Engaging Learners in the

Early YearsResearch-Informed, Evidence-based

Decision Making

Early Childhood Professionals

Day 2Making Learning VisibleAssessment as Learning

Day One Key Point Review : In six groups of five, look at the puzzle

pieces in your envelop and determine which two pieces are a match. You should have 12 pairs.

Discuss as a group what each pair represents from our previous work on Day one, and why it is important for you to understand this as a teacher of young children.

Learning and PlayHow Children Learn….

and how they play.

Facilitating Children’s Play

Provide long uninterrupted periods (45–60 minutes minimum)

Provide a variety of materials to stimulate different kinds of play.

Provide loose parts for play, both indoors and out, and encourage children to manipulate the environment and objects to support their play

Ensure that all children have access to play opportunities and are included in play.

Take an interest in their play, asking questions, offering suggestions, and engaging eagerly as co-players when invited. (serve and return)

Facilitating the learning

We know that children think and learn differently than adults.

They need opportunities to investigate the world and come to know themselves by doing this.

We need problem rich classrooms, that allow them to formulate strong theories about how the world works with rich, authentic materials.

They need to be able to be engaged socially and creatively and learn together in meaningful way.

21st Century Learning Environments

Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000

Health Break15 minutes

Designing the Learning

Topic

day to day work

knowledge building

new understandi

ng

new topic

Evidence of Learning

Watch the video of grade two science project. How did the students get to this point in their learning? What do you think the teacher did, the students did and how is the learning visible?

Building Understanding Together

Hitting the Bull’s Eye

Feedback Loops Guide Improvements in Learning

Scaffolding is Important

Sawyer, 2006; Greeno, 2006

The BIG idea…Enduring Understanding

Consider the BIG “3”

Consider the 3 big ideas that we have talked about

1. What does a safe and caring, low stress learning environment look like?

2. How are children playing and learning through play? What is the ensuring understands (what really matters for children) to be able to know and do?

3. How is the learning visible so that you know where to take them?

LUNCH!!!

Trying it out

Begin to think about one “BIG” enduring understanding you want children to learn. Consider using the template to start to begin to frame how you want this learning to look. You may need to reevaluate your daily schedule and reorganize your physical environment. Please use the curriculum resources available and consider working collaboratively.

Play Matters

Play nourishes every aspect of children’s development—it forms the foundation of intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills necessary for success in school and in life. Play “paves the way for learning.”

Adele Diamond

Next Steps

Preparing to bring back the stories from your classroom to this group – it can be in any format you wish eg. pictures, artifacts, video, etc.

Next meeting date November 23rd

Website: www.galileo.org/pl/earlylearning

Teacher landing page – PSDEarlyLearning Wiki

Ticket OutFeedback Post It Notes

What’s something that you’ve discovered that you can’t wait to “play” with in your context?

What’s the most exhilarating idea you’ve encountered?

What suggestions do you have for improving this series?

What questions do you still have?

Designing Spaces for Play-based Learning

Design the ideal play-based space for early learnersPhysical layout of spaceDifferent areas to support different

types of learningMaterials available in each spaceHow the design and materials

support play-based learning?

Feedback about Design of Physical Space

Are there different types of spaces to accommodate different types of play?

Are there different types of interesting materials available?

How does the space reflect the research related to play-based learning?

What elements of this design could be incorporate into your context?

How might children respond to these changes?

Pg. 13

In what ways do the assessment practices address what you said was important for student learning?

How well does your assessment information capture the breadth and complexity of children’s learning and development?

How well do you analyze your assessment information to show children’s learning?

How well do you use the information you gain about children’s learning to promote ongoing learning?