Fine Motor Friday: The Train Edition

FINE MOTOR FRIDAY: The Train Edition 

Today is the forty-ninth FRIDAY of this, my ongoing fine motor series! I sense a big PARTY next Friday. The Golden Anniversary Retrospective! 
Slow down, Nellie. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. One step at a time. 

I've got some seriously delightful children's work to share with you today! Today's images were captured here in Vero Beach, FL {our amazing winter hiatus} at Community Church Preschool. Earlier this week I gave an evening seminar for my newly adopted snow-bird ECE community. Little did they realize! Our evening together included a sold-out crowd thanks to the hard work of the 'Childcare Resources' team that brought everything to fruition. 

Don't you just ADORE this concept of an open-doorway to literacy? I do!! You've just got to appreciate this bright display that stands in their entry-way foyer. 
I couldn't have designed a more incredible and appropriate welcome myself. Well they are missing the polka-dots, but I won't hold that against them. 
LUV LUV LUV this greeting for the children + their parents! 

Once everything was organized for my presentation, I flew through their incredible center and clicked away, taking photos like a wild woman. Look over my shoulder and see for yourself. Excellence in early education, everywhere I entered.

Today's theme? Trains! Chooo-choooo!!! All aboard!!!

The wee-wittles had been given an opportunity to create their own train track impressions with paint. I LUV the vitality captured in this open-ended exploration with materials! 

Now take a look at these more sophisticated projects from the older Preschool children. Look at their train tracks! These children are traveling to specific locations. Know how I know? 

Read the stories that have thoughtfully been attached to the Artwork permanently. What an incredible keepsake. What a delightful project that combines two of my favorite things: process, open-ended Art with creative writing and story telling!

Wait till you see these next BEAUTIES. Breath taking! 
It's a study of geometric shapes. Simple shapes build terrific trains! 

These finished projects just make my heart sing. All of the pieces and parts are offered in abundance and then the children use their own skills, abilities and insight to construct their own version of a train. What amazing work. Fine motor leads to Fine Arts, INDEED!

And long time readers here know how much I am grateful that the teachers in this program have allowed each child the freedom to create their own, genuine, original, true work. We've had long discourse and interactions here under my rainbow blog, over the apparent temptation of some teachers to fiddle, fix, amend and contort the Art work of their students -- all in a seeming need to please the refrigerator-display and or churn out replicas of the teacher's example for some reason. Is it pressure from parents? Is it competitiveness between classrooms? Whatever the reason for the 'Art-fixing' that we've uncovered previously, I'm thrilled to see this work standing on its own.

In any given classroom, there is apt to be an entire continuum of capability, focus and interest for a project like this -- based on any number of variables. Obviously age and maturity play heavily in the outcome. It's TERRIFIC to have the evidence that these teachers are supportive of EVERY child under their supervision and are accepting of every outcome. Parents can trust that the work that comes home is what their child is able to create on their own.  

Three LOUD cheers for a program that respects the work of the child in its authentic truth. Unadorned by adult fussing. YEAH, team! Here's what the classroom bulletin board of completed work looks like on display together. Do you have 'transportation' as one of your themes at school? You couldn't do much better than follow the lead of this program! 

GEOMETRY. SHAPES. TRANSPORTATION. INDEPENDENCE. ART. PRICELESS!

Geometric Shapes Create Independent Trains in Preschool Art Project for Transportation Theme Bulletin Board

Now in contrast. Let's wrap up. Let me take you for a ride on the way-back machine. Here are some images from another article at our collaborative blog, "PreK+K Sharing" where I address this 'fussing' business. See what I mean? Five child produced pieces and one that's been "FUSSED" over by a volunteer supervising a two year old. For what benefit I ask you? What does this teach the child? 

Example of Children's Artwork that has been "Fussed" Over

I hope that these examples of open-ended Art and INDEPENDENT work inspire you. Hope that you have a brilliant weekend with lovely emerging spring indicators greeting you at every corner. I have a hum-dinger of a RoundUP underway for release on Sunday. All things 'quilting in education.' Hope to see you back for that one! In the mean-time you can support my efforts with a simple shout out of your choice: pin, tweet, + or all of the above. It means a lot to have you sharing what I am able to share with you. THANKS! 

P.S. Maria Manore of Kinder Craze is having an extravaganza to celebrate her blog's first birthday. The woman is brilliant I tell you! By all means stop by, register to win one of the three prizes. My "Pollywog" is included in the Kinder-Pac for one lucky winner... just in time for spring metamorphosis. 

-- Debbie --