Introduction...

 This blog will look at four different context and environments in which children can learn and enhance their development holistically.

The first context highlighted in this blog is the foundation phase. This post will look at the importance of the foundation phase in wales and how it has changed education.   This post will answer questions such as, what is the foundation phase? How does it help enhance development? What has it changed about education and what are the positives and negatives about having this scheme instead of the old national curriculum for ages 3-7 years.

The second post will look at the impact that outdoor learning and forest schools have on children’s development. This post highlights questions such as what is outdoor learning and forest schools? What can children learn? And what are the positives and negatives about this learning environment. This post contains a visual aid to help understanding of what can children learn from this type of environment.

The third post on this blog will look at Maria Montessori and the impact that she had on children’s learning and the way practitioners teach children today.  This post answers questions such as who was Montessori? What did she do? How did she help children’s development? And what did she leave behind? This post will also contain a YouTube link to help answer some of these particular questions and to provide a visual aid to help understanding.

The final post will look at the importance of play on children’s learning and development. This post highlights questions such as what is play? How does it aid and enhance development and what are the positives and negatives of play? In this post there is also a YouTube clip which explains how influential and important play is in a child’s life and development.

 

References

All images from Google images (2013) retrieved between 2^nd April 2013 and 15^th April 2013 from https://www.google.co.uk/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi 

Berk, L.E (2009) Child development. London : Pearson/Allyn and Bacon

Bruce, T, (1991) Time to play in early childhood education.  London : Hodder & Stoughton Educational.

Bruce T, Meggitt C, and Grenier J (2010) Child care & Education. Italy: Hodder Education.

Doherty, J and Hughes, M (2009) Child development theory and practice 0-11. Harlow: Longman

Geake, J. (2009) The brain at school : educational neuroscience in the classroom. Maidenhead : McGraw-Hill Open University Press.

Keenan, T and Evans S, (2008) An introduction to early child development.  London: SAGE.

Johnston, J, and Nahmad-Williams, L (2009) Early childhood studies. Harlow : Pearson Longman.

Maria Montessori Institute (2013) retrieved 2nd April 2013 from what is Montessori?  Available at http://www.mariamontessori.org/   

Maynard T and Thomas N, (2004) An introduction to early childhood studies.  London : SAGE.

Moyles, J. (1989) Just playing? : the role and status of play in early childhood education. Milton Keynes : Open University Press.  

Sandberg A and Heden R (2011) ‘Play’s importance in school’ Education 3-13, international journal of primary elementary and early years education, volume 39, number 3, p317-329

Smith, P.K, Cowie H and Blades M, (2003) Understanding children’s development. Oxford: Blackwell

Welsh government (2013) retrieved 15^th April 2013 from foundation phase, Framework for Children's Learning for 3 to 7-year olds in Wales. Available at http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/foundationphase/2274085/frameworkforchildrene.pdf;jsessionid=92326507774FE47FC6DAAB752725B0A6?lang=en

Youtube (2013) retrieved 13th April 2013 from Neroche Forest Schools. Avaliable at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sj1HrZ7Nk.

Youtube (2013) Retrieved 14th April 2013 fromTrevor Eissler "Montessori Madness!" - 321 FastDraw. Availiable at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcgN0lEh5IA 

Foundation Phase...

What is the foundation phase?

The foundation phase is a document put in place by the wales government which provides children between the ages of 3 and 7 the opportunities to learn holistically rather than subject specific. The foundation phase document teaches children that skills learnt in particular subjects do not have to stay within those subjects. For example children may use a adding and subtracting in mathematics but they may also need it in geography, science and history. The foundation phase promotes practitioners to teach themes in education rather than subjects and topics.  

The foundation phase is divided up into 7 categories which practitioners use as a guide to ensure that children have a holistic and broad education. These categorises are:

·         Mathematical development

·         Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity

·         Language, Literacy and Communication Skills

·         Welsh Language Development

·         Knowledge and Understanding of the World

·         Physical Development

·         Creative Development.

Foundation phase framework (2008)

 How does the foundation phase help development?

From personal experience the foundation phase helps children’s development as it allows children to explore, be creative, use their imagination and have fun in a loosely structured but controlled environment. In one of the settings which I have previously attended children were allowed to carry out activities based on what they wanted to learn. For example, one child came into school with a plastic dinosaur, the teacher noticed that this captured his imagination as he was showing the other children what the dinosaur would have ate and where it would have lived  and so she decided to change lesson plans in order to incorporate the child’s interests.

 

How has the foundation phase changed education?

The foundation phase has changed education as children no longer are taught specific subjects but because of the impact that the foundation phase has had on today’s education children are being taught topics. The idea of teaching topics rather than individual subjects enhances children’s education as they have the opportunity to have a holistic view of education. This is also important as it makes particular subjects such a maths or English which children may find boring or challenging more appealing if they can link it to something their interested in. for example, children who may find English challenging may benefit from story or creative writing if they had to write about a topic that they were interested e.g. dinosaurs, rather than a topic given to them by the teacher.

The foundation phase has helped improve education as from my experience classrooms are move child orientated, colourful and inviting than they were before the foundation phase was introduced in wales.

Are there any positives or negatives about the foundation phase?

A positive about the foundation phase if it is achieved well in an environment is that it can allow children to develop their creativity, have freedom of exploration and imagination and help develop the children’s own personal preferences and choices. 

A negative about the foundation phase is that it can often look as if children are engaging in playing all of the time, when in fact during this time children may be developing skills such as problem solving, language, inter and intrapersonal skills, numeracy and trial and error skills all of which they need throughout life. 

 

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Outdoor Learning ...

What is outdoor learning and forest schools?

Outdoor learning can take place in a number of different settings outside of a classroom environment. Children can learn in various contexts such as play grounds, parks, forests or woodlands, schools trips, supermarkets, museums and the beach.

Children have the opportunities to try out physical skills and become more confident and adventurous in their own right. According to Tovey (2007) children should have outdoor environments which include:

·         Designated and connected spaces;

·         Elevated spaces;

·         Wild spaces;

·         Spaces for exploring and investigating;

·         Spaces for mystery and enchantment;

·         Natural spaces;

·         Spaces for the imagination;

·         Spaces for movement and stillness;

·         Social spaces;

·         Fluid spaces.

(p.59)



 

Since the introduction of forest schools in wales children have has more opportunities to learn in the outdoor environment. Forest schools have provided ordinary schools with the opportunities to teach children transferable skills which they may not be able to achieve within a classroom setting.  Practitioners who use forest schools support and loosely structure children’s learning and development rather than try to control and restrict what children can and want to learn. Forest school’s ethos is that play and learning that takes place during this experience and opportunity is child-led and child-initiated as far as possible.

 What can children learn?

Learning outside of classroom settings can help children develop both individually and socially as children learn to become more independent as they begin to have more responsibilities.

Learning outside a classroom can also have other benefits as children have opportunities not to be restricted by the four walls of a classroom. Children have the opportunities to use their imagination and explore whilst feeling safe and secure to do some. Children have opportunities to learn life skills as well as curriculum based skills such has mathematical skills and communication, speaking and listening skills.

Here is a YouTube clip shows what skills children can develop even from a young age and how practitioners believe that forest schools' teaching and ideology is helping to promote and enhance children's development.

 

What are the positives and negatives about learning outdoors?

There are many positives for children to learn in an outdoor environment as it gives children valuable experiences to embed what they have been learning if they physically put it into action. Practitioners believe that children learn more from a memorable experience which they can be actively engaged in compared to sitting at a table  learning from a text book all of the time. 

Another positive of learning in the outdoor environment or forest schools is that children have the opportunities to learn about subjects and aspects of life which they may not have a chance to if they were restricted by a classroom setting throughout their school life.  Forest schools and outdoor learning allows children to be at one with nature, the environment, and the elements.

A negative about forest schools is that the practitioners and staff which deliver these experiences have to be fully trained and qualified. This can be a negative as  if a school does not have a trained member of staff to enable these experiences then children may be missing out on vital life skills and holistic developments if the schools cannot find a practitioner to provide these experiences.

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Montessori....

Who or what is Montessori?

Maria Montessori was born in chiatavale Italy in 1870. Although her father had a military background, her mother supported her to study maths, science, and medicine. From her mothers’ support and encouragement Montessori became the first woman to become a qualified doctor in Italy. Montessori dedicated her life to the study of child development and she became particularly interested in children mental disability. Bruce et al (2010)

What did Montessori do?

Montessori pioneered the way practitioners view children and their various abilities, she enabled children to take control of their own learning, actions and consequences. Montessori was the first teacher to promote the importance of the first 6 years of life. These years from birth to 6 are known as the absorbent mind. Bruce et all (2010) states that Montessori came to the conclusion ‘that children pass through sensitive periods of development when they are particularly receptive to particular areas of learning’ (p.443)

In 1906 Maria Montessori set up the first ‘Casa Dei Bambini’ (Children’s House) in a newly built estate in the San Lorenzo slum district of Rome. Montessori schools have key principles in which they follow in order to ensure that the children control their own learning and surroundings. Montessori inspired schools follow many key principles which Maria Montessori first put in place in ‘Casa Dei Bambini’ in 1906 all of which are still followed today. One of the key principles is freedom, Montessori believed that children need freedom to nurture and develop their own natural desire to learn and become a well-rounded individual within society. 

Maria Montessori Institute (2013) states that children should be allowed freedom to work and they must be able to move around within boundaries that allow them to interact as part of a social group.

Another of the key principle that Montessori schools follow is vertical grouping, this means that there is more than one age group in a class. This can have a positive effect on children’s overall development as the younger children learn from the older children and the older children have the opportunity to take on a role of a leader as it promotes and instils independence and self-discipline for all children.

‘Mixed age groups encourage all children to develop their personalities socially and intellectually at their own pace’.  Maria Montessori institute (2013)

How does Montessori’s teachings help children’s learning and development?

            Here is a YouTube clip which explains ‘how does Montessori help children’s learning and development?’

 

Montessori helped children’s learning as Montessori school do not solely focus on academics but about the child’s interests and encouraging children to developing them further. The YouTube clip explains how she developed the whole child and not just the education part of him or her. Montessori and the many of practitioners who follow Montessori’s teachings helped children become activity engaged in learning and develop inter and intrapersonal skills.

What did she leave behind?

Montessori’s theory of child development and the way in which practitioners or directors should support and encourage them to develop has spread around the world. Montessori died in 1952 but her legacy lives on as there are currently over 22,000 Montessori style schools in over 100 countries which use her teaching methods and theories today.


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Play...

What is play?

 Play  is often referred to as children’s work. Play is a time where children have the opportunity to learn and develop both individually and socially. Free play is a term used when children have the opportunity to choose what they want to do and when they want to do it. Free play works best when children are not restricted by rules, restrictions and boundaries.   
From personal experience of working with children between the ages of 0-8 and children with special needs play can be very influential in a child’s development it may look unimportant but it provides opportunities to learn important life skills such as working logically, problem solve, cooperation skills and developing trial and error skills.

In the 1930s Parten noticed that there were 5 different stages of play which children go through as they develop and became more socially interactive.

Stage 1: Solitary play, this is where children want to have their own personal space and would prefer to do things independently.

Stage 2: Spectator play, this is where children might watch what other children do but do not want to join in.

Stage 3: Parallel play, this is where children play alongside each other but not play together and may not even talk about what they are doing.

Stage 4: Associative play, this is where two children may play the same thing but not yet playing together.

Stage 5: Cooperative play, this develops when the child is older and it is where children gradually begin to share and compare and exchange ideas with each other. This later leads to the both children playing together.

Bruce et al (2010) states that:

‘The charter of children’s rights (1989) states that every child in the world has the right to play. Play is not the same as recreation or relaxation. Play is about the highest levels of development and learning...’ (p.353)

Here is a short YouTube clip which can explain how influential and important play is in a child’s life and development.

How does play help development?

Play can help a child’s development because it can help enhance both fine and gross motor skills, for example, taking part in a threading activity develops fine motor skills as children would use small movements and hand eye coordination, however children playing in a park setting would use gross motor skills to run around, jump, hop as this requires movement of large muscles groups in the body. 

 Are there any positives or negatives?

There are both positives and negatives of play on children’s development, the positives are that it helps children understand their feelings and experiment with them for example, a sad mum, a grumpy bus driver. It allows them to develop their empathy skills by learning how others may feel when they are sad, happy or angry. It also helps children develop their communications skills, to reflect on life, think flexibly, bring together what they have been learning by having opportunities to apply and experiment safely.

Sandberg and Heden (2011) state:

            ‘Through play, children have the possibility to exist in an imaginary world where they have the opportunity to become someone else, and thereby experience different situations and feelings.’

A negative of play is that if play is restricted by boundaries and rules it can hinder all of the positives and therefore the child would not be able to develop these skills which they need throughout life.

 

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Second post

Still sitting in the computer suit in SMU writing my second post

My first blog

Here I am, sitting in the computer room at Swansea Met writing my first blog.