Bikes as Technology
Bikes
as Technology:
The favourite toy at
our centre at the moment has to be the bikes. The boys in particular spend a
lot of time racing and following each other around on the bikes. Something that
we have recently brought into the centre is bike day. We did this because we only
have a limited amount of bikes and the children were getting a tad anxious
waiting for their turns. So every second
Monday the children can bring their bikes in from home. For this day us teachers set up different
obstacle courses for the children, run bike races and set up different ramps
that they can ride their bikes down. We understand that some children may not
have bikes and therefore bring in some bikes that we may have at home so they
do not feel as if they are missing out.
One child in particular
is interested in bikes after going to see nitro circus with his father.
Everyday J comes in telling us how he has been working on a new back flip or
side twist and how he cannot wait to get out and show us on the bikes. This
normally consists of him sitting on the bike and jumping or riding the bike
into the sandpit and then falling off it. However there have been a few
occasions where he has tried to take the bike up onto the obstacle course to
jump off and we have had to remind him that he does not have his protective
gear on so it is not a good idea. J loves to share his ideas and stories around
bikes with the other children who now share the enthusiasm for racing and
tricks on bikes just like J. Although it worries us teachers a bit with how the
children ride their bikes it’s been agreed upon that we will try not to
interfere as it is their learning process. We do however set boundaries and
rules with the children so they know where they stand, a teacher will always
supervise them in case the children forget these rules and will happily remind
them to promote a safe environment (Ministry of Education, 2007).
We always encourage
safety when it comes to riding the bikes as they tend to get a bit over
excited, reminding them that they cannot perform tricks as they are not wearing
safety gear and that they need to be aware and cautious around others when
racing as we do not want anyone to get hurt. It is important to promote an environment
that is safe but allows children to have the confidence to choose and experiment
with materials and play around with ideas (Ministry of Education, 1997).
Bikes are a great
asset to have within a centre as they help children with a lot of their gross
motor development (Somerset, 2009). This is because children are using their
legs to push them along, which is helping them to develop those muscles within
their legs. Children are also learning to balance as balance bikes are coming
back a popular resource within homes and centres (Mackay, 2010). It encourages
peers to communicate and socialise as they work out which way they are going to
go on their bikes, where they will race to and helping each other take on the
ramps we have set up. Bikes allow
children to problem solve as they work out how many of them they can fit onto
one bike and how to move with this amount, how they can transport things with
their bikes and which way they can go (Mackay, 2010).
Technology is an
amazing thing as it is everywhere and everything. It is a way of learning and
living (Smorti, 2010). For myself I believed that technology was all recent
developments, such as computers and phones not realising that it has been
around for years and let alone could be a bike. It still amazes me how
technology has been able to take something as simple as a bike and change and
mould it to look like their parent’s motorbikes and cars. One child came into
day care with a bike that had a rechargeable battery in it and all he had to do
was balance and pull a trigger and the bike did the rest for him. Technology is
something that is really starting to excite me as you don’t know where it’s
going to go next.
This is pretty much what the battery powered bike looked like.
References
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki
mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early
childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum.
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early
Education, 19, 5-10.
Somerset, G. (2000).
Work and play in the early years (5th ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand
Play centre Publications.
Kia Ora Katie
ReplyDeleteIt’s nice to know that you like to set boundaries and have rules in place but you try not to interfere too much. I incorporate this into my teaching style because it’s actually not necessary as I believe it allows children to learn how to solve problems. Through being able to problem solve and socialise children’s behaviour is learnt through different consequences of a particular individuals actions. It is better to attend to good behaviour that is wanted and ignore behaviour that is frowned upon (Gonzalez-Mena, 2011).It’s great that you encourage child J and happily allow him to share and teach the other children about what he knows. Through communication child J has an expectation he is able to be a source of delight, comfort and amusement and that whatever he does to communicate his ideas and information; it will be effective (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Kia Ora Katie
ReplyDeleteHow cool that your centre allows children to ride bikes within the centre environment.I like the idea of teaching children to be safe and watch out for their peers when using the bikes, I definatley agree that you would have to implement rules and guidelines when children are exploring with the bikes. From implementing these rules and questioning children about possible outcomes if they do not adhere to the rules they will develop "confidence that they can participate and take risks without fear of harm" (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.52). It is also great to see that the children in your centre have taken interest to a great technological resource that allows children to actively explore the great outdoors using their bodies in a holistic manner. “Children need teachers who appreciate and value the opportunities for growth and development the outdoors can provide, and who have the knowledge, skills and advocacy to ensure that young children’s experiences in the outdoor areas are as rich and meaningful as possible” (Greenfield, 2011, p. 5).
This is an awesome blog entry as I would never have thought of bikes as being technology. You mentioned that the boys are very interested in the bikes but didn’t mention girls being interested in them. Therefore, when you have bike days do you feel as though the girls are being left out or do they become interested once they see all the bikes? I love that the outside teachers set up an obstacle course for the children to ride their bikes through as this provides “purposeful problem-solving activities, to devise problems of their own, and to solve them to their own satisfaction” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.89). I also believe that through allowing the children to bring in their own bikes, as well as providing bikes for those who might not have any at home, helps the children to feel welcomed and as though they belong to the early childhood setting (Ministry of Education, 1996).
ReplyDeleteKia Ora Katie!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog and you have opened my eyes in viewing bikes as a non digital form of technology. Bikes are extremely popular in my centre, the boys love to race each other around and have gentle collisions with one another. Unfortunately we are also limited in the amount of bikes available for children to use and as I like your idea of a bike day I am going to suggest it to my team as something we could try. I really like your practice when it comes to the bikes as you are not jumping in and taking over the children’s learning experience. I also like how you gently remind the children of the boundaries that have been set out for their safety as children need to know they are in a place where they can be kept safe from harm (Ministry of Education, 1996). “Young children have opportunities to develop self-care skills and to protect themselves from harm within secure and safe limits and at their own level” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 53). Bikes are a great form of non digital technology as it helps children to further their overall development. “As children ride wheeled toys, they improve physical skills, coordination, muscle strength, and spatial perception” (Bullard, 2010, p. 340).