Our Planet

Text : Shizuko Miura

How do children go through gradual transition from class Fuki to class Warabi? As the 5 adults who are involved in the transition observed and recorded H’s behaviour throughout the process, we aimed to enrich children’s time spent at Yamanoko by raising more awareness in their swaying sensitive minds and emotions, and by encouraging to have more communication between children and us.
Before H’s gradual transition, he only had limited opportunities to interact with Warabi environment; for instance, briefly playing with the toys in Warabi classroom before going home with his mum. However as he did this everyday, it seems that he gradually started to become fascinated by the environment there. His mind seemed to be all set on the first day of gradual transition when he said “okay” after we suggested to him the plan of moving to the new class. What has moved H’s powerful and energetic, but also cautious character -was it excitement and joy towards fresh encounters, or pure curiosity towards the situation? In the beginning, he would cry with anxiety for not having adults from class Fuki around him. However the more time passed and more time he spent at Warabi, the less he cried -he gradually started to use the names of children in class Warabi, and concentrate on playing on his own.
I was deeply moved when I read the recorded documents by the 5 adults. Day by day H gradually takes more actions, his interaction with new friends and adults increases, and absorbs so much to broaden the world that he sees -how incredible is all this. Just like how we adults do, children must be making decisions and choices for themselves in the end. There may be times where adults that are beside H can be a support, or a trigger to give something a try. However after the documentation period I came to realise that it is nothing but the inner power that a child has that makes decision making possible for himself.
After the exhibition, the team had a chance to study the recent case of older children’s gradual transition, which gave us a fresh new perspective towards the whole understanding of this form of rite of passage. How should we perceive the act of class transition itself shall probably become the next exploration theme for Yamanoko.