Friday, September 25, 2015

Meet the Schools: EEI DE VILARIÑO



O verán barbanzán anda a roubarlle días ao outono, e ao regalo dun día solleiro e caluroso, sumouse unha invitación especial da mestra Alicia Souto a visitar a Escola de Educación Infantil de Vilariño (Pobra do Caramiñal), un dos centros que participa no noso proxecto de escritura creativa.

Alicia foi alumna da Escola Oficial de Idiomas durante un par de anos, e xa nos fascinara con algunha presentación que fixera na clase para falar da filosofía pedagóxica que implementa nas súas aulas, de María Montessori, de motivar as grandes capacidades de aprendizaxe dos nenos fomentando a súa liberdade e independencia e a ilusión pola aprendizaxe.

Pero se as presentacións nos embelesaron, a visita terminou por deixarme namorada da súa maneira de tratar os nenos, de ensinar, de organizar o espazo, de xestionar emocións. Volvo encantada, tanto, que quero escribirvos esta entrada mentres teño estas emocións fresquiñas.

Allow me to introduce:

EEI DE VILARIÑO




As I went in, children were at their own workstations, some of them painting, others at the kitchen area, others working on an album matching the names of their classmates to their photographs. Alicia, the teacher, told them to put things away neatly since it was time for a snack.

They all cleaned and collected their things and they went to sit down on the carpeted area, where Alicia had them clean their hands while she played “some music to think”, which was the song “No dejes de soñar”. Alicia is very interested in teaching children to think critically, following the line of Angélica Sátiro and her Proyecto Noria, which point to reflection and creative thinking as key competences. Fran, one of the children, said  he knew what this song meant: “Hay que soñar más y estar menos despierto” (we should dream more and spend less time awake).


Then, they all went to get their rucksacks, placed their mats on the tables and had their snacks. They kept talking about the chicks (“pitiños”), which kept me wondering until Alicia told me at this school, 5-year-olds are the ducks (“patos”), 4-year-olds are the hens (“galiñas”) and 3-year-olds are chicks (“pitiños”). The ducks help the chicks in a lot of their responsibilities, for example, helping them put materials back in place.


Every child is in charge of some special task, for example, Laura is the school reporter, and must take the photographs; Brais must turn the computers on and off; and Sara must set the clock during snack time to make sure only 10 minutes are spent doing this.

The management of emotions and resolution of conflicts would deserve an entry of its own. When a child complained during break time about another classmate, Alicia kindly told him to go tell his friend how he felt and within 5 minutes there they were playing together again.


Any event is an opportunity to learn at this school. When they opened the trunk where they keep their toys in the playground, one of the children found a spider and he ran to get a magnifying glass. Alicia was telling me later that they use these discoveries as an excuse for project work, and she showed me some of the books they have created about grasshoppers (anatomy, eating habits and habitat).

Alicia and her team of “pitiños, galiñas e patos” are fantastic. I will definitely pay them a visit again (if they’ll have me) and I am sure you cannot wait to learn more about them through the traveling notebooks and cards.
The teachers: Silvia, ALICIA and Rosa
Thank you very much, Alicia. Visiting your school has been a real gift and a privilege!





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