Introduction

In this blog my aim is to explore the various ways that the children learn effectively. I have chosen to look at 4 different contexts of learning; Learning Through Play, Foundation Phase , Forest School and Montessori's theory of learning. Each of these interlink and aid each other to develop the learner to the best of his/hers ability. I have used online sources to support these views. 

Forest School

Forest Schools are based on a Scandinavian idea of the outdoors being a well resourced learning environment. It does not have to be a forest, any outdoor environment that has access to trees, bushes, water, insects and mud, will be suitable for example field. The idea is to combine both indoor and outdoor learning. The teachers will be in contact with the forest school leaders, in order to reinforce what the children are learning in the classroom with the Forest School. The Forest School sessions aren't additional, they are a learning experience which is a part of their school week. These sessions will be taken place numerous times throughout the year regardless of the weather, unless the weather conditions are too dangerous, for example lightening. 

The areas in which the sessions will take place are completely safe, therefore the children have the freedom and the ability to do whatever they like within reason, this will help towards the development of their independence and risk taking.  

The aim of the Forest School is to:-

- Inspire individuals of all ages
- Create positive experiences
- Be Motivating
- Connect the individual with nature
- Create memorable learning experiences and achievable tasks
- Encourage respect for the natural world
- Ensure individuals have regular interaction with nature  
- Create structured and child- led learning

Benefits

- Raised self esteem and self belief 

- Promote self confidence

- Improve language and communication skills 

- Develop Independence

- Increased respect towards nature 

- Improved fine and gross motor skills

- A greater increase in the development of social skills

Activities- The activities vary throughout the year depending on the weather conditions and what they are currently doing in the curriculum. 

- Whittling

- Fire lighting

- Pond dipping 

- Den/Shelter Building

- Bug hunting 

- Fence building 

- Assault course 

- Feeding birds 

- Outdoor art.

 - Learning how to use tools safely

References 

http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/schools.nsf/open/69F5FAD8E9E44D80802575450054B50D

http://www.treecreepers.co.uk/forest-school-faq/what-is-forest-school/

http://www.longlevensjuniorschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Forest-School-Leaflet.pdf

Learning Through Play

Many practitioners believe that children learn best through play. This is due to play and learning being closely linked together. Learning through play is an extremely important part of the Foundation Phase due to the early years being when the children learn the most.

There are many benefits when children are given the opportunity to play and learn at the same time.

These are a few benefits:-

 • Children are willing/look forward to the activities that they have been given to do.
 • Whilst learning through play, the children don't feel like they are working therefore are more interested in the activity, resulting in greater learning development.
 • The children have a higher level of concentration and interests in the activities and this will reflect on their developments.
• It increases their motivation and the effort they put into doing the activity.

 

Parten (1932) 

Like other theorists, Parten (1932) has attempted to connect the children's cognitive and social ability to the way children play at different stages. Below are the stages of social play that researchers still use today.

Solitary Play - 0-2 years - This stage is when children play alone.
Character Play - 2-2.5 years - This is when children observe other children around them as they are playing. Often the child will alter the way they are playing to what another child is doing.
Parallel Play - 2.5-3 years -This is the stage when a group of children are playing near each other and using the same toys/ materials, but are still working independently.
Associative Play - 3-4 years - This is when the children are playing the same game but are not working together or communicating with each other.
Cooperative Play - 4 + years - This is the stage when children are playing together. Together they decide what game to play and what roles they are playing.

Developments

Play is not only a big factor in helping children learn, but it can be extremely beneficial for developing skills such as:-

Physical Skills - Gross motor skills (crawl, walk, climb) and fine motor skills (handling small objects, pencil).
Cognitive Thinking - Can be developed by play because activities such as puzzles can help the children problem solve. Cognitive concepts can also be developed because as the child explores the outdoor and indoor world their knowledge expands.
Language Skills - Play can also help the children develop language skills due to constant interactions with other students.
Social Skills - Learning through play has an emphasis on group work in order for the children to gain social skills. By working together, the children learn how to compromise, share and co-operate with one another, resulting in learning the rules of society from a young age.

The idea that children learn socially was one of the most emphasised ideas that Vygotsky believed.

References

http://www.niched.org/importance_of_play.html 

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=620 http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/CANCER/pedresource/pedres_docs/ChildrenLearnThruPlay.pdf

Foundation Phase

The Foundation Phase is a curriculum for all children from ages three to seven in Wales. It was introduced to nursery and reception classes in September 2008. This curriculum encourages learning through play, which makes learning more enjoyable for the children. The Foundation Phase gives the children opportunities to explore the world through hands on activities, which are relevant to their stage of development.

Personal and Social Development, Wellbeing and Cultural Diversity

-This is the area of learning which is at the centre of the foundation and should be developed across the whole curriculum.
- Positive attitudes should be developed in order for the children to become increasingly aware of the multiple cultures within Wales, and should appreciate the value of the languages.
- Children are encouraged in becoming confident and independent thinkers and learners in order to express their feelings and emotions.
- This area of learning will also build the child's confidence by becoming confident explorers in their outdoor and indoor environment, which will lead to taking risks.
-Activities for this area should include child initiated play, indoor and outdoor learning, as well as activities which allow children to be independent learners, for example-the role play area.

Language, Literacy and Communication 

- Children can develop these skills through interacting.
- In this area of learning, the children are encouraged to communicate their needs, as well as encouraged to listen and respond to others.
- The children should be aware of Wales being a bilingual country and should develop positive attitudes to speakers of other languages.
- Activities for this area should enable the children to progress in making themselves understood, as well as being able to listen to the teachers and other students in order to carry on instructions.

Mathematical Development 

- In this area, children should develop their Mathematical skills through oral, practical and play activities.
 - In the Foundation Phase, the child learns the basics of Numeracy through hands on activities in order to create a little understanding of Mathematics. After this basic foundation of understanding has been learnt, the teachers will then move on to more written and formal Numerical work.

Welsh Language Development 

- The Welsh language should be developed throughout the Foundation Phase in both Welsh Medium and bilingual schools in order to teach the next generation the language.
- The children should use the Welsh language to communicate as well as they are able to in the Foundation Phase.
 - Children should be given the opportunity to develop their Welsh through written activities as well as orally and through play activities.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

- The children should be given the opportunity to explore and experience the world around them and investigate both indoor and outdoor environment safely.
 -They should be given experiences and activities to increase their curiosity and to keep them engaged with the subject.
 - By using all five of their senses in the activities, it should encourage the children to enjoy learning and exploration therefore increasing their curiosity to learn more.
 - This area of learning should encourage the children to think of questions and then listen to the answers that they are given as well as what would happen in different scenarios.

Physical Development

- The children should develop their gross motor and fine motor skills throughout the 7 areas of learning whilst being indoors and outdoors.
 - Children should be encouraged to enjoy outdoor activity.
- In this learning area, the children should be introduced to physical activity, hygiene as well as a
healthy diet and the importance of sleep.

Creative Development 

- The children should be given the opportunity across the curriculum to continually develop their creativity.
- In this area the children should be able to develop their ability to express their creative ideas and also have the opportunity to reflect their own work.

In the seven stages of development that have been listed above, I must emphasise the importance that the pupils can choose between different activities and are aloud to have a say in how/what they learn. I believe that this is a big factor to the success of the Foundation Phase. I think that through including the pupils in the choice of what they study, you increase their motivation, as it was their decision to learn that particular subject.

References

http://wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/policy_strategy_and_planning/early-wales/whatisfoundation/foundationphase/2274085/frameworkforchildrene.pdf;jsessionid=CE2E6E067A2D2F7E1DF7690D6A86242F?lang=en

Doctor Maria Montessori

Dr Maria Montessori was born on the 31st of August 1870, in Italy. From a young age Maria had fought the stereotypical views of women only being able to achieve certain job opportunities. From 1886-1890 Maria continued her education at the Regio Instituto Tecnico Leonardo da Vinci with the intention of becoming an engineer. Maria abandoned this career path in order to study medicine and become a doctor. Maria became the first woman to enter a medical school in Italy. This was not an easy career to pursue especially for a woman, as she faced prejudice from male colleagues. On the 10th of July 1896, Dr Maria Montessori became the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Italy. As a physician Dr Maria Montessori was involved with the care of young children. As a doctor she visited Rome's asylum for the insane in order to seek any patients for treatment at her clinic. This is where she had realised that the children were desperate for hand stimulating activities, and she believed that this was a contributing factor to their illness. By observing the children, Dr Montessori had discovered that the children create their own personalities through interacting with the environment. Maria grasped an opportunity to work with 'normal' children when she had the chance. Using the materials and knowledge she had collected over the years, Dr Montessori opened the first Case dei Bambini (children's house) in one of the poorest areas of Rome, Quartiere di San Lorenzo on the 6th of January, 1907. By 1908, there were 5 Case dei Bambini open, four in Rome and one in Milan. News spread of Montessori's Case dei Bambini, and many travelled in order to see the extraordinary progress. Resulting in the beginning the new educational approach. There are now approximately 24,000 Montessori schools worldwide. Sadly, Maria Montessori died on May 6th 1952 in the Netherlands.

Montessori's Theory

• Independence -"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed"- Maria Montessori. It was always a goal of Maria's to allow the children to be independent. When the children are given the opportunity to do things for themselves their self belief and self esteem increases which can benefit their ability to learn.
• Observation - Is a way that adults can help the current needs of the children. This was the way that Maria developed her theories.
• Following the Child - This is also another way the children can show you what they need. You should give the child the independence and freedom to choose what to do without being overprotective. 
• Correcting the Child - Children make mistakes, but instead of raising voices, you should recognise the mistake and clear up the mess together. Children like cleaning up because they see adults doing it, therefore are intrigued by it. By raising voices or giving punishments, the child becomes frightened to take risks therefore decides not to try, which effects their development. 
• Prepared Environment - This is an important aspect of the Montessori theory. The rooms and equipment must be child sized and already set up in order to allow children to choose what they please. The environment must be colourful in order to attract children to work, this insinuates that Maria believes that the child is dependent on the environment that he or she is in.    
• Absorbent Mind - Children under 3 years old do not need to be taught, they are like a sponge and absorb everything in by experiencing it. Therefore, Maria believes that it is extremely important to create a safe, positive and colourful environment in order to nurture the child' learning. 

References 
http://montessori.org.au/montessori/biography.htm

http://www.montessorieducationuk.org/?q=who-was-maria-montessori/who-was-maria-montessori

http://www.montessori-namta.org/FAQ/Montessori-Education/How-many-Montessori-schools-are-there

http://www.dailymontessori.com/montessori-theory/