february 2023
Lights! Camera! Action! continues. The idea of doing a “Show” has exploded in our room and the children have been full steam ahead since the beginning of February. Their ideas are plenty with most of the group wanting to participate in some manner. However, we quickly realized they didn’t have a clear plan about how they were going to execute their ideas. We also realized they had jumped ahead to who the actors were, they were preparing sets, and wanting to preform for the school-agers, BUT they had not developed a script!
This is where, as educators we felt we needed to step in and help guide the process with the children. As a group we developed a “Plan” to slow the process down, breaking it into 3 Steps. STEP ONE: Developing a Script. STEPT TWO: Auditions. The Actors had already been decided… so we are working a little backwards…but that’s okay, as everyone agreed to who the cast would be. STEP THREE: Set design.
Moving through the month, in the mornings, the children have been working with Paige using the glue gun and cardboard creating shields and helmets and other assorted costume accessories. In the afternoons, we continued to ask the children if they were interest in developing the “script or story” for the show, but they didn’t seem very interest in this idea…it seemed they were more interested in working independently or in pairs creating their own skits or dances. We struggled with how we can further support their interest without giving up on “The Show”. On Valentine’s Day, we had an “AH!HA! Moment, shifting the idea of a group performance to a “TALENT SHOW” where everyone can show case their talents on their own or in small groups. The children were excited to let us know what talents they will be preforming. So far, we have some actors, singers, dancers, puppeteers, comedians and even a magician signed up for the show. Next month we will continue to work with the children in rehearsing their acts.
When we observe moments like this, where the children are caught up in an idea, their enthusiasm is contagious, and we can easily become carried away with rushing the process. We realize how important it is for us to scaffold the learning with the children, slowing down the process and allow time for deeper thinking to happen. We are looking forward to spending many cold afternoons developing “THE TALENT SHOW!” and hopefully in the spring it will be ready for Opening Day!
Jen Tervo RECE AECEO C
Paige Cameron Educator
