This semester, I have one class and one placement, both studying the school age environment, ages 6-12. This is the age group I work with every day, so it will be refreshing to gain more academic understanding of this developmental stage of life. Look forward to hearing lots about kindergarten to grade 6 in the next four months!
I am excited to be Mrs. C's pupil. She has been working through Ontario's Full Day Learning Program in a Catholic school systems kindergarten classroom for the past 2 years, since the government initiative became implemented. Mrs C and her co-teacher have created an excellent example of the collaboration of skills of a Kindergarten Teacher and an Early Childhood Educator (ECE), bringing skills from both professions. The government, the public school board, and the catholic school board, have all visited the classroom she is in, to view their hard work. I can't wait to see it myself.
One of the main goals of the Full Day Learning Program is to bring a play to learn environment into the kindergarten classrooms. Who better to know how to effectively do this than an ECE who has studies childhood play and development. Dramatic theatre, building structures, making art, exploring outdoors, running, climbing, getting messy, are all a child's way of learning. Play becomes a vessel for assessment as well. Instead of traditionally forcing a child to sit down and complete a worksheet, so much can be observed viewing a child for 20 minutes during their play, for example, with building blocks.
Let us compare 20 minutes on each activity:
Worksheet
-usually teaches one subject
-practice writing
-sitting still
-concentration
-initiated by adults
Blocks
-usually teaches numerous subjects including math, design, physics, language, social skills, gross motor and balance
-uses body
-concentration
-initiated by most children
The teacher may ask the child to draw their structure, which develops fine motor, writing, hand-eye-coordination and artistic ability. Play is wonderful!
I am excited to be Mrs. C's pupil. She has been working through Ontario's Full Day Learning Program in a Catholic school systems kindergarten classroom for the past 2 years, since the government initiative became implemented. Mrs C and her co-teacher have created an excellent example of the collaboration of skills of a Kindergarten Teacher and an Early Childhood Educator (ECE), bringing skills from both professions. The government, the public school board, and the catholic school board, have all visited the classroom she is in, to view their hard work. I can't wait to see it myself.
One of the main goals of the Full Day Learning Program is to bring a play to learn environment into the kindergarten classrooms. Who better to know how to effectively do this than an ECE who has studies childhood play and development. Dramatic theatre, building structures, making art, exploring outdoors, running, climbing, getting messy, are all a child's way of learning. Play becomes a vessel for assessment as well. Instead of traditionally forcing a child to sit down and complete a worksheet, so much can be observed viewing a child for 20 minutes during their play, for example, with building blocks.
Let us compare 20 minutes on each activity:
Worksheet
-usually teaches one subject
-practice writing
-sitting still
-concentration
-initiated by adults
Blocks
-usually teaches numerous subjects including math, design, physics, language, social skills, gross motor and balance
-uses body
-concentration
-initiated by most children
The teacher may ask the child to draw their structure, which develops fine motor, writing, hand-eye-coordination and artistic ability. Play is wonderful!
No comments:
Post a Comment