A Tool for
Creative Teaching

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Bonnie Blagojevic and Anne Sprague

Maria looks unsure as she enters the classroom for her second day at preschool. The teacher helps Maria find her cubby and explains that it is labeled with her name and photo. Maria touches the picture of her family taped inside, then hangs up her sweatshirt before joining a group at the puzzle table.

Dominick is reading a teacher-made book illustrated with photos of his favorite stuffed monkey. He delights in naming the monkey’s positions—on, above, and under a table. Later that morning, he shares his special book with a friend who is feeling sad.

Ms. Jayne kneels down in the block area to be at the children’s level, close to the action, where there is good lighting. She takes a digital photo of the children building an elaborate farm. Later, Li dictates a story about the farm to Ms. Jayne. Ms. Jayne displays the photo and story in the block area.

Like the teachers in these classrooms, you can use photos to organize the program, support curriculum goals, document children’s learning, support children who are English-language learners or those with disabilities, and partner with families. Capture what is meaningful about what children are doing. Take photos when they are talking and playing with others. Children might be figuring out how much water a cup holds versus a pitcher. Or perhaps they are solving a problem—how to get a ball out from under a bush. While photos can help document individual growth, they can also provide a window into the daily life of the community and deepen understanding of what takes place.

Try out one of the following ideas, or develop your own. (Remember, children can be photographers too; but that’s another story . . . )

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