Play in the Classroom: The Nitty Gritty: Curriculum & Timetabling 10/05/2019

The link to the Nitty Gritty slideshow plus the handouts and notes link
Es and Rs:

• Finding the balance between the DATs and intentional teaching in play.

Managing the Environment:

• Crucial to remember that the environment is the third teacher
• Provocations and invitations are all important and lead to problem solving by the children
• For reflection: how important is 'setting things out' each day?

Respect underpins everything:

• respect for self, others and the environment
• children need training.

How do we find the 'rhythm' in the play environment?

There needs to be 'magic' in the environment. How do we as the teachers cultivate that sense of awe and wonder?

Play inside the classroom isn't 'free play'. Play in this setting is the children's work.

Their play needs to be uninterrupted.

Teachers should keep their own need to 'pack up' to a minimum, rather simply 'reset'.

Timetable...

What are the non-negotiables?

• morning tea and lunch
• register
• literacy and numeracy (N.B., some Maths strands will need to be taught explicitly)
• perhaps swimming (put it right before or after a break)
• assembly
• special groups (maybe or maybe not?)

Covering Literacy and Numeracy:

• Remember that roving isn't only when Deliberate Acts of Teaching take place. Teaching happens all the time
• If you have 4 reading groups/4 writing groups, you need to see 2 each day
• Make use of 'I'll be back' cards for those children who are interrupted in their making/creating
• Teach phonics at the point of need, not in isolation
• Set up browsing boxes asap!
• Set up kits of writing and reading activities, as well as some Numeracy kits too (or make better use of the old Numeracy kits?).

Outside:

• So much of the curriculum is opened up in the outdoors
• The outdoors encourages constructivist play and a strong respectful, loving connection with the environment
• Scan, navigate and assess so that children can take risks
• Use the 'line of sight' method of supervision (presenters acknowledged that some children will not always be within sight)
• There needs to be purposeful teaching of the rules and the parameters
• Another idea is to provide hi vis vests for perhaps 6-8 children who can be outdoors
• The key is to be well-resourced and children with well-taught behaviour.

Loose Parts:

• The key here is that no item should have a 'set' job to do
• Children can work more abstractly if we provide a whole lot of 'stuff' which could actually be anything
• This message needs to be put out to the community as whānau members may have, or have access to, useful items
• Loos parts allows for collaboration between children (regardless of developmental stage)
• Careful thought needs to be put into storage and access
• Food For Thought: think about reducing the number of desks/tables in the learning spaces
• With 'the environment as the third teacher' in mind: am I resourcing for the children's urges?

Find The Sacred Urge to Play, by Kimberley Crisp and Pennie Brownlee.

For each urge:

• resource
• teach respect
• teach boundaries

Read Michelle Thornhill's overview of the urges for information about and ways of resourcing each of the urges.

Ideally, one play setting should be able to tick off every curriculum area.

N.B. laminate the curriculum areas and tick or highlight for coverage (perhaps add children's initials?). Any gaps can then be referred to and turned into invitations to play.

Food For Thought: What could I add to lift the learning? Think about a 'Potions Table'. Check on Pinterest!

For children at the age of 5, we want to encourage a sense of awe and wonder in the area of Scince.

Check for this picture book, 'If Rocks Could Sing', by Leslie McGurk (a discovered alpahbet).

Ideas for Invitations and Provocations:

• bones
• playdough
• sticks
• hot glue guns
• The Much Bigger Digger
• sandtray
• brushes
• skeleton model
• non-fiction texts
• outlines of children themselves to draw bones inside
• construction equipment
• fossil hunters' equipment (magnifying glasses, hammers, containers)
• clay for making prints
• observational drawings
• maps
• role play
• Treemendous
• measuring
• clipboards and pens

Follow 'Teacher Tom's' blog.

To Do:

• begin with a daily/weekly Story Table
• print of on one page the curriculum overview and laminate/display
• print off Michelle Thornhill's overview of the urges
• look at removing one of the desks
• have at least 2 (?) provocations prepared for each day.