Yasmin Vasi shares three theories that have inspired her as a teacher and reflects on how she implements them in her Primary Years Programme classroom
As teachers, we often get inspired by the work of educationalists and scientists. Some theories and thoughts have shaped my practice more than others.
The first one comes from Phillip Candy’s 1991 book Self Direction for Lifelong Learning: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice.
There is a sentence in that book that particularly inspires me: “researchers would gain valuable new insights into both the mechanisms of learning and the relative advantages of teacher-controlled and learner-controlled modes of learning if learning is regarded not as the acquisition of information, but as a search for meaning and coherence in one's life, and if an emphasis is placed on what is learned and its personal significance to the learner, rather than how much is learned.”
This is a very valuable aspect of teaching, also at primary level, and I think it further amplifies the Connect, extend, challenge strategy, which helps students make connections between new ideas and prior knowledge.
We are already using this approach - we just use different terminology!
Looking into my own teaching to reflect on how I practise Candy’s thought, and foster a search for meaning and personal significance for my pupils, I was surprised to find that we are already using this approach in the early years in our classroom – we just use different terminology!
I teach in an IB school, where we follow a Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum based on inquiry. At the start of every Unit of Inquiry (UOI), the first step for teachers is to find out what the children already know and then use this prior knowledge to connect with what they will be learning.
The inquiry then moves in the direction of what the children want to know more about to extend their knowledge.
The final step entails going further by researching or finding out information about a concept or question the children would like to know more about – or simply encouraging children to challenge themselves to learn about something they are interested in outside the classroom framework.
Can snails see and hear?
To illustrate this further, I would like to relate this to an experience in my classroom.
Recently, we had a UOI about ‘My Senses and Me’. The central idea was that senses help us learn about the world around us. We initially focused on how senses are used, and this was something the children at this age can easily relate to.
As the unit progressed, one of the children was curious to find out if snails could actually hear and see. This was simply because in Singapore we have a lot of snails in the playground – something the children experience every day in their lives. Their interest was kindled and the children individually researched this at home with their parents. As the inquiry went forward, it opened up a new discussion on how we rely on one sense when the other doesn't work.
Children brought back this information to the classroom to share with everyone. They used the internet to gather information and facts, drew pictures, and brought in books about snails. It was interesting to see how children’s inquiries work and how they can change the assessment of the unit. Once we shared the information they had researched, they all had their interpretations and explanations for their own inquiries.
The next time we went to the playground, the children were interested in looking at the snails more closely.
A holistic curriculum
Another interesting point I often reflect on is about the importance of the curriculum. We really don't think of the curriculum as a foundation of teaching; the curriculum is just there and we take it for granted and use it in our teaching practice.
However, a curriculum should aim at the holistic development of a child. Diane Dodge, in her 1995 paper titled The importance of curriculum in achieving quality child day care programs, said: "A well-defined curriculum framework, based on a child development theory, provides early childhood educators with a structure for planning a program that encompasses all aspects of a child's development and meets professional standards.”
Iconic words
Which theories have shaped your practice as an educator?
Finally, another theory I personally find inspirational is the trilogy of learning based on the enactive, iconic, and symbolic model. Jerome Bruner proposed three modes of representation:
- Enactive representation (action-based);
- Iconic representation (image-based);
- Symbolic representation (language-based);
He also proposed that children ages 1-6 learn best through the iconic representation when information is presented visually.
I know that with young children it is very effective when information is presented through a picture, graph, poster, or in 3D; it is easier for the children to remember this information.
Another example of this is when we teach phonics/letter recognition. I have a letterbox with objects starting with that sound, and a sandpaper letter for the children to trace.
I find this as a much more effective way for them to remember the sound. I encourage them to create the letter by using objects in the classroom -Lego, blocks.
As teachers we have a huge responsibility to deliver the curriculum in a way it can meet the needs of all learners. Which theories have shaped your practice as an educator?