Circle Time

Purpose of Circle Time:

Circle time is a chance for children to share their ideas, feelings and understandings with each other. During circle time the children develop skills in learning how to listen, to respect other people's points of view and to express how they feel. It also provides opportunities for us as a class to revisit the ideas, thoughts and decisions made during our Reggio Inspired project sessions.

Circle time 18 February 2015

A timely discussion was needed about issues around the playground. The children spend too much time play fighting that leads to injuries through over excitement and roughness. 

We began circle time with a game; ‘Change seats if you …” This got the children moving, having some fun and mixing up the seating.

We set the rules for circle time:

Feet flat on the floor

All four legs of the chair on the floor

Hands in laps

Being still

Allowing everyone to have a say

Using ‘I agree, I disagree or I think regarding the statement made.”

All comments must be treated with respect.

To ensure everyone has a say in a nonthreatening way, we start by going around the circle, passing Philosophy Bear, saying something we like.  Today we told the class a food we liked then one we didn’t.

	Food we like	Food we don’t like
Blake	Chocolate	Apple
Emily	Apple	Kiwifruit
Joshua	Apple	Kiwifruit
Koby	Carrot	Kiwifruit
	Strawberry	Candy
Connor	Strawberry	Roast potatoes
Imogen	Kiwifruit	Watermelon
Cruz	Banana	Salad
Marcel	Ice block	Rubbish
Angelina	Chocolate	Trash bins
Nathan	Candy	Potato
Isabella	Chocolate	Tomato
Ashleigh	Candy	Kiwifruit
Neco	Juicies	Corn
James C	Lollipops	Orange
Savannah	Popsicles	Tomato
	Ice cream	Vegetables
James W	Watermelon	Mushrooms
Benjamin	Kiwifruit	Plastic cheese
Kayla	Apple	Kiwifruit
Mrs G	Tomato	Broad beans

Solving a problem:

Then we began our circle discussion on playground behaviours and games we could play instead of fighting. The children came up with a variety of games to play – it is noticeable that they didn’t choose many games of high energy, which is what they want to play when they are at interval.  Games were:

Duck, duck, goose – mums & dads – sandpit – hide + seek – penguins on the hill, in the tunnel, on the slide,

Running races, tag (there was some discussion about tag as this is one of the games that leads to over excitement and fighting). It was agreed tag was OK if you only tagged their hand.

At play most of the children were able to choose a different kind of play while some still found it difficult to not play fight. 

This will be an ongoing discussion within circle time to try and resolve the problem and help the children find fun and exciting games that don’t depend on hurting others.

20 June 2014

Where do colours get their names from?

Bella - cause the person who buys it and gets it, names it.
Daniella - we need names for it because if we don't have names we won't know what name it might be then.
Madison - there might be somebody that names them all
Charlotte - They probably will, most probably name themselves
Lucas - if you buy a colour, you can call it like indigo and violet.
Harrison - Cause they are all different colours - cause they all have different names.
Sophia because of the shades -T:(how do you think that helps them create a name for the colour)  they get their shades so they can get called different types - one shade just gets one shade.
Haylin - God - he might make names
Adam they might have a light colour and they just call it yellow cause it's very light.


If we look at the colour yellow - what other names do you know that we have for yellow.
The Sun
The dandelion 

What other names are for yellow.
Indigo -
Light yellow
Dark yellow - what would we call something that is dark yellow - gold
Sunny Yellow

The children really struggled to come up with a name other than light or dark yellow, or wanted to name things that are yellow.

We asked our 8B8 buddies:
It could be the names of people, scientific reasons (in my science book), like trees, like a pohutukawa tree. I know how orange gets its name - from the fruit.

Parents we would love to hear your ideas. Please add your comments about how you think colours get their names to help build Room 1's understandings and stretch their thinking.

 19 March 2014

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Nature

Emily leaves falling

  you can do what ever you want

Daniella you can go in a place

Adam – I think that there’s leaves falling

Sophia – we can jump in leaves

Charlotte it can make you more happier

Toby – it can make puddles

What is nature?

Madison trees,

Lucas animals - stones

Jacob m birds

Jake amphibians

Alexey museum

Ginny houses

Jacob y when you are in the jungle

I wonder how we can find out about what nature is

Jacob y by going to the jungle

Daniella sing a song

Emily – looking at trees and bushes

Charlotte – something looks beautiful

Ginny – trees.

If we went outside would be able to find nature

No – why do you think that

Emily it’s not autumn yet

Sophia – it passed autumn

Jacob y not a jungle – I agree – cause we can make outside look like a jungle

Yes

Alexey you can find some rocks

Harrison – because some are in the garden with stones, and we see them at playtime

Daniella - because there’s heap of things out there – like – some gardens

Jake – it’s because we might find lizards out there

Madison – we might find trees out there

Adam – because when it’s the time when the leaves fall it’s cold and its cold right now

Lucas – that’s why we can find stones and flowers

Samantha – there’s ladybugs out there.

Jacob m – cause there’s little stones and big stones out there – (is there anything else that is part of nature) shake of head

Jimmy – I think you can find nature outside – what do you think we might find that is part of nature – rocks and leaves.

Toby = I agree we can find trees outside

Ginny – because I can see trains – (trains are part of nature?)

Charlotte – I agree you can see butterflies outside. 

16 March 2014

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We are learning to recognise what we are able to do (or are good at) and saying how we became good at it. 

What is something that you can do really well, are proud of, succeed at?

Emily – I am very good doing monkey bars – TP – flips

Adam – I am very good at playing soccer – TP – I practise my kicks for it

Coben – at playing rugby – TP – kicking and goals

Samantha – playing on the swings – TP – I can twist it around

Charlotte – doing the monkey bars – TP – going up the top without any help

Alexey – playing soccer and rugby

Toby – tricks - TP – backflips on the grass

Daniella - touch because I can run too fast

Lucas – biking TP I can turn pretty good

Jacob Y – I’m good doing press ups

Jacob M – snap – TP – I play with my Mum and I win

Jimmy – skateboarding cause I can do down a ramp because I’ve got a ramp at home

Haylin – cartwheels

Madison – taking my earrings out

Bella – I’m good at doing monkey bars – TP – I can swing on them to the end and when it’s high I just jump up and try to catch it – the handle and I can swing to the end and do a jump to the bottom.

Jake – I’m really good at scootering because I can go really, really fast on my scooter like 100 speed.

Harrison – running – TP – because I’m fast

TP = teacher prompt to explain more 

17 March 2014

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Philosophy Week 7

Warm Up:

Change places if you …

Discussion topic:

Passing around Philosophy Bear

“One good thing that happened to me this weekend is...."

Harrison I went to the farm park and one of the guinea pigs bit me (TP – was that a good thing) – No - I patted the rabbits

Madison - the other day I had a spa bath with mummy and my sister

Charlotte yesterday I went to my friend Sadie’s and we played some games

Ginny – yesterday I played with my two friends.

Samantha – before yesterday it was sunny and I went to the Warehouse to get my sparkly headband

Daniella I was on a boat on the water and my mum and dad were sailing it and I was holding on to the long brown pipe and we fed the ducks with bread.

Mrs G – I got to see my whole family in the weekend.

Jacob Y - I went to the Warehouse and I got a Ninja Turtle toy.

Jacob M - I went to a hole with my motorbike, there were bumps and I went over them

Coben I went camping, we put some marshmallows in the fire

Emily I went to the Warehouse and I got a Playdough and it was a Barbie one that we could dress a doll up with the Playdough. It comes with two cans of Playdough and some moulds.

Alexey - my dad cut the trees and dug it up from the ground

Adam - I went to the Warehouse to buy Ninja Turtle Lego and some Star Wars Lego and when I got home I built it and I played with my new Lego.

Jake – yesterday I went to the airplane museum and I saw some really big aeroplanes and so I just touched one of them and there was a plane what my mum told me all about war and then I saw a plane with two seats so I played it.

Bella - in the weekend before yesterday I went and bought these new school shoes and I tried heaps on and I thought these ones were the best because they were easier than buckles and when I paid, the lady gave me an owl sticker.

Toby – in the weekend I drove my motorbike on the boat and I went over to a new race and I won a trophy.

Haylin – I went to Chipmunks and I went on the big slide and it was so steep I did a flip slide and a big jump.

Lucas - I went to the Warehouse and got some movies and Ashleigh got a Brat one and Ashleigh watched all of it and I was sick of watching all of it because it was lots. Then I put a Lego movie on and I had a special treat.

Ginny - in the weekend I had an ice cream and it was at my brother’s rugby club.

Jimmy - in the weekend I got up early and watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Building community

‘Come into the circle and join hands if you… (have long hair, wear glasses)’ continue until most in circle, end with ‘come into the circle if you are in class…’ All shout ‘We are!’

13 March 2014

Today we tried to come up with a definition of what a rule is rather than rules children know.
Toby if you dad says don't catch a fish if you do you will be told off by your dad.
Harrison you get a piece of paper when there is a little bit of a writing not allowed to do stuff. Not allowed - you can do what you want but the bad stuff on your list.
Daniella - you need to clean your room when your mum and dad say it.
Lucas - don't say toilet talk
What is is the job of a rule - what is its purpose
Lucas you get told what you have to do
Jacob M - no guns at school
Haylin - no taking toys to school.
It is difficult for the children to explain their thinking about what 'rules' mean.  I posed them the question "Why do we have rules?"
Jacob Y so no one gets hurt
Alexey - swimming lessons
Daniella - so we can earn money from our mum and dad. (I have a list with stickers on it.)
Adam - cause you need rules in case you don't know what told off means.
Bella - cause we need to be good so we can fill up our learning jar and get something special for the whole class.
Where do we find rules?
at school   - supermarket  - office -  at warehouse - house - pool - car - road - work - after school care - hip hop class - Kiwi house - Willowbank - (no running, no feeding, no patting, listen, use quiet voices)

 

 

12 March 2014

Warm up: what is your favourite in the classroom school activity?
Sophia - playing with the magnets
Harrison - playing with the mobilo
Adam - train set
Toby - the fishing game
Coben - computer
Jake - colouring
Jimmy - mobilo
Lucas - train set
Jacob Y - train set
Samantha - the puppets
Madison - the puppets
Emily - the painting
Daniella - puppets
Alexey - writing
Jacob M - blocks
Ginny - puppets
Charlotte - train set
Bella - iPads
Mrs Gleeson - writing time - sharing the children's stories

What are rules?
Madison not pushing anyone over
Samantha - staying in bed all night
Jacob Y - don't run in class
Lucas - no hurting no one
Jimmy - no fighting
Jake - if you have a runny nose blow your nose
Coben - don't hurt yourself
Toby - sit on the mat when the teacher tells you
Adam - when teacher tells you off for playing a fighting game go and play another game
Harrison - no playing Star Wars.
Sophia - we can't hurt any other people when we are using the fishing rod
Bella - come back to class until the teacher asks you to line up for Kapahaka
Charlotte - don't be naughty
Ginny - don't punch people
Emily - don't hit anyone with the paint brushes
Alexey - no fighting
Daniella - be quiet in assembly
Jacob M - be sensible with the activity you are playing with.

It is interesting to note that the children were able to come up with lots of 'don't do's'. In answer to the question "What are rules?" the children did not explain what a rule is but thought of one that applies to them in their life.  Our next discussion will be to talk about why we have rules and what rules apply at home and at school, and eventually coming up with a definition of what a rule is. 

5 March 2014

--> Today we are doing a PMI (positive, minus, interesting) discussion on rain.

--> Positives
What are the good things about rain.
Jake - rain is good for the flowers - (what makes you say that) rain makes the flowers
Harrison - it makes mud  - you can step on them (with a smile)
Jimmy - it good for vege gardens - it helps the fruit or vegetables grow.
Bella - it can make some puddles that cars can go through and make a splash on the windows.
Charlotte - it can get your hair wet when you are not wearing anything on your head.  
Jacob M - it helps mandarin trees grow
Ginny - it helps grass grow
J Y -  it helps leaves grow
Adam - it helps trees grow
Toby - it wash the diggers
Lucas - it can wash cars
Daniella - it can let some garden grow into flowers
Haylin - it can clean lights
Emily - it can water strawberry trees
Sophia - it can make water for us
Madison it can make water for the plants
Alexey - an apple tree 
Coben - it washes trucks
Samantha - it helps parsley grow.

Negatives
What are the down side (bad things) about rain
Daniella - it can put water on playing grounds
Lucas - you can run and you could slip on the concrete
Toby - it can wash seats - if people sit on them they will get a wet bottom
Adam - it you put your washing out if it was sunny and then raining it would just get wet again.
Jacob Y - you could trip over and scrape yourself
Ginny - if there is a puddle it can slip over a car
Jacob M - it might block the drains - and then it would flood on the road
Charlotte - it can make the roads get very wet and if your windows are down and you go through  a puddle you could get a wet face.
Bella - if the car was outside and the doors were open the car seats would get wet
Jimmy - lightning can strike you
Harrison - they can wet and slip your car
Jake - rain can get your cat wet
Samantha -  rain can wet your car
Coben - it can make you slip over
Alexey - it can rain on your car and your garage
Madison - rain can wet your dog
Sophia - rain can make metal rusty if you leave it out in the rain
Emily - you can't go outside when it is raining because everything will be wet
Haylin - can wet your hair





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26 February 2014

We are learning to justify our statements by saying why we enjoyed a part of our trip. 

Ginny when we were seeing the horses – because it is furry, and you can ride on horses.

Lucas milking the cow – because the milk went over my fingers and it wasn’t real.

Bella my favourite part was the donkeys because we could ride a donkey.

Toby my favourite part was the black monkeys because one was going backwards on the rope.

Charlotte my favourite bit was seeing the kiwis and I just saw one. Kiwis are my favourite animals

Samantha my favourite part was piggies because I like piggies they tickle

Alexey the frogs because frogs are my favourite

Mrs Gleeson my favourite part was when you were all performing on the stage.  I was really impressed that you all had a really good go and showed you were listening to our instructors.

Sophia my favourite part was seeing the pukekos because I like their beak, it’s because it’s red and it’s like its been hurt

Jimmy I liked the fish because I was in aquarium once and I saw the same fish there

Adam I like the swans because they were so pretty like the ones I have seen before.

Emily my favourite bit was the gorilla because they could climb up the trees

Jacob Y my favourite part was the monkeys because they climbed up the trees and slid down it.

Harrison my favourite part was the rooster because they peck a lot

Madison my favourite part was the llama because they are soft

Jacob M My favourite part was seeing the keas because there were lots of them and their beak was sort of like a moon shape

Haylin I liked the eels because they have electric in them

Daniella I liked saying, “We are the tuis,” on the stage because everyone gave me a clap.

Jake – I liked it when I saw the crocodiles in Australia. I like crocodiles because they are from the dinosaurs when they died out

It was interesting that most of the children chose the walk around the park looking at the animals as their favourite part.  Some find justifying why they like something difficult and add because I like it, or it’s my favourite. 

Today we began our circle time sessions.

We began with the rules of circle time:

Feet on the floor (two child feet, four chair feet)

Only 1 person talking at a time (the one with Philosophy Bear)

Everyone’s ideas must be listened too without put down, or laughing.

We played a game called “Swap seats if …”  you had toast, have a big brother, have a dog, etc.

As a way to encourage all the children to speak we went around the circle and said our name and a word of something that started with the same letter sound.   

It was interesting to note that some of the children chose what their name started with rather than the sound.  For example, Ch = cat and one or two had difficulty in connecting their letter sound with another word. 
 At this stage of development it is easy to see that children will follow each other using their ideas of words to use.  As we progress the children’s answers will become more varied.

I asked the question “What is your favourite TV programme and why.”  Using a topic where the children all have familiarity makes it easier for them to participate and share their ideas of why they like the programme.

H: Ninjago because it’s Lego and they fight baddies

?: Cartoon Network, they have Ninjago and I like it … they fight baddies

S: Disney Channel – Shake it Up because they sign and dance.

J : Cartoon Network, Ninjago because they fight bad guys.

E: Barbie because she has her sisters.

A: Ninja Turtles. It’s a nice programme for boys

J: Ben 10 is my favourite because he can turn into anything

A: Pippa because it’s funny

B: Frozen because Else goes away and builds a castle.

H: Narnia because there are pirates

C: Ninja Turtles because they fight baddies

T: Skateboards because they have a big ball.

G: Ninja Turtles because they fight bad people

L: Lightning McQueen because there are bad cars and L.M. races other cars

M: Dr McStuffin because she fixes toys.

S: Mike the Knight because he things he can do stuffy by himself when he doesn’t

D: Sam… Cat because the cat is really funny

C: Dora the Explorer because she explores things with her friend Boots; who is a monkey and Boots likes his boots that’s why he’s called Boots.