Every interaction like this shows Lacey new pathways to helping her students learn and she is always retooling based on that new insight. “Planning, reflecting, and refining makes every day feel new and exciting.” But even within a plan she leaves room for spontaneity. “If the spirit moves us one day to bring in a rotting pumpkin and have it on the table and the kids get to dissect it and figure that out as a small group at centers, it doesn’t mean that the rest of the plans aren’t happening in other parts of the room. We definitely still have structure and we still have plans and goals and data that we record . . . but within that there is a lot of flexibility.”
The flexible thinking that allows us to love red and blue and sometimes purple, too, is how we learn. These vignettes from Lacey’s class offer a window into what that looks like in practice. This week, be on the lookout for opportunities to have rich conversations with your students. May lots of colorful language ensue!
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