PREKINDERGARTEN OCTOBER 19 , 2011

Refining Assessment

Our Day

Ministry Discussions

Learning Plans, Invitations & Provocations

Language, Literacy & Powerful Interactions

Refining Our Assessment

Student-led Conferences

Printing COR Progress Reports

Ministry Discussions

Drafting an Essential Learning Experiences for Prekindergarten Language & Emergent Literacy Social Emotional Development

Resources to Support Educators’ Understanding of Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Develop PD on Emergent CurriculumFamily Engagement Policy & Expectations

5 Years Ago Today

How has your Prekindergarten evolved?

We are making the shift....

Our view of what the curriculum really isOur advanced skills in observing childrenOur ability to analyze children’s thinking

and development to see new levels of complexity

Our ability to practice new skills and try new ideas

Our experience that leads us to trusting children and oneself to co-creating the curriculum.

Co-Creating the Curriculum

Child centred curriculum requires a much more complex view of teaching and learning than a traditional one. An emergent curriculum has as much structure as a teacher-directed approach. The difference is that the source of the structure is the teacher’s understanding and responsiveness to the children, rather than a curriculum recipe or set plan. The teacher and children create the structure and curriculum together. - Curtis & Carter, 1996

Analyzing Learning Plans

Review the two learning plans of these 2 prekindergarten teachers.

Analyzing Learning Plans

What goals do these learning plans suggest?How does the teacher think the children will

learn?What are the sensory aspects of this learning

plan?What values are promoted (consider religious,

commercial, diversity)?How do these learning plans draw on the

children's daily lives and experiences?How do the learning plans reflect the

documentation evidence?

Learning Plans

Share each other’s Learning Plans

Transformation of our Roles

Observer

Documenter

Researcher

Reflector

Facilitator

Journal Entry of a Prekindergarten Teacher

Read the script. Are you prepared to take the next steps in your role?

Do you ever ask yourself, what other materials might extend children’s experiences or help them represent their ideas and feelings?

Video: Setting Sail

An Emergent Curriculum Project

Stacking blocks and mixing sand and waterencourages logical- mathematical thinking,scientific reasoning and cognitive problem

solving…..the learning that occurs is a byproduct of play.

Paul Cappon (2006), Canadian Council on Learning

Provocations and Invitations

Definition:

Listening closely to the children and devising a means for provoking further thought and action.

An invitation might be an intriguing set of materials that tie into the children’s interest, something new in a learning centre, a display that invites hands-on exploration, or perhaps library books on a topic.

A provocation is “something that must be responded to, that we cannot ignore.”

Carol Anne Wien

Let’s Play

There are various invitations or provocations set up in the room.

Find a partner. One person will engage with the invitation the way a child would – ‘as if for the first time’. The other partner will observe and take note of the learning.

So what are we looking for?

How do children use their senses?How do children explore, invent & construct?How do children connect with the natural world?How do children seek power, drama, and adventure?How do children’s stories become a part of

representation and literacy?How do children form relationships?How do children face barriers and negotiate change?How do children provoke wonder, curiosity, and

intellectual engagement?

Creating Invitations

ECERS: Center and Materials ListCOR – What’s Next?The Art of Awareness: How Observations

Can Transform Your TeachingDesigns for Living and Learning:

Transforming Early Childhood Environments

Language & Literacy

Key Experiences in Language & Literacy

1. Talking with others about personally meaningful experiences

2. Describing objects, events, and relations3. Having fun with language: listening to stories and

poems, making up stories and rhymes4. Writing in various ways: drawing, scribbling,

letter-like forms, invented spelling, conventional forms

5. Reading in various ways: reading storybooks, signs, and symbols, one’s own writing

6. Dictating stories

Video: Going to a Wedding

How does literacy and language enhance as we play with children?

Powerful Interactions

Interactions are the exchanges in words and gestures that you have with others – in particular, the exchange that you as a teacher have with young children.

Giving your interactions some careful thinking is important because research shows that who you are, and how and what you say and do as you engage with children, makes a difference in what they learn about themselves, others, and the world.

Hamre & Pianta, 2005

What does a Powerful Interaction look like?

Think of a time when you had genuine conversation with a friend or family member. What did this look like? Reflect and write down characteristics of this powerful interaction.

What is a “Powerful Interaction”?

Every day interactions – spontaneous, rushed, little thought about purpose. Children may or may not learn from this interaction.

Powerful interaction – very intentional and purposeful exchanges between a teacher and child that can have a significant and highly positive impact on learning.

You launch a Powerful Interaction when you make a conscious decision to say or do something that conveys to the child, “I notice you, I’m interested in you, and I want to know you better.” This moment of personal connection builds upon the trust and security that exists between the two of you. Within a trusting and secure relationship, a child is more open to learn from guidance and instruction you offer.

Step 1: Being Present

When you are “present” you are in the moment and self-aware, and therefore you can be more open to the interesting and significant things that children do.

Step 2: Connect

You acknowledge and validate children by letting them know you see them, are interested in them, and want to spend time with them. Connecting in this way awakens the sense of trust and security that creates positive interactions and learning.

Step 3: Extend Learning

When you extend a child’s knowledge and understanding hand-in-hand with nurturing a positive relationship with that child, you create the optimal condition for you to teach and the child to learn.

Have genuine conversations with children. Your role as a facilitator changes from a “telling” role to that of “exchanger of knowledge and ideas”. (pg. 58 ELPG)

Conversations reveal and stimulate children’s thinking.

HOW DOES YOUR DOCUMENTATION

CORRESPOND TO COR CATEGORIES AND ITEMS? DO YOU SEE TRENDS? DO

YOU SEE GAPS?

Refining Our Assessment

Assessment Instruction Activity

How does your instruction change tomorrow based on the information you have gathered? How does your documentation evidence (assessment) drive your learning plan?

Now what? What do you do? What invitations, props, events, and conversations do you need to facilitate? How does your learning plan change? How do you look at today so that it becomes meaningful tomorrow?

Now what?...Reflective Lens

Using your documentation thus far, what props, materials, conversations, questions, activities will be presented tomorrow for these children?

Learning PlanEnvironment/Invitations Conversations/Essential Questions

Play/Activity

Putting It All Together

Student-led Conferences

Ideas:Open HouseDocumentationEnvironmentDiscussion about COR

Share:Central Park’s Student-

ledConference Plan –

Andrea & Nicole

Printing COR Progress Reports

1. Family Report1. New

1. Period 11. Next

1. Select all --- determine the data you want or don’t want included in the report

2. Complete Report

3. Print

Work Time

Documentation and CORPreparing for Student-led ConferencesReflecting on Documentation and

Determining Learning Plan Invitations and/or Provocations Environment Essential Questions/Powerful Interactions Play Activities

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