KINDERGARTEN Fall 2013 OUR INQUIRY INTO THE IDENTITY OF MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE Every place has a soul, an identity trying to discover that soul, and relating to it means also learning to recognize our own souls. - the use of soul anima is taken from James Hillman
THERE IS AN AMAZING QUOTE FROM THE WONDER OF LEARNING EXHIBIT: Every place has a soul, an identity trying to discover that soul and relating to it means also learning to recognize our own souls. -the use of soul anima is taken from James Hillman Hillman talks about how discovering the identity of a space also helps us uncover our own identity. At the beginning of the year, we began with this idea of identitywhat does it mean to uncover a space like MPI and its identity? This complex concept with many layers would allow the children to uncover their own stories, their own discoveries, their own processes of learning and build relationships to each other and to this place called school. What was MPI? What is MPI? and Who am I at MPI? Within these many layers of inquiry, teachers facilitated the children s learninginvestigating, observing, collecting, using tools, drawing conclusions, working together, collaborating, making meaning together as a community, reflecting and going deeper into what we were discovering. Within this semester s experiences, the children have developed stronger learning processes together and independently in order to have a foundation to better expressing themselves next semester and onward into the future. Our inquiry project consisted of photography to observe, reflect, draw new conclusions, ask more questions; drawing to uncover more specific ideas, reflect, draw new conclusions, ask deeper questions, observe new, deeper specific questions, i.e., observational drawing teacher s teaching, children learning, reflecting and coconstructing all ideas from all the children to make more readable drawings. Multiple experiences helped to build a foundation to begin to express well thought out and meaningful ideas around our school s identity. THE BUILDINGS (OF MPI) ARE LIKE THE HEART (OF MPI). THEY SQUEEZE THE PEOPLE INSIDE BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEM. It (the buildings) would say, I am the heart of MPI. Jake H.
First Layers: Building a friendship The children began to write their own stories about the identity of our school by having time to collect over many classes images using the digital camera. They were able to capture their initial interests and were able to forge a relationship and friendship with our school by talking to students, teachers, maintenance workers, office personnel, discover buildings, uncover secret spaces, and spend time to enjoy the beauty and complexity of the nature of our campus.
REFLECTION- Interpreting and making meaning together. The children spent time with their partners in the studio reflecting in the studio on what they felt were the most important photos to share what they had discovered about their school. These photographs are in your child s portfolio. This was a chance for them to interpret and make meaning together about what they discovered thus far. This reflection was also a way for the children to think more deeply about what they had seen and add meaning and thought to their visual impressions. Our school is beautiful. It has many materials that are beautiful, too. -Skye The buildings are special they are only at MPI, this is a very special school. -Niko What makes Mid-Pacific special are the things on the wall, the things the children have made. -Sara I am Mid-Pacific Institute I am Mid-Pac I am MPI I am preschool, elementary, middle, and high school. I am children first. -excerpt from a poem from Ms. Hitomi s Wednesday Atelier class
Collecting more details, discovering what was significant to the children In our next layer and set of experiences, we used drawing to help uncover more ideas about our school s identity. The children walked around school and drew specific attributes from their own unique perspective. This helped to build a foundation in using drawing as a medium to help convey specific ideas. It also helped the children develop strategies and develop processes in making better symbols to express ideas.
Reflecting and asking deeper questions leads us to observe with a specific intention uncovering the deeper identity of our school, its people. Through another reflection, the children shifted into observing specific places and used drawing to express what they observed. These specific charges were wonderings by the students. How do teachers teach? How do students learn? Who and what do different people do to help our school, i.e. the offices. The children were asked to draw clues that would help the viewer of their drawing understand what was happening in the class or office they were observing. Students observing their specific charges.
Reflecting on our drawings upon coming back to the studio, the next classes were spent looking at their first drawings and reflecting on them as a whole group. In the reflection the children could build more ideas together about what they had seen and create a new drawing that conveyed more information about what they learned. CHARGE: HOW CHILDREN LEARN 1st drawing S. draws one child working on the ipad. At left students rewatching a video of a class, checking in with each other to make sure their drawings are readable: if not, they must re-draw. 2nd drawing After our reflection, S adds; -more children to show that it s a class -she adds a child taking pictures -she tells the teacher they are learning to work together -she also adds MPI, which is a clever reference point to let you know this is our school -she adds the teacher again, another reference point because children are also learning from the teacher. She adds that the teacher has drawn a picture of a plant, water and roots. This addition shows the viewer that the teacher is using the strategy of drawing to help his students learn, as well as what the children are learning.
At this end of the semester we are at a place where we have discovered, collected information, formed relationships, delved into the deeper identity of our school and built a strong foundation to now express specific ideas about our inquiry through school. This time has been invaluable in helping the children to build their learning community, experience together, construct ideas together, and develop strategies to make their ideas more visible. The children have illustrated the truth of Hillman s quote, indeed, that Every place has a soul, an identity trying to discover that soul, and relating to it means also learning to recognize our own souls. The children are the soul of Mid-Pacific.