One Collaborative visit by Two Kindergartens

Meet the visitors who paid a visit to our classroom as part of an eTwinning collaborative visit inspired by our project called "My Little Big World".

This project is all about students democratic participation and instilling power to their voices. Monthly, educators facilitate students into collaborations to raise awareness that although they are young they have a right to voice out their opinions, thoughts and above all provide equal opportunities for their learning to take centre stage in their development.

Meet Ms. Charmaine Galea from Kinder 2.5 at Siġġiewi Primary School. Her students have been wanting to meet some students from this project after last month's previous group live video call collaboration. Since in the project we are several participants both locally and internationally, Ms. Charmaine Galea has reached out to us local participants to see if we have available slots during this hectic month of December for a quick visit.

We have an open door policy in our classroom, hence everyone is welcome, so I asked my students if they would like to host the Siġġiewi Kinder 2.5 students in person to which their reply was a quick "YES". Both classes got working on some gift exchanging ideas while still keeping in-line with the Emergent Curriculum and eTwinning project.

The day of the meet up arrived and we were all fully prepared for it. The Siġġiewi and Hamrun SS students met by the main entrance of our school. My students partnered up with two students each from the respective school and they showed them the way to our classroom. On the way we could feel that some students were both at ease and others still warming up, but the colourful corridors of our school made the Siġġiewi students feel somewhat more at home, hence started opening up about the characters on the walls and their likings.

Along the way students started to take centre stage and above all create beautiful connections. Still more socialising was necessary, hence everyone was on board with the idea of some outdoor Freeplay.

Play is an endless source of fun and when one is having fun they immerse into curiosity. Slowly but surely students from both schools began to chit chat, play and also introduce themselves to different educators too. It was becoming evident that the teaching styles of Ms. Charmaine Galea, Ms. Nikita and myself were very similar. All students were becoming confident about talking also to Ms. Sharon asking her also to guide them to the bathrooms and Ms. Yasmin an MCAST student teacher. But the true magic started to shine when the children were inviting eachother for play. Some groups started to shift while some others remained the same but by time the group became very cohesive.

From sharing a seasaw ride to role-playing. The group started inviting eachother for play. They assisted one another, took turns to play with the infamous red car and above all provided time to engage in social and emotional development all through play. Time flew by and no one was ever complaining about stopping for lunch break and surprisingly everyone was hush hush about what gift exchange one has prepared for each school.

Cleaning up was seemless and well co-ordinated too, showing that indeed us educators were similar in our classroom management. This experience was not only for students but also on a personal development too. Going back in, students found their partners, held hands again and my students guided our guests inside our classroom. We opted for a fun picnic vibe and got out some blankets and everyone sat down next to whoever they pleased.

Still not phased about our hunger and thirst, both groups were eager into exchanging gifts which have been prepared by each classroom. The Siġġiewi group started first so we closed our eyes, opened our hand and waited. We have been given an envelope and two tin foil boxes. So we got curious. Ħamrun SS Kinder 2. 1 peeped inside the envelope and found a handmade reindeer poster to which we stuck immediately on our workshop.

The curiosity of both groups excelled when we opened the tin foils because a whimsical sensory overload took over. Siġġiewi Kinder 2.5 students cooked for us two delicious Christmas Logs. This activity they have done in class as part of their Emergent Curriculum project investigation, hence they wanted to prepare and gift us two as part of the eTwinning project "My Little Big World" too.

It is always fascinating to see how our curriculum can be truly embedded easily within our current curriculum. No need for anything extra other than letting everything unfold in the open.

Next up it was time for us Ħamrun SS Kinder 2.1 to exchange gifts. Reciprocating the surprise, the Siġġiewi group closed their eyes and waited for us with a peep here and there.

Ms. Charmaine Galea, Ms. Nikita and Ms. Yasmin equally showed their excitement upon receiving a gift each and the room could be felt with nothing but warmth from both school groups.

In our case my students prepared creative wooden festive baubles which complimented once again the Emergent Curriculum within our classroom. The project investigation of "Workshop" gave us an opportunity to explore wood while also preparing such gifts. All two groups beamed with delight and kicked off to celebrate together by eating lunch next to one another.

The magic of this collaborative visit, didn't just stop there. Once lunch break was over, my students extended their interest into growing this collaborative visit by playing together in their workshop. Siġġiewi Kinder 2.5 did not object and eagerly played with the Ħamrun SS Kinder 2.1 in the workshop area.

Once again watching the two groups interact through play gave us educators an insight on how similar we teach values to our students. Although the group in the workshop was doubled in the usual size, there were no bickering, no arguments and surprising no chaos. It was a beautiful cohesive community. Students shared their resources, discussed their processings and above all complimented eachother through play together.

From playing on the floor with train tracks, playing with sawdust, creating art and much more. Students were at ease with one another and it translated in their play.

Both groups were open about their resources, play and connections. By this time they were truly feeling at ease with one another and us educators too. They included us in their play. I had students from Siġġiewi open up about their creations and Siġġiewi Kge's got involved with my students.

There was not us vs them but it was a wholesome group. This gave me goosebumps and I was immersed in their journey so far. The beauty of what started as an idea was truly remarkable and folding infront of our eyes every step of the way.

All we did was just give them an opportunity to meet up and the rest is history. Once again I was able to observe what the other class was up too and reflect on our similarities and differences too. I was able to link in how similar we work together and above all how much importance we give to the Early Years community as a group.

Time was ticking in so we cleaned up together and once again lined up to head on to our next activity. Everybody was invited to get an extra pair of socks from home and my students were eager to surprise their new friends about one of our favourite rooms outside our classroom.

Without much prompting, the students all found their new partners and walked off to the next stage of our visit. While walking through the corridors, the conversations now became different. Tension was less and dialogue was more.

Reaching our destination as a group, we entered our colourful reading room which of course offered ample opportunity for students to join in as a group activity.

Books bring students together and keeping them interactive was equally important. No we didn't have to read a whole storybook, but YES we had time to look at the pages, look into different pictures and above all MOVE around.

From singalongs with our music instruments to wobbling like penguins, we made sure that our prestigious guests were very much appreciated and above all provided equal opportunities for this collaboration to take centre stage.

Of course our gift exchange experience was truly remarkable and we were able to connect on so many different levels so you could imagine the feelings it brought out of all us when it was time to bid farewell. Sitting down in a circle to conclude the eventful day brought back memories of when I was part of a double group class.

The hustle and bustle of having a big group is challenging but having a great team to coordinate the stduents learning environments is indeed rewarding. This experience was truly a simple reminder of all that. Yes I am lucky in a way to have the classroom as a single unit, however this collaboration made me miss the days I was on board a great team of educators in which I too was able to learn from them.

We soemtimes take things for granted and hence sometime our days become filled with a monotone pace. The same routines, the same thinking process, the same activities etc. Without knowing you do at times repeat certain events because unless we poke our own curiosity, we won't learn about such great wonders that the Emergent Curriculum can truly hold.

This is one of the many reasons why I engage myself in yearly eTwinning projects because I get to experience personal new growth mindset such as this collaborative event between two schools co-joining for one element.

Sooner or later it was time to bid farewell and watching both groups so equally invested in these new friendships gave us educators hope that we did something positive out of this collaborative effort. We didn't want this day to end but we promised eachother to meet again.

As stated in the beginning this project is all about student's voices, hence we will definitely continue into exploring different options on how to meet up again and keep this positive friendship growing. Sending off the Siġġiewi Kinder 2.5 group was a bittersweet moment. They kept asking us "why do we have to leave? Are you coming with us? When will be seeing you again?" to which then my students also started asking "but why aren't we going with the? Can we go to their school? Will we be seeing them again?"

A long heartfelt goodbye till the very end indeed. Both schools will be definitely meeting up on other occasions and this time maybe meet up and share further friendship goals with other local schools too. This is the beauty of the Emergent Curriculum and eTwinning collaborations. The success of every story is not just for the wellbeing of students but our own professionalism too.

Thank you Siġġiewi Kinder 2.5 for making our day brighter but our hearts warmer. Until the next one!

Special thanks goes to both schools St. Ignatius College Siggiewi Primary school and San Ġorġ Preca College Ħamrun ss primary school for this collaboration to take place. Thank you to Ms. Charmaine Galea, Ms. Nikita, Ms. Yasmin, Ms. Sharon and myself Ms. Charmaine Attard for this successful day.