WEBVTT 00:00:04.129 --> 00:00:07.730 Hello and welcome to Blooming Curious, a podcast 00:00:07.730 --> 00:00:10.410 that's all about nurturing that natural curiosity 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:14.410 in our earliest kids and students. I'm Edwina, 00:00:14.669 --> 00:00:17.449 your host from the Ed's Lessons blog, a passionate 00:00:17.449 --> 00:00:20.289 advocate for play and inquiry and on a mission 00:00:20.289 --> 00:00:23.510 to keep children curious and questioning. The 00:00:23.510 --> 00:00:26.750 days of talk and chalk are over. We're diving 00:00:26.750 --> 00:00:30.269 into the world of integrated inquiry and nature 00:00:30.269 --> 00:00:32.960 -based learning. and exploring the strategies 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.899 that create lifelong learners. So if you're a 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:39.299 classroom or homeschool educator or even a curious 00:00:39.299 --> 00:00:43.340 parent, then this is the place for you. Hello 00:00:43.340 --> 00:00:46.079 everyone and welcome to another episode of Bloomin' 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.579 Curious. Today is the third episode in our Getting 00:00:49.579 --> 00:00:52.530 Started series. We've looked at knowing your 00:00:52.530 --> 00:00:55.130 philosophy and how to use the curriculum to plan 00:00:55.130 --> 00:00:58.729 lessons. And today we're focusing on scheduling 00:00:58.729 --> 00:01:02.429 and timetabling our daily non -negotiables and 00:01:02.429 --> 00:01:05.549 how to integrate inquiry into our timetables. 00:01:06.390 --> 00:01:08.810 So first off, let's talk about visual timetables. 00:01:09.530 --> 00:01:13.010 So visual timetables are a game changer. Kids 00:01:13.010 --> 00:01:16.030 thrive on routines and knowing what to expect. 00:01:16.569 --> 00:01:19.230 And when life is predictable, kids feel safe. 00:01:19.569 --> 00:01:21.969 And when they feel safe, they are, of course, 00:01:22.209 --> 00:01:24.849 better able to learn. Picture schedules with 00:01:24.849 --> 00:01:28.290 colorful images or icons can guide children through 00:01:28.290 --> 00:01:31.170 the day, making transitions smoother and reducing 00:01:31.170 --> 00:01:34.870 anxiety. You can use images of the daily activities, 00:01:35.230 --> 00:01:37.629 playtime, story sessions, snack breaks, whatever 00:01:37.629 --> 00:01:40.390 suits your schedule. It's like a roadmap for 00:01:40.390 --> 00:01:43.189 the day that even the youngest learners can understand. 00:01:43.890 --> 00:01:46.049 And when you're starting off, you can display 00:01:46.049 --> 00:01:49.090 the visual timetable in your morning circle so 00:01:49.090 --> 00:01:51.469 that students know what to expect for the day. 00:01:51.950 --> 00:01:54.900 And eventually... You can give that job of displaying 00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:57.099 the day's activities to children in the class 00:01:57.099 --> 00:02:00.060 as part of their classroom responsibilities and 00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:03.120 roles. You can download ready -made visual timetables 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:05.939 from websites like Twinkle or Teach Starter. 00:02:06.379 --> 00:02:08.259 But of course, you can also create your own. 00:02:08.509 --> 00:02:11.370 I have found over the years that children with 00:02:11.370 --> 00:02:14.610 neurodiversity really appreciate visual timetables 00:02:14.610 --> 00:02:17.150 and of course for some of these kids it might 00:02:17.150 --> 00:02:20.310 be useful for them to have their own visual timetable 00:02:20.310 --> 00:02:23.509 just with three or so activities that they could 00:02:23.509 --> 00:02:26.849 be following as a whole day may be too overwhelming 00:02:26.849 --> 00:02:31.689 for them. Now onto non -negotiables. Every day 00:02:31.689 --> 00:02:35.610 has these little nuggets. of essential activities, 00:02:36.270 --> 00:02:39.430 whether it's story time, outdoor play, snack 00:02:39.430 --> 00:02:44.009 time, show and tell, or circle discussions. These 00:02:44.009 --> 00:02:49.129 are your anchors. These activities create stability 00:02:49.129 --> 00:02:52.909 and familiarity for the kids. And once you identify 00:02:52.909 --> 00:02:55.710 these non -negotiables, you build your schedule 00:02:55.710 --> 00:03:00.650 around them. Flexibility is key, but these core 00:03:00.650 --> 00:03:04.520 elements should remain constant. As an educator, 00:03:04.979 --> 00:03:07.099 you have to find the time in a week to cover 00:03:07.099 --> 00:03:10.319 your learning areas, English, Mathematics, Science, 00:03:10.699 --> 00:03:14.199 Haas or Humanities, Health and Physical Education, 00:03:14.539 --> 00:03:17.599 Art, Music and Technology and perhaps even another 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:22.800 language. The curriculum is so overcrowded and 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:25.219 I'm going to state my own opinion here, which 00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:27.379 might not go down well with many, but this is 00:03:27.379 --> 00:03:30.000 my podcast and I'm going to say what I think. 00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:33.050 And in fact, I'm going to ask you an inquiry 00:03:33.050 --> 00:03:37.009 question. Do young children actually need all 00:03:37.009 --> 00:03:41.050 these curriculum areas? Do any of us actually 00:03:41.050 --> 00:03:44.629 remember what we learned in science or history 00:03:44.629 --> 00:03:49.729 when we were five or seven? I sure don't. The 00:03:49.729 --> 00:03:52.030 only thing I remember from my early years at 00:03:52.030 --> 00:03:55.750 school were the things that I actually did. Things 00:03:55.750 --> 00:03:58.490 like growing beans in a window sill. I remember 00:03:58.490 --> 00:04:02.240 that so clearly. knitting a coat hanger cover 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:06.280 at age seven I kid you not and very strangely 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.960 learning to form my letters in what was then 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:12.780 called grade one and this is back in South Africa 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:16.720 in the early 70s I turned seven in my first year 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:20.019 of formal schooling and I've turned out just 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:23.500 fine I distinctly remember trying to shape the 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:26.560 letter A we were given these little blue cards 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:29.339 about the size of a postcard and we had to just 00:04:29.339 --> 00:04:32.329 go for it on this little card and form the letters 00:04:32.329 --> 00:04:34.550 of an alphabet. There were no lines to stress 00:04:34.550 --> 00:04:37.550 about staying on a line. It was just simply that 00:04:37.550 --> 00:04:41.170 motion of forming the letter. I remember that. 00:04:41.589 --> 00:04:45.110 So if I had my own way, I would only focus on 00:04:45.110 --> 00:04:49.250 English, math, art, music and STEM, or more specifically, 00:04:49.709 --> 00:04:52.730 inquiry projects sparked by children's interests, 00:04:53.189 --> 00:04:55.930 nature and picture books. But unfortunately, 00:04:56.009 --> 00:04:58.910 I'm not in charge. So how do we create time in 00:04:58.910 --> 00:05:02.970 our schedules for all these learning areas? English 00:05:02.970 --> 00:05:06.850 is a daily non -negotiable. From pre -primary, 00:05:07.029 --> 00:05:09.649 or if you're in America, kindergarten, you will 00:05:09.649 --> 00:05:12.470 focus on phonics and building phonological awareness, 00:05:12.750 --> 00:05:16.389 and that is the sounds in words. Phonics should 00:05:16.389 --> 00:05:20.089 be taught daily, systematically and explicitly. 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:23.439 and you will need to find or use a program that 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:26.660 delivers phonological awareness on a daily basis. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:29.699 This shouldn't take more than 10 minutes or so. 00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:34.600 Actually, phonological awareness begins way before 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:37.399 pre -primary, when children can be made aware 00:05:37.399 --> 00:05:39.879 of the sounds in words through nursery rhymes 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:42.660 and rhyming picture books. What's happened to 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:45.980 nursery rhymes, by the way? Oh, and I have a 00:05:45.980 --> 00:05:48.519 blog post where I've created a list of my favourite 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:50.959 rhyming picture books for children and I'll drop 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:53.779 the link in the show notes for you. Mathematical 00:05:53.779 --> 00:05:57.269 concepts too are non -negotiable. I personally 00:05:57.269 --> 00:06:00.430 love Dr. Paul Swan's resources where he tells 00:06:00.430 --> 00:06:03.589 you exactly how to plan and how to reach every 00:06:03.589 --> 00:06:06.370 mathematical milestone. I'll link this in the 00:06:06.370 --> 00:06:09.430 website and in the show notes. And by the way, 00:06:09.430 --> 00:06:12.410 I have no affiliation with Dr. Paul Swan. I just 00:06:12.410 --> 00:06:14.910 really love using his resources. And if you're 00:06:14.910 --> 00:06:17.329 in Perth, I highly recommend you attend one of 00:06:17.329 --> 00:06:20.389 his workshops. So English in all its nuances 00:06:20.389 --> 00:06:24.029 and mathematics are non -negotiable. But wait! 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:28.639 Here's the real cherry on top, inquiry -based 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.540 learning. This method is like the secret sauce 00:06:32.540 --> 00:06:35.860 that makes lessons engaging and meaningful. Instead 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:39.060 of just telling kids facts, which they'll never 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:41.699 remember, because do you remember anything that 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:43.620 the teacher just stood there in front of the 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:46.720 class and just kept telling you? Let's nurture 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:51.000 children's curiosity. Let them ask questions, 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:55.540 explore, experiment, and discover. For instance, 00:06:55.620 --> 00:06:58.779 during playtime, if kids are fascinated by insects, 00:06:59.100 --> 00:07:02.040 turn it into a mini project. Build on their interest 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:05.139 by reading books about bugs, creating an insect 00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:08.300 habitat, or even going on a bug hunt outside. 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.459 It's about harnessing their natural curiosity 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:16.279 and make learning an adventure. So just by taking 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:19.800 this interest in insects, for example, You can 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:22.680 teach language concepts, mathematical concepts. 00:07:23.220 --> 00:07:25.259 So if you have three beetles, how many legs would 00:07:25.259 --> 00:07:27.259 they have all together? And right there, you 00:07:27.259 --> 00:07:30.180 are now learning about groups of which actually 00:07:30.180 --> 00:07:32.560 repeated addition and multiplication, so three 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.800 groups of six. What about teaching kids about 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.560 asking really good questions that lead to discovery? 00:07:39.379 --> 00:07:42.740 This forms part of inquiry skills, which is part 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:45.980 of the science and the HASS, Humanities and Social 00:07:45.980 --> 00:07:49.060 Sciences, curriculum. And then in year two, for 00:07:49.060 --> 00:07:51.980 example, you teach report writing. And you can 00:07:51.980 --> 00:07:53.839 check out my favorite book in the world, which 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:56.180 is Pi Corbett's talk for writing across the curriculum, 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:59.480 which I'll link in the show notes. So now you're 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.620 linking your writing to this inquiry project 00:08:01.620 --> 00:08:04.220 about insects. And then, of course, kids can 00:08:04.220 --> 00:08:06.540 draw and paint or even make models of their favorite 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:08.639 insect, which ticks off the art and technology 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:13.199 curriculum. It's impossible. to teach the different 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:16.779 subjects a stand -alone. Each should be integrated, 00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:20.220 because life is not neatly organized. Everything 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:23.699 is integrated. By integrating your subjects through 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:26.259 an inquiry approach, not only are you meeting 00:08:26.259 --> 00:08:29.040 more curriculum outcomes, you're also saving 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:32.019 your sanity, and more importantly, teaching kids 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:35.799 in a really meaningful way. Now the big question, 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:39.539 how do we integrate inquiry -based learning into 00:08:39.539 --> 00:08:43.620 our daily schedule? So many of my colleagues 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.860 and educators across the world, when I'm listening 00:08:45.860 --> 00:08:48.539 to other podcasts, their biggest concern is, 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:52.120 well, how do I fit it into my already overcrowded 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.240 timetable? Well, it's simpler than you think. 00:08:55.820 --> 00:08:59.259 You dedicate blocks of time where kids can delve 00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:02.000 into their interests. It could be a part of your 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.009 morning circle or an afternoon session. You allow 00:09:05.009 --> 00:09:07.710 for open -ended exploration within these time 00:09:07.710 --> 00:09:10.970 frames. And this approach not only fosters a 00:09:10.970 --> 00:09:14.870 love of learning, but also allows you to intertwine 00:09:14.870 --> 00:09:18.639 various subjects seamlessly. I've always found 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.940 that English and maths are the heavy lifters 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:23.220 and they're best taught in the mornings when 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:26.179 kids are fresh and alert and in the afternoons 00:09:26.179 --> 00:09:29.399 you can use that time for inquiry and investigation 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:32.320 which will cover everything from art, technology, 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:35.899 science and humanities. Now you need to teach 00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:38.399 science and has topics so it's not just about 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:40.440 saying to kids off you go do an inquiry on living 00:09:40.440 --> 00:09:43.820 things for example no no no no you need to teach 00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:47.840 the process of inquiry by modeling each step 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.240 of the process in an I do we do you do fashion 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:55.440 oh so hey hang on a minute isn't that explicit 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:59.230 instruction well of course it is Enquiry doesn't 00:09:59.230 --> 00:10:02.629 take the place of explicit instruction. It dovetails 00:10:02.629 --> 00:10:05.509 with explicit instruction, as I've said before. 00:10:06.169 --> 00:10:08.929 For example, if you're talking about life cycles 00:10:08.929 --> 00:10:11.669 in year two, then you teach the life cycle of 00:10:11.669 --> 00:10:15.210 one animal. The kookaburra, for example, or, 00:10:15.210 --> 00:10:19.049 I don't know, the frog. And the whole class follows 00:10:19.049 --> 00:10:22.470 along. And then they replicate the process later 00:10:22.470 --> 00:10:25.210 in their investigation of an animal of their 00:10:25.210 --> 00:10:28.919 choice. In these early years, it's about modeling 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:32.639 and scaffolding. Kids need those boundaries and 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:36.100 scaffolds and the guidance, your guidance, to 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:38.399 feel comfortable and confident. There's nothing 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:40.679 more frightening for a child than to have to 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:42.899 do something they don't understand independently. 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:46.440 No one gains anything from that. And if you want 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:49.080 to know how to get started with inquiry, just 00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:52.299 how to dip your toe in and have a go, I have 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:55.899 created an e -guide called Inquiry 101, which 00:10:55.899 --> 00:10:59.179 walks you step by step through the process and 00:10:59.179 --> 00:11:02.259 will help you integrate inquiry into your lessons. 00:11:02.740 --> 00:11:05.500 I give you examples and some templates you can 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:10.230 use in lessons too. So you go to resources .edslessons 00:11:10.230 --> 00:11:13.870 .com forward slash inquiry 101 to get your copy 00:11:13.870 --> 00:11:16.330 and I'll link it in the show notes for you, too 00:11:16.330 --> 00:11:20.009 So remember guys your timetable is a tool. It's 00:11:20.009 --> 00:11:23.769 not a strict rule book be open to change and 00:11:23.769 --> 00:11:26.129 adapt based on the needs of the interests of 00:11:26.129 --> 00:11:29.710 your children and Most importantly stay flexible, 00:11:29.710 --> 00:11:31.730 you know all sorts of things happen during a 00:11:31.730 --> 00:11:34.389 day. There's an assembly or you know, you've 00:11:34.389 --> 00:11:38.379 got a an incursion of some kind. Or if you're 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:40.220 homeschooling, you know, you're going to take 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:42.500 your kids to the park or whatever it is, so you 00:11:42.500 --> 00:11:45.519 stay flexible. Go with your children's interests 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.519 and go and listen to episode 9, which is last 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:51.419 week's episode, where I talk about using the 00:11:51.419 --> 00:11:53.899 curriculum for lesson planning. So that's a wrap 00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:56.809 for today, people. I hope that these insights 00:11:56.809 --> 00:11:59.730 help you create a more structured yet flexible 00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:03.049 learning environment and if you thought any of 00:12:03.049 --> 00:12:05.870 today's information was helpful then please share 00:12:05.870 --> 00:12:08.309 it with someone else who could benefit and that 00:12:08.309 --> 00:12:10.509 way we spread the word and ultimately more kids 00:12:10.509 --> 00:12:12.769 benefit and that's really what's most important 00:12:12.769 --> 00:12:15.889 and the purpose of this podcast. Don't forget 00:12:15.889 --> 00:12:18.129 to tune in next Tuesday for more exciting tips 00:12:18.129 --> 00:12:20.909 and discussions about how we can best serve the 00:12:20.909 --> 00:12:23.649 educational needs of our children in this day 00:12:23.649 --> 00:12:27.720 and age. Most importantly, keep them curious. 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.759 Next week we'll be talking about how to set up 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:34.820 an inspiring learning environment. So until then, 00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:36.620 stay blooming curious.