HOMAGO Essentials

In class we have talked a lot about the HOMAGO Essentials and we have discussed ideas about how we would want to see those be used in the classroom.  I actually saw for myself these essentials while I was observing a preschool inclusion classroom for Special Education.  The classroom had almost all of the HOMAGO Essentials that we discussed in class.  The children had a window of time that they came in in the morning depending on parent situations or if they needed some extra help.  Once they entered that classroom they had to put there belongings away and then they would have to pick an activity to become engaged in.  This goes along with the statement that messing around should support self-directed, interest directed activity.  The children got to pick whatever activity interested them.  Once everybody was there they got in a circle on the floor would sing fun songs and collaborate.  Each student had a job for the day that gave them a sense of ownership.  Some adults would come in the classroom to work with the special needs children to mentor them or assist them in anyway.  I never thought that these HOMAGO Essentials could be used for children who are so young but I found it extremely fascinating to sit in and observe these in real life.