Writing, writing, and more writing! The Eagle group has been continuing a process, that started in infancy, of learning how to write. They have been busy using their love of words to express anything and everything, from charts about time management to Happy Birthday books for their friends. It all started this year with a sign-up sheet that the children use to sign their name to join quiet time. As the children began to practice making their marks on the sheet, a love for letters began to emerge. The children started asking about each letter, what sounds they make, how to use them to form words, and sometimes inventing new words of their own. With a white board and magnetic tile letters, they love to spell out silly words for the teachers to read, sometimes using over 26 letters in a single word. They are very close to coming up with their own Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

They use these writing skills to learn about their surroundings and to learn about each other. “They have an amazing understanding of their little community here at the CEC,” said Lead Teacher Angelica.

One activity that the Eagle children love to get creative with is making “Happy Birthday Books” for each child’s birthday. Angelica shared that these books typically contain hand drawn pictures or little notes written with the help of the teachers. Recently however, for the birthday of a child who is an emerging writer, the group decided to take a different approach. “The children know that she is really good with her letters and always writes her own notes for the birthday books of other children, so for her book, they filled the pages with words!” Shared Angelica. “It was so fascinating, there were no pictures at all; each child wrote out ‘Happy Birthday’ to her instead because they know she loves to read and write.”

They even write to other rooms at the CEC when they need help. The Eagle group was having a difficult time gardening, so they wrote a letter to the Sea Lion group to ask for help since, as Angelica shared, they are the “expert gardeners of the preschool yard.” The children of the Sea Lion group wrote back with tips and tricks for gardening which the Eagle children used in their own garden and have watched their plants thrive.

The children have also used their new writing skills to create charts that help them manage their time throughout the day. One child was having an issue managing his time with when he wanted to play and when he needed to rest. So, with a bit of help from his teachers, he created a schedule. On certain days, he plays with his friends during quiet time, and on other days, he has designated time for naps. He reviews his chart every day to check what is on his “schedule” and even reminds the teachers of what his plan for the day is.

Through writing, the children are working on all sorts of developmental skills. Not only are they developing fine motor skills through the practice of holding a marker or pencil to create specific shapes, but their social and emotional development has flourished as they use their writing to communicate with their teachers and each other. Their literacy is also advancing, and writing is giving them a new avenue for observing and expressing the world around them. I wonder what they will write about next?