Ruby Tuesday

This post will identify some of the features of the PYP that allow us to make transdisciplinary connections. I will then offer highlights of a recent unit of inquiry in Kindergarten.  Transdisciplinarity broadens and deepens learning opportunities about significant and connected ideas. It adds more possibilities to an inquiry as concepts are uncovered and shared meaning is made, rather than added content to cover. In this way, transdisciplinary learning allows children more choice, voice and ownership in their learning. For more theory about transdisciplinarity please see this page from a website I started (and soon stopped!) It is important to note that transdisciplinary learning can take place inside and outside of the programme of inquiry. Children are so often engaged in transdisciplinary learning in their play and inquiries as they have not been 'schooled' to separate disciplines. This past week, a group of children found broken plastic ducks from water play and decided t...

Some people might ask, "Is play the ONLY thing Kindergarten children do all day long?". It is a loaded question and one that requires the complexity of play to be unpacked.  A previous blog attempts to explore what play involves. Many interpretations are based on the idea that it is child-initiated so choice, motivation and self-direction are all key ingredients. Some refer to this type of play as free play, and then go on to categorise other types of play. The danger of this is that some adult-led "activities" are then classified as some form of play, and then anything and everything could be placed along a continuum or mind-map of play.  Children in my Kindergarten class have opportunities to play indoors and outdoors each day - two to three hours every day to make their own choices in their play (not simply select from options I present).  What do Kindergarten children do for the rest of the time? They are playful. They are engaged in thinking and the process of...

This post curates ideas from previous blog posts about each attribute of the learner profile individually and examples of how this might look in Kindergarten.  Inquirers Thinkers Open-Minded Risk-Takers Knowledgeable Communicators Caring Reflective Balanced Principled Ultimately, the learner profile attributes are a set of values that are founded on a belief in children being agents of their own learning. If we are not aligned with these dispositions, the learner profile will always be somewhat of a tag-on.  "Learning and teaching in the early years views the growth and development of students through a holistic lens, focusing on their cognitive, personal, emotional and social growth. The attributes of the IB learner profile represent a broad range of skills and dispositions that can support this growth and are the foundation for developing international-mindedness." (The Early Years in the PYP) What connections can you see between different attributes? What connections can y...

In a series of blog posts, I have focused on different attributes of the learner profile and how they might be modelled and developed in Kindergarten. The last attribute I will focus on is principled, defined by the IB in the following way: "We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences." Central features of learning in the early years are represented in this graphic taken from The Learner document as part of From Principles into Practice: Play  is (or should be) central how young children learn. As they learn about turn taking and make compromises in their decision making, children are faced with the challenges and opportunities of fairness, honesty and responsibility. These are some of the many benefits when children play games and learn to share resources.  Relationships are key to learning. Young children are soc...