JoyWithTheMarbleRun

InoticedKamila,VictorandMadisynplayingwiththemarblerampstogether.Kamilaplacedamarblewhichrolleddowntheyellowrampanddroppedtothecarpetwithathud.Ibegantoreallypayattentionbecauseofthesound.Thisseemedworthwatching.

KamilatappedMadisynontheshoulderandsaid,“Lookit!”Shedroppedthemarblein,itrolleddowntherampandthuddeddownontheflooragain.Madisynlaughed.Shelikedtheidea.

Kamilaaddedawholehandfulofmarbles,whichwasprettyheavy.Theyellowrampbegantotip,soshesupportedittokeepitfromfalling.Themarblesrolleddownmakingthatsamesoundaseachhitthecarpet:thud,thud,thud,thud,thud,thud,thud.

ThesoundattractedMadisyn’sattention.SheshoutedexcitedlyatwhatKamilahaddone,“Kamila!”

“Weneedmorestuff!”,shesaid.Madisynbroughtoverabluecupandsaid,“Howaboutthis?”Sheplaceditwherethemarbleswouldfall.

Thensheaddedabluetubeandanotherbluecup.“Ihopeitworks,”shesaid.

AsKamilalookedon,Madisynaddedthetubetotherampandreplacedthecupbelow.“Thislooksmorebetter,”shesaid.“Right,Kamila?”

Bothgirlsaddedmarblesandlaughedtogether.“It’sprettyfunny,”Madisynsaid.

AsKamilaliftedituptogathermoremarblesfromunderneath,thestructuretippedover.“Oh,no!Itbroke,”Madisynsaid.“Weneeditbackthere.”Togetherfourhandsgotitstableagain.

Madisynaddedabluebowlupsidedownonthetop.“Imadealamp,”shesaidandlaughed.“Alampisfunny,right?”

AsVictorconnectedhisstructuretotheendofthegirl’sone,Madisynhadanidea.“Weneedmoreparts!”

Kamilaleftandreturnedwithanotherramp.“Ifoundanotherone,”shesaid.

Madisynreplied,“Cool.Let’sputithere.”

“Muchbetter.”

AsVictorandMadisynstabilizedthestructure,Kamilatrieditout.

Madisynlaughedexcitedlyatwhattheybuilttogether.Andthatisthestoryof“JoywiththeMarbleRun.”

Whatitmeans...

Kamila,MadisynandVictor,youobviouslyenjoyedeachotherandenjoyedcollaboratingtogether.Youtriednewthingsandpersistedatyourplay.Youwerealsoseeingthingsinadifferentway.Whowouldknowthatthesoundofafallingmarblewouldbeinterestingtohearagain?

Youweresolvingtheproblemsyouencounteredandexperimentedwithhowthingslookedaswellashowaddedpiecesaffectedthepathofthemarbles.

Madisyn,yourenthusiasmprovidedawealthofpositiveenergy.Bynamingtheplayyouprovidedalanguagethatenabledtheplaytoflourish.

Opportunities...

Aseducatorswetrytothinkofwhatwecoulddotofurtherthismarvelousplay.Wecouldaddbeadstochallengethewaythingsrolldownpathways.Addingheavyballbearingsofthesamesizeastheglassmarblesmightchallengetheirattentivenesstothestrengthoftheirstructures.Wecouldputthemarbleruninthewatertableandaddpainttocolorthewatersotheycouldseeitflow.Wecouldaddtubestothewater,too,andbuildsuspendedreservoirswithtubesattachedtoprovideaconstantflow.

Possibilities...

Thechildrenmayrisetothechallengesweoffertofurtheranengagementinphysics.Ifthisoneeventwereposted,retold,andreviewed,thiskindofengagementcouldbringmorechildrenintotheplaytoaddnewideasandpossiblydevelopanewcultureatourschool.Thechildrenmightcontributeideasthatexpandthewaystousethematerialsandfurthertheirsocialengagementinacommunityofaction.

Theresultmightbeashiftinhowfamilies,educatorsandchildrenthinkaboutwhatitmeanstogotoschool.Wemightcometothinkofourselvesasacommunitythatinvolvesallofusinacontinuing,inventiveinvestigationofhowthingswork.

Whenwetaketimetoreallythinkaboutplay,tothinktogethertodeeplyconsideroneeventandtoaltertheenvironmentone,two,orthreestepsfurther,wecanchangeourculture,stepbystep,tocreateanenvironmentasathirdteacher.Wecanalsocelebratesmartgirlsatwork.Smartstuffiswhatwedoatschool.Allofus.

TheFamilyView....

Madisyn’sFamily:Iamhappytoseeproblemsolving,andlisteningtodifferentsounds.Itshowsmethatshepaysattentionbecauseshehasideasaboutproblemsolving.SometimesIfeelsheisn’tlistening,butthisshowssheislearningevenwhenIthinksheisn’t.Sheaskedherpeerstosolvetheproblem.Shedidn’tgotoanadult.

Everythingwedoislearning.

FamiliaMadisyn:Estoyfelizdeveralaresolucióndeproblemas,yescuchardiferentessonidos.Estomedemuestraqueleprestaatenciónporquetieneideasacercadelaresolucióndeproblemas.Avecessientoquenoestáescuchando,peroestodemuestraqueestáaprendiendo,inclusocuandocreoquenoloes.Pidióasuscompañerospararesolverelproblema.Ellanofueaunadulto.Todoloquehacemosesaprender.

TheFamilyView....

Kamila’sFamily:Kamilaattendstoalotofdetailsathome.Thisisanaccomplishmentofthestudentsbecauseoftheteachers.Becauseoftheschoolsheisabletocommunicateandsocialize.Shewasveryquietandshybeforecomingtoschool,butnowshecanaccomplishthings.

FamiliadeKamila:Kamilaatiendeaunagrancantidaddedetallesenelhogar.Esteesunlogrodelosestudiantesacausadelosmaestros.Debidoalaescuelaqueellaescapazdecomunicarseysocializar.Ellaeramuycalladaytímidaantesdeveniralaescuela,peroahorasepuedenlograrcosas.

TheFamilyView....

Victor’sFamily:Iamexcited.Iknowheislearning.Athomeheisnotfightingwithotherkids.Heknowshowtoplaywiththem.HeworksindependentlywithLegos.Iseehimanalyzing,andpersistent.Hedoesnotgetfrustrated.Hekeepstryinguntilitworksthewayhewantsitto.

Iamveryhappytoseethisstoryaboutmyson.

FamiliadeVíctor:Estoymuyemocionado.Yoséqueélestáaprendiendo.Ensucasanoestápeleandoconotrosniños.Élsabecómojugarconellos.TrabajadeformaindependienteconLegos.Loveoanalizarypersistente.Nosesientenfrustrados.Sesigueintentandohastaquefuncionedelamaneraqueélquierequelohaga.Estoymuyfelizdeverestahistoriaacercademihijo.