Amazing with all the research in the world a majority of the school systems still have an emphasis on academic learning and not experimental learning which is learning by play, experiences and just fun.
Tag: EYFS
Teaching a Child to Love Learning
Why does it sound funny to say “teach a child to love learning”? These days, parents with school age children are so competitive: after-school activities starting from a young age, reading book levels always being spoken about and compared, who is the best or doing the most. I wonder if this is really helping our…
Success in Our Education System is more than just Academic Learning!
‘Education systems can help people lead happier, more fulfilling lives by teaching them to be aware of their thoughts, emotions and behaviors’ say Sir Anthony Seldon. This quote I came across when researching educating students for life. Many countries education do extremely well with academic learning, standardized tests and exams especially throughout Asia with curriculum…
Understanding STEM in Early Years!
The big buzz in schools curriculum is the acronym STEM. Lets look at breaking it down, finding out what it really means in the early years. Academically speaking STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. It is a focus on these areas simultaneously. Not only because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are…
Characteristics of Effective Learning in Early Years!
Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) are a revived element in the current Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). CoEL advocate that in planning and guiding children’s activities, practitioners must reflect on the different ways that children learn, and then reflect these in their practice. A child’s individual learning characteristic will determine the way they respond…
Messy Play in the Early Years!
With October being #sensoryawareness month lets look at messy play. There is nothing better than seeing children be free to explore, experiment through messy play. The learning opportunities are endless being creative, using their imagination and generally challenging themselves. Whether it be playing inside with bubbles, shaving foam, flour or outside in the sand and…
Lets Build Resilient Children in the Early Years
Lets talk about building resilience in children especially in the early years. Resilience is one of the most important social skills children can learn in their early years. When a child falls over generally a parent assesses the situation if not serious proceeds to say ‘pick yourself up, keep playing’. It has a stronger meaning than…
Why use ‘Pattern Blocks’ in Early Years!
Pattern blocks have to be one of the most diverse teaching resources for early years. One of the teachers I work closely with thinks it reminds her of the game Tetris when looking at perimeters. Pattern blocks facilitate in teaching shapes, colour, counting, number and measurements. Using pattern blocks can develop communication, language, emotional, personal &…
Reggio, Montessori, Walker theories what do they all have in common?
The theme is cars this afternoon when he came home from school they were scattered around the play room where he left them before heading off to school. Cars go crash into the wall, flying off the bean bags onto a make shift ramp. My son has set up a race track with the aim…
Let’s Play in the Early Years!
What’s more fun than the freedom of running in the park, balancing on one foot, jumping up and down with your friends. Whilst inventing new games to play, using your imagination to take you to wonderful places in the park, backyard, beach, swimming pool, playground, classroom and many more. Using all your senses (sensory/tactile play)…
Teaching is it a Calling or Part of your Training and Environment
My mother was a teacher, my grandmother too. Not only that, my family also has an education supply/manfacturer business. So it’s not as if I’ve fallen into education by accident. Indeed, it’s been a long time coming: I too trained as a primary teacher then decided to become a physical education (PE) teacher. I still…
Foundations of Mathematics in the Early Years!
In the early years learning to count and sort is one of your most important skills. Children can do this in everyday activities, by helping parents/gaurdians with house work, shopping, by sorting the fruit from the vegetables, sorting the dark colours of clothes to light. One of my sons favourite activities is to sort the…
Teaching Children to Fall Safely in Early Years!
I remember saying to another parent at the playground when I first landed in my expat posting in Asia that we have tried to teach our child how to fall. To me it was just another milestone, learning how to fall safely then get back up again. The look on her face said it all,…
Sand, Water, Sensory Play in Early Years
Sensory play is so important for children, Children love to get hands on with activities it allows them to create, innovate and use their imagination. Children learn about the world through their senses, their first response to sand and water is a sensuous one, they touch, pat, swirl, smell and stroke it, sometimes for very…
Expressive Art and Design in Early Years
Does your child play with their friends and imagine they are flying a rocket, driving a car, a princess in a castle, a teacher, nurse or doctor. This is the start of using expressive arts in early years. Many curriculums encourage this particular role play, expressing their imagination, emotions, communication and developing socially. Expressive arts…
Early Years 