At Lucknow, valued learning is recognised as that which engages children actively and is of interest and meaningful to the individual. By providing bread making activities regularly (most days), children participate when they choose and have time to explore the equipment and process to their satisfaction. Bread making also provides opportunities for creativity. For example, there has been a group of children with a keen interest in dinosaurs and, hence, dinosaur bread has been made.
Duration: 39 sec | View transcript
Through this authentic learning opportunity children are learning:
- correct hygiene procedures when preparing food
- the process of grinding grains to produce flour
- about the kneading and shaping of dough
- about measurement and proportions
- about the chemical reaction of the yeast
- how food changes when heated
- tasty food doesn't have to be bought and presented in fancy packages
Recycling
Bread making is one of the many ways children learn to value, nurture and use natural resources. Nothing is wasted. The children are also developing an awareness of this in a paper making activity and the recycling of food. Bread leftovers are fed to the hens, banana skins and tea leaves go to the wormery, and most other things go to the compost. Through these continual practices, children and adults promote an awareness of a cycle that produces naturally grown food. Here is an example of a conversation recorded at the meal table where someone has just eaten a banana.
Benjamin: "Where do the banana skins go?" (He knows they go somewhere, and is learning just where and why.)
Flynn: "Worms like bananas."
Ffion: "And the chickens like the worms and cockroaches."
Returning perishable items to the soil and making 'old paper into new' is embedded in the culture at Lucknow. In the early stages of this initiative, the cleaners remarked, "at Lucknow you have 1/5 of the rubbish of the other kindergartens". This inspired other kindergartens to plan similar recycling routines.
Oral language
Whether it is bread making, paper making or flax weaving, creating provides an opportunity for inclusive conversations in a pleasant and unhurried manner. A teacher is nearly always present to listen to and encourage conversations, commenting and questioning where appropriate.
The kneading of the dough provides a calming and therapeutic environment. It is a place for conversation and telling stories. An unsure child will settle each day with the peaceful and rewarding task of grinding the grains and kneading the dough. At that anxious moment of separation for both child and parent, the involvement in bread making, the smells of baking, and the anticipation of fresh warm buns provides a welcome focus.
Teachers may record the experience with a video camera, download this to the child's movie folder, and show parents on their return or the next day.
"We know by feedback, written and verbal, that parents consider this a treasured gift, seeing their child participating with others and engaging in the processes such as bread making. Children see themselves participating in positive ways. I know I can trust this home baking process to reflect the caring atmosphere of home."
Christine - head teacher
"The paper making barrel is always amongst the outdoors learning. I sit and tear paper. A child approaches, asking 'what are you doing?'. Now the child and I have the perfect unhurried place for dialogue. It may be about paper or any other interest. The paper making barrel is a tranquil, unhurried place for parent-teacher dialogue too. Paper tearing is conversational as well as purposeful."
Christine - head teacher
"It's like our weaving. Adult learners sit cross-legged, supporting each other with their weaving skills and children's learning. Meanwhile, we are using harakeke collected from our own garden to make containers."
Vicki - teacher
Nutrition
Recently, the same bread dough recipe has been used to form bases for pizzas. This was as a result of an interest developed in creative outdoor play. Teachers and children planned a pizza-making day. Families and children decided on the toppings and brought produce from home - olives, mushrooms, tomatoes were among the choices. Photos and movies taken by children and teachers have provided opportunities for revisiting the learning.
Duration: 19 sec | View transcript
The understanding that very basic dough can make a base topped with healthy choices that passes as fast food, and costs a fraction of the price, is learning for life. Children are learning relevant food preparation skills, self-management and nutritional choices.