Building Blocks - What Have We Learned So Far?

What Have We Learned?



During our January 12th staff development I asked for feedback on what our Pre-K teachers had learned so far this year as we have focused on Blocks and Beyond for our book study. I love getting to see each teacher's take on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following are some of their responses:

• The significance of using blocks in the classroom-shapes/geometric shapes
• Spatial thinking helps with STEM learning, development, geometric, and spatial knowledge helps develop cognitive abilities.
• Lines in space and nature and shapes in space and nature is another way to promote spatial development. Finding new ways to incorporate blcoks into lesson plans.
• Kids learn through touch and at the beginning they rarely know what they did or how they did it. After, with guidance, they are learning to collaborate and learning new vocabulary.
• Students love to play with blocks and create incredible things that help them to learn and compare with real objects (train/car/etc.).
• Children have a purpose for learning, are applying skills with real objects, and are becoming more creative with their structures using expressive vocabulary.
• I need a good set of blocks. Blocks are great for measuring, sorting, and building teamwork between the children.
• Children learn better with blocks and cubes.
• I still need to do pictures and have incorporated different blocks at one time and observed and discussed with students what they created.
• Blocks are enagaging for our students and they can learn many math concepts of geometry.
• They love to show off their creations and seem to be more focused in the center. They often ask for me to get the iPad to take a picture.
• The kids LOVE having more room and have made some amazing creations. They come and get me to look at what they've made. They show such pride.
• Children will create when they feel encouraged.
• Many math concepts emphasized through blocks.
• Many math concepts can be taught using blocks, such as measuring, patterns, matching sets, shapes, and counting.
• Children are beginning to see shapes when building and they are making connections.
• Children are very verbal in this center. It is where they fight the most at the beginning of the year, but now they are talking to each other and work together. It has become really collaborative and they like to build high. They just realized that they can put blocks on shelves and start high.
• When I spend time in the center, they become excited. I started taking photos of their structures. Now they all build and want me to take photos of their creations.
• More students are interested in soft blocks and hard blocks.
• How important blocks are in learning - shapes and spatial relationships.
• More effective than before-it is now purposeful and not random.
• More kids have been wanting to go and explore-including kids who weren't previously interested.
• Frederich Froebel
• Spatial development is a foundation for geometry.
• Blocks can be used for many math concepts, including one-to-one correspondence, normal matching, measurement, etc.
• The students need a lot of ideas since they got bored with them quickly. I plan to look for ideas using my PLN.
   
WHEW! That is a lot of feedback! But it is music to my heart and soul. Ultimately, my hope is that this learning will impact each student and teacher positively in many ways now and into the future.