Babies can do great things with just a taxi cab and a paint brush!
They instantly assign roles to themselves, no need to speak. The girl is the driver and the boy is the mechanic.
When job is done, he closes the door like a gentleman and waves goodbye!!
This is how no-talking babies communicate each other…
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies’ class, in Athens)
During their “exploring space” project, children in pre-K class did a number of things…
Constructed their own telescopes to watch the stars…
Created their own planets, based on what they read about in books…
Also constructed the moon: used everyday materials to make the shape of a circle and then painted it white by using glue, shaving foam and glitter!
Their next mission: teddy bear visits the moon!
(by Spyridoula Patouna, teacher in pre-K class)
(by Jenny Diamantopoulou, teacher in toddlers’ class, in Athens)
Free play in class is an important part of the day, for any play-based preschool.
Through play, children imagine, create, disagree, negotiate, learn to solve problems, explore materials – but also develop their relationship with other children.
The decision of our kindergarten kids to construct a privacy box for their medical corner, gave them the opportunity to master all the above, plus to connect play with maths.
Children got divided into groups and began to work. First, paid a visit to the local carpenter to pick their wood.
Then, returned to school and started to work….
While doing the above, class entered into assumptions, cooperation, testing, made mistakes and worked together to produce a certain result. But mostly, enjoyed the process!
(by Stavroula Gaoutsi, kindergarten teacher in Athens)
(presentation by Irene Lithoxopoulou, teacher in post-toddlers class, in Athens)
When you are 4 y.o. you ask questions, all the time. Never ending, unlimited questions .
Questions like these lead us to look for answers about space.
Today, our children experiment space by creating paper planets. Tomorrow, they may go visit them!
There must be always a way!
After all, astronomy is a science – and we never say never to science!!!
(by Charitini Stavroulaki, teacher in pre-K class in Athens)
In our babies’ class, we encourage children to interact with a number of materials, natural and artificial.
Experimenting has to be unconditional, in order to trigger all senses.
This way, we give babies the opportunity to become familiar with reality, engage and interact with it.
Such life derived materials can be sand, rocks, spoons, cups, etc.
Getting in touch with real world always turns kids more creative…
(by Maria Gryllaki, teacher in babies’ class in Athens)
First days in school are always difficult, especially if you are a baby!
I suggest a small tip on how to help babies relax when they are stressed.
Use water. Just water. Or, water with small rocks, sand, plastic balls, toy ducks and anything else you can imagine.
When babies play with water, they relax and release all their stress.
I call it: «THE HEALLING WATER!»
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies’ class in Athens school)
Last year’s pre-K class worked on a project about communication (how we talk and listen one another, when away).
Under this concept, kids decided to create their own antenna to be able to listen to radio, in class. And so they did. But, then had to find a way to connect it to the radio.
So, they called in class Vasilis, dad of Philip, who is an engineer, to help them finish their project
With his assistance, children managed to connect the antenna….
Babies (1-2 y.o.) discover the world through their senses.
In our school, an activity they love doing is producing colored ice cubes.
Then, kids use those ice cubes to paint, while melting.
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies class, Athens)
Life-derived Learning 