Showing posts with label Language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Language. Show all posts
Monday, September 8, 2014
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
What's in a word?
A past parent recently asked me, "what really is the point of teaching children Te Reo Maori, they'll never use it in the real world, they'd be better learning something like French or Mandarin."
It's a good question to which there are many answers.
One answer is words, think for a minute how you would say "nuclear missile" to an ancient celt? "Spear that strikes mountains as lightning strikes trees?"
When you learn a language you don't just learn sounds that come out of your mouth but concepts and ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world that other languages may simply not have the words to express. Remember hypotenuse? Perhaps that's why New Zealanders are seen as so creative, because we combine within ourselves ideas and words the rest of the world simply doesn't have access to.
A big part of learning to be an effective teacher is learning the language of teaching, most jobs have it their own special jargon and ways of thinking, that's one reason why a person straight off the street can't expect to be a fully effective teacher without training any more than I could become a world class chef overnight, even though I cook.
But what about jargon, what about your everyday words, the words you use every day! When did you learn most of the words and concepts you've spent the rest of your life relying on, the words of society, friendship, courage, contribution, exploration, communication, belonging and wellbeing?
In Early childhood of course. That's why it's so important to have a rich vocabulary around your children, but it must be in context. Children of this age are concrete thinkers, they learn best when they physically experience the concepts that go with the words. That's why I often prefer the label conceptary education to describe us that simply Early Childhood Education.
It's also why we have to ensure in our quest to keep kids safe we ensure they still get the full and rich experiences they deserve and not wrap them in bubble wrap. Kids need quality and quantity, experiences should be repeated so they can return to them and grow their understanding as they explore. Check out these snippets of some of the exploration this term.
Hear the words in the videos. "now it's my turn", "come back", think how you now use those words, think about what they're learning as they say the words that will set them up for life.
It's a good question to which there are many answers.
One answer is words, think for a minute how you would say "nuclear missile" to an ancient celt? "Spear that strikes mountains as lightning strikes trees?"
When you learn a language you don't just learn sounds that come out of your mouth but concepts and ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world that other languages may simply not have the words to express. Remember hypotenuse? Perhaps that's why New Zealanders are seen as so creative, because we combine within ourselves ideas and words the rest of the world simply doesn't have access to.
A big part of learning to be an effective teacher is learning the language of teaching, most jobs have it their own special jargon and ways of thinking, that's one reason why a person straight off the street can't expect to be a fully effective teacher without training any more than I could become a world class chef overnight, even though I cook.
But what about jargon, what about your everyday words, the words you use every day! When did you learn most of the words and concepts you've spent the rest of your life relying on, the words of society, friendship, courage, contribution, exploration, communication, belonging and wellbeing?
In Early childhood of course. That's why it's so important to have a rich vocabulary around your children, but it must be in context. Children of this age are concrete thinkers, they learn best when they physically experience the concepts that go with the words. That's why I often prefer the label conceptary education to describe us that simply Early Childhood Education.
It's also why we have to ensure in our quest to keep kids safe we ensure they still get the full and rich experiences they deserve and not wrap them in bubble wrap. Kids need quality and quantity, experiences should be repeated so they can return to them and grow their understanding as they explore. Check out these snippets of some of the exploration this term.
Hear the words in the videos. "now it's my turn", "come back", think how you now use those words, think about what they're learning as they say the words that will set them up for life.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Moving rocks
Watch this video to get an idea of how much weight one man can move on his own, you'd be surprised.
You might also want to learn about pulleys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7tGosXM58&feature=related
or levers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us2KfO_yrPA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW7ztbwJKBk&feature=related
and screws, inclined planes, circular levers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1hjiOp6FEU
Friday, November 27, 2009
water bomb day
Harriet decided yesterday it would be a good idea to throw water bombs at the teachers, and asked us all to bring a change of clothes today. Then today she turned up with 250 waterbombs!
I helped her make a sign for the back gate and Sharon made one for the front gate warning all who entered (including as it happened Dave M our new education manager (senior teacher) [who proved very sneaky with water bombs and a good catcher ] welcome Dave and Brett from the association board,) to beware of water bombs.
Then we got started.
Oh oh, Adrianne and Sharon forgot their change of clothes, but Adele picked them up some rain ponchos from the $2 shop.
Just as well, as Jack sneaked in and pinched our stash of teacher balloons, and my idea to use the kindergarten umbrella. But watch out Jack Adrianne's sneaking up behind you!
We all got wet, especially Jack.
Watch out Sharon!
We had the odd tears, Ben "Adrianne burst my balloon, on me!"
I helped her make a sign for the back gate and Sharon made one for the front gate warning all who entered (including as it happened Dave M our new education manager (senior teacher) [who proved very sneaky with water bombs and a good catcher ] welcome Dave and Brett from the association board,) to beware of water bombs.
First step was to fill all of Harriet's 250 balloons and 200 of the 400 I'd brought along for the teacher supply. This was a great exercise in the virtue of patience as everyone had to wait their turn for balloons and no one was allowed to throw them till they'd all been filled. While it was hard to wait, everyone managed really well.
So we filled up our buckets. "How many do you need?" "How many have you got now?" "How many more will you need to make X?" Lots of maths involved and peer tutoring as we moved from three in a bucket to ten or more as those with great math's skills like Tom stretched the boundaries of possibility for their friends. 
Tom "I've got eight, can I have ten like Joel, I need two more please," and later asking for thirteen. Harriet's were all different colours and often they were different shapes, so colour and shape got a good look in too.
Joel got his all out to count.
Then we got started.Oh oh, Adrianne and Sharon forgot their change of clothes, but Adele picked them up some rain ponchos from the $2 shop.Just as well, as Jack sneaked in and pinched our stash of teacher balloons, and my idea to use the kindergarten umbrella. But watch out Jack Adrianne's sneaking up behind you!
We all got wet, especially Jack.
Watch out Sharon! We had the odd tears, Ben "Adrianne burst my balloon, on me!" Good helping, Adrianne "David can you fill another baloon for Ben please, I broke the wrong one."
Lots of fun "you just keep patting that balloon on Adrianne's back Ben it'll burst eventually."
Lots of laughs, Ben "It burst."
Then we practised the virtue of cleanliness picking up all the tiny pieces of balloon.
We'll have to do this again. Thanks Harriet was a great day you gave us.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Our biggest Volcano, Ever!
After we finished we couldn't hold back from running over it any longer.
Jack wanted me to lift him up so he could dump his bucket on the top. So I swung him right over it, much to everyone's delight.
It was our biggest one ever.
Watch the video to see it explode and listen to the language as the children predict, anticipate, observe and estimate it's timing.
Warning video does contain the odd farm word, that slipped out of the odd child, during filming. After some debate we decided to keep it real and leave them in, hope no one minds.
Jack wanted me to lift him up so he could dump his bucket on the top. So I swung him right over it, much to everyone's delight.
It was our biggest one ever.
Watch the video to see it explode and listen to the language as the children predict, anticipate, observe and estimate it's timing.
Warning video does contain the odd farm word, that slipped out of the odd child, during filming. After some debate we decided to keep it real and leave them in, hope no one minds.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
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