SWS @ Peabody, last day

Today I completed my last day at Peabody with Marla McLean. Today the children that we observed were another set of children (we never saw the same group twice, which I thought would have been nice but I guess the schedule wouldn't allow). This new group was a little behind more than other groups. They came in and continued to work on their drawings and plans that they had started last week. They were drawing and sketching plans for their Utopia, or their environment that they would create with leftover land from all the disappearing landfills.

The children worked diligently as Ms. McLean assisted them once they were finished with their sketches to pick out materials. They had a choice to create their Utopias in collage form or in a sculpture form. Most kids picked sculpture. She guided them in thinking about what materials would be good to use for their particular project and what things they could use to bond their specific materials. She was very good about explaining why the children couldn't do certain things like use scotch tape for a sculpture. 

They also worked on their class project, which is, if you remember, the rug they are weaving with recycled plastic bags. Afterwards they had a little time leftover for free time but not very much. 

I very much enjoyed the three weeks at Peabody. It was amazing seeing a learning environment that I never even imagined could exist before. IT was indeed more beneficial to go the 2nd and 3rd times after I had read up on the Reggio Emilla approach, its history, vision, and mission. I felt very inspired leaving the place but at the same time left eager to see what I may discover next week!