WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.250 When you think about your job as an educator, what do you think your role is? 00:00:06.390 --> 00:00:10.919 For most of us, we'd probably say to teach children or to educate children. 00:00:11.520 --> 00:00:15.660 But when we reflect on that, it's so much more. 00:00:15.780 --> 00:00:20.280 Education is a broad term, and depending on where you sit on this 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:24.570 education journey or continuum, it will mean something different. 00:00:24.570 --> 00:00:29.309 And I certainly hope you can't hear next door banging and I just wish they'd stop. 00:00:30.110 --> 00:00:35.750 And of course education is changing and it's changing rapidly in this 00:00:35.750 --> 00:00:38.150 technological age, we find ourselves in. 00:00:38.809 --> 00:00:42.429 ipads and apps are now, the teacher's competition. 00:00:43.010 --> 00:00:47.690 Technology is often more exciting for children, than what they're getting in 00:00:47.690 --> 00:00:50.000 a classroom, or even in their own homes. 00:00:50.509 --> 00:00:53.239 And this is where I see our role as educators and 00:00:53.239 --> 00:00:54.769 parents a little differently. 00:00:54.849 --> 00:01:00.639 . I see us, not just as facilitators of learning, but also as curators. 00:01:01.269 --> 00:01:06.969 We need to create the spaces and the opportunities that make learning more 00:01:06.969 --> 00:01:10.839 engaging than an app or a game on an iPad. 00:01:11.619 --> 00:01:17.679 And I believe that technology has no place in an early childhood education. 00:01:17.769 --> 00:01:21.519 Oh my golly gee wizz now the haters are all going to come out. 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:27.009 But this is because not only are studies coming out thick and fast 00:01:27.009 --> 00:01:30.669 about how it affects young children's brain development or the way in 00:01:30.669 --> 00:01:32.470 which children's brains are wired. 00:01:33.130 --> 00:01:37.060 Technology is simply something that is consumed. 00:01:37.149 --> 00:01:40.269 It's not active and there's no need for imagination. 00:01:40.809 --> 00:01:40.999 Now 00:01:41.019 --> 00:01:43.149 I know some of you will say that's rubbish. 00:01:43.149 --> 00:01:47.470 Well, I can tell you this and I know many, many educators who have been 00:01:47.470 --> 00:01:51.130 in a classroom for many years will attest to the fact that children's 00:01:51.130 --> 00:01:55.959 behavior, their focus and their language acquisition have deteriorated 00:01:55.989 --> 00:01:58.119 in line with access to technology. 00:01:58.600 --> 00:02:03.190 And I know I have said it before, and perhaps it isn't so much the technology 00:02:03.220 --> 00:02:07.869 itself, but rather the quality of the technology and the time spent on it, 00:02:08.169 --> 00:02:13.510 that may be the problem, but either way technology is addictive and I 00:02:13.510 --> 00:02:18.399 believe it does more harm than good to young children's developing brains. 00:02:19.450 --> 00:02:23.200 Now, when we talk about young children and giving them experiences or 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:29.500 opportunities to engage in real learning, there is simply no comparison to real 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:32.769 life, to real hands-on experiences. 00:02:33.100 --> 00:02:37.149 Even something like Minecraft, which could be very creative and has the 00:02:37.149 --> 00:02:42.280 need for problem-solving, still cannot hold a candle to real life experiences. 00:02:42.700 --> 00:02:47.679 When you're mixing something, whether it be cake batter or cement, you need to 00:02:47.679 --> 00:02:52.209 have a feel for the consistency to know whether you're on the right track or not. 00:02:52.630 --> 00:02:55.420 And no Minecraft game is going to give you that. 00:02:55.810 --> 00:03:00.489 Feeding chickens in a game and feeding chickens in real life are 00:03:00.489 --> 00:03:02.890 two very different experiences. 00:03:03.459 --> 00:03:09.640 So, how do we create these opportunities for children to experience real learning. 00:03:10.480 --> 00:03:14.230 Well, something that's come up time and time again, even in the interviews 00:03:14.230 --> 00:03:19.209 I've recently had is that you and I are the key to children's learning. 00:03:19.690 --> 00:03:25.269 Our passions and curiosity matters because if we aren't curious, how 00:03:25.269 --> 00:03:27.190 can we expect kids to get curious? 00:03:27.490 --> 00:03:31.839 Because curiosity and passion for learning are contagious. 00:03:32.200 --> 00:03:36.909 So it starts with us watching and listening, asking questions, 00:03:37.269 --> 00:03:41.620 encouraging kids to share their ideas with each other and curating 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:44.349 spaces that provoke curiosity. 00:03:45.010 --> 00:03:50.349 In episodes, 11 and 12, I spoke about creating inspiring indoor 00:03:50.349 --> 00:03:51.700 and outdoor environments. 00:03:52.029 --> 00:03:54.700 So perhaps after this episode go and listen to those 00:03:54.700 --> 00:03:55.779 if you haven't already. 00:03:56.260 --> 00:03:59.649 I also created a free checklist for setting up and inspiring 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:04.060 indoor space, which you can get@resourcesdotedlessons.com, 00:04:04.329 --> 00:04:07.750 inspiring space checklist, or put it in the show notes for you. 00:04:08.650 --> 00:04:12.940 Now when we want kids to explore and be excited about learning, we need to 00:04:12.940 --> 00:04:19.120 provide objects and resources that light them up that give them real experiences. 00:04:20.020 --> 00:04:24.370 If you just have a boring outdoor space, and it's just grass, 00:04:24.730 --> 00:04:26.680 how can you make that exciting? 00:04:27.220 --> 00:04:30.730 Or, you have an attractive outdoor area that's been beautifully 00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:32.560 designed, but now what? 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:36.820 What opportunities are there for kids to engage with that environment? 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:40.840 Perhaps you could provide magnifying glasses or long 00:04:40.840 --> 00:04:43.480 strips of fabric or purposefully 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:48.370 sow seeds that grow into herbs or flowers for picking so they can be used for 00:04:48.430 --> 00:04:51.580 potions and cooking in the mud kitchen. 00:04:51.940 --> 00:04:56.650 Or setting up paint brushes, and water for painting a wall water does no harm, 00:04:56.650 --> 00:05:00.280 it will dry, but the kids would get that whole painting motion, which of course 00:05:00.280 --> 00:05:02.080 is great for fine motor development. 00:05:03.280 --> 00:05:07.450 Or perhaps you want to set up a bird bath or a bird feeder so that you 00:05:07.450 --> 00:05:09.220 can observe the birds that visit. 00:05:09.610 --> 00:05:14.260 I've done this in my own students and they just absolutely loved looking 00:05:14.260 --> 00:05:18.070 out for the birds and identifying which bird it was that was visiting. 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:23.380 You could even have a bird poster, somewhere, and then create a graph where 00:05:23.410 --> 00:05:27.880 each time a bird visits you add a counter or a pebble, and so you create maths 00:05:27.880 --> 00:05:31.750 experiences that collect data about the types of birds that visit your garden. 00:05:32.590 --> 00:05:35.320 The same goes for our indoor spaces. 00:05:35.650 --> 00:05:37.750 Think about art galleries and museums. 00:05:37.750 --> 00:05:40.510 They are beautifully and attractively, curated. 00:05:40.840 --> 00:05:44.620 They're not crammed with stuff or just stuff it's randomly 00:05:44.650 --> 00:05:47.290 shoved in because you've got no place at home for it anymore. 00:05:47.850 --> 00:05:51.900 And that's exactly why there are gallery and museum curators, whose 00:05:51.930 --> 00:05:56.670 job it is to find ways to arrange and display objects in a way, that 00:05:56.730 --> 00:06:03.240 are not only attractive, but in ways that invite exploration and wonder. 00:06:03.900 --> 00:06:04.920 And that's our job. 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:10.560 To be curators, to ask ourselves why we place certain objects or 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:14.580 resources out for children and what are they going to gain from them? 00:06:14.910 --> 00:06:15.960 And these objects. 00:06:16.710 --> 00:06:20.070 Are these objects going to inspire curiosity or are they just going 00:06:20.070 --> 00:06:21.870 to be clutter for no real purpose? 00:06:23.250 --> 00:06:28.500 The way we organize materials and even the types of materials we have 00:06:28.530 --> 00:06:34.500 in our learning spaces need to invite kids to experiment, to investigate, 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:36.760 to explore, to create and imagine. 00:06:37.550 --> 00:06:41.120 I've spoken with guests so many times already about the power of 00:06:41.150 --> 00:06:45.440 open-ended materials and loose parts that allow children to be creative. 00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:50.210 They allow kids to express themselves in ways that aren't limiting. 00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:56.469 You can go check out episode 25 my interview with Marcus Veerman the creator 00:06:56.739 --> 00:07:03.099 of the Nudel Pod and the Nudel Kart where he talks about how loose parts impact 00:07:03.099 --> 00:07:04.839 children's learning and development. 00:07:06.159 --> 00:07:09.729 Now when we start a unit of work, we need to be thinking about how we're 00:07:09.729 --> 00:07:14.019 going to get kids curious, perhaps taking a walk around the school or to a 00:07:14.049 --> 00:07:16.570 nearby park, to pick up natural objects. 00:07:16.570 --> 00:07:21.159 It may be used for pattern making classification or art or all of the above. 00:07:21.729 --> 00:07:25.900 Or perhaps we're going to set up zones in our space where each zone 00:07:25.900 --> 00:07:29.650 provides a different experience or opportunity for children to interact. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.300 By putting a basket of loose parts or pine cones in a block area, for 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:38.619 example, or perhaps different types of brushes and paints in the art area. 00:07:38.950 --> 00:07:42.249 Or stick insects or mealworms in our science area. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.749 Together with magnifying glasses, books, and posters and nature journals. 00:07:47.290 --> 00:07:50.619 Each child will be drawn to an area of their interest. 00:07:51.099 --> 00:07:54.820 These might be the very first inquiry projects that they do. 00:07:55.330 --> 00:08:00.340 Personal inquiry projects about things that the children are interested in are 00:08:00.340 --> 00:08:04.450 so powerful, especially when you get started, because it gives you insight. 00:08:04.810 --> 00:08:07.479 Into what these kids really love. 00:08:08.379 --> 00:08:12.489 And think about each area, not as something the child has to do. 00:08:12.729 --> 00:08:15.249 It's not a literacy station or math station. 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:20.320 These are areas where you are inviting kids to explore and interact. 00:08:21.009 --> 00:08:23.499 And this requires a bit of thought on your part. 00:08:23.950 --> 00:08:27.369 A personal inquiry project is a really powerful way to get to know 00:08:27.369 --> 00:08:30.910 your learners, as I said, their interests and their strengths. 00:08:30.940 --> 00:08:34.539 And it's a great way to get them hooked on learning because it's 00:08:34.539 --> 00:08:38.500 interactive and hands-on, and there's really nothing better for a child. 00:08:38.829 --> 00:08:44.379 And I guarantee you that these types of experiences make learning fun for kids. 00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:46.960 And isn't that what we ultimately want? 00:08:47.230 --> 00:08:49.660 For children to love learning. 00:08:50.319 --> 00:08:55.000 If you haven't already you might want to listen to episode 28 for all 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:58.660 the different ways you can document and capture children's learning. 00:08:59.290 --> 00:09:03.790 And if you would like more strategies, and insights just like these delivered 00:09:03.790 --> 00:09:07.750 to your inbox, then you should subscribe to my free weekly newsletter 00:09:07.810 --> 00:09:10.420 Get Curious and get on my mailing list. 00:09:10.810 --> 00:09:14.770 My subscribers get access to all the juicy bits and inside information, 00:09:14.770 --> 00:09:21.409 so go Get Curious by signing up at resources.edlessons.com/getcurious. 00:09:21.449 --> 00:09:23.260 I'll link it in the show notes for you. 00:09:24.190 --> 00:09:27.579 Now I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to listen to this podcast. 00:09:27.609 --> 00:09:30.550 It means the world to me, because I know you could have chosen 00:09:30.550 --> 00:09:32.020 one of a thousand out there. 00:09:32.020 --> 00:09:35.050 So I'm deeply grateful to you for choosing this one. 00:09:35.319 --> 00:09:37.060 Thanks so much. 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:42.310 And if you found anything here inspiring or helpful, then tap the 00:09:42.310 --> 00:09:45.879 share button, and share it with a friend or colleague or both. 00:09:46.300 --> 00:09:50.500 And also consider leaving a review that will really help push the podcast higher 00:09:50.500 --> 00:09:54.819 up the rankings, and then more people will find it and hopefully benefit from it. 00:09:55.450 --> 00:09:57.879 And would that I'll love and leave you until next time. 00:09:58.180 --> 00:10:01.089 Don't forget, stay blooming, curious.