Tuesday, August 7, 2012

That's Exactly What It Looks Like

My class (the class I just sent off) loved staplers. We've been using them the last few weeks - not for anything particular, just using them.

A couple of weeks ago I came across this on the take-home table.


Since it looked very interesting to me, I snapped a photo. I'm always intrigued by what I'll find on the take-home table.

Later I heard a child talking about what she had done. "...and then I put it on the table," she said to a friend.

"Tell me about what you did," I said.

"I made a bag," she said.

I went to look at it again. Of course it's a bag. That's exactly what it looks like.

Sometimes I think I don't have a good imagination. Kids always seem to see possibilities that I never can. I would never think to make a bag...and then to execute it like this.

And then I wonder if I sometimes hinder the creativity and imagination of kids. Do I prepare activities that allow them to create or do I limit what kids can do with materials? Does my limited perspective limit theirs?

I'll be thinking about these things every time I see this photo. Creativity is boundless...unless I tie it down.