The children initiated the next step. Ivan said: "I think we should put our trays next to each other and connect them with a road." Joanne understood immediately what Ivan meant, and was ready to dive right in. But before making this step she felt she had to check in with Betsy. It's part of the way that we respect each other, and want to make sure that our vision stays pure. The idea caught Betsy off guard, as she was walking her class to lunch. But, the trust that they had built together made it OK for Joanne to go ahead, and for Betsy to take some time to catch up later.
"This is the garbage truck getting the gas at the station. When it gets the gas it goes really, really fast."
Ivan (age 6)
"This is a sign for the garbage truck and it takes garbage to the garbage station."
Tavensky (age 6)
The teachers' and students' work in the Art Studio is about living in a learning community. We use the same space, share the same materials express our own ideas in relation to the ideas of others, and build a common vocabulary and excitement about learning.
"I made a black pink hot wheels race car and the engine's in it and it needs gas 'cause there's no gas in the engine, it goes down. The number 7 is on the side of the car because I picked it out and that way people know where to find me."
Hannah (age 5)
 | This is me standing next to my motorcycle on the road. Boalvi (age 5) |  | "I made a bus. My bus carries kids on the roof, but they have seatbelts on. The driver can drive on the top. My bus goes to school, to the pool, to California, to the pizza place, and to Disney World. The bus has extra bathing suits so the kids don't have to go home to get them. Hadinna (age 5) |
When we work in the studio we have to remember that ideas are always overlapping. As we get more used to looking at the artwork we become more able to keep our minds open for the numerous possibilities that the children are presenting to us each new day. In Hadinna's piece about the school bus the story is imaginative, and full of fantasy. Elyisa's piece was also intriguing with a hot wheels car in a museum inside our studio museum. Then Jasmine's golden road personified her life experiences. We could have looked at the work of each girl, or looked at these three pieces as a group representing a female perspective. Each idea could have led to incredibly creative and exciting experiences with the children, but we have learned that it is much richer to delve deeply into the idea which holds the most entry points for the children, not necessarily the one that is the most interesting to us for educational, artistic or personal reasons.
 | "This is called 'The Museum'. Inside my museum is a Hot Wheels car. The car is rainbow colored.""This is called 'The Museum'. Inside my museum is a Hot Wheels car. The car is rainbow colored." Elyisa (age 5) |  | "This is a gold road that's going to its grandmother and grandfather's house. When it gets to the house it likes to play with its toys and its games. Sometimes it's hungry and it likes to eat. It likes chicken, rice, mashed potatoes and apple sauce." Jasmine (age 6) |