上周三Aiden染了咳嗽回来。周四学校正好放假留在家里，反而更加严重了，除了咳嗽加上鼻涕和喷嚏。周五学校是游泳课，妈妈还是送去了。游泳课后不灵了，老师打电话叫妈妈带回家。周六、周日好像丝毫不见好转。周日下午，Aiden在沙发上趴了一个小时，百无聊赖。妈妈带去了家边上的Family Box玩。Family Box里面有号称亚洲最高的Jungle Gym。Aiden精神稍微差一点，但是一进去就玩的很高兴。在Jungle Gym跟妈妈一起爬出一身大汗。快出来的时候，爸爸突然发现——“咦？怎么不咳嗽了？”
今天上班路上，妈妈想起来这个事情觉得很有意思。想想Aiden这个娃，sharp, smart, outgoing, talktive, good sense of humor，换言之“打了鸡血”。但是从另外一个方面，他又非常敏感、有时间甚至会感到不安全。他到一个新的房间，会发现很多平常人根本注意不到的细节，比如某个闪烁的小灯，某个贴歪的字。妈妈飞奔在高速的时候，他从来不错过天上的任何一架飞机，路边的一个鸟巢，冒气的一个烟囱，或者是某个车上奇怪的标志。他能区别出是不是organic蔬菜的差别。扔给他一打动画片，他会自动喜欢其中那些出版年月老的、经典的动画片，而对最新的商业动画片没有一丝兴趣。去图书馆选书的时候，带回家的书妈妈回头查查几乎每本都是经典的。我们常常开玩笑说“Aiden是天生的质检员”。Aiden太敏感，事物的细小差别在他的体会中都得到放大，有时间大到以至于他会固执。有时间敏感到他会缺乏安全感，比如他需要跟妈妈在一起，需要他的security blanket。
妈妈突然又想起来了Psychomotor Overexcitability。一年半前曾经写过一篇blog。现在回头再看，Aiden仍然很像，也许更像。
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Learning Story from School - 2
Learning to use numbers and make connections - week of 28th November
What I observed:
Aiden is fascinated by numbers and sees them everywhere. Whenever he notices a number he points it out. When we line up he always chooses to stand on number 13. He chooses it because it is yellow but he also knows and often states that it is number 13. Aiden has also been interested to try and write numbers on the writing table (see photo 1). On Monday 28th November when we went on the home visit to Isabella’s house he was looking out of her bedroom window (see photo 2). He immediately said to me, “Look! I see 21 and 37, 21 and 38 and 21 and 39” - these were the very small house numbers opposite (2137, 2138 and 2139). During this trip he also pointed to each of numbers on a wall clock in turn and told me which number it was (see insert photo). In Piazza Play on Wednesday 30th November Aiden was playing with the wooden trains. He had moved away from the train track and collected as many trains and carriages as he could find and joined them together (see photo 2). When I asked him how many there were he immediately said, “15”, without appearing to count them. When I asked him how he knew he could not tell me so I said (not knowing if he was right because I can’t count that quickly!), “Let’s count them together” there were indeed 15. He counted them pointing at each one in turn as he said the number. Today, Thursday 1st December, the bell went while we were eating snack. This happens on a daily basis and previously on several occasions I have answered Aiden’s questions as to why there is a bell, “It is to tell us that it is 11 o’clock and time for the PreK children to come in from the playground and us to go outside”. Today Aiden told me, “It’s 11 o’clock now and the PreK children are coming inside”. Also at snack time today I showed the children some coloured ice Sebastiaan had made earlier in the day. The ice had not fully frozen and so I held it with the design (numbers) side down. Aiden said, “It’s numbers. Show me!” then pointed to each number in turn and said it’s name (see photo 4).
What it means:
The above stories show me Aiden has 1:1 correspondence when counting, he can count beyond 30 and recognise numbers in the 20’s and 30’s, he can break a 4 digit number down into 2 x 2 digit numbers, he can relate numbers to real life e.g. telling the time and he recognises all the numerals in English. The fact he knew there were 15 trains joined together either shows he can guess well, visualise a number as high as 15 or most likely he had already counted them himself as he was playing. Aiden’s recognition of the bell at 11 o’clock shows he has remembered the answer to his previous question and now accepts that as fact. This is an example of him making connections.
Opportunities and possibilities:
I would like to find an opportunity, without quizzing him, to see just how high Aiden can count and whether his well advanced numeric abilities are matched in Chinese. I would like to find ways of applying his knowledge of numbers and number relationships to real life situations, perhaps looking at temperatures or pollution levels each morning as an example. When we cook I often use digital scales. What I have learned about Aiden and numbers this week shows me he might be able to read numbers up to a hundred and therefore I would like to give him the chance to be in charge of measuring when we next cook and need to weigh ingredients. I would also like to investigate Aiden’s understanding of quantity as a concept beyond number.
爸爸的总结——“数字狂人”。妈妈没有刻意培养engineer，甚至都没有怎么教过数数。不过耳濡目染，生在这样engineering的家庭，估计当民工是不可阻挡的了。
What I observed:
Aiden is fascinated by numbers and sees them everywhere. Whenever he notices a number he points it out. When we line up he always chooses to stand on number 13. He chooses it because it is yellow but he also knows and often states that it is number 13. Aiden has also been interested to try and write numbers on the writing table (see photo 1). On Monday 28th November when we went on the home visit to Isabella’s house he was looking out of her bedroom window (see photo 2). He immediately said to me, “Look! I see 21 and 37, 21 and 38 and 21 and 39” - these were the very small house numbers opposite (2137, 2138 and 2139). During this trip he also pointed to each of numbers on a wall clock in turn and told me which number it was (see insert photo). In Piazza Play on Wednesday 30th November Aiden was playing with the wooden trains. He had moved away from the train track and collected as many trains and carriages as he could find and joined them together (see photo 2). When I asked him how many there were he immediately said, “15”, without appearing to count them. When I asked him how he knew he could not tell me so I said (not knowing if he was right because I can’t count that quickly!), “Let’s count them together” there were indeed 15. He counted them pointing at each one in turn as he said the number. Today, Thursday 1st December, the bell went while we were eating snack. This happens on a daily basis and previously on several occasions I have answered Aiden’s questions as to why there is a bell, “It is to tell us that it is 11 o’clock and time for the PreK children to come in from the playground and us to go outside”. Today Aiden told me, “It’s 11 o’clock now and the PreK children are coming inside”. Also at snack time today I showed the children some coloured ice Sebastiaan had made earlier in the day. The ice had not fully frozen and so I held it with the design (numbers) side down. Aiden said, “It’s numbers. Show me!” then pointed to each number in turn and said it’s name (see photo 4).
What it means:
The above stories show me Aiden has 1:1 correspondence when counting, he can count beyond 30 and recognise numbers in the 20’s and 30’s, he can break a 4 digit number down into 2 x 2 digit numbers, he can relate numbers to real life e.g. telling the time and he recognises all the numerals in English. The fact he knew there were 15 trains joined together either shows he can guess well, visualise a number as high as 15 or most likely he had already counted them himself as he was playing. Aiden’s recognition of the bell at 11 o’clock shows he has remembered the answer to his previous question and now accepts that as fact. This is an example of him making connections.
Opportunities and possibilities:
I would like to find an opportunity, without quizzing him, to see just how high Aiden can count and whether his well advanced numeric abilities are matched in Chinese. I would like to find ways of applying his knowledge of numbers and number relationships to real life situations, perhaps looking at temperatures or pollution levels each morning as an example. When we cook I often use digital scales. What I have learned about Aiden and numbers this week shows me he might be able to read numbers up to a hundred and therefore I would like to give him the chance to be in charge of measuring when we next cook and need to weigh ingredients. I would also like to investigate Aiden’s understanding of quantity as a concept beyond number.
爸爸的总结——“数字狂人”。妈妈没有刻意培养engineer，甚至都没有怎么教过数数。不过耳濡目染，生在这样engineering的家庭，估计当民工是不可阻挡的了。
Learning Story from School - 1
妈妈失职，最近实在没时间写。看看老师写的learning story吧（图片就不上了，在老师的主页上）。老师真是负责啊，每周给每个孩子写这么一大篇。
Learning to assign meaning to drawing - Thursday 24th November
What I observed:
On Thursday 24th November I explained to NC that I had put out various different papers, glues, tapes and scissors on the art table. I shared with them that I was wondering what they might do with these materials and left it completely open ended. Aiden immediately came over to the art table and selected a piece of black paper. I asked him what he thought he might like to do with it and he said, “I could tear it”, and demonstrated this (see picture 3 and 4). A few minutes later he said, “I could cut it”, and proceeded to use scissors to do so (see picture 2). Sebastiaan was also at the art table at the time and Aiden said, “The green scissors are for me and the blue scissors for Sebastiaan”, he then passed the blue scissors to Sebastiaan. For the next 20 minutes Aiden was engrossed in his work (see pictures 5 and 6). When he was finished (see picture 7) he came to tell me and was keen to share what he had made. He said, “It’s a train, a steam train. It needs coal and water. The water is to cool the engine down. Look here is the engine (the first piece of black paper carefully torn by Aiden), here is the coal (the circle drawn on the black paper) and here is the steam. Lots of steam. I have been on a steam train. It was noisy (demonstrated the noisy with lots of whooshing) and there was lots of steam. This is the coal truck (second piece of black paper) and these are the carriages. It’s a freight train.”
What it means:
Aiden has talked of his experience of riding the steam train before but this was the first time he had talked about his work in such detail. His ability to relate his work to previous experiences, and his knowledge of steam trains acquired from other sources, shows Aiden’s ability to make connections. It was also the first time he had come to me to offer to tell me about what he had been doing. This shows me he is feeling more secure in the classroom, and with me. Aiden’s fine motor skills are well developed as shown by his ability to tear the paper to his desired shape and draw the funnel and steam clearly coming out of it. This was the first time I had seen Aiden using scissors and although he preferred to tear the paper he was able to make a cut in it with the scissors. I also chose this story because it demonstrates Aiden’s increased interaction with other children. Unprompted he selected scissors for Sebastiaan, a kind gesture showing an awareness of Sebastiaan and thought towards his needs. Aiden and Sebastiaan have played together with the transport toys on many occasions. Aiden’s independent engagement in this task for 20 minutes shows his ability to focus and concentrate.
Opportunities and possibilities:
I would like to provide as many natural opportunities as possible for Aiden to share his ideas and experiences. His base camp might be a way to do this. I think Aiden is more likely to do this on a one to one or a small group as he still seems a little overwhelmed in whole class circle time and does not like to contribute. I would like to find other art and craft opportunities for Aiden to engage in, perhaps relating them to transport. We will continue to share books (fact and fiction) about transport and the children’s other interests.
Learning to assign meaning to drawing - Thursday 24th November
What I observed:
On Thursday 24th November I explained to NC that I had put out various different papers, glues, tapes and scissors on the art table. I shared with them that I was wondering what they might do with these materials and left it completely open ended. Aiden immediately came over to the art table and selected a piece of black paper. I asked him what he thought he might like to do with it and he said, “I could tear it”, and demonstrated this (see picture 3 and 4). A few minutes later he said, “I could cut it”, and proceeded to use scissors to do so (see picture 2). Sebastiaan was also at the art table at the time and Aiden said, “The green scissors are for me and the blue scissors for Sebastiaan”, he then passed the blue scissors to Sebastiaan. For the next 20 minutes Aiden was engrossed in his work (see pictures 5 and 6). When he was finished (see picture 7) he came to tell me and was keen to share what he had made. He said, “It’s a train, a steam train. It needs coal and water. The water is to cool the engine down. Look here is the engine (the first piece of black paper carefully torn by Aiden), here is the coal (the circle drawn on the black paper) and here is the steam. Lots of steam. I have been on a steam train. It was noisy (demonstrated the noisy with lots of whooshing) and there was lots of steam. This is the coal truck (second piece of black paper) and these are the carriages. It’s a freight train.”
What it means:
Aiden has talked of his experience of riding the steam train before but this was the first time he had talked about his work in such detail. His ability to relate his work to previous experiences, and his knowledge of steam trains acquired from other sources, shows Aiden’s ability to make connections. It was also the first time he had come to me to offer to tell me about what he had been doing. This shows me he is feeling more secure in the classroom, and with me. Aiden’s fine motor skills are well developed as shown by his ability to tear the paper to his desired shape and draw the funnel and steam clearly coming out of it. This was the first time I had seen Aiden using scissors and although he preferred to tear the paper he was able to make a cut in it with the scissors. I also chose this story because it demonstrates Aiden’s increased interaction with other children. Unprompted he selected scissors for Sebastiaan, a kind gesture showing an awareness of Sebastiaan and thought towards his needs. Aiden and Sebastiaan have played together with the transport toys on many occasions. Aiden’s independent engagement in this task for 20 minutes shows his ability to focus and concentrate.
Opportunities and possibilities:
I would like to provide as many natural opportunities as possible for Aiden to share his ideas and experiences. His base camp might be a way to do this. I think Aiden is more likely to do this on a one to one or a small group as he still seems a little overwhelmed in whole class circle time and does not like to contribute. I would like to find other art and craft opportunities for Aiden to engage in, perhaps relating them to transport. We will continue to share books (fact and fiction) about transport and the children’s other interests.
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