In a meeting this week, I heard a great analogy from an executive teacher “Do you want to snorkel or scuba dive when teaching’. (Funny enough it also was communicated from my son’s school a few days ago re: curriculum and assessments.) Meaning do you want students to have an in depth understanding (scuba dive)…
Tag: mathematics
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…
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 &…
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…
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…
Understanding the World through Gardening in Early Years
Have you ever planted a tree with your child or tried to explain where fruit and vegetables come from. Most children believe it comes from a market, supermarket shelf or delivered to your door. Is that really where it comes from? Lets look at getting hands on and growing a plant to help them learn…
Early Years Mathematics at home
There are many ways to teach mathematical concepts in early years from showing shapes, counting numbers especially at home. Everyday we all use different numbers, patterns everyday from telephone numbers, house/apartment numbers, time and many more. Once the child can recognise a number it is important to relate it back to their experience. For e.g….
Mathematics Foundations in Early Years
There are many ways children learn mathematics, in early years one of the most important areas is recognition of numbers, sorting and counting. This can be done through sorting colours, in number groups and using different themes. Developing children experiences and allowing them to use their senses whilst learning can be beneficial whether it be…
Early Years 