Moving the dramatic play furniture across the room to the old block area.
It started with a question.
“Can 5 people go to blocks?”
I typically turn questions like these back onto the kids, asking them if they think that will work. That day, I just said, “no, there’s not enough room”. Our block area was fairly small, and while 4 kids could squeeze in, there were often issues with not enough space.
“Well, then we need to fix that! Let’s change it so there is enough room!” said one girl.
“Yes! Let’s move the furniture. We need to make it bigger!” came the cries from, now, very excited kindergarteners.
In that moment I had to make a choice – to continue with the planned math lesson or to follow the kids and rearrange our classroom, making a bigger block area. I paused, took a breath and remembered what I believe. I believe that kids are capable. I believe they can solve problems and be persistent when faced with challenges. I believe they can, and should, challenge the way things are and question respectfully. I believe they are “can-do” kids.
So, we made a plan. We talked about what they wanted in the block area, what might work, how we could rearrange, and what we needed to make our classroom work for us. And then, we did the plan.
The kids decided to switch the Imagination Station with the current block area, allowing for more space in blocks and building, and a bit less in dramatic play, which was a huge area currently set up as a vet clinic. This class LOVES to build. It totally made sense that we have a huge space for building and making stuff. We began moving furniture, sweeping up the real life dust bunnies – while laughing at the connection to Jan Thomas’ Rhyming Dust Bunnies book, learning how to use the big dustpan, measuring the space and deciding what would fit where, and rearranging our space to work for the kids living and playing in that space every day. It was magical. I pretty much stood back and watched this take place, in awe of these kiddos.
Real life problems and real life problem solvers.
Capable kindergarteners recognizing a problem, making a plan, and solving the problem.
They can do it.
If we let them.
Loving our new HUGE block and building area!
Day 1
Catching Readers Before They Fall 
Welcome to the SOL Challenge! 🙂 I love your post! Kids are capable and we must let them learn from these opportunities. Sometimes it’s hard to step back from our lesson plan and let students take advantage of these opportunities. So happy you did!
This post gave me chills in a good way! The way you were responsive and let students take ownership in their learning was moving to me. They are learning and leading by example, and you have empowered them to be learners. 🙂
Katie, I’m thrilled you are joining in the slice of life challenge this month! This is it right here and what I need to do more of: “I paused, took a breath and remembered what I believe.” This was a real life math problem that meant something to your learners … and you allowed the time and space for them to work collaboratively to solve a problem. Brilliant. Thanks for capturing this moment and I look forward to many more slices of life this month! Welcome to an amazing community!
~Michelle
Your students look so proud! How lucky they are to have a teacher who understands they are capable!
You are the best!! This is awesome – so hard to remember sometimes what is really important with so much continuous data & testing pressure.
This is so great! Love the pictures of your industrious kinders. I can’t think of a better math lesson. Kudos.