polished, cleaned windows and de- spidered!  It made me smile when I heard Superhero asking Fairy for the ‘Mr Muscle’!  I loved the fact that Mermaid couldn’t wait to show me her clothes drawers where she had rolled all her clothes ‘Kondo style’!

Fairy has spent a lot of time drawing, painting and crafting and requesting we visit the library!  We also spent some time together playing Brainbox Animals.  Mermaid wanted to carry on with Toe by Toe daily – I know you couldn’t dream it could you?  She also raided the games cupboard with Superhero and they have worked their way through The Enchanted Forest, Fuzzy felt faces, Sum swamp, Slug in a jug and Time Shock.

The sunshine has tempted Superhero and Mermaid out into the garden where trees have been climbed, camps made, football played.  Baby Bean complete with new shiny pair of wellies has loved being outside too exploring the garden, he made a beeline for the wheelbarrow and knew exactly how to use it – shows how much he absorbed being in his pushchair at the stables!

We have stocked up on books from the library, made chocolate fudge as gifts for family – and ate some!  Videos have been created and edited, Christmas decorations crafted as inspired by the gang at Journey Unique.  Letters have been written and of course Minecraft played.   It’s been fun, refreshing and well needed.