Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool curates an Atelier Exhibition at the cumulation of our school year to showcase the work from each of our classrooms. This is an opportunity for families join us as we celebrate the end of the school year and the capabilities of young children.
The overarching focus of this year’s exhibition is Reflection for multiple reasons. As a staff, this year has been defined by a reflection of our practices as two separate groups of staff attended study tours in Reggio Emilia, Italy. We’ve also revisited and reaffirmed our Values statement as the foundation for our professional development.
Reflection was also at the forefront of our classrooms. From very early in the school year, teachers observed children’s strong interests looking out classroom and atelier windows, as well as an interest in the study of light and shadow. Many of these concepts are intertwined in the work featured in the Atelier Exhibition this year. We have challenged ourselves to honor and expand the intrinsic interests of the children to create impactful learning experiences.
Our mini three-year-old class, the Quail class, was intrigued by the “hello goodbye” window in their classroom overlooking the playground and walkway. They also often gazed out the Atelier window as well. This interest was expanded on by offering different invitations at the windows, including using transparent materials, photographs, and painting.
In the three-year old Javelina class, teachers observed children gravitating towards cutting “snips” of different types of paper. This interest was explored with collaging and intermixing the paper snips with other mediums, such as clay. These snippings make visible how something ordinary, such as cutting paper, can be seen as extraordinary when honored and valued. A similar line of thinking resonated in the three-year-old Gecko class with their interest in masking tape. Here, again, there is an opportunity to value the significance of even the simplest material. Tape was studied in many different ways, both inside and outdoors, hanging from the ceiling, connecting across the classroom, and as large-scale murals.
The Tortoise three-year-old class dove deep into mapping when an interest in rainbows and lines led to a visit to the Chapel stained glass window. Maps facilitate an understanding of how children think and perceive the world around them. These walks across campus to the Chapel resulted in opportunities for children to draw not only their observations of the stained glass, but also their observations of the sights and sounds along their walk.
A light and shadow space was offered underneath the play loft in the Pre-K Owl classroom, sparking interest in the color of shadow. Flashlights and overhead projectors allowed children to manipulate the source of light. As children continued their exploration outside, they photographed their shadow observations and explored how prisms create rainbows with sunlight. Shadows and light have permeated many areas of interest, such as rainstorms and gardening, as children consider how interconnected the elements are.
The mesquite tree is often a symbol of our playground space, as it sits front and center outside the Atelier. It often intrigues children with its bark, sap, leaves, and seeds. The Roadrunner Pre-K class considered a closer look at the properties of the mesquite tree through observational drawings and printmaking with both ink and clay. Their intricate drawings, both individual and collaborative, make visible their unique perspective of the tree as they build a closer relationship to the nature around them.
In the Pre-K Jackrabbit class, nature walks on our campus led to observational drawings and collections of desert specimens, such as seed pods, insect wings, and flowers. As these observations and collections were offered back to the children, interest in patterns emerged which led to digital photography being offered as a tool for children to capture their perspective.
We invite families to join us as we celebrate the end of the year together. This will be a special time for children to walk through the exhibition with their parents, grandparents, or other special people in their lives. Individual portfolios documenting student’s growth through the year will also be presented, as well as clay celebration bowls for the Pre-K classes.
Atelier Exhibition Schedule:
Monday, May 15th
Cottontail Class 9:45 am - 10:15 am & 10:45 am - 11:15am
Tuesday, May 16th
Quail Class 9:15 am - 10:15 am
Javelina Class 11 am - 12 pm
Wednesday, May 17th
Jackrabbit Class 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday, May 18th
Gecko Class 9:15 am - 10:15 am
Owl Class 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Friday, May 19th
Tortoise Class 9:15 am - 10:15 am
Roadrunner Class 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
