Our inquiry on structures is nearing its end. At this time of the exploration, I like to invite any parents who work in the design process to the classroom to speak to the students. It is interesting, I find, to have a dad (or a mom) come in and speak about the work they do to create some of the structures we see around us. It also gives parents another opportunity to volunteer and contribute to the learning that is happening in room 1.

This year a dad volunteered to share his experiences on building theme water parks. His presentation introduced children to the design process and the necessity to sketch ideas. He told the children that no work is wrong as it is an idea. These words are so important for children to hear as they always want things to be correct. The parent reinforced the use of shapes in buildings and mentioned the necessity of a foundation to hold a structure up. He showed the children what plans look like, showing them cross sections and aerial views. The children’s interest was held captive when he showed them the water parks he had helped to design.

This week I am grateful for parent volunteers who are willing to give up their time and share their knowledge with the children in my class.