Will and Saige Working Together With Felt

When Will joins Saige at the felt, a camera nearby captures this wonderful interaction.

Saige and Will settle down at the felt boards. Saige begins handing felt pieces to Will, piece after piece after piece.

Will How many are you giving to me?
Saige I’m giving you more.
Will Even more? How many?
Saige Here.
Will I need some more.

There is some negotiation as Kyla comes by asking if they have felt for tubes of milk and paint, and Will explains that he’s using them.

Will tells Saige: Those guys were thinking these were paint. But they’re not, I’m using them to make paint.
Saige I’m making a car.
Will I’m making a paint.
Saige A painting.
Will I’m not.
Will taps his hands on felt: Bounce! Bounce! Bounce! He brings more felt pieces over: eleven, twelve… He goes to get more, but: There’s no more. Saige I can give you some.
Will Thank you – no, I have green ones already. Here (gives them back) I need white ones. Saige gives him white ones. Bounce, bounce, bounce. Saige notices and bounces the felt, too.

As Will leaves, Diane comes over: What are you guys doing over here?
Saige He was making a paint, not a painting, and I was making a car. I’m still making a car.

The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’

Maria Montessori