Nurturing Learning Dispositions through Thinking Routines Early - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Nurturing Learning Dispositions through Thinking Routines

Early Childhood Conference

Oct 2018

1

Jermaine Lim & Jilyn Tan

Ministry of Education

What do you SEE? What do you THINK could be the presenters’ focus / key message? I wonder how this can be applied to my own beliefs/centre practice?

“The fundamental purpose of education for the 21st century it is argued, is not so much the transmission of particular bodies of knowledge, skill and understanding as facilitating the development of the capacity and the confidence to engage in lifelong learning.”

(Carr and Claxton, 2002)

‘Learn for Life’ is a value, an

attitude and a skill that our students need to possess, and it is fundamental in ensuring that education remains an uplifting force in society.

Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Opening Speech at School Workplan Seminar 2018)

Objectives of Session

• HOW can teachers nurture learning dispositions in

young children explicitly and purposefully? WHAT are the key guiding principles and strategies to nurture learning dispositions in young children?

• HOW might thinking routines be introduced to integrate

learning dispositions into existing classroom activities, routines and transitions?

Why are Learning Dispositions Important? Dispositions should be included in learning goals because “the acquisition of knowledge and skills alone does not guarantee that they will be used and applied”.

(Katz, 1993)

Knowledge + Skills + Learning Dispositions

Why are Learning Dispositions Important? Lifelong Learner

NEL Curriculum Framework

Learning dispositions

Desired Outcomes of Education & Key Stage Outcomes of Pre-School Education

12

Children will keep working at a task to complete it. They do not give up even though it is challenging.

Children will think back about what they have done, seen, heard or felt in their experiences. They will generate alternative ideas, gain new knowledge to improve their learning

Children will be able to recognise individual qualities. They will listen to the views of

• thers and

show respect for

• thers.

Children will be flexible in their thinking. They are willing to try

• ut

something new or different and will explore doing things in different ways. Children will show interest in the world they live in. They will not afraid to ask questions and like to explore and discover new things. Children will immerse in what they are doing and enjoy what they do. They will take initiatives to seek

• pportunities

in learning without being asked.

What are the Learning Dispositions?

Scenario 1

Teacher Jilyn is facilitating reflection time with a group of children in the classroom. As a child is sharing her artwork with the class, Christopher shouted “Why is your cat blue? Cats are black, brown or white. MY CAT is BROWN!!!”.

What do you see in this scenario? Why do you think the child, Christopher responses in this way? I wonder how we can nurture learning disposition(s) in the above scenario?

Scenario 2

Teacher Jermaine’s class is having learning centre time. In

• ne of the small groups, the children are stuck and have

difficulty completing their task. In the other group, the children have completed their task and are getting restless.

What do you see in this scenario? Why do you think the children react this way? I wonder how we can nurture learning disposition(s) in the above scenario?

How Can We Nurture Learning Dispositions in Children?

Guiding Principles - CRANE

Nurture

deliberately

Establish a

common language

Reinforce

across contexts

Create a

Classroom Culture

Adopt a

whole Kindergarten approach

Engage children’s affect (heart) and intellect (head) so that they are able to exhibit the disposition in their actions (hand)

3 Key Considerations:

• Plan meaningful learning experiences
• Design the learning environment
• Model through appropriate behaviour and

language

Role of the Teacher

Create a classroom

culture

Reinforce across

context

Adopt a whole

kindergarten approach

Establish a

common language

Nurture

deliberately

• 1. Plan

meaningful learning experiences

• 2. Design the

learning environment

• 3. Model

through appropriate behaviour and language

• 1. Plan meaningful

learning experiences

• Aim to nurture learning

dispositions deliberately

• Use common language
• Reinforce learning

dispositions across various contexts

Role of Teacher

• 2. Design the learning environment

a) Physical set-up of the classroom

• Displaying children’s work to promote reflection and appreciation
• Seating arrangement to promote inventiveness, engagement and/or

appreciation

• Audio-visual aids to promote reflection and facilitate conversations

about other learning dispositions

Role of Teacher

• 2. Design the learning environment

b) Safe and inviting atmosphere (Tone, words)

Role of Teacher

• 3. Model through appropriate behaviour and

language Seize teachable moments to:

• Strengthen desirable dispositions
• Weaken undesirable dispositions

Role of Teacher

How might a child who is facing difficulty with a particular task serve as a teachable moment?

• 3. Model through appropriate behaviour and

language Act as role-model:

• Lead by example
• Recognise and value the learning dispositions

Role of Teacher

Use of Routines?

• In early childhood settings, routines play

an important part in shaping the dynamics

• f the classroom, including teaching and

learning.

• Routines are simple steps that organise

children’s and teachers’ participation in classroom activities.

Characteristics of Routines

• Classroom routines tend to be explicit, and

goal-driven in nature, usually due to a deliberate choice by the teacher.

– Only a few steps – Easy to teach and learn – Easily scaffolded – Used over and over again

Use of Routines?

• Ritchhart (2002) identifies 4 types of

routines:

Types of Routines Purpose Example House-keeping Manage movement and physical materials Putting bags in cubby holes Management Set up the classroom to help children prepare for learning Forming groups, coming to attention Discourse Organise conversations between teachers and students Norms for classroom discussion e.g. raising hands Learning Focus children’s attention on the current topic being discussed Circle time at the end of the day for reflection

Thinking routines

Visible Thinking

• Developed by Harvard Project

Zero

• Practices that help to make

thinking visible by guiding learners’ thought processes and encouraging active processing

• Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKV_S5NpDdc

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

29

Create a classroom

culture

Reinforce across

context

Adopt a whole

kindergarten approach

Establish a

common language

Nurture

deliberately

• 1. Plan

meaningful learning experiences

• 2. Design the

learning environment

• 3. Model

through appropriate behaviour and language

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• Here are some possibilities for nurturing

learning dispositions through thinking routines:

Learning Disposition Thinking Routines

Perseverance Stuck Talk Reflectiveness Think back – Learn From it – Do it Better Appreciation Think – Pair – Share Inventiveness Imagine if… Sense of Wonder and Curiosity See – Think – Wonder Think – Puzzle – Explore

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• “Stuck Talk”
• Think back – learn from it – do it better

I am stuck. I am stuck because…

VS

Think Back Learn from it Do it better

• What happened?
• What was the first thing

you did?

• What did you do next?
• Was it easy or difficult

to…? Why?

• What have you learnt

from…?

• What could you have

done?

• Do you like to…?

Why?

• If you are asked to…

again, what else would you do?

• What would you do if

this happens again?

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• Think-pair-share

– Helps children to understand multiple perspectives through sharing ideas.

Think Pair Share Think about your answer to the question. Share your ideas with a partner. Tell the group about your partner’s responses.

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• See-Think-Wonder/ Think-Puzzle-Explore

– Stimulates curiosity and sets the stage for inquiry

See Think Wonder What do you see? What do you think about that? What does it make you wonder? Think Puzzle Explore Do you think you know about this topic? What questions

• r puzzles

do you have? How can you explore this topic?

Thinking Routines for Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• Imagine if…

– In what ways could the bus be made better? – In what ways could the bus be made more beautiful?

Discussion

How do you think learning dispositions may be nurtured in your centre through the use

• f thinking routines?
• Which thinking routine might you want to use?
• Consider the guiding principles and roles of a teacher – would the

thinking routine in question support that?

Q&A

In Summary

Situation

Shaped by attitude/values

Decision Action Behaviour

(over time)

Teacher’s role including the consistent use

• f thinking routines in the classroom

THANK YOU!