With the new year comes many new opportunities for learning, exploration and growth. While we consistently do all those things in our Preschool classroom, it is important to remember some of the main values we hold. One of those values is creating a sense of belonging for all children, families and educators. We strive to ensure all children and their families feel like they belong in our classroom. There are so many ways that we can explore that sense of belonging, starting with the little things - everyone’s name on the classroom door, everyone having a puzzle piece that when connected together makes a whole puzzle, and having individual photos of all preschoolers on the walls within the classroom. Today we decided to create a collage of footprints that the preschoolers made themselves. It started with picking out some paint colours, and setting up the materials. The preschoolers then sat down and took turns painting each other’s feet, and walking across the paper. As more and more children walked across the path, the footprints started to blend together. This is a collage of all the children in preschool one, and connects everyone together. The preschoolers helped each other, and used their encouragement skills to support their peers. The preschoolers focused on their sense of community, ensuring that everyone had a chance to express themselves, and supported them through the process. Once the footprint collage was complete, the preschoolers helped hang it up in our classroom. We picked a spot where everyone could see the art, and the preschoolers could spend time looking at the creation they made, and all the different footprints they helped create as well. Working together the preschoolers were able to foster a sense of belonging for all their peers. Together they used their creative skills to support each other’s creations, as well as their own abilities to support each other’s individualities. The preschoolers worked hard today, with the support of the educators, creating a piece of art that showcases all the children, and their uniqueness.
