The past two weeks at school we've been exploring a unit we do each year called Finding Another Way. It began as an age-appropriate way to let young children become comfortable with people who have physical or mental challenges, but it's evolved into something even deeper.
I start the unit by introducing a stuffed bird named George. George is very confused as he looks at the children at Circle. How do you get places without wings? The children excitedly tell him they they can walk, or run, or ride in a car, or use a bike. How do you eat without a beak, asks George. We can use our mouths, hands, forks, spoons. As the conversation unfolds, we talk about how everyone does things differently, and that's OK. There are many different ways to help ourselves, solve problems, or use tools to help.
As the children play, they are given many opportunities and experiences in using Helping Tools. We have child-sized wheelchairs the children can use, we pretend to go to the doctor, read an eye chart, and make pretend glasses. A teacher shows her hearing aid. Children find different ways to reach something out of their reach--stand on a big block, use a reaching tool, ask a taller person to help. Heavy items are in the classroom that children cannot move by themselves, so they need to help each other. We find different ways to use and move our bodies. We read the book The Big Orange Splot, which ends with the formerly uniform houses on a street being painted to look all different and beautiful; and then children each create their unique house.
As children use the wheelchairs, crutches and walkers, they encounter challenges in fitting through small spaces, going up stairs, and other situations people who use equipment face. Each month we have a sign language class, and so we find different ways to say I love you--in spoken and written English, signing, giving a hug, blowing a kiss, feeling braille, saying it in Hebrew, making a friend a picture. We decide if we want to solve a problem ourselves, or ask a friend for help. We read about Katie Kangaroo, who solved the problem of not having a pocket to carry her baby; and then we find different solutions to the many problems we encounter in the classroom. We work on listening to everyone's good ideas in the block area, and recognise everyone's special artwork.
The end result is not only do the children feel comfortable with people using crutches, wheelchairs, or who look different--they become more accepting of the many different ways we can approach life, more flexible about solving problems, and better able to help themselves and each other. There is always another way!
Comments (2)
What a wonderful lesson!! As a preschool special ed teacher, I am always thrilled to hear of lessons like this taking place. Your students are very fortunate to have you as their teacher.
Posted by girasoli | March 4, 2008 2:04 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 02:04
That's a really good lesson! I love the bird, what a great idea. You sound like a wonderful teacher. And I am enjoying your blog!
Posted by Chiocciola | March 20, 2008 12:04 PM
Posted on March 20, 2008 12:04