“Where’s your camera?”
I often get that question when I am in a classroom without it. The children – and parents – are so used to seeing me with camera in hand, that to see me without it seems odd. That is what happens when you are always trying to capture those special moments for the MTS bio-book and the school’s online presence.
As I wrap up the MTS 2015-16 Bio-Book, which is my second one for the school, I am again amazed to see how much our students have grown – not only physically, but socially and academically.
While I can’t claim that I have the “fly-on-the-wall” experience in the classroom – I am a camera-toting adult, after all – I have had great opportunities to observe all of our classrooms while taking photos.
It’s wonderful to walk into a classroom and see all of the children exploring their environment, working with the materials and learning how to interact socially in the classroom. The classrooms change with the seasons and as the year progresses to match the growth of the children.
Many of the children proudly show their work to me when they see me with the camera. These are great photos, but the ones I really enjoy are the ones taken when they are so absorbed in their work that they don’t really notice I’m there. These are the ones that I love to share with parents. Of course, the playground photos of laughing children are great, too. Actually, I wish I could share all of the photos I take, but the bio-book is only so big. Plus, not every photo I take turns out perfect in terms of print quality.
I have learned so much by spending time in the classrooms observing the wonderful materials with which the children work. It really is incredible what the children are learning and the materials they use to achieve that learning. That’s one reason why the 2015-16 bio-book focuses on the materials found in our Montessori classrooms.
Plus, I must admit, I do eavesdrop sometimes, at a polite distance, to see how the teachers interact with the students and to catch lessons on how to use the materials. I’ve picked up some great information that way!
Being able to pop in and out of the classrooms to take pictures has been a gift. Being able to do this for the past two years has been phenomenal, especially when I think of how some students have grown from, say, being in the Toddler classroom to where they are now in the Primary classroom.
While I can’t get every photo I want into the bio-book, I hope that you have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy those that I have chosen for many years. A Montessori Tides classroom is a special environment, and I am glad that I have played a small role in capturing these special moments for you.
While I love taking photos for the bio-book, I am not always able to attend all of the events. If you would like to help with next year’s bio-book, please contact me at photos|@|montessoritides.com.
I do so appreciate how you capture our students throughout their day. I live quite a distance away and feel such joy in your work. Thank you kindly!
You have a gift. I appreciate you sharing your talent so that we too can experience inside the classroom from afar. Thanks for giving so freely of your time!