Generative CurriculumGenerative Curriculum& &

Our Essential QuestionOur Essential Question

West DalhousieWest Dalhousie

What is our image of a What is our image of a child?child?

““working with children means working with children means walking --- to use Bateson’s walking --- to use Bateson’s wonderful metaphor - with wonderful metaphor - with angels. The certainties are few, angels. The certainties are few, the uncertainties are many.”the uncertainties are many.”

What is the role of school?What is the role of school?

““The object of the school is to start The object of the school is to start from the children, to let them know from the children, to let them know that they are the ones who give that they are the ones who give shape to things and are not just shape to things and are not just destined to submit to things.”destined to submit to things.”

Loris MalaguzziLoris Malaguzzi

How is knowledge born?How is knowledge born?

• To learn, to play, to process - part of To learn, to play, to process - part of being human, and part of the process of being human, and part of the process of learning. learning. - Carla Rinaldi- Carla Rinaldi

Does learning arrive in Does learning arrive in answers or questions?answers or questions?

Beauty is a quality of Beauty is a quality of relationship of all intellects. - relationship of all intellects. - RinaldiRinaldi

To educate is not simply to inform or To educate is not simply to inform or train, but to bring out the value of a train, but to bring out the value of a person to value others.person to value others.

As teachers or adults we accept As teachers or adults we accept vulnerability, doubts, fears, and feel vulnerability, doubts, fears, and feel passionate.passionate.

We would like children to We would like children to shape places not places shape places not places shape children. shape children. - - Sandra PucciniSandra Puccini

If we conceive that children have If we conceive that children have the capacity to generate and apply the capacity to generate and apply

their own theories, the most their own theories, the most important verb in teaching is not important verb in teaching is not

to talk, demonstrate, model, to talk, demonstrate, model, transmit , but rather to listen…transmit , but rather to listen…

- Rinaldi- Rinaldi

How do we listen to How do we listen to children?children?

Children’s potential needs to be Children’s potential needs to be respected and we need to trust them. respected and we need to trust them.

We see the child as a human being We see the child as a human being who is the author of himself/herself who is the author of himself/herself

in relation to the world….in relation to the world….

Adults do not have less importance, but Adults do not have less importance, but their role is that of listening, defining, their role is that of listening, defining, seeing, guiding to new possibilities…seeing, guiding to new possibilities…

What is Generativity?What is Generativity?

Key UnderstandingsKey Understandings

• Focus on InquiryFocus on Inquiry• On-going DialogueOn-going Dialogue• Learning will be transformativeLearning will be transformative• Social construction of knowledgeSocial construction of knowledge• Critical Thinking Critical Thinking • Generate (Questions), Generational Generate (Questions), Generational

(builds on knowledge over time), (builds on knowledge over time), Generosity (multiple entry points), Generosity (multiple entry points), Engender (model of adulthood)Engender (model of adulthood)

Curriculum Possibilities – W. Curriculum Possibilities – W. DollDoll

Relational – connections and interconnections

Recursion – loop back on previous ideas

- Ongoing interaction

Rich – multiple layers of

interpretation-Varied realms of meaning

Rigor – problems, perturbations,

and possibilities

Key UnderstandingsKey Understandings

• Knowledge should have practical Knowledge should have practical application and be worth application and be worth understandingunderstanding

• All about connectionsAll about connections

• Engage students in rich, meaningful, Engage students in rich, meaningful, complex questionscomplex questions

• Both children and teachers become Both children and teachers become learners togetherlearners together

Best Practices that are GenerativeBest Practices that are GenerativeTime

VoiceThe Individual

The IndividualThe Individual

• We work to honor the individual in We work to honor the individual in our practiceour practice

• The classrooms are permeable to the The classrooms are permeable to the experiences and cultures that experiences and cultures that individuals bringindividuals bring

• Cultivate empathy for the members Cultivate empathy for the members of our school, community and the of our school, community and the world, thus opening a space for world, thus opening a space for others to be individuals.others to be individuals.

Time is ValuedTime is Valued

• Time is used flexiblyTime is used flexibly

• Large blocks of time which allows us Large blocks of time which allows us to explore in depth topicsto explore in depth topics

• The use of time allows us to respond The use of time allows us to respond to the individuality of the learners to the individuality of the learners and their needs.and their needs.

VoiceVoice

• As teachers our professional responsibility is As teachers our professional responsibility is to know the curriculum goal, we value and to know the curriculum goal, we value and encourage children’s voices in the shaping encourage children’s voices in the shaping of the journey.of the journey.

• We guide and support children in expressing We guide and support children in expressing their ideas and opinions thus encouraging their ideas and opinions thus encouraging them to be risk takers.them to be risk takers.

• We value dissonant voices which help us to We value dissonant voices which help us to re-examine our work.re-examine our work.

• We work to nurture a communal voice that We work to nurture a communal voice that binds us as a learning community and binds us as a learning community and cultivates a common understanding.cultivates a common understanding.

Generativity is not…Generativity is not…

• Stand and deliverStand and deliver• One truthOne truth• A methodA method• Narrow and not limitedNarrow and not limited• Finishing a topicFinishing a topic• Not unity planningNot unity planning• Not ruled by SLE’sNot ruled by SLE’s• Not “covering material” or Not “covering material” or

a checklista checklist• Not compartmentalizedNot compartmentalized• Not isolatedNot isolated• Not linearNot linear

• Doesn’t have a set starting Doesn’t have a set starting pointpoint

• Doesn’t always move Doesn’t always move forwardforward

• Not age appropriateNot age appropriate• Subject specificSubject specific• Not busy work/activity maniaNot busy work/activity mania• Packagable Packagable • Not top downNot top down• RecreatableRecreatable• EasyEasy• PredictablePredictable• IndividualIndividual

Generativity is not…Generativity is not…

• In a boxIn a box• Single textSingle text• MonologueMonologue• DisconnectedDisconnected• One practiceOne practice• One voiceOne voice• Final answerFinal answer• Right or wrongRight or wrong• DecisiveDecisive• One wayOne way• Teacher directedTeacher directed

• RigidRigid• Provincial Provincial

achievement testsachievement tests• Always measureableAlways measureable• Boxed into time frameBoxed into time frame• Predetermined Predetermined

outcomesoutcomes• Easy for students, Easy for students,

parents and teachersparents and teachers• Neat and tidyNeat and tidy• Safe Safe • Surface and simplisticSurface and simplistic

““Learners enter into the Learners enter into the process of learning not by process of learning not by

acquiring facts, but by acquiring facts, but by constructing their reality in constructing their reality in

social exchanges with social exchanges with others.”others.”

- Friere, 1977- Friere, 1977

What is an Essential What is an Essential Question?Question?

• arise from people's attempts, arise from people's attempts, throughout human history, to learn throughout human history, to learn more about the world(s) we live in. more about the world(s) we live in.

• compelling and invite perspectivecompelling and invite perspective

• allow us to explore what knowledge allow us to explore what knowledge is, how it came to be, and how it has is, how it came to be, and how it has changed through human history. changed through human history.

• poised at the boundary of the known poised at the boundary of the known and the unknownand the unknown

• Essential questions arise from an Essential questions arise from an implicit commitment to human implicit commitment to human efficacy: to a belief that individuals efficacy: to a belief that individuals can make a difference, that can make a difference, that knowledge can both be acquired and knowledge can both be acquired and changed. changed.

• Essential questions arise from an Essential questions arise from an implicit commitment to human implicit commitment to human efficacy: to a belief that individuals efficacy: to a belief that individuals can make a difference, that can make a difference, that knowledge can both be acquired and knowledge can both be acquired and changed. changed.

• An essential question engages the An essential question engages the imagination in significant ways. People can imagination in significant ways. People can know only a limited amount about the know only a limited amount about the world through direct experience. We are world through direct experience. We are most intrigued, puzzled and enchanted by most intrigued, puzzled and enchanted by experience that comes to us imaginatively.experience that comes to us imaginatively.

Galileo Educational Galileo Educational Network Network http://www.galileo.org/tips/essential_questihttp://www.galileo.org/tips/essential_questions.htmlons.html

West Dalhousie’s West Dalhousie’s Essential Question – 2009-Essential Question – 2009-

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What does it mean to What does it mean to

be part of Culture?be part of Culture?