conversations with children

a slice 

Feb 3, 2005...Evening

G has come to the house after dinner
with their parents and her younger sister, A.
G is sitting on the carpet beside the wall-with-the-house
building a structure with wooden blocks.
What are you making, G?
"A house.", she replies.
Is it going to be like the one in the painting?
G studies the painting on the wall and nods her head.
What else should go in this painting?
G replies, "A roof."
But it already has a roof.
"A roof with yellow and birds and owls."
Should anything go on the ground?
"Flowers on the ground. Flowers for a garden. And bears.
Grass and some flowers in the grass; yellow and pink."
What else should go on the outside of the house?
"Stairs to the balcony."
On the outside of the house?
"Yes." she replies. G continues to build her structure.
Should anything go in the windows?

"People. Three people. Three children; one girl, one girl, one boy
in the windows. Children reading books in the windows."
This is the last question. Should there be anything in the sky?
"Clouds and the sun. Birdies and butterflies. And a mountain
in front of the house."
As G answers, her sister, A accidentally knocks G's wooden structure over.
G is very upset.
G, while we were talking, I drew a picture of your structure. Would you like to have it?
G nods her head and places the drawing on the carpet.
She rebuilds her original structure by looking at the drawing as she works.

Feb 15, 2005........Lunchtime

Children are playing with jigsaw puzzles on the carpet
near the wall-with-the-house. A simplified drawing of a house
is placed on the carpet with a coloured marker and a question asked.
What goes on a house?

One boy draws his idea of a mailbox beside the front door.
"A house needs a mailbox for the mailman."


a mailbox 

Two girls draw their idea together. They both agree that a big house
needs big trees beside it.


big trees outside 

Feb 21, 2005......Late Afternoon

T and her older brother D are playing 'house'
in the dramatic play area facing the wall-with-the-house.
They are setting the table for a tea party.

How would you finish this painting, T?
"It needs a tree beside the triple window. And a window beneath the door.
With lots of birds on the roof."
Anything else?
"There should be a person beside the two round windows."
Do you think the round holes in the wall
are windows on the house?
She nods her head and adds, "It also needs green grass.
Or Sarah's grass and flowers."
Her brother D adds, "And a chimney with grey smoke on the right side."


another slice