Robert came to Pen Green at the age of two years five months and spent two years in the nursery. Throughout his first year he spent his time exploring and experimenting with water.
From our early observations we noticed that a containment schema was very dominant in these explorations. With increasing knowledge of Robert's schemas and those of other children, we realised that 'containment'
develops into 'envelopment', and 'covering over' is an important aspect of this general behaviour. Containment refers to putting materials or oneself inside a container, and envelopment to enveloping, covering over, or surrounding oneself, or objects.
Robert's envelopment schema manifests itself in nursery when he:
* squeezes a tube of cheese on a slice of toast, covering it and enveloping it - hence, children often 'cover up' their 'best' drawings
* spends 30 minutes wrapping himself in a parachute
* builds a den, puts on a dog outfit, enters the den and barks like a dog.
Working with parents
Chris Athey maintains that the positive outcomes from the Froebel Early Education Project (1973 to1978) are due to a carefully cultivated creative collaboration between parents and teachers. We try to do that at Pen Green.
Robert's parents, Sue and Chris, are committed to supporting his learning and development. Sue attended a study group at Pen Green, keeping a weekly record of Robert's key concerns and interests at home. This helped his key worker at the centre to plan provision.
Chris involves Robert in his hobby of painting war figures. Robert regularly paints the figures' faces and their costumes. The family spend weekends visiting historical battle re-enactments.
Robert's envelopment schema manifests itself at home when he:
* dresses in his Pokemon outfit (his whole body enveloped)
* applies face paints (his face is enveloped).
Worthwhile provision
Robert's envelopment schema was recognised, supported and extended by his parents and nursery workers. Staff planned resources for Robert to extend and support his schema, including:
* paper, scissors, string to make masks and capes
* face paints in his own box
* providing cardboard boxes, barrels dens and tents for hiding in
* cooking Rice Krispie cakes (covering the Rice Krispies in chocolate)
* playing hide and seek and treasure hunts
* dressing up clothes
* cornflour, 'slime' and shaving foam
* puppet theatre (enveloping his hands with the puppet).
Robert's favourite books, The Dark Dark Tale by Ruth Brown and The Tunnel by Anthony Browne, also have a strong envelopment theme.
Observation of Robert (4 years) Robert was videoed while experimenting with shaving foam (see stills).
* Robert struggles with the can's nozzle. A worker intervenes, suggesting, 'Why don't you put your thumbs on there?' He can't manage to press the nozzle with enough force. She then suggests that he uses 'two fingers'.
Robert clearly understands, but uses four fingers and foam appears. Robert squirts large amounts of foam on to his hands and then makes circular movements on his cheeks. He applies foam to envelop the back of his neck, under his chin and hair. Squirting more foam he tilts his chin, closes his eyes and mouth and begins to massage these areas.
* Robert continues to envelop his hands, mouth, cheeks, ears, forehead, hair and jumper. He repeatedly applies the foam to these areas and perseveres in this exploration for 25 minutes. He is deeply involved in this self-initiated play.
* Eventually the foam begins to run out, and only squirts appear. Robert looks closely at the trajectory of foam and watches as it falls. As he continues to press the nozzle, air gurgles out of the can. He finds this episode very funny and begins to dance with joy.
* You can see Robert's delight after looking at himself in a mirror. One of the general characteristics of learning based on children's schematic or cognitive concerns are their expressions of deep satisfaction - these are what staff at Pen Green call being 'chuffed'.
Exploring early concepts
* Area - Robert is finding out the area he can cover with a handful of foam.
* Weight, full/empty - the can eventually runs out of foam.
* Force - the amount of force he needs to put on the nozzle to make it work.
* Air pressure - Robert can hear the air coming out of the can and see the foam expand on his hand.
Through his schematic play Robert is autonomous, displaying persistence, determination and mastery. He is developing a strong disposition to learn (Dweck and Leggett 1988, Te Whariki 1993).
Developmental levels
* At a 'sensorimotor level', schemas employ the senses and motor actions.
Robert was enjoying the feel and smell of the foam as he smoothed it over his face with a circular motion.
* Robert was exploring his envelopment schema at a 'symbolic level' (making something stand for something else) when he was pretending to have a shave, like his dad.
* At a 'functional dependency level' (if I do this, then as a consequence, that will happen), Robert discovered that the emergence of shaving foam depends on the force of his action of pressing the nozzle.
* At a 'thought level' children convey the meaning in the absence of any perceptual reminder of the actual event (the experience has been internalised). Robert told his mother about having a shave at nursery.
Written by Annette Cummings of the Pen Green Centre for Under-Fives and Families in Corby, Northamptonshire
ABOUT THIS SERIES
'A schema is a pattern of repeated actions. Clusters of schemas develop into later concepts.' (Chris Athey, 2003) This is a brief introduction to schemas, which are just one lens through which children's development and learning can be viewed.
Recognising and extending schemas or patterns of behaviour in young children provides a framework which helps parents and staff plan an exciting and challenging learning environment to support children's development.
Schemas can be regarded as a window into children's learning.
Generally, when children are playing schematically they are intrinsically motivated to learn, resulting in long periods of concentration. Through their schemas, children are 'fitting' various experiences into their current thinking.
If we closely observe children's actions, we will spot patterns of repeated actions (schemas). They can help practitioners to extend their provision to meet the individual learning needs of the children in their care.
Note: children's occasional actions and fleeting interests should not be identified as schemas.
