A Great First Week & Photos
Source/Author: Dr. Sherri Danyali, Director of The Experiential School of Tampa Bay
August 18, 2017
Inspiring students to follow their interests
Curious students explore their new learning spaces, embracing the joys of discovering objects of interest and friends to play with and near. School has begun.
Children created mosaics with loose parts in wooden frames, imagining that glass jewels were little cakes for a tea party under the loft, and gently pet Flappy Doodle, the pet parakeet, who lowered her head for the touch of eager hands. Happy shrieks and later a low hum filled the school as students pursue self-selected center choices and settle in. A chime signaled students to pause and look up for guidance, and students clean up to gather together in a circle. The first full day tested the endurance of our youngest students, prompting yawns and an early lunch, but the signs of a great start are evident in the comfort and involvement of students with teachers, children, and in our classroom community.
Children created mosaics with loose parts in wooden frames, imagining that glass jewels were little cakes for a tea party under the loft, and gently pet Flappy Doodle, the pet parakeet, who lowered her head for the touch of eager hands. Happy shrieks and later a low hum filled the school as students pursue self-selected center choices and settle in. A chime signaled students to pause and look up for guidance, and students clean up to gather together in a circle. The first full day tested the endurance of our youngest students, prompting yawns and an early lunch, but the signs of a great start are evident in the comfort and involvement of students with teachers, children, and in our classroom community.
What is visible today, grew out of the desire of teachers and the school to design spaces for young students to connect, wonder, play, and be more.
Over the summer, teachers of The Experiential School of Tampa Bay thoughtfully considered the layout and contents of the environments with their future students in mind. What might children do with the materials and resources? How could learning flow indoors and out? Three-year-old alpha students and four-year-old junior kindergarten students learn in multiple places on campus, such as the outdoor classroom, playground, the indoor exploratorium, project room, homeroom class, gym, and library - as well as off campus in the community on field experiences tied into their studies.
Believing that children engaged in doing need time for deep play, self-directed project work, and social collaborations, Shorecrest's dedicated early childhood educators reflected and discussed our culture of practice and the flexibility of schedule needed to allow for these essential endeavors.
What lies ahead?
Let’s embark on a year of experiential learning, that follows students’ wonderings, encourages creative thinking, and growing sense of capability and volition.
View some photos from the first week of school here.
View some photos from the first week of school here.
![JK on the Run [Photos]](/Images/1px.png?command_1=url&url_1=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shorecrest.org/userfiles/shpsv2mvc/images/news-images/JKontherun.jpg&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "JK on the Run [Photos]")
