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Early Learning & Full-Day Kindergarten

Early Years Division, Ministry of Education

2014-2015

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Early childhood

development

sets the

foundation for

lifelong

learning,

behaviour and

health. (Mustard 2006)

6 Years Old 14 Years Old

Brain Development:

from neurons to networks

Newborn 2 Years Old 6 Months Old

Every child

deserves to

have

someone’s

eyes light up

when they

enter the

room. (Clinton 2012)

Think, Feel, Act; Lessons from Research About Young Children

Positive Relationships and Brain Development http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/research.html

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What is your

view of the

young child?

6

7 7

Young

children are

competent,

capable of

complex

thinking,

curious and

rich in

potential.

(Ontario Early Years Policy

Framework, 2013)

A Continuum of Learning

Children

learn

through

exploration,

play and

inquiry

As you view the

video consider:

What learning is

happening?

What literacy

and

mathematical

behaviours are

evident?

What is the role

of the educator?

Play-Based Learning in an Inquiry Stance

Moving From... Towards

Moving away from

• free play

• children rotating through a

pre-determined set of

activities

• children at play while the

educators “teach”

• Children and educators engaging

in play that promotes thinking

• Educators listening and

observing children at play and

responding, extending and

challenging the thinking and

learning

• Co-constructing learning

opportunities that offer student

voice

Focus on Literacy and Numeracy Behaviours

Moving From... Towards

Moving away from

• a narrow view of

instruction

• an over-emphasis of finite

skills (e.g., must know all

their letters, counting to a

benchmark number)

• Children and educators

engaging in thinking that is

focused on literacy and

mathematical behaviours

(e.g., What do you know about

letters? How many ways can

you show 5?)

Learning happens

within the context

of relationships

among children,

families,

educators and

their

environments.

(How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s

Pedagogy for the Early Years 2014)

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/oelf/

Co-Constructed Learning Environments

Moving From... Towards

• Co-constructing learning

environments with children

• Designing learning

environments that stimulate

thinking, curiosity, creativity

and engagement

• Providing materials that allow

children to express their own

ideas and thinking

Moving away from

• an adult perspective on

providing time, space

and activities

• using materials to

replicate an adult’s

idea...

Think, Feel, Act; Lessons from Research About Young Children

Learning Environment: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/research.html

Doing

Saying Representing

Making Children’s Thinking/Learning Visible

Pedagogical

Documentation

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The Marble Run Inquiry

Observing Learning and Pedagogical

Documentation

Moving From... Towards

• Naming and noticing learning

• Slowing down and

documenting what we see and

hear without judgment

• Focusing on assessment

for/as learning

Moving away from

• Rushing to “evaluation”

(assessment of learning)

• Pulling children aside to

assess progress of finite

skills

Kindergarten Gains Observation and Documentation:

http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/earlyPrimary/primaryresources/observationdocumentation.html

The team determines

the quality of the learning program that

young children will experience

(Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program, 2012)

As you view the

video think

about…

What

contributes to an

effective

educator team?

What strategies

might be used to

build a trusting

relationship?

Resources to Support Reflective Practice

and Collaborative Inquiry

The Full-Day Early Learning-Kindergarten Program, Draft (2010)

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/kindergarten_english_june3.pdf

The Extended Day Program, Draft (2010)

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/kinderProgram2010.pdf

• The Flow of the Day

• Self-Regulation

• Inquiry

• Play-Based Learning

• Literacy Through the

Day

• Numeracy Though the

Day

• Observation and

Documentation

• The Learning

Environment

http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/earlyPrimary/primaryresources/earlyprimaryresources.html

Kindergarten GAINS

K to 2 Connections http://kto2connections.wordpress.com/

• Professional Collaborative

Inquiry

• Learning Environment

• Learning in an Inquiry Stance

• Pedagogical Documentation

Videos

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/pedagogy.html

What Works? Research into Practice Series

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/whatWorks.html

Monographs: Capacity Building Series

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/capacityBuilding.html