Welcome

Hi all and welcome to my first blog.

Working and engaging with children was always my passion.  Starting with my own three children and then as each one left the nest and started big school I found that their teachers needed child care and my daytime 'family' grew.

After a number of years a different pathway opened up. In 1978 my husband bought this new and fascinating gadget called a computer for the family.  I, of course, commandeered this wonderful machine. I saw the educational potential for engaging children and this led to a full time career in youth and adult education.

I have recently come full circle, completing my Cert III in Children's Services, studying the Diploma in Children's Services and commencing casual work as a child care worker.

One thing that stood out throughout my life as an educator of all ages is that in order to make learning productive, you must make it fun and engaging.

The purpose of this blog is to share my passion for developing creative teaching resources, the skills to develop them yourself and stories about the children's reactions to these resources.

My first resources, (a monkey puppet and a cat puppet costing $2 each) came from Kmart and (a small mouse) knitted from a pattern found in  a book called Knitted Nursery Rhymes by Sarah Keen.

On the day of my first shift as a casual childcare worker for a large not for profit organisation in the Illawarra area I was excited and nervous. As I walked into the outdoor are the children were arriving for the day.  I walked to the sandpit where two children were playing, sat on the edge, placed the monkey puppet onto my hand with the mouse in it's arms under my thumb.  I cradled the puppet and started making very small movements. I did not speak at all.

The children came over and asked my name.  I told them my name and they told me theirs in returned.

They asked why I was holding the puppet.  I smiled and explained that this was the first time that my little monkey friend had come to this preschool and that that he was feeling a little shy.  I moved the monkey to my ear and I then told the children that monkey also said the he was also a little scared because he did not know anyone here but his little mouse friend made him feel safe.  This started a number of discussions including:

• How they felt on their first day at preschool.
• If they have a comfort toy and how they feel when they cuddle their comfort toy.
• The activities that they liked the best.
• Who was picking them up today
• My friends are......

Within ten minutes twenty children had joined the conversation. They all wanted to play with the puppet and especially the mouse but after a discussion with the monkey and the children it was agreed that monkey might be able to play with the children and even share his special mouse a little later in the day. 
What a wonderful introduction to the children and the new centre!

Resources do not have to be expensive nor elaborate.  We need to be comfortable, to be silly, to believe that a monkey puppet can talk to them and that we need to talk back!  We need to sell the illusion to the children and believe that every child deserves to be heard and included in the illusion.

Until next time,   by Leonie D