WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.960 Well, hello and welcome to another episode of blooming curious. 00:00:04.590 --> 00:00:09.570 This week, we have been inundated on our social media with all 00:00:09.600 --> 00:00:10.770 the back to school stuff. 00:00:11.280 --> 00:00:16.260 And in fact, last week, I actually did a episode on how we get sorted and 00:00:16.260 --> 00:00:20.280 organized for going back to school in terms of thinking about setting up our 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:23.370 classrooms and also our lesson plans. 00:00:24.060 --> 00:00:29.340 But I've been seeing so many teachers going back to their classrooms, 00:00:29.550 --> 00:00:31.350 you guys in the Northern hemisphere. 00:00:31.890 --> 00:00:37.290 And those classrooms are just so decorated. 00:00:38.430 --> 00:00:45.060 The fortune that you people are spending on classrooms is just extraordinary to me. 00:00:45.360 --> 00:00:50.010 And then I discovered in the comments that all American teachers walk into is a 00:00:50.010 --> 00:00:52.650 bare classroom only with desks and chairs. 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:57.269 They have to you guys over there I have to spend your own 00:00:57.269 --> 00:00:59.310 money to set up your classrooms. 00:00:59.310 --> 00:01:01.500 I mean, this is just extraordinary. 00:01:02.550 --> 00:01:06.300 In Australia, we'll certainly in the school where I am, we walk into a 00:01:06.300 --> 00:01:10.620 classroom with yes desks and chairs, but there also are cupboards and 00:01:10.650 --> 00:01:12.180 bookshelves and things like that. 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:15.820 And then of course we spend our own money unless there is stuff there 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:19.980 already cause very often when teachers vacate a room, they often leave some 00:01:20.010 --> 00:01:24.400 of the stuff behind and then off we tootle and we go to Kmart or we go to 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:28.860 Ikea and we go and buy all our storage things and everything else that we want 00:01:29.430 --> 00:01:31.620 or need in this classroom to set it up 00:01:31.620 --> 00:01:34.050 so that is a beautiful space for children. 00:01:35.520 --> 00:01:40.650 But over the years, My way of setting up a classroom has changed. 00:01:41.340 --> 00:01:45.220 I guess it comes from you know moving countries several times, 00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:47.130 moving houses several times. 00:01:47.670 --> 00:01:51.600 You know, moving into smaller spaces often and then I can't take all the stuff 00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:53.550 with me that I've hoarded over the years, 00:01:53.550 --> 00:01:55.020 so I just have to let it go. 00:01:55.380 --> 00:01:57.270 Give it to charity, whatever. 00:01:57.810 --> 00:01:59.940 It comes from watching Marie Kondo. 00:02:00.240 --> 00:02:03.750 It comes from looking at those guys that started the minimalist movement 00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:05.759 and realizing that we hoard stuff. 00:02:05.789 --> 00:02:08.550 We keep this stuff and it's almost like our baggage. 00:02:09.150 --> 00:02:12.330 So I have been trying for many years to be a minimalist. 00:02:12.450 --> 00:02:14.130 I am nowhere near minimalist. 00:02:14.640 --> 00:02:15.810 My cupboards are bulging. 00:02:15.810 --> 00:02:18.570 I don't know how they get like that, but every now and again, 00:02:18.570 --> 00:02:21.900 I have to do a cleanup and I'm getting better and better at it. 00:02:22.530 --> 00:02:23.400 But here's the thing. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:29.130 One of the reasons I chose to do a podcast over a YouTube channel. 00:02:30.330 --> 00:02:33.870 Was that I think we are so overstimulated now that. 00:02:34.830 --> 00:02:37.260 We need less of everything. 00:02:37.260 --> 00:02:37.710 Right. 00:02:38.130 --> 00:02:41.760 So for a podcast, you seeing it as visual stimulation. 00:02:41.790 --> 00:02:43.410 There's auditory stimulation. 00:02:43.440 --> 00:02:44.370 There's the screen. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.360 There's the flashing. 00:02:46.260 --> 00:02:49.800 And I think a podcast is the minimalist answer, right? 00:02:49.860 --> 00:02:53.400 You just stick on your headphones or your ear buds and off you go, and you 00:02:53.400 --> 00:03:00.270 just got this auditory stimulation and your imagination is working. 00:03:00.390 --> 00:03:03.960 You are creating the movie and the pictures in your head of 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:05.430 everything that you are hearing. 00:03:05.790 --> 00:03:07.410 And by the way, that's how I grew up. 00:03:07.470 --> 00:03:08.880 I didn't grow up with television. 00:03:08.880 --> 00:03:12.510 Remember in South Africa, we were years behind, we got television 00:03:12.690 --> 00:03:14.790 way later than everybody else did. 00:03:14.820 --> 00:03:17.670 And there were black and white too when you guys and the rest 00:03:17.670 --> 00:03:18.870 of the world all had color. 00:03:19.440 --> 00:03:20.760 I grew up with radio. 00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:23.070 And it was something I really looked forward to. 00:03:23.130 --> 00:03:25.020 We listened to stories on the radio. 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:27.210 We listen to documentaries on the radio. 00:03:27.540 --> 00:03:31.800 Radio was our entertainment and our place where we learned. 00:03:32.370 --> 00:03:36.480 And of course I grew up with radio, I still value radio today. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:43.380 And so to me, the podcast is also a way of reducing that stimulation. 00:03:44.430 --> 00:03:48.030 And it's just so much simpler and you can take it with you and you 00:03:48.030 --> 00:03:49.410 don't have to look at a screen. 00:03:49.410 --> 00:03:52.800 You can just listen and carry on doing whatever else you're doing. 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:56.070 So that's one way of simplifying your life. 00:03:56.130 --> 00:03:56.820 I think. 00:03:57.600 --> 00:03:59.850 But when it comes to this classroom stuff, right. 00:03:59.940 --> 00:04:00.810 I was thinking. 00:04:01.410 --> 00:04:02.310 When I was a kid. 00:04:03.089 --> 00:04:05.100 Our classrooms were pretty minimal. 00:04:05.530 --> 00:04:09.089 There were desks and chairs that we had those old wooden ones with little inkwell. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:12.420 Although by the time I got to school there were no more inkwells. 00:04:12.450 --> 00:04:13.899 We were actually using pens. 00:04:13.920 --> 00:04:14.190 Yep. 00:04:14.220 --> 00:04:15.060 I'm not that old. 00:04:16.350 --> 00:04:19.260 Um, but there wasn't a lot of stuff going on. 00:04:19.290 --> 00:04:23.490 We didn't have things hanging off washing lines in the classroom, for example. 00:04:24.030 --> 00:04:29.770 I do clearly remember having nice big windows and there being planter 00:04:29.770 --> 00:04:33.930 boxes and growing plants in the window, sills, things like that. 00:04:33.930 --> 00:04:35.310 And of course there were posters. 00:04:35.640 --> 00:04:39.510 But the rooms weren't done up two an inch of their lives. 00:04:39.870 --> 00:04:43.409 It wasn't like the teachers were on The Block. 00:04:43.650 --> 00:04:49.099 We're not trying The Block by the way is an Australian TV show where couples 00:04:49.130 --> 00:04:51.110 are all trying to outdo themselves. 00:04:51.140 --> 00:04:57.770 Uh, by seeing who can decorate or redo, um, homes and houses and apartments and 00:04:57.770 --> 00:04:59.840 whatever , better than the next person. 00:05:00.630 --> 00:05:03.020 Classes of become this place of sharing 00:05:03.229 --> 00:05:05.450 what good interior decorators we are. 00:05:06.200 --> 00:05:10.590 Classrooms are not spaces to show off our interior decorating skills. 00:05:11.010 --> 00:05:14.789 Classrooms are spaces where we're trying to get kids curious. 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:18.570 And if we think about how stimulated we all are and kids 00:05:18.570 --> 00:05:20.580 are so overstimulated, right. 00:05:20.580 --> 00:05:22.109 And that's why they bouncing off walls. 00:05:22.979 --> 00:05:26.430 We should be creating spaces, that are minimalist. 00:05:26.789 --> 00:05:32.159 And only have the bare essentials in it that are going to spark 00:05:32.190 --> 00:05:35.789 curiosity for kids, but imagine you're walking into this class. 00:05:36.150 --> 00:05:38.640 And it's just done up in this corner 00:05:38.700 --> 00:05:41.400 there's that, and in that corner, there's that, and there's blocks and 00:05:41.400 --> 00:05:44.099 there's play stuff and there's soft toys and there's books and there's, 00:05:44.789 --> 00:05:50.849 I don't know, letters and numbers and pretend play and it's just going crazy. 00:05:50.849 --> 00:05:55.140 There's just so much, I think we need to tone it down people. 00:05:55.140 --> 00:05:58.919 Were spending a fortune on things that are going to end up in landfill. 00:05:59.159 --> 00:06:00.359 Because let's face it, 00:06:00.840 --> 00:06:03.630 this thing that we buying do not even last. 00:06:05.039 --> 00:06:08.640 And kids play with them for five minutes and then they're bored. 00:06:09.570 --> 00:06:14.700 So my thinking this week, My curiosity this week. 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:20.849 My question that I'm asking myself when I'm watching all of these teachers doing 00:06:20.849 --> 00:06:23.940 these beautiful classrooms is this. 00:06:24.390 --> 00:06:29.070 Do kids really need this to learn and be curious. 00:06:29.909 --> 00:06:34.169 Because I'm thinking, I don't know about you guys, but I used to love, you know, 00:06:34.169 --> 00:06:38.609 those old fashioned shows like the Brady Bunch and Little House on the Prairie, 00:06:38.690 --> 00:06:39.590 I'm telling my age. 00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:39.860 Yes. 00:06:39.890 --> 00:06:40.310 Okay. 00:06:40.310 --> 00:06:41.900 I was 59 last week. 00:06:42.810 --> 00:06:44.850 And those to show those little classrooms, right. 00:06:44.880 --> 00:06:49.410 And they were minimalist, it was just desks and the kids and the teacher. 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:52.080 We the teacher. 00:06:52.590 --> 00:06:54.300 We are the stimulus. 00:06:54.810 --> 00:06:59.520 The things that we do, our way, our pedagogy, the things that we do, the 00:06:59.520 --> 00:07:04.440 things that we say, these are the things that stimulate kids and provide 00:07:04.440 --> 00:07:08.220 curiosity, our questions, our enthusiasm. 00:07:08.820 --> 00:07:09.900 Our values. 00:07:10.290 --> 00:07:12.540 And then of course we bring that into the classroom. 00:07:12.750 --> 00:07:15.960 And if you listen to last week's episode, you would have heard that. 00:07:16.200 --> 00:07:20.220 And, you know, from, by previous episodes, I'm big into nature pedagogy. 00:07:20.520 --> 00:07:25.470 So my classroom always has natural objects in it, always has loose parts 00:07:25.470 --> 00:07:29.820 in it, different bits from trees and going on walks, feathers and 00:07:29.820 --> 00:07:34.560 nests and whatever I can find, none of that stuff was bought in a shop. 00:07:34.830 --> 00:07:38.430 That stuff I just found going on walks. 00:07:39.090 --> 00:07:42.510 And then if you go to secondhand shops, like here in Perth, we've got 00:07:42.510 --> 00:07:46.290 this cool place called Remida where schools can sign up and you go there. 00:07:46.500 --> 00:07:50.070 I think schools play a minimal amount every year and you go there and 00:07:50.070 --> 00:07:54.000 they've got all this recycled stuff, bits and bobs that they've found 00:07:54.030 --> 00:07:56.730 or got from factories and wherever. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:03.150 Everything from cutoff plastic stuff where I know factories are making 00:08:03.150 --> 00:08:08.370 plastic staff, they've got blocks, they've got pieces of fabric and 00:08:08.370 --> 00:08:10.680 leather and all sorts of textiles. 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:12.000 They've got containers. 00:08:12.510 --> 00:08:15.090 Anything that you can think of, I promise you it's there. 00:08:15.510 --> 00:08:22.140 So my suggestion would be go to op shops, go to secondhand stores, go and look for. 00:08:23.280 --> 00:08:27.780 Interesting objects, things that will make kids curious things that you 00:08:27.780 --> 00:08:29.350 could put in a central question to. 00:08:29.370 --> 00:08:31.440 Like, what is this thing used for? 00:08:31.650 --> 00:08:34.380 What do you think people used to do with this? 00:08:34.680 --> 00:08:36.720 What do you think you can make with us? 00:08:37.140 --> 00:08:43.260 We need things like stones and blocks and Lego and yes some 00:08:43.260 --> 00:08:44.460 pretend play, but you know what? 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:49.079 I never spent money on buying kids' costumes for my classroom like I see. 00:08:49.620 --> 00:08:53.310 I used to take my old blouses, or old. 00:08:53.880 --> 00:08:56.790 Um, blouses from or dresses or tops. 00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:00.599 Dresses are too long for kids, but just blouses from secondhand shops. 00:09:00.959 --> 00:09:02.339 My husband's old shirts. 00:09:02.550 --> 00:09:07.680 I used to cut off the sleeves quickly just sew an just edge it. 00:09:08.189 --> 00:09:10.019 And put stuff like that. 00:09:10.050 --> 00:09:15.689 And old hats, kids love hats from a secondhand shop that's what I had in 00:09:15.719 --> 00:09:21.029 my pretend play dress up corner in a basket, and kids could just put that on. 00:09:21.300 --> 00:09:25.739 There's no need to spend money on costumes people. 00:09:26.160 --> 00:09:27.719 Don't spend your money on that. 00:09:27.869 --> 00:09:30.899 Spend your money on things that will last. 00:09:31.079 --> 00:09:34.619 Spend your money on going out for a beautiful meal with your family. 00:09:35.040 --> 00:09:39.060 Don't spend your money on things that kids aren't even going to be interested 00:09:39.060 --> 00:09:44.699 in after 10 minutes, or that's going to be broken by the end of term one. 00:09:45.599 --> 00:09:48.810 Seriously, you don't need it and kids don't need it. 00:09:48.869 --> 00:09:49.979 They not interested. 00:09:50.249 --> 00:09:52.019 Kids want attention. 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:53.459 They want your time. 00:09:53.609 --> 00:09:55.170 They want to be able to play. 00:09:55.589 --> 00:09:59.670 If you're going to spend any money, any money at all buy Lego. 00:10:00.269 --> 00:10:03.540 And when we you've got more money, buy more Lego and you've got 00:10:03.540 --> 00:10:05.699 some leftover buy some more Lego. 00:10:06.449 --> 00:10:12.479 Lego is the one thing that I have noticed the children die to want to go and play. 00:10:12.779 --> 00:10:15.810 They could play Lego all day if you let them. 00:10:16.709 --> 00:10:21.540 And so my message to you in this podcast episode is. 00:10:23.040 --> 00:10:24.329 What is your why? 00:10:24.479 --> 00:10:26.009 I spoke about it last week. 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:27.329 Why are you doing it? 00:10:27.920 --> 00:10:31.310 Why are you setting up your room the way you are? 00:10:32.089 --> 00:10:34.249 Just ask yourself that over and over. 00:10:34.579 --> 00:10:35.660 Why am I doing this? 00:10:36.229 --> 00:10:37.760 Why am I putting this here? 00:10:38.420 --> 00:10:40.699 Why am I buying this or that thing? 00:10:41.489 --> 00:10:45.859 Are kids actually going to be curious, is it going to spark 00:10:45.859 --> 00:10:47.780 their curiosity and their wonder? 00:10:48.079 --> 00:10:51.560 Is it going to make them use their imagination? 00:10:51.829 --> 00:10:54.859 Are they going to play in an imaginative way? 00:10:55.640 --> 00:10:57.140 Spend your money wisely. 00:10:57.660 --> 00:11:01.949 And really, I honestly feel that our classrooms are 00:11:01.949 --> 00:11:04.800 places now of overstimulation. 00:11:05.339 --> 00:11:07.290 We've got stuff hanging from washing lines. 00:11:07.290 --> 00:11:08.729 We've got stuff covering the windows. 00:11:08.729 --> 00:11:10.589 You've got stuff covering the walls. 00:11:11.160 --> 00:11:12.660 It's just too much. 00:11:13.020 --> 00:11:15.630 I think we need to pare things right back. 00:11:15.930 --> 00:11:20.400 Let's have a learning wall that shows our progression of our learning, 00:11:20.550 --> 00:11:21.989 the children's learning journey 00:11:21.989 --> 00:11:24.689 their questions how we've got to our answers. 00:11:24.959 --> 00:11:25.979 Let's show that. 00:11:26.249 --> 00:11:28.260 Let's show the children's work. 00:11:29.040 --> 00:11:33.239 But when it comes to providing toys and our provocations and 00:11:33.239 --> 00:11:36.300 our invitations let's be real. 00:11:36.569 --> 00:11:39.989 Let's be intentional and let's be mindful. 00:11:40.290 --> 00:11:43.290 And let's stop buying stuff. 00:11:43.819 --> 00:11:46.670 Okay, let's stop buying stuff. 00:11:46.939 --> 00:11:52.010 How about we see what we can do with as little money as possible? 00:11:53.300 --> 00:11:58.099 . Because I really think that we need to put children first. 00:11:58.099 --> 00:12:01.040 That's why we were educators because children and their 00:12:01.040 --> 00:12:03.079 education matters to us. 00:12:03.469 --> 00:12:05.989 You know, you've got people homeschooling now. 00:12:06.949 --> 00:12:08.750 They've got minimalist stuff. 00:12:09.349 --> 00:12:10.999 We've got a whole. 00:12:12.199 --> 00:12:17.780 Movement going towards nature pedagogy and keeping things simple and natural. 00:12:18.229 --> 00:12:20.329 You go watch kids playing outside, 00:12:20.389 --> 00:12:21.469 they look for a stick. 00:12:21.949 --> 00:12:23.810 They're not looking for expensive toys. 00:12:25.129 --> 00:12:26.239 They're looking for a stick. 00:12:27.229 --> 00:12:29.959 These are the things that really matter to children. 00:12:30.499 --> 00:12:32.300 Things that are open-ended. 00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:34.729 So, instead of all the pretty stuff. 00:12:35.689 --> 00:12:38.069 Just get loose parts and Lego. 00:12:38.899 --> 00:12:42.949 And with that, I'm going to leave you and I'm going to leave you with this question. 00:12:43.489 --> 00:12:45.139 Think about your, why? 00:12:45.410 --> 00:12:47.329 Why are you doing things? 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:52.819 And with that, I'll ask you one last favor and that is if you like the 00:12:52.819 --> 00:12:58.550 content on blooming curious and you think that other teachers and other 00:12:58.550 --> 00:13:03.379 educators and other parents would benefit from blooming curious or that 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:08.629 blooming curious might spark curiosity in you, that it will get you thinking, 00:13:08.989 --> 00:13:13.129 then do me a favor and hit that share button and share it with as many friends 00:13:13.129 --> 00:13:15.109 and colleagues as you can think of. 00:13:15.709 --> 00:13:17.479 And I'll see you again next week. 00:13:17.569 --> 00:13:19.129 Same time, same place. 00:13:19.249 --> 00:13:21.910 And until then, stay blooming curious.