Being in school is fun, but it also is a complex task. At this early stage of their life, children tend to receive instructions and exposure to declarative knowledge. However, what is also important is that children are exposed to procedural knowledge, allowing them to plan a response or understand how to self-regulate. Children need to be able to attend and access instructions as well as apply and elaborate on information gathered from others. And what better way to learn if not when deeply engaged? Children will therefore have ongoing opportunities to learn through play (child-guided), and through activities that will be planned thoughtfully by myself (adult-guided learning experience). These activities will be taught through a number of formats, including large and small group, choice time, and routines. The goal is to keep children’s interest and engagement and vary the formats for teaching and the teaching strategies so to achieve different purposes, to suit the child, the goal and the situation. I will be applying these strategies in a way that is age-appropriate and engaging for the children.

 

Below are some more explicit examples of effective teaching and learning approaches:

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*Communicate- I will speak with the children in a warm and loving way. I will make a conscious effort to get to know them, and build positive relationships with them as the year progresses. There’s never such a thing as too much love going around!

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*Acknowledge- I will listen to what children say and acknowledge what they say or do. It’s important to let children know that what they say is noticed, even if it’s a small recognition. For example- “Thanks for your help, Max” or “You’re drawing with the color red!”

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*Encourage - I will take the time to encourage effort and persistence in a way that is genuine and related to what the child is doing, not just evaluating what the child has done. For example- “You’re thinking of lots of words to describe the cat in the story. Let’s keep going!”

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*Engage- I will engage children actively in a variety of learning experiences by creating interest areas and furnish these with materials based on program-goals and knowledge of children’s varying interests and abilities.

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*Scaffold- I will promote children’s learning and development by scaffolding, providing assistance and supports to enable each child to master a challenge just beyond his or her current level. As child gradually progresses, scaffolds will be reduced to work towards independence.

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*Speak up- I will encourage children to express themselves, taking the time to respond attentively to their speech. I will make a priority to involve ELLs and students with delayed language development in meaningful interactions at whatever level they are able to. I will engage individual children and groups in real conversations about their experiences or class activities, as well as encourage them to describe their work products and ideas.

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*Turn and Talk- In addition to encouraging my students to speak, I will include this strategy in class discussion, so it will give students who did not speak the opportunity to participate in conversations with their classmates. This encourages both cognitive and social development.

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*Give specific feedback – I will be specific with their feedback rather than giving general comments. For example- “The beanbag didn’t get all the way to the hoop, James, so you might try throwing it harder.”

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*Model –I will model and encourage calm, patient behavior, and help children as they develop self-regulation by supporting them in thinking ahead, planning their activities and thinking about and using strategies to solve social problems. I will model attitudes and behavior toward others, showing children rather than just telling them. For example- “Hmm, that didn’t work and I need to think about why.” This will be done in a respectful and caring way.

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*Demonstrate – I will demonstrate the correct way to do something. This usually involves a procedure that needs to be done in a certain way (such as writing the letter P).

 

*Ask questions – I will intentionally ask questions that provoke children’s thinking. For example- “What kinds of thoughts do you think animals have?”

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*Assist- I will give a clue or a hint to help children work on the edge of their current competence. For example- “Can you think of a word that rhymes with your name, Zack? …How about Back? What else rhymes with Zack?”

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*Provide information- I will directly give children facts, verbal labels, and other information. For example- “All these artworks are called collages because the artist cut paper and glued it on a background”.  

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*Curiosity- I will recognize and encourage children’s natural curiosity and desire to make sense of their world and gain new skills, by planning new learning experiences that are engaging and interesting for them. 

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*Give directions – I will give directions for children’s action or behavior. For example- “Max, when you wash your hands, you keep your hands under the faucet as the water runs, then put soap on your hands, rub, and wash again.”

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*Collaborate- I will provide children with many opportunities for them to collaborate with others, as this will develop their social skills, while they help one another, negotiate, cooperate and talk with other classmates to solve problems.

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*Self/ Parallel Talk- I will talk aloud about what I am doing as I am demonstrating an activity (Self Talk), or when I see, hear or observe a feeling of one of my students (Parallel talk). For example- "I see you're choosing the green Lego pieces to make your house." This will allow my students to listen to more language, and increase their understanding of what they're involved in or experiencing. 

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*Reflect- I will engage children in planning and reflecting on their experiences, discussing a past experience, and working to represent it through drawing, writing/dictating, etc. This allows children to deepen and refine their own concepts and understanding as well as serves me to learn more about what they’re thinking about.

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These strategies and underlying thought processes enable children to engage in these behaviors and serve as a critical foundation for children’s learning and development.

 

Appropriate uses of Technology:

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Digital technologies provide one more outlet for children to demonstrate their creativity and learning. Here are some teaching strategies that I will apply when incorporating technology:

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*I will allow children to explore touch-screens loaded with a wide variety of developmentally appropriate interactive media experiences that are well designed and enhance feelings of success.

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*I will capture photos of block buildings or artwork that children have created, as well as videotape dramatic play to replay for children.

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*I will incorporate assistive technologies as appropriate for children with special needs and/or developmental delays.

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*I will record children’s stories about their drawings or their play, as well as make digital audio or video files to document their progress.

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*I will explore digital storytelling with children. For example, we will co-create digital books with photos of the children’s play or work, and attach digital audio files with the child as the narrator.

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*I will use videos and media that is child-appropriate to enhance content and curriculum that is covered in the class, such as nature films, puppet shows, dance performances and music.