11º Encontro de Férias SBS - "Tecnologia na Eucação"

The Classroom Environment by Lucy Crichton

"For pre-schoolers it's especially important that their new classroom reflects their own home environment in some way. A cosy place and the feeling of security will help them to adapt more easily to their new reality.

By having some simple and low cost materials in our classrooms we are giving our students an empty canvas on which they will paint amazing masterpieces!

Here are few ideas that can encourage imaginative play in our classrooms:

• CLOTH - have a least 10 different pieces of cloth varying colors and textures. These can be used for any number of things, for example: a deep blue cloth for a river, the sea or the night sky; a light green cloth for grass, a forest or a mountain; a gold cloth for the sun, a field of corn or pirate's treasure; the cloth can also be used to hide under, to sit on at the story time, or to decorate a birthday cake.
• OBJECTS FROM NATURE - have a selection of stones for building and counting, pieces of wood for bridges, seeds, seed pods and dried beans and corn that can be used for 'cooking'. This kind of material can be much nicer than plastic vegetables because children can invent new ideas.
• IMAGES AND PICTURES - suitable images for children's classrooms are those that have softer contours and colouring that show depth and subtlety and that have positive and beautiful images. In this way we are showing the students images that play with their imagination therefore encouraging greater effort and achievement in what they do in the classroom.
• MUSIC - have a selection of percussion instruments which you can use to call the group's attention or at the beginning/end of a story.
• PUPPETS - steer away from puppets that have readymade faces, big eyes or strange mouths and use handmade sock puppets or pieces of cloth wrapped round your hand."

"Just Imagine - Why imaginative play is of fundamental importance in a child's education" by Lucy Crichton

"These days there seems to be a growing sense that there is never enough time to do all we want to do and that life is whizzing by at an untouchable velocity. As a result of this speed it seems that childhood too is being shortened. What we see are children who are mini adults of 5 telling their parents which school they want to go to, what clothes they want to wear, what food they won't eat etc.

Children don't know how to play anymore and if the toy comes without batteries they are at a total loss as to what to do with with it and incapacitated to invent something from nothing. What needs to be brought back into the classroom is something very simple - the chance to use one of mans most precious instruments - IMAGINATION. By feeding children's imagination in an appropriate way, we are laying down the foundations to a balanced and fulfilling future existence.

According to recent research in childhood development, movement, music, art and culture is of fundamental importance.

When a child is involved in natural and free imaginative play, he is always making his discoveries, finding new alternatives. Children are biologically programmed in this way and need only the correct stimulus to do what they know how to do best - PLAY. Later on this will help the child to become a free thinking adult with original ideas and a flexible approach to problems and challenges.

Parents and teachers need to stimulate a sense of awe and wonderment in their children, and not a mechanical, objective, analytical reality."

Teachers are studying about the four language skills for the TKT (Teaching Knowdelge Test)!!!

Today at Green Bay English School, the teachers are studying about the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Teacher Joyce is gonna talk about Reading and Writing and I am going to talk about Listening and Speaking. It is also a great day with a productive discussion. Let's have fun girls!!!

Trainning at Green Bay English School!

During this week, the Green Bay's teachers are studying and improving their English. On Monday, we studied for the TKT Test and we had an interesting workshop "Classroom connect, effective learning" with Teacher Joyce. On Tuesday, we had a class about TKT and in the afternoon, an amazing meeting with the speech therapist Thaís Mantovani. On Wednesday, Teacher Icléa and I prepared the next workshop, and today we are here creating our blogs with Teacher Joyce.

The teacher at the ending of the workshop!!!

The teachers are working hard ...