Prekindergarten Curriculum Evolution and Assessment Strategies

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Explore the journey of Prekindergarten education with a focus on refining assessment techniques, ministry discussions on curriculum development, evolving teaching practices, and the importance of co-creating the curriculum with children. Analyze learning plans to understand goals, sensory aspects, values promoted, and connections with children's daily experiences.

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Refining Assessment PREKINDERGARTEN OCTOBER 19, 2011

Our Day Ministry Discussions Learning Plans, Invitations & Provocations Language, Literacy & Powerful Interactions Refining Our Assessment Student-led Conferences Printing COR Progress Reports

Ministry Discussions Drafting an Essential Learning Experiences for Prekindergarten Language & Emergent Literacy Social Emotional Development Resources to Support Educators Understanding of Developmentally Appropriate Practices Develop PD on Emergent Curriculum Family Engagement Policy & Expectations

How has your Prekindergarten evolved? Today 5 Years Ago

We are making the shift.... Our view of what the curriculum really is Our advanced skills in observing children Our ability to analyze children s thinking and development to see new levels of complexity Our ability to practice new skills and try new ideas Our experience that leads us to trusting children and oneself to co-creating the curriculum.

Co-Creating the Curriculum Child centred curriculum requires a much more complex view of teaching and learning than a traditional one. An emergent curriculum has as much structure as a teacher-directed approach. The difference is that the source of the structure is the teacher s understanding and responsiveness to the children, rather than a curriculum recipe or set plan. The teacher and children create the structure and curriculum together. - Curtis & Carter, 1996

Analyzing Learning Plans Review the two learning plans of these 2 prekindergarten teachers.

Analyzing Learning Plans What goals do these learning plans suggest? How does the teacher think the children will learn? What are the sensory aspects of this learning plan? What values are promoted (consider religious, commercial, diversity)? How do these learning plans draw on the children's daily lives and experiences? How do the learning plans reflect the documentation evidence?

Learning Plans Share each other s Learning Plans

Transformation of our Roles Observer Documenter Researcher Reflector Facilitator

Journal Entry of a Prekindergarten Teacher Read the script. Are you prepared to take the next steps in your role? Do you ever ask yourself, what other materials might extend children s experiences or help them represent their ideas and feelings?

Video: Setting Sail An Emergent Curriculum Project

Stacking blocks and mixing sand and water encourages logical- mathematical thinking, scientific reasoning and cognitive problem solving ..the learning that occurs is a byproduct of play. Paul Cappon (2006), Canadian Council on Learning

Provocations and Invitations Definition: Listening closely to the children and devising a means for provoking further thought and action. An invitation might be an intriguing set of materials that tie into the children s interest, something new in a learning centre, a display that invites hands-on exploration, or perhaps library books on a topic.

A provocation is something that must be responded to, that we cannot ignore. Carol Anne Wien

Lets Play There are various invitations or provocations set up in the room. Find a partner. One person will engage with the invitation the way a child would as if for the first time . The other partner will observe and take note of the learning.

So what are we looking for? How do children use their senses? How do children explore, invent & construct? How do children connect with the natural world? How do children seek power, drama, and adventure? How do children s stories become a part of representation and literacy? How do children form relationships? How do children face barriers and negotiate change? How do children provoke wonder, curiosity, and intellectual engagement?

Creating Invitations ECERS: Center and Materials List COR What s Next? The Art of Awareness: How Observations Can Transform Your Teaching Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments

Language & Literacy

Key Experiences in Language & Literacy Talking with others about personally meaningful experiences Describing objects, events, and relations Having fun with language: listening to stories and poems, making up stories and rhymes Writing in various ways: drawing, scribbling, letter-like forms, invented spelling, conventional forms Reading in various ways: reading storybooks, signs, and symbols, one s own writing Dictating stories 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Video: Going to a Wedding How does literacy and language enhance as we play with children?

Powerful Interactions Interactions are the exchanges in words and gestures that you have with others in particular, the exchange that you as a teacher have with young children.

Giving your interactions some careful thinking is important because research shows that who you are, and how and what you say and do as you engage with children, makes a difference in what they learn about themselves, others, and the world. Hamre & Pianta, 2005

What does a Powerful Interaction look like? Think of a time when you had genuine conversation with a friend or family member. What did this look like? Reflect and write down characteristics of this powerful interaction.

What is a Powerful Interaction? Every day interactions spontaneous, rushed, little thought about purpose. Children may or may not learn from this interaction. Powerful interaction very intentional and purposeful exchanges between a teacher and child that can have a significant and highly positive impact on learning.

You launch a Powerful Interaction when you make a conscious decision to say or do something that conveys to the child, I notice you, I m interested in you, and I want to know you better. This moment of personal connection builds upon the trust and security that exists between the two of you. Within a trusting and secure relationship, a child is more open to learn from guidance and instruction you offer.

Step 1: Being Present When you are present you are in the moment and self-aware, and therefore you can be more open to the interesting and significant things that children do.

Step 2: Connect You acknowledge and validate children by letting them know you see them, are interested in them, and want to spend time with them. Connecting in this way awakens the sense of trust and security that creates positive interactions and learning.

Step 3: Extend Learning When you extend a child s knowledge and understanding hand-in-hand with nurturing a positive relationship with that child, you create the optimal condition for you to teach and the child to learn. Have genuine conversations with children. Your role as a facilitator changes from a telling role to that of exchanger of knowledge and ideas . (pg. 58 ELPG) Conversations reveal and stimulate children s thinking.

Refining Our Assessment HOW DOES YOUR DOCUMENTATION CORRESPOND TO COR CATEGORIES AND ITEMS? DO YOU SEE TRENDS? DO YOU SEE GAPS?

Assessment Instruction Activity How does your instruction change tomorrow based on the information you have gathered? How does your documentation evidence (assessment) drive your learning plan? Now what? What do you do? What invitations, props, events, and conversations do you need to facilitate? How does your learning plan change? How do you look at today so that it becomes meaningful tomorrow?

Now what?...Reflective Lens Using your documentation thus far, what props, materials, conversations, questions, activities will be presented tomorrow for these children? Learning Plan Environment/Invitations Conversations/Essential Questions Play/Activity

Putting It All Together

Student-led Conferences Ideas: Open House Documentation Environment Discussion about COR Share: Central Park s Student-led Conference Plan Andrea & Nicole

Printing COR Progress Reports Family Report New Period 1 1. 1. 1. Next 1. 1. Select all --- determine the data you want or don t want included in the report Complete Report Print 2. 3.

Work Time Documentation and COR Preparing for Student-led Conferences Reflecting on Documentation and Determining Learning Plan Invitations and/or Provocations Environment Essential Questions/Powerful Interactions Play Activities