Making Popcorn

Reflective Blog Two

Date:  16-8-10 (Monday)

One Monday morning, a group of seven pre-schoolers took part in an activity of making popcorn. First of all I placed corn products such as cornchip, corn tortillas, corn in husks and un-popped popcorn on the table for children to explore and discuss. Then I provided them vocabulary to describe the food items on the table. I asked them to talk about when and where they ate popcorn. They were allowed to explore un-popped popcorn kernels with their hands to get the feel. Before I used the popper, I let them have a good look at it. I asked them to stand at a safe distance (about 3 feet away) from the popper and listened carefully for the first pop. When the kernels began to pop up, I took off the lid. Children watched excitedly at popcorn jumping out. I asked them why it happened. No one replied. I explained to them that the air and moisture inside the kernel became hot, expanded and popped open the hard shell of the corn. I gave them popcorn and other corn products to taste.

Making popcorn is a technological and purposeful experience. Without the popper, a modern technology, popcorn cannot be made. Through the activity children developed their senses by paying attention to colours, smells, odours; by noticing the difference in sounds, feeling and by touching a number of things and tasting different kinds of food. The activity encouraged children’s intellectual development through everyday activities and active learning. The learning experience stimulated exploration, comparison and experimentation of materials as well as interactions. It also helped children to learn, understand and to use words to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings. On the whole, the activity promoted physical, cognitive development and encouraged communication.

Through initiating this activity I realized that learning was a process which should be active and interactive. It could be facilitated effectively if adults intervened appropriately (David, 1999). During the learning experience I extended children’s learning by asking them open-ended questions. Children learned actively by exploration and discussion. Children interacted with one another. Moreover, I came to understand that in facilitating children’s learning, adults have to consider many aspects like children’s motivation, their ability to attend to and process information (Arthur et al., 2008). Children were helped to gain information and understanding through exploration and guided participation during the making of popcorn. They were highly motivated for the activity was relevant, interesting and worthwhile. Arthur et al., (2008) claimed that important elements in facilitating children’s learning were the abilities of educators to provide suitable levels of challenge, guidance and support. Educators should also be able to recognise children’s abilities (Arthur et al., 2008).

Besides providing the technology, the learning environment, the materials, the guidance of teachers as the experienced members of the community is vital for children. For teachers are able to emphasize the development of joint attention with children and capable of adjusting the requirements of participation according to each child’s ability (Rogoff, 2003). I think learning in early childhood can be facilitated by reference to Rogoff’s concept of participation that “Children everywhere learn skills in the context of their use and with the aid of those around them” (Rogoff, 2003, p.69).