This is a video I filmed one morning in the Brown Bear room. It began with a child telling me that he had nothing to do. I handed the child sandpaper letters and asked if he could put the letters in sequential order. A few children showed interest so the alphabet was divided between four children and they took turns placing their letters in the correct place. Slowly more children became interested and joined the activity. I originally began taking photos of the activity but realized that although photos are great, it could not completely capture the language, the cooperation, the inventiveness, excitement and enjoyment for literacy, and the creativity of the children.
Throughout the activity, I did not prompt the children in any way, nor did I speak to them. What you see is all them. The idea of using the alphabet puzzle as a tool to figuring out the order of the alphabet came from the children. The children picked their own roles in the activity; some children placing the cards down and others reviewing the order and then telling the group what was next. It was not until the end of the activity that I assisted them in correcting the alphabet.
We understand that parents are not able to completely understand what occurs in our classrooms. We hope that this little 13 minute video is a glimpse into the world of your children.
Thank you.
- Jose Castellanos
