Ruby Tuesday

Balanced is an attribute of the learner profile. In writing this blog, I have been as reflective about its importance for adults as I have for children. I am thankful for the time to sleep, celebrate with family and socialise with friends. It has also been a chance to escape in the magic of film and visit different parts of Ireland. The photo below was taken today in Killarney.  The IB define balanced by: We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognise our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.  Intellectually , Kindergarten learners engage as critical and creative thinkers, pursue their interests, take the lead in their play and reflect thoughtfully on their learning. We strive for a community of curious and motivated learners that learn with and from one another.  Physically , Kindergarten go outside for 30 minut...

What do you think of when you think of a box? A box is often stored away, closed with a lid and static. Boxes are often banal, discarded and separated from the energy of its surroundings. They are neatly packaged, tied up or sealed to warn off curious minds. Boxes frequently command others to keep out or not touch. They are manufactured, easily replicated and are generally less than inspiring in colour and allure. What's inside is deemed fragile and remains hidden, squashed and buried. Boxes usually gather dust and cobwebs, become forgotten and stay unopened!  In this blog post, the box is a metaphor for learning. Read the first paragraph again, now thinking about the box as learning. Luckily, we are surrounded by forces. A force creates change. A force can alter a structure, change its shape, position and direction, and determine how fast this change happens. Let's consider curiosity as a force.  Curiosity invites us to explore the box and open it up with excitement and intri...

Reflective is another attribute of the learner profile. The IB defines reflective as: We thoroughly consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.  " Learning is a process of action and reflection. " This quote from John Dewey is so powerful. As excited and inspired teachers, we are so creative in coming up with ideas for children that the quote could often be "Learning is a process of action." in reality. The reflection piece adds a depth to learning and develops an awareness of learning for learners themselves.  Here are 5 ways that Kindergarten are developing as reflective learners.  1. Be intentional and plan time to be reflective We have a morning message each day that gives children opportunities to consider their learning, their day and perhaps special events that day. Rather than just "do" these things, questions are asked to help the...

There are so many different views about and practices in math(s) in the Early Years, including the ideas that it's all around us, it's part of a transdisciplinary programme and it's a natural part of how children play.  While I agree with these views, I think as educators, we have an important role in helping children understand mathematical ideas that are indeed in their play, their lives and their world. Mathematical processes and big ideas should be explored explicitly in authentic contexts. A recent tweet by Dr Helen Williams reminded me that thinking is not always a feature when learning mathematics.  In the recent IB publication, The Early Years in the PYP, the reasons why symbolic exploration and expression is important for early learners are explained: "Numeracy involves the capabilities (knowledge, skills and dispositions) needed to understand and use mathematics concepts in a wide range of contexts. Numeracy is a language that we use to communicate. Young lea...

Caring is one of the ten attributes of the learner profile. It is defined by the IB as: "We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us." Relationships are at the heart of learning and teaching, welcoming and engaging learning environments and the well-being of the learner. Caring is a key component of how we connect to and treat others, so this attribute is embedded in all of our interactions in Kindergarten (and other grades!) Literature is key to promoting a caring community of learners. This is one of the bookshelves in Kindergarten. So many of the texts that connect to our increased awareness of diversity, inclusion, equity and justice have caring as an important theme for us to explore as a class. Text features such as plot, characters and illustrations provide opportunities for us to unpack related concepts such as kindness and respect.  This text was ...

Communicators is another attribute of the learner profile. The IB defines communicators by: We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.  An obvious connection for Early Years is the '100 Languages of Children', an expression used by Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio approach. It captures his image of the child and the capacity to express themselves in infinite ways.  Communicators, like many of the learner profile attributes, link to so many other aspects of the PYP including communication skills (as part of the AtLs), symbolic exploration and expression, voice (as part of agency) and sharing wonderings, theories and discoveries (as part of inquiry).  It has been interesting for me to reflect on examples of Kindergarten being communicators in the past few days, and as a result of some of the routines established since th...

Knowledgeable is another attribute of the learner profile. The IB describes knowledgeable as: We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.  What strikes me is the connection between knowledge and understanding . Although they are different - knowledge being more binary and understanding being more associated with different levels of making sense of abstract concepts - knowledge provides the building blocks for understanding. Although the PYP is a transdisciplinary programme, the description above recognises the importance of knowledge in different disciplines. In Kindergarten, although many of the ideas we explore have global significance (play, structures, relationships...) we often explore these through very personal and local contexts so young children feel connected to these ideas.  We have a written curriculum that is driven by conceptual understandi...