2:30pm - Lark Hill Nursery School

INSET – Monday 2nd September 2013
The learning of the children and ourselves
9:30am – 2:30pm
For the children
• Exploratory play – from treasure baskets,
heuristic play to loose parts
For us
• How do we think about our learning ?
• Can we support and challenge each other to
learn something new every week ?
Explain how your photograph reflects an aspect of
your approach in the early years
Extract from our new draft Curriculum Policy Sept 2013
“We believe children should be presented with a
beautiful and fascinating environment to explore both
indoors and outdoors. We feel that children should
have the opportunity to return to experiences and
deepen their learning throughout their time at Lark Hill
Nursery School. Children should have genuine choice
between experiences which are rich in potential.”
For the children
What can we provide our children to ensure they can
explore every area of learning within every area of
provision ?
What can we provide our children to ensure they can make
original, thoughtful, creative combinations ?
How do we organise it all ?
As we get to know each group of children how will we
develop the continuous provision ?
The term “heuristic” comes form the Greek word
“eurisko” which means “to discover”.
What did these children discover ?
Watch the four video extracts.
Discuss each one with a different partner. What did
you find interesting about them ? Any thoughts for
our practice ?
1) Exploratory play
Jamie
VTS -01-3
23 months old
9:56 – 13:14
2)Heuristic Play with objects
2:55 – 5:29
All the children are 12 – 20 months old
3) Two year olds outdoors
Laila
2 years 10 months
9:03 – 14:11
VTS -01-2-VOB
4) Heuristic play for toddlers and 2-5 year olds at
Everton Nursery School
VTS -01-1-VOB
5:25 – 8:57
For ourselves
• What helps you have a
good day ?
• Do we all know what
helps each other have a
good day ?
• Think about “I like it
when…” “I don’t like it
when…”
Learning together
To have more choice and autonomy people
participate in an on-going process of listening,
learning and action.
This helps us all to learn what matters to every
individual.
We can also share our choices and decisions.
What are you looking forward to this year ?
What would you like to develop about your
work ?
How will you do it ?
How will you share what you do with other
staff ?
What help might you need ?
What is a reflective journal ?
A reflective journal provides a personal way to
think about and be analytical about aspects of
your practice.
It might include :
photos, quotes, doodles, notes about a theme you
have been pondering
How can we promote the learning of each other ?
(adapted from Kevin Kruse “Four keys to engagement”)
• Communication (dialogue, open, respectful, honest)
• Growth and development (empathy, listen, challenge, support)
• Recognition and appreciation (support, praise, celebrate, share )
• Trust and confidence (value, depend upon, care, belief)
Can we do more of any of this ? When do we do it ?
What could we develop ?
“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We
grow sometimes in one dimension and not in
another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are
relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in
another. The past, present and future mingle and
pull us backward, forward or fix us in the present.
We are made of layers, cells, constellations”
Anais Nin