Contexts of learning
- 1. Contexts of Learning Play Montessori Education Steiner Education Forest School
- 2. Play in Education • • • • • • • • Play is used as a method of learning as children learn best when they feel secure and motivated Play allows freedom through the childrens ability to make up their own rules, goals, materials, people and time develops a child’s confidence and self-belief learning through play is believed to encourage a child’s cognitive development play can develop a child’s discovery, reasoning and thought roles of the teacher or adult during play exercises is to allow children the freedom of choice, set up suitable environments, and encourage and suggest methods of play when the child’s play becomes repetitive and lacks progression There are three main forms of play; sensory, imaginative and exploratory Imaginative play includes role play; this allows development of their speaking and listening skills, story-telling and social interaction
- 3. Role Play Here is a picture of children taking part in a role play activity with their school. By using play in this way, children are able to learn about real life experiences such as weddings through the use of role play.
- 4. Montessori Education • • • • • • • • Montessori education is centred on a child’s need for freedom In a Montessori classroom children have the freedom of movement and choice In these types of classrooms children must learn responsibility and respect for other children Three key elements, these are; the child, the favourable environment and the teacher Set up initially by Maria Montessori who attempted to improve the lives of children Children of a range of ages work together in order to encourage each other’s learning The teacher’s role in a Montessori classroom is to have trust and respect for the pupils Independent learning is encouraged by teachers
- 5. Steiner Education • Steiner education aims to educate the whole body, this meaning the ‘head, heart and hands’ • Formal education does not begin until a child has grown their adult teeth • Reading isn’t introduced to pupils until later in their education • Children begin to learn through movement and gesture, then through painting and drawing to writing and finally these skills will take them into reading • They have a lot of whole school participation which is different from most schools • A Steiner school is set up bearing in mind the changing need of the child as they move from childhood to adolescence
- 6. Forest School • • • • • The idea of Forest schools came from Scandinavian countries They don’t necessarily take place in a woodland area, one of the purposes of a forest school is to make children aware of their natural surroundings Forest schools are a safe environment and children are able to find their independence through taking manageable risks teaching them to keep themselves safe Teaches children about vital life skills such as risk-taking, taking on challenges and how to assess their skills Research has also shown that children who spend more time outdoors have better social skills, are more attentive, obtain fewer infections, have fewer conflicts and better brain function, they also have better language development, and learn more vital life skills