Nursery World - Learning & Development Schemas: Part 2

The probable thinking behind a child's enactment of schemas is outlined by Sheena Griffiths-Baker, teacher at the Pen Green Centre, Corby.

When Maja came to Pen Green aged three years and five months, our first observations revealed her interest in lines and making lines, particularly cutting paper with scissors, building very tall towers and connecting construction pieces to make long lengths - all activities that indicate an interest in a trajectory schema (see box).

Gradually, we realised that she was working on a cluster of schemas - trajectory, transporting, containing - each of which seemed to dominate for a short time in turn.

Every day she would arrive with a small object or objects, a small notebook, and a bag (sometimes containing make-up) or freezer bag (containing biscuits). At nursery, she enjoyed carrying a random selection of objects around in a large shopping bag, sometimes depositing the contents in a heap on the floor. We realised that Maja was pursuing aspects of a trajectory schema (with an end point), called transporting and heaping.

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