I Found A Blog Post About Bumps And Bruises On Kids...

[youretooloud]

http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/

I also want this entire set of giant soft blocks.... and a place to keep them!

(Plus.. Teacher Tom's cape and bejeweled belt bugs me a little) <--that's just extra information.. it has nothing to do with this post.

[Michael]

I like this line in the article: Bumps and bruises are one of our most powerful learning tools. They are the A-B-C's and 1-2-3's of the law of natural consequences.

[countrymom]

I want those blocks, my own kids would love them so much.

[Unregistered]

why not let it be now?

That blog is SO good. I like: "All real learning is built upon failure. It's so tempting as teachers to save our students from failing. We see that adding that one last block will cause the tower to fall and surreptitiously reach out a hand to hold it up. Eventually he'll have to build that building that falls, why not let it be now? We fudge the die count in a board game so the child doesn't lose yet again. Eventually she will have to lose that game, why not let it be now? We try to catch them when they fall. Eventually she will take that fall, why not let it be now? We can't help ourselves as adults, sometimes we save them, but we also have to know that each time we do it, we're robbing them of experience, which as Wilde implies is another word for "mistake." -
Yeah his photo is goofy, but the pics of his kids working/playing/learning are terrific. I like his words a lot! Thanks for sharing this link, you'retooloud!

[momma4many]

I love this blog!!! I found a few other really good ones on his blogroll too. Thanks for posting this

[MarinaVanessa]

Yes I enjoyed it too. I have a section in my website about what we do at daycare and what we learn while we play and I am thinking of adding a section about bumps and bruises in it. Maybe even add a section in my handbook. Thanks!

[Kaddidle Care]

When I first clicked on this blog and saw this guy it made me giggle. What a nut! ::

But some of the stuff he said I agree with.

The bumps and bruises do teach us lessons. They teach that when Teacher says don't do that and they do - ouch!
We have wooden blocks and the rule in our classroom is to build no higher than your belly button. That works for about 5 minutes and you know what happens after that. Taller building which comes tumbling down and "ouch!". Yep! It happens. Those little buggers can pinch a finger pretty good if you're not careful placing them back on the shelf too. Another lesson!