Votes Give Voice to Pre-Primary Voyagers

On any given day, the dramatic play areas in Lowell’s Pre-Primary School classrooms can represent infinite possibilities. From commercial airlines to dinosaur cafés, these fanciful spaces can become anything our friends imagine. As 2023 gets underway, changes are coming to the dramatic play space in the Voyagers Room. Soon a veterinarian’s office will help students act out what they have learned about animal care, but to make this happen, they first engaged in a democratic vote.

Individual choice is celebrated in the Pre-Primary School. Friends choose what activity to complete during work time and are often asked to share their opinions or wonderings as they explore the world around them. Bolstered alongside this individuality is learning what is fair and making sure everyone gets what they need within a larger community. 

To begin, teachers Dehejia and Nuria asked the class, “What is voting?” “When people want to do something, and others do also, the people with more counts get to do that one,” explained one friend. “Voting is when a group of people wants something different from the other people,” said another. Notably, some friends have to compromise, and some might not get what they want when they vote. “We’ve been talking about a very important word: flexible,” said Nuria. By discussing first that this is a fair way to decide things as a group, teachers help students reinforce ideas around collective well-being and being a good member of a community. “Friends know that we made a decision all together,” said Nuria. “Even if it was not their first choice, we’re all working together on getting it ready to open, and we’re learning so much about what we need in a vet office.”

To vote for their choice, students made a big “X” on a paper ballot with a picture of each option—restaurant, doctor’s office, or veterinarian’s office. Once the votes were cast, friends worked together to count them. They cut out their “X” and stacked it on a large graph in the appropriate column. When it was complete, friends could refer to the graph to see which column was the biggest and, thus, which choice was the winner. “We knew because we count the numbers,” summarized one friend.

The Voyagers are already enjoying the fruits of the democratic process. The veterinarian’s office is nearing completion, with signs going up to explain what kinds of animals they serve and dedicated spaces for the vet, vet tech, and receptionist taking shape. The excitement on their faces reveals that no matter their choice, they all can benefit from this learning experience. After all, as one friend put it, “Voting is a part of our team!”