At Sabot pre-school, the children go to their classrooms first thing in the morning, and if they want to go to another room, thay can, but they have to write a note that says where they are going. After 10:30, children can move around to different rooms and outside.
One day, Oliver came to the studio with a note that said "Do you have any Batman pictures?"
I showed him my binder full of pictures of heroes. He found a couple of Batman pictures, and brought them to the Garden room to finish the picture he must have been working on.
Later, he came back with the same note. It now said, "Can I cut one of the Batman pictures out?" He wanted to cut "A Batman", which is what he called the bat symbol, out of one of the pictures in the binder. I told him he couldn't do that, but that I could show him how to draw the bat symbol.
I showed him how to start with a sort of 'M' shape. He followed along, though it was hard. You can see some of his tries on the front and back of the note. He had trouble with some parts, and began to get frustrated. Many times he said he couldn't do it. Avery told him that "you have to just keep doing things, sometimes you have to try a lot of times, then you learn it."
That gave Oliver new energy to keep trying. After he finally figured out how to draw the pointy tips of the wings, Oliver took me aside. "I don't like the big triangle you make", he said. He showed me how to make a shorter triangle for the tail peice. I learned how to make a shorter tail, the Oliver way.
Then, he colored and cut out one of the bat symbols, and brought it back to his room.
One day, Oliver came to the studio with a note that said "Do you have any Batman pictures?"
I showed him my binder full of pictures of heroes. He found a couple of Batman pictures, and brought them to the Garden room to finish the picture he must have been working on.
Later, he came back with the same note. It now said, "Can I cut one of the Batman pictures out?" He wanted to cut "A Batman", which is what he called the bat symbol, out of one of the pictures in the binder. I told him he couldn't do that, but that I could show him how to draw the bat symbol.I showed him how to start with a sort of 'M' shape. He followed along, though it was hard. You can see some of his tries on the front and back of the note. He had trouble with some parts, and began to get frustrated. Many times he said he couldn't do it. Avery told him that "you have to just keep doing things, sometimes you have to try a lot of times, then you learn it."
That gave Oliver new energy to keep trying. After he finally figured out how to draw the pointy tips of the wings, Oliver took me aside. "I don't like the big triangle you make", he said. He showed me how to make a shorter triangle for the tail peice. I learned how to make a shorter tail, the Oliver way.
Then, he colored and cut out one of the bat symbols, and brought it back to his room.
I just loved this...especially the picture at the end with Oliver holding up the bat symbol he made. I love that children can come to you and work something out and then go back to their classroom! What joy and satisfaction this must give them!
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