Key Takeaways
- Drawing is a valuable learning activity for children, not just art
- Fine motor skills development is crucial and can be encouraged through various activities
- Creating a print-rich environment enhances learning and engagement
- Innovative attendance methods can make routine tasks more engaging for students
Topics:
Drawing as a Learning Tool
- Teachers initially thought that children who draw aren't learning, but this view was challenged
- Detailed drawings by children often include various elements (e.g., dog, house, family members)
- Drawing activities can be used to teach complex concepts (e.g., human anatomy)
Fine Motor Skills Development
- Importance of proper pencil grip discussed
- Cylinder shape of baby bottles designed for easy gripping
- Activities suggested:
- Using clay or playdough to improve grip strength
- Employing tweezers for picking up small objects
- Creating a chart with 100 pockets for number placement exercises
Print-Rich Environment
- Emphasised creating visually stimulating classroom spaces
- Ideas shared:
- Large alphabet charts with associated images
- Weekly rotation of featured letters (A-E, then F-J, etc.)
- Punctuation and capitalisation rules displayed on walls
Innovative Attendance Methods
- Goal: Make attendance-taking more engaging and educational
- Suggestions included:
- Using plant or nature themes
- Incorporating math concepts
- Integrating language learning (e.g., food names, ABC's)
Addressing Distracted Students
- Discussed strategies to keep students focused during lessons
- Emphasised calling students by name to maintain attention
- Suggested using interactive elements to keep students engaged
Next Steps
- Teachers to implement 2-3 new strategies in their classrooms over the next week
- Create better learning environments based on the discussed ideas
- Minakshi to focus on improving students' writing skills, including the correct use of capital/lowercase letters and phonetics
- Plan to order or create a counting game for use across different age groups
- Develop charts for English grammar rules to be displayed in classrooms
Learning Forward Sessions are curated with a focus on helping teachers focus on ECCE.
