journal #2

Journal # 2
Agenda
As being a group home day care provider and an ex-elementary teacher . I have always been interested in hands on activities and children learning through nature. I always observe when children are playing outdoors they enjoy more and are more creative. It seems as if they are also part of nature . Children are more involved in their play outdoors rather than indoors. I noticed if an infant is cranky or fussy and if we take them outside ,they right away becomes quite and calm down mostly unless they are very sick. It has been always of interest to me to understand children’s perspective towards their adults around them and also about the world , how they feel about what is going on around them ? and learn about children’s perspective and connection with nature and their surroundings.
As I read through chapters 5 and 6 in "Researching Children's Experiences" book, it was interesting to learn how children behave in different situations. As we interview children as a group we see how they react socially and consider the situation as a group. They do care for the choices of their friends and do contradict with the opinions of those they do not get acquainted with. In contrast, when we interview them as an individual they are more responsive about their own feelings and focus what they want, rather than copying what others in the group say. In groups they tend to show some of their inner feelings about other members of the group, as well as friendship and liking for the friends. It becomes interesting when children are given chance to show their capability to take the responsibility of communication and expression. It is beneficial for the researchers to let children participate in their research, because they get the most clear information of the child’s thoughts and how they interpret the world around them and feel about the adult actions and express what they feel for the individual adults in their life. As a teacher of very young children at a day care, I asked my young friends to express their feelings and how they see me. We played an interview game and took turns in interviewing each other. E said “I like you singing the songs for us and when you play with cars and bat man.“ Appi like your scarf too. He said after a pause saying, “ huuuummm---- you play hide and seek and I like that too. I also like you appi”. And gives hugs. Which tells a lot which he couldn’t express in words. Then it was my turn to give interview to him. I told him I like him because he is my friend and he is sweet and caring to his friends and I love him because he gives me the nicest hugs. Then rest of the children became very excited for giving interviews and started asking for turns. I felt as if they did gain confidence in expressing their thought and ice is broken. It was interesting to know how they felt about each other and me. As researcher we can learn a lot from children’s honest reflections about their surroundings. As one of the students expressed about one of the children and said about him, “I like him and he is my friend but he pushes very hard and sometimes bites and then he is not my friend”. Children do enjoy watching their interviews that I record and laughs about that and feels good about their expression. I sense as if they feel a burden lifted from them and they have expressed what they always wanted to say. They do feel good in participating in my study ‘cause they know I am studying and they are helping me. As it is in the chapter 6 interviews can be of different forms but I usually prefer informal form of interviews with very young ones so they feel relaxed and express their true thoughts. While interviews sometimes some of the children like to draw pictures also and want me to add it in my book (notes) that I write and they like it. Ethan asked me, Are you going to write it or not. I answered I will if you allow me and help me to write your interview as every one does on TV, when they take the interviews. He said yes do write and I will draw a picture for you to use it.I said ok. As it is mentioned in stimulus drawing approach, with young children I believe it is very good approach because sometimes it is better for them to draw what they have in mind rather than use words initially. It is easier for them to see visually what they have in mind and express about it in words. Also I like to use photo elicitation interviews. I take lot of pictures and ask the children about the incidents in the pictures, having specific questions in my mind related to my research topic. My research topic is related to the experience with environment and outdoor play develops social and emotional skills in children. I showed children their pictures I took playing outdoors and how did they feel and what was the experience they were experiencing while they were outdoors. It was interesting to get back their feed back. Sometimes it is very different what an adult feel about the incident and thinks how a child must be thinking.
As I have always been interested in children learning through nature and environment around them I encourage my young group to talk and ask questions what comes to their minds about things going on around them. I give them confidence for asking questions and to be heard. I plan my activities along with children, depending on their new interests and what they want to explore next. I enjoy asking them and learning what they want to do as a group. If the weather does not allow we do activities related to nature but indoors and enjoy. Learning from children I have become more patient/better listener and observant, and this helps me in my research project. As we need to be more patient with each others opinions and learn more and better as a group. Often times we have to let others take the lead and follow them and other times give our opinions and be leaders. In this way I think we all grow into better teachers as researchers.
As we are moving on in our journey of learning and research, we do come across lot of theories every time. This teaches me to be thinking more like a researcher in my professional and academic life. I notice my children’s activities and their behaviors more closely and according to these observations and documentations I develop my theories. I have been always more focused about the effects of environment on children and their experience with nature, as it does promote children to develop socially and emotionally as well as physically. When I started my research part 1 class, I was keen to work on finding and developing theories to diffuse anger through outdoor play, but ultimately by narrowing down my topic and listening to other classmates I decided on working experience of children with environment and outdoor play. Whenever I look at the pictures I tool with my students outdoors previously, I now see them differently as I have learned from different research studies how environment effects children socially and emotionally. Now when I see children play outdoors I am always thinking as a researcher and I notice how happy and creative children are when they are outside. I talk with parents and provide them with information about the benefits of outdoor play and children’s experience with environment. I do explain them children playing side by side with nature is along with play a great learning source for children and adults as well. Often parents tell me my child does play with his toys, I always tell them children climbing trees ,playing in mud /sand and jumping in puddles makes a difference in play. This is true play, through which they are learning as well as teaching their adults as well. I am certain by this research project we will become more beneficial for community and better teachers.