The Drippy Droppy Debate

The children continue to argue about the names of these two sculptures when they come up in our Face Game. With continued disagreements, sometimes rather heated, it became apparent that the children might need a place to show their thinking, a way to make their thinking visible to each other. We experimented with ways to help the children to cast their vote, a way to show them their voices are heard, to acknowledge each child’s viewpoint. 

At morning meeting one day, somebody asked what was for snack that day. The answer was clementines. Many children shared that they had clementines at their houses. Mark brought over a clipboard and began recording this survey of who had clementines at their house. He showed everyone that a checkmark would show that yes, you have clementines at your house, while an X would show that no, you do not have clementines at your house. We did this same sort of survey on days when playing outside was an option for the children after morning meeting. A checkmark indicated you wanted to play outside, an X showed that you wanted to start inside. 


We tried this same approach with our drippy droppy debate:

Is this Drippy Droppy?

We posted this question along with photos of each sculpture (Ugly Mess) and (Blubat). Underneath each sculpture, we set up a Yes column and a No column. The children were invited to find their name and then tape their name in the yes column if they called the sculpture drippy droppy or the no column if they did not call that sculpture drippy droppy. 

The children have really taken to this new idea of taking a survey or casting a vote. Caroline, pretending to be a princess one day, was searching for a prince. She would ask, Will you be the prince? and then make an X mark on her clipboard if the person said no. We are not sure if a prince was ever found, as her clipboard and interaction with her classmates became the new focus in her play. 

Kaya also used this in his block play recently.

Kaya's paper when he first uses this in his play
Kaya's paper when he is finished with this play

 Travers and Ian are building a boat…a party boat.

Travers:  We’re making a party boat…do you want to help?

Kaya:  Now I need my clipboard. Ok, but first I need to write that down.

Travers:  We’re building.

Kaya sits down with his clipboard and writes. He says the words slowly as he draws with his pencil.  Pa-ar-ty boat. See? Travers, see? Check. It has a check. For a party boat.

Travers: A check for a party boat.

Kaya:  I put an X. I maked a X.

An X? What does an X mean?

Kaya:  An X means…well, first I need to write that down. A check.

Ian and Travers also pick up their clipboards and write things down as they continue to build with blocks. 

On Thursday, we first tried our new survey system, as we have adapted it throughout the week. Each child now has their name available, located above their clipboard, to velcro onto a question or survey as they come up. Our first one, 

Is this DrippyDroppy?

has produced surprising results… (pictured to the right)

Although we thought that the children all agreed and everyone called this sculpture Drippy Droppy, we were reminded of the many factors that may influence the vote of a three-year-old.

Upon reflection, we have some additional thoughts. 

This was the first time, most likely, that each child has participated in such an activity. Were they able to focus on the question being asked or did the novelty of this experience take over, several factors ultimately determining the placement of their name? The feel of the velcro, the location of their friends’ names, the silliness of putting their names upside down, etc. all may played a role in this vote. Some children wanted to keep their name velcroed up on their space on the wall, just like their clipboards, a place to keep it safe and protected, clearly marked as their own, in its place on the wall. The children may need some time to experiment with this new way of thinking and expressing themselves before they are able to focus on the question being asked. This voting activity was happening throughout the morning, with the children being called over, unrelated to the actual debate that occurs almost daily. Will this be more meaningful to the children if we offer this again in the middle of such a debate, while they are eager to have their viewpoint acknowledged? For this is our intent: For each child to have a voice. For each child to say, this is me, this is what I think and what I think is important.