Spring 1995 Newsletter

Spring '95 Newsletter

Introductory Edition

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Observation

Spring95.jpg (19900 bytes)

Pictured from left to right are: Pam Whitty, Professor in Early Childhood Education; Joanne McCullough, Secretary; Anne Hunt, Acting Director, Early Childhood Centre; Mollie Fry, Consultant in Early Childhood Education; and Jennifer Pazienza, Professor in Art Education.

Photo by Janet Kershaw

For some time now, a small group of us have been thinking about a newsletter to share with early childhood teachers. We met one morning to thrash out some details and we want to share our thoughts with you, and ask for your reaction.

Teachers, in whatever capacity, are involved, busy people. It seems difficult to find time for reflection about practices, let alone sharing with colleagues, benefiting from talking together and sparking new thinking.

Perhaps a newsletter could serve to keep us in touch with each other to some extent. We envisage it as a shared venue for short articles, book reviews, children’s writing and illustration, and the like. We would hope to produce it two or maybe three times a year; that should be manageable. It would probably be short, also in the interests of manageability. It will be distributed to every early childhood teacher in the system at first; later perhaps only to those who request it.

We initially thought to get a first issue out before the end of the school year, but have decided instead to send you this introductory page which outlines our thinking and asks for your response. Let us assure you that we mean to have an issue to greet you at the beginning of September. We would like to avoid the content being subject specific, but would like to have a general theme. The first issue will be about creativity. Your interests and suggestions will guide the focus of further issues, so please let us have your ideas. We need a name for the letter. It would be great to have a child designed logo, don’t you think?

We would like this to be a venue for adults and children to share ideas. Parents might contribute some provocative thinking. The people here in the Early Childhood Centre certainly want some input, too.

Before the lazy hours of summer claim you completely, won’t you write, phone, fax or e-mail us with your reactions? You can reach us at:

Early Childhood Centre,
Faculty of Education,
University of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 4400,
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5A3.

Phone: (506) 453-5024
Fax: (506) 453-3659
Email: eccentre@unb.ca

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The following observation is written by Pam Wister, teacher at the UNB kindergarten/grade one class.

Tommy put the paper against the paint easel and began to paint by swishing a dark brown color across the width of the paper. He then painted eight yellow lines - four in each cluster. It was difficult to determine what he was painting. He went back to the dark brown and swished some more across the paper. Then he asked me to come to him and began to explain that he had run out of space at the top. He couldn’t finish his painting. Putting it back into his hands, I asked him what he thought he needed in order to finish his painting. He proceeded to get another piece of paper and some tape. As he began to attach it he realized that it could not be done at the easel. It was too big. He placed the paper on a nearby table but this was awkward so he removed the painting and placed it on the floor. With some assistance he attached the two papers and proceeded to finish his painting. As we conversed, he began to make reference to the stuffed eagle in our room and I began to realize that this was what he was painting. He paid particular attention to the white feathers on the eagle’s head and how they met the brown feathers of the body. By mixing colors, and experimenting with the paint brush strokes, he managed to satisfy his desire to be accurate. The feet became predominant as he added claws and talons. He talked as he painted, revealing his knowledge about this bird. When Tommy was finished he carefully carried it to an area of our room where it could dry.

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Painting by Tommy Leung March, 1995

Photo of painting by Jennifer Pazienza

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Newsletter Information

Early Childhood Centre News is published by the

Early Childhood Centre,
Faculty of Education,
University of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 4400,
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5A3.

We welcome your submissions. Please sign your letters and include your mailing address and telephone number.

Special thanks to Janet Kershaw, Jennifer Pazienza and Pam Wister for their contributions to this introductory page.

Editors: Anne Hunt, Pam Nason and Pam Whitty

Comments to: eccentre@unb.ca Last update: 2000/06/20