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Joolone

@joolone.bsky.social

1.8K followers 1.3K following 280 posts

Drawing a line from the Royal College of Art to the heart of Early Learning. It turns out there’s nothing ‘child’s play’ about child’s play.

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Mar 15

Epictetus pointed out that nature provided us with two ears and one tongue.

It’s such great balance, especially if you’re a teacher.

So, why is it,
when I’m teaching,
I frequently end up with five tongues and one ear?

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jul 17

Me too - the crumpled trunk!

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jul 17

Yes!

My mind is blown by the simplicity and graphic directness of the drawing. A parting gift on the last day at school - a sad elephant. The crumpled trunk…
Genius.

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jul 17

A Nursery child draws an elephant with wonderful succinctness.
A simple expressive line and perfectly judged areas of tone capture the imagination:

“I’ve drawn it for you…It’s sitting down and feeling sad because it’s the last day of school…and his trunk is crumpled up”

Utter Joy!

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Reposted by Joolone

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Nov 16

That wonderful moment when a young child gives you a drawing and you realise they’ve handed you a window into their world of development - a synchronous exploration of motor control, marks, linear expression, writing, shape and space. Each nourishing the other.
Joy!

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Reposted by Joolone

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Nov 16

What do you give to life,

when life has it all?

The effort of being original,

is like a thank you.

Wayne Shorter.

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jul 12

Nursery child invites us into some thinking on shape and space:

“I’ve made a face do you want to see?

You turn the circle and the mouth can be happy or sad…

But I can’t decide if square eyes are happier than triangle eyes!”

We look, wonder and I see what he means.

Joy!

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jul 6

“I’ve drawn the Taj Mahal by a beautiful rainbow river”

‘They’re so beautiful’ I respond

“Do you know what the numbers are?” the child asks

“The doors?”

“No…they are the way I drew them,
I started with 1, I did 2, and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6
and then I glued them on the river”

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 29

He follows up by independently sorting the Montessori beads on a study table.

“I’ll put out ones, twos, threes all the way to 10”

He counts in each denomination with growing fluency as he lays them out, stopping regularly to check & count 1-1

“When I get to 10’s I know them!”

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 28

So beautifully put!

Thanks,
Sue.

And such a resounding yes!

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 28

“Those who desire to sing… find a song.”
Plato.

So much of teaching is finding your own voice:
a voice that inspires learners to discover theirs, and sing boldly themselves.

When I find my song, I’ll sing it with all my heart.

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 22

Nursery child simultaneously unpacks his thinking about number & the Montessori number bead box:

“The 5’s go 5, 10, 15

4’s go 4, 8, 12

3’s go 3, 6, 9

I haven’t done 6’s but I think they go 6, 12: I’ve been thinking about it,
and I haven’t thought about the 9’s yet”

Joy!

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 21

It sure does!

Great quote!

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 21

A question that shadows every lesson:

At what point does my hand, meant to lift, hold pupils back?

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 17

‘…starting points for intuition and rigour…’

Love that Edward!

🙌 Yes 🙌 !

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 17

She returns bringing Grimms semi circles & The 100 Star Study Box to her play. She re-explores shape & space.

She explains “I made a circle with 2 semi circles but I like semi circles on their own too!”

“The rocket’s gone but can you see the two tiny houses - in the middle they’re sharing a star!”

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 15

I love it when the Independent learners turn me into a waiter

...you know:

‘Are you enjoying your learning?’

‘Yes!’

‘Can I get you anything?’

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 15

Isn’t it just - these sets are so visually and creatively rewarding to play with!

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 14

A nursery child explores the Montessori Shape Boxes.

She intuitively engages with the properties of congruence, shape, colour, and magnitude, using them to create imaginative and varied designs:

“I’ve made a rocket, and there are lots of stars around — every star is going to be different!”

Joy!

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 8

Play is a spark,
if you let it out of the box
it ignites ideas.

New thoughts arrive like unexpected guests.

Play wanders about our heads in ways we can’t predict and in places we forget to look.

Imagination is refreshed.

Best of all, it discovers things we could never dream alone.

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 7

Thanks so much - your message really made my day!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the posts.

Joy.

Moments of learning are a great reminder of what really matters aren’t they!

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 7

EYFS child:

“I’m studying number 10 on the Ten Study Rug”

She wades playfully into cardinality, anatomy & multiple addition as her ideas unfold

10 plates are arranged into a picnic

“In 10’s you get to 20 & 50 & 100!”

“The Red Hands make 10 & mine make 20!”

Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 7

Nursery child plays on the “Number Ten Study Rug” with Numicon

“You can make 10 with 5 and 5 and that’s fair but you can’t make ten with 6 and 6 “

“You can’t make ten with 7 and 7.”

He laughs.

“You’d have to squash a 7 down into 2 and 1 which isn’t fair … Or three!”

Joy.

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 3

Nursery child simply joins a cork with an empty tape spool and has a magnifying glass at Picasso like speed.
Joy!

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Joolone @joolone.bsky.social · Jun 1

🙌 yes 🙌 😃