ACEs: How Do You React to Them in Your Learning Environment?

Those extenuating circumstances that impact a learner's potential in the world.

What 3 to 7 Year Olds Need to Learn?

Nathan Mikaere-Wallis is always handy for a complex and important message that is easily assessable to all!
What 3 to 7 Year Olds Need to Learn?

A clip from Radio New Zealand about children forming concepts as a learner, letting children be children and the value of enjoying listening to your children tell you what they "know" about their world.

He spends some time responding to some common questions from listeners.


The big message: play, Play.... PLAY!  (YAH!)

Te Whāriki- because learning happens everywhere and all the time...

Have been having a quick re-look at Te Whāriki which came up as part of our change team work last year (to do with reviewing our use of assessment). The literal translation of Te Whāriki is 'The Woven Mat' - a holistic metaphor for what we do, indeed!
Te Whāriki is based on the aspirations that children grow up:

• as competent and confident learners and communicators
• healthy in mind, body and spirit
• secure in their sense of belonging
• secure in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.

I initially was attracted to it in terms of integrating discovery learning into St V's classroom programme.
It is a surprising wee gem of a document - well done Early Childhood - thank goodness the government isn't interfering with this side of their professionalism ... yet (knock on wood!!!).

Te Whāriki principles are;

• Empowerment
• Holistic Development
• Family and Community 
• Relationships

What an amazing foundation for our youngsters - it would be great if this could transition more into our primary curriculum ( not to mention our secondary!). These things are important to us all!!

Notes I made this time around

Empowerment - Feedback to students on their learning must enhance their sense of themselves to nurture esteem in their capability and competence

Holistic Development - assessing needs to take place in context - transparently meaningful/purposeful activities

Family and Community

The necessity and usefulness of having family integrated into  assessment and evaluation of the curriculum AND student's learning and development.

Also I note the positives and negatives we deal with as educators in the reality of parental influence on learning (transferences of parents educational baggage to their children).

Relationships - adults as learners - life long learners whether they know it or not! Self awareness of this is key.

Five learning strands

 Te Whāriki’s four principles are interwoven with these learning areas:

• Mana atua wellbeing
• Mana tangata contribution
• Mana whenua belonging
• Mana reo communication
• Mana aotūroa exploration.

Thoughts on these another time...

Inactive Brains...

A number of studies have shown that exercise can remodel the brain by prompting the creation of new brain cells and inducing other changes. Now it appears that inactivity, too, can remodel the brain, according to a notable new report.

The study, which was conducted in rats but likely has implications for people too, the researchers say, found that being sedentary changes the shape of certain neurons in ways that significantly affect not just the brain but the heart as well. The findings may help to explain, in part, why a sedentary lifestyle is so bad for us.

Inactivity and the Brain...

Supporting my preference (and as yet unfilled desire) to have some standing tables in our classrooms.

Lots of boys in our learning environment - also lots of people who like to sit about and yet  are fidgety.

We do have a variety of learning spaces but they all encourage various forms of sitting.

Love this bit..

But in the years since, neurological studies have established that the brain retains plasticity, or the capacity to be reshaped, throughout our lifetimes. Exercise appears to be particularly adept at remodeling the brain, studies showed.

There is yet hope for brains for adults who have been trapped in the cycle of a sedentary work environment for most of their life!