Teaching Portfolio-3500

Inquiry Project

How can I make this better?

An Inquiry

• A question in response to something you wonder • Based on your observations of the children

and your practice • You do not already know the answer • You will find the answer by planning some

“experiments in teaching” • Observe the outcome of your experiments • Reflect on your learning.

What is Action Research

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov3F3p dhNkk&t=49s

The Inquiry process • Observe and wonder • My Question: • To find an answer to my

question I will: • 1. • 2. • 3…

• Act/Do • The results: • I learnt:

Children are not playing with the toys on the shelf.

Children have been using the push button turtle in unexpected ways. It’s designed to have the buttons pushed by hands. The children have been picking it up and pushing the head into the ground to get the buttons to pop.

It’s very creative.

How can I increase the creativity of children’s play?

Research what creativity means in children’s play

Children need time to explore materials and to see what they can do (Piaget)

I will…

Put three wooden bowls on the table and see how the children use them

Children have used the bowls in amazing ways - Carry things in them - Use them as a gift – give them to others as a way to start a

conversation - Roll them - Turn them upside down and balance on them - Stack them inside each other - Use them for instruments - Use them on their body like a dress up

We notice that children notice the bowls when they are on the table, not shelf. They do not just play with the bowls, they bring them to others to play with. They are using the objects to further relationships, They get ideas by watching others and building on their ideas.

Round 2.

• We try adding leaves, sticks, and fake grass to the bowls, creating a mini world.

• Children dump all the materials on the floor and leave them

• Adding more items did not increase creativity.

We put a basket of scarves on the table. We position ourselves near the scarves too because we recognize children want relationship (Vygotsky – and our own observations)

Children use scarves in many different ways.

Children need lots of the one object so that they can all play together and imitate and build on ideas.

Children need lots of time to play with the object to see what it can do

•How do we increase the creativity of play?

• Place items within view and reach • Have lots of the one item • Allow lots of time to explore • Be near the items so that children

can explore with in the context of relationships.

Report your findings

•My question was… • To find the answer I tried… •What happened was… • I learnt… • In future I will …

Present your knowledge to the world How you present your information will depend on the question

• An exhibition? • A poster? • A parent newsletter item? • An observation? • A summary? • A photo journal? • A staff meeting? • A video

And… Collect artefacts for your portfolio

Example Questions

• How can I support the needs of children in “both sides” of a conflict?

• How can I involve parents in collaborative curriculum decisions (planning)?

• How can I make recycling an authentic and meaningful experience for the children?

• How can I help children to know what to do when experiencing big emotions?

• Through which aspects of learning and play can I extend problem solving?

Example Questions

• What are the best methods for communicating with parents?

• What outcomes are achieved by involving children in reflection on their learning?

• What are the best ways to involve boys and girls in construction/reading/drawing/painting/wrestling?

• How can a teacher influence children’s eating and drinking habits?

Example questions

• How can I increase participation of quiet children?

• What can I do to make transitions and routines a valuable learning time?

• How can I develop an emotionally safe classroom culture?

• How can I co-construct knowledge with children in relation to…?

To sum up

• How can I make this better?

• When I try this, what are the outcomes?

• How can I apply my new knowledge?

Your turn

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqF2BZeLOQQ

• Watch this video and see if you can come up with some inquiry questions.

Bring your observations, wonderings and

potential inquiry question to class on Thursday

The best job in the world

https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=0glFJMYv1JY &t=4s