環(huán)球簡訊:惠立幼兒園還有木工課？Carpentry classes at Huili Nursery

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【資料圖】

幾年前，還在上幼兒園大班的馮語涵在職業(yè)木匠爺爺?shù)慕虒拢饾u掌握了一些木工基本功。她熟練做木工的視頻引得1200多萬網(wǎng)友的觀看。這從側面折射出中國家長們對提升小朋友動手能力的迫切需求。

在許多發(fā)達國家的幼兒園，木工坊早已成為提升兒童動手能力的常見創(chuàng)設。孩子們在這里拿著木鉆、鐵錘、鐵鋸、木板、棍子等專心致志地做工具、做小木船、做小動物之家等。只要有正確的引導，木工工具便不再是許多中國家長眼中“小孩子碰不得的危險品”，而是改造周邊、發(fā)揮創(chuàng)意的輔助品。

諾貝爾物理學獎獲得者、華裔科學家朱棣文曾這樣說道：“動手做是很重要的概念，中國學生善于學習書本上的東西，但他們的動手能力較差，創(chuàng)新精神不足。” 通過動手做，孩子們能真實地感知世界，放飛創(chuàng)造力和想象力，去自主思考、創(chuàng)作，逐漸培養(yǎng)起強大的動手能力和敢于改造世界的信心。

在杭州惠立幼兒園，我們也有一片木工坊區(qū)域。孩子們在這里專注地學習、謹慎地操作、肆意地創(chuàng)作，搖身一變成心靈手巧的小“木匠”，在實踐中大幅提升著自己的動手能力。讓我們在杭州惠立幼兒園主任Kelly Ashby的帶領下，走進幼兒園的木工坊，一探究竟吧。

Kelly Ashby

惠立幼兒園主任

你聽，是叮叮咚咚的陣陣敲打聲

你聞，是木頭鋸開后的縷縷清香

原來呀，是惠立的孩子和老師們

正在木工坊里樂此不疲地忙碌著

這是杭州惠立幼兒園的二樓中常見的熱鬧景象。木工坊是惠立幼兒園環(huán)境創(chuàng)設的內(nèi)在組成，也是孩子在幼兒園中的重要項目體驗。孩子們在這里觀察、學習和了解木工的流程，習得能遷移到日常生活中的重要技能。在杭州惠立幼兒園，我們注重賦予孩子自主選擇的自由，培養(yǎng)孩子們以創(chuàng)造性的思維去思考，習得解決問題的技能，積累寶貴的成長經(jīng)驗。

全天然材料：多元特性與可持續(xù)理念

木工坊選取全天然材料。全天然材料是靈活的、開放的，是優(yōu)美的、獨特的，也是有溫度的。相比塑料等人工合成材料，孩子們更能與天然材料建立起連結。探索天然材料時，孩子們能真切地用手去觸摸、用心去感受、用腦去研究，獲得更全面的幸福感。在木工坊里，孩子們的內(nèi)心是充實而快樂的，他們有著滿滿的安全感，在多彩的體驗中，逐漸建立起對終身學習的熱愛。使用天然材料，還能在孩子心中播下可持續(xù)發(fā)展的種子：在木工坊里，孩子們從始至終都會去創(chuàng)造出學習和探索所需的資源，不必去新添置最后只能進垃圾桶的一次性人造材料。

木工坊促進項目式研習

滿足多種學習風格

木工坊的作用貫穿幼兒園兒童學習和發(fā)展的各個方面。在這里，我們以興趣為導向，結合班級研習項目，搭建起課程之間的聯(lián)系。目前，各班的探索活動正在有序展開，孩子們學習的廣度得到拓展，深入探索的熱情也建立起來。通過探索來教學是令人受益匪淺的方法，其益處之一便是可以激勵不同學習風格的孩子積極融入課堂，讓孩子們用最適合自己的方式主導學習的進展。有的孩子是通過動手實踐來學習的，于是，像木工坊這類側重動手實踐的空間正好能讓不同學習風格的孩子積極開啟探索，也能滿足每個孩子的個體需求。木工坊還能幫助孩子們跨越潛在的學習挑戰(zhàn)。在杭州惠立幼兒園的日常教學模式中，課程項目式研習（PBL）是重要的組成部分。每個班級都會根據(jù)孩子們共同的興趣點、探索成果和求知欲來開展項目式研習項目。其中，木工坊便是推進項目式研習前進的重要方式。

"在一起討論和計劃項目的過程中，孩子的社會技能得到了發(fā)展。他們能學會分享想法和向他人學習的價值。"

——英國早期教育學家皮特·穆爾豪斯

談“幼兒園里的木工坊”

木工坊里，安全第一

使用木工坊的第一步，也是最重要的一步，就是讓孩子們熟悉木工坊里的工具和安全規(guī)范。錘子是什么？為什么要使用這個工具？怎樣才能安全地使用它？孩子們在老師的指引下，熟悉各種工具和材料，安全地開展木工操作。在掌握了基本的工具使用和操作技能后，孩子們就能在安全的空間里使用工具，自主地解決遇到的挑戰(zhàn)。長此以往，孩子的自我意識、自豪感和自尊心就會不斷增強，讓老師們倍感欣慰。

惠立的木工小專家

大班的孩子們是幼兒園里的“木工專家”。經(jīng)過幾年的沉浸式體驗，孩子們的木工技能已經(jīng)非常嫻熟，還常把自己的知識傳授給其他孩子，不僅鞏固了自己的學習成果，還充分彰顯了惠立五大價值觀中的“責任”和“尊重”。

上一學年，大（B）班的孩子們已經(jīng)開始著手做一個建筑項目。他們想為班里的小動物們建造房子，于是全班的孩子一起投票，一同來制造大家最心儀的 "房子"。孩子們要設計并搭建戶外帳篷，為惠立小熊建一個家，再建一個“蟲蟲旅館”。在項目研習的過程中，孩子們討論到“犯錯”這一關鍵點。老師帶領孩子們回顧了三個小組在建“房子”時失敗的經(jīng)驗，讓孩子們認識到犯錯其實也給了我們重新設計小屋結構的好機會，于是，孩子們紛紛說道：“我們可以從錯誤中學習。”就這樣，我們幫助孩子們在不斷試錯的過程中收獲對世界的認知，更收獲探索和挑戰(zhàn)的勇氣。

班級木工坊：未來可期

目前，大（A）班已經(jīng)邀請專家家長來為孩子們傳授更多的木工技能。他們要一起在陽臺上搭建班級木工坊。目前，該項目正處在規(guī)劃階段。這場木工之旅中，孩子們會遇到怎樣的驚喜呢？讓我們共同期待吧。

思既往，明開來。在惠立精心打造的幼兒園的木工坊中，孩子們鍛煉著認知世界的能力，學習必備的安全要求，促進了身體、情感和社會能力的發(fā)展，從而成長為秉承惠立價值觀和特質(zhì)、具備優(yōu)質(zhì)綜合才能的孩子，以飽滿的姿態(tài)在日新月異的世界中茁壯成長。

向右滑動，查看中文內(nèi)容

A few years ago, a video featuring a nursery child called Feng Yuhan doing carpentry went viral with over 12 million views on Chinese social media. Yuhan learned basic carpentry skills from her grandfather, a professional carpenter. The popularity of the video reflected how Chinese parents desperately want to?improve their children’s hands-on experience.

Carpentry space?has become a common setting to improve practical skills at nurseries in many developed countries. Here, children can concentrate on making tools, wooden boats, and shelters for class animals with wooden drills, hammers, hacksaws, boards and sticks. With the correct guidance, carpentry tools are no longer “dangerous things?not to be held by children” in the eyes of Chinese parents but?items?for a child to be innovative and make a difference.

Zhu Diwen, a Chinese American scientist and Nobel laureate in physics, once commented, “Hands-on work is an important concept. Chinese students are good at learning from books, but?their hands-on ability is less impressive and less innovative.” By doing, children feel the world in their hands, and their creativity and imagination are unleashed. As a result, they can think and innovate independently and grow into people with strong practical abilities with increasing confidence to make a difference.

At Huili Nursery Hangzhou, there is also a Woodwork Station. It is a space where the children become handy carpenters - learn attentively, operate with caution, and create freely. Their hands-on experience improves dramatically through practice. Let us follow the lead of Kelly Ashby, Assistant Head of Early Years, and take a journey into the Woodwork Station at Huili nursery to find out more.?

Kelly Ashby

Assistant Head of Early Years

It is not unusual to walk up the stairs to the second floor of Huili Nursery Hangzhou and hear the sound of tap, tap, tapping with hammers, the smell of wood sawing and the sight of children, and adults alike, with high levels of involvement in our Woodwork Station. This area is an integral part of the facilities we provide for our children and is a key part of their nursery experience. The Woodwork Station allows children to observe, learn and understand processes and key skills transferable to essential life skills. At HNH, giving children the freedom to make their own choices, think creatively and develop their problem-solving skills is a valuable investment in their development.?

All-natural material –

flexible and sustainable

The materials in any woodwork or carpentry area are natural by default. They are?flexible, open-ended, aesthetic, unique and warm. Children can relate to these much more than synthetic, manmade materials, such as plastic, which are much colder in comparison. Using natural materials connects children’s hands, hearts and minds, organically supporting high levels of wellbeing. You will see happy, competent children who feel safe, secure and very busy developing a passion for lifelong learning. Another benefit of children interacting with natural materials is that we begin to sow the seeds of?sustainability. Children create the resources they need to support their learning from scratch rather than buying new, potentially synthetic resources that will eventually end up in a landfill.?

It facilitates

Project Based Learning (PBL)

and suits various learning styles

Woodwork encompasses all aspects of learning and development, connecting our curriculum through emergent interests and class projects. Knowledge is extended, due to the nature of the ongoing projects, fostering in-depth investigations. One of the many reasons we deliver through enquiry is that children with differing learning styles can all be engaged in their learning; they can lead their knowledge in ways that work for them. Some children will learn by doing. Therefore, facilities such as a?Woodwork Station?will ensure that children of differing learning styles are engaged, with their individual needs met too. Woodwork can?unlock potential barriers to learning?for many children. Project Based Learning (PBL) is a fundamental part of how we deliver the curriculum in the nursery, with each class following their collective interests, enquiries and wonderings. Our woodwork station is a significant channel that facilitates our PBL.

“When children discuss and plan a project, their social skillsdevelop. They learn the value of sharing ideas and learning from others.”

– Pete Moorhouse,

Woodwork in the Early Years

Safety first

The first and most crucial step of children using the Woodwork Station is that children become familiar with the tools and know how to use them safely.?What is a hammer? Why do we use this? How can we use this safely??Children are supervised, and the tools and materials are introduced correctly, ensuring that woodwork is a low-risk activity. Once they know these fundamental skills, children are given the space to persevere and solve their challenges. We then see that their sense of self, pride and self-esteem grow and flourish, which is an absolute joy to observe!

Young expert carpenters at Huili

The children in EY4 are the experts in woodwork in the nursery. Those with us for several years have developed their skills and often use their knowledge to teach their peers. They consolidate their learning and develop fundamental Huili values, such as?Responsibility?and?Respect. For example, last year, our EY4B children began a Construction project that started with children building homes in class for animals. The class then placed their votes to make the ‘house’ that interested them the most; this included designing and constructing an outdoor tent, a home for Huili Bear and a bug hotel. One of the key discussions during their project was about making mistakes, “mistakes can help us to learn.” They looked at all the mistakes they made whilst constructing in their three teams and how these errors were perfect opportunities to re-design their structures so they were even stronger. The children were offered the chance to face the failures together and develop an understanding of the world and the?Courage?to keep trying and exploring.

Class wood station

Our current EY4A class has invited expert parents to teach the children additional woodwork skills. They worked together to create a class Woodwork station on their balcony and are currently in the ‘planning’ phase of their project. We can’t wait to see what direction their woodwork journey will take.

At Huili, we follow a proud tradition and cultivate children for the future. The carefully designed woodwork station offers the children at the nursery an opportunity to increase their understanding of the world and learn necessary safety rules that promote their physical, emotional and social development. As a result, we are confident that our nursery children will grow into well-rounded individuals with strong values and the skills to thrive in an ever-changing world.