Unit 17. Provide an explanation of three different international approaches to learning.
CACHE DCCE UNIT 17
09/621764 306.000
Andrea Maria Fernandes
[INTERNATIONAL APPROACHES TOWARDS CHILDREN'S EDUCATION ]
International approaches towards children's education.
E1. Provide an explanation of three different international approaches to learning.
Friedrich Froebel
Friedrich Froebel was born in Germany in 1782-1852. Frobel believed that children should be able to access indoor and outdoor play freely "An outdoor environment is vital to children's learning" (Tassoni.P, 2007. p280) this is because he said that children need to have stimulation to move on to the next stages of development. In practice today child centred approach is used which Frobel theory covers. Froebel also believed that children learned at a higher level through imaginative play. In addition Froebel believed that parents are a child's first educators of a child's life. This is when the child is at an early age and the parents become their educator by teaching them how to stand, talk, walk, and hold objects and to communicate. This is why in setting today they try and make is a family settings.
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was a doctor who graduated in Italy at the top of her class. Despite being ill treated because she was the only female in her class, she passed the course and became the first female doctor in Italy 1896. She believed that children under the age of 6 seemed to absorb information effortlessly simply by living in and interacting in everyday ways. Younger children learn from observing older kids, while the older children benefit from providing assistance to the little ones. http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk there is many Montessori schools around Europe. Her theory is used in practice today by her influence on play can be found in many settings through having a holistic approach, focusing on the interaction of the child and by considering the stage of development when planning activities.
Forest Schools
It is important to establish an environment that meets the care and learning need of children because it will allow them to fulfil to their potential. An example of this would be forest schools.
"Forest School is an inspirational process that offers children and young people opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self esteem, through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment." National definition: by Forest School (England) Network. Forest schools were set up in order to give children the self confidence and self esteem they need when exploring the woodland area. Forest Schools started in demark in 1950 so children of all ages could benefit from the learning opportunities that faced them in the natural word. What's more is this initiative is a long term programme which continuously improves the understanding, skills and confidence in the children/young people. The whole purpose of this initiative is to allow the practitioner to take a step back in their role and allow the children to develop skills with a more hands on and practical experiences, therefore encouraging the children to explore at their own time and stimulate themselves in the process.
E2. Choose one international approach from E1 and give the reasons for your choice.
Forest Schools interests me the most because it allows the children to express themselves in a way they can't do at home or in school hours. The forest school approach is when a group of children come to a forest and explore the woodland area for themselves; either by digging, investigating insects/plants, climbing trees or generally messing about in the mud. The best thing about this approach is that it gives children the ability to roam free and the confidence to discover the ...
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E2. Choose one international approach from E1 and give the reasons for your choice.
Forest Schools interests me the most because it allows the children to express themselves in a way they can't do at home or in school hours. The forest school approach is when a group of children come to a forest and explore the woodland area for themselves; either by digging, investigating insects/plants, climbing trees or generally messing about in the mud. The best thing about this approach is that it gives children the ability to roam free and the confidence to discover the area without adult help, although there is adult supervision. Furthermore no matter what the weather come rain, shine, snow, wind, fog the children are never left disappointed because they will always be able to go.
E3. Explain the background to the approach you have chosen to write about.
Forest Schools originated in Scandinavia in 1950 Forest schools were set up in order to give children the self confidence and self esteem they need when exploring the woodland area. Over the years it progressed and in the 1980's it spread through Denmark as part of their early year's education. Forest Schools were introduced to Britain in 1995 by Bridgwater College, Somerset, now there are now about 150 forest school programmes or groups in England, 27 in Wales and 10 in Scotland. Forest schools, over time helps the children to stay safe, show their creativity in the woodland area, helps to build their self esteem and confidence. Furthermore it allows the children to become independent learners and explore the natural environment at the own pace.
E4. Describe the key principles of your chosen approach.
The key principles of the Forest Schools approach of the outdoor environment are that it offers rich learning experiences where the children can use the wood land to build dens, explore nature trails, fire building and so much more. The children are encouraged to be active learners by allowing them to explore they are learning to be safe and enjoy themselves at the same time. In addition interaction with natural materials is encouraged, this is shown when the children use what's in the forest to make things for instance some children find logs and use them to make sea-saws or slides. They use branches to make dens; this promotes teamwork as well because the children will work together making sure it stays up. Another principle is the role of the practitioner. The role of the practitioner is a guide and mentor to the children, this means that the practitioner observes the children in the woodland and allows them to learn the experiences for themselves, although if it the practitioner is doing an activity with a group of children then of course the practitioner would be involved, however they'll only guide them.
E5. Describe the materials and resources that support the children's learning in your chosen approach
The materials and resources that support children's learning in forest schools are the natural environment where the Children can saw wood, whittle sticks, help to light fires, leap into puddles, climb trees and build shelters. All these resources and materials support the children's learning because it provides them with life skills.
Furthermore clothing is another material for the children while out in the forest, because it allows the children to explore and get dirty without having to worry about getting their clothes.
D2. Discus the benefits to children of your chosen approach
A Forest school helps children enhance their confidence and self esteem, children's opportunity to explore freely and increase their kinaesthetic learning. This is by the children being able to run and move freely, using all their muscles and by doing this movement they learn that using these muscles is good for them. Their confidence and self esteem is improved because the children can learn to be safe and explore freely in the woodland without being told not to do (to an extent). The main goals of forest schools in primary age children include encouraging curiosity and exploration with all of the senses, empowering children in the natural environment, and encouraging spatial awareness and motor development. http://www.forestschools.com/primary-school-forest-schools-case-study.php
This is because the combination of freedom and responsibility has been mainly beneficial to children who suffer from lack of confidence or whose behaviour is challenging. However with the high adult: child ratios, children can safely experience activities that they are often not allowed to do, such as climbing trees or lighting fires. This programme allows children to grow in confidence and independence and extend their abilities.
Their kinaesthetic learning is improved a lot thanks to this approach due to the fact the children have a lot of space to run and explore freely as much as they like. Kinaesthetic learning is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student actually carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration.
E7. Explain the role of the practitioner in supporting learning your chosen approach.
The Forest School practitioners will plan and run sessions, taking into consideration all the health and safety issues that could happen. The role of the practitioner is to boost and develop children's self-esteem, self-belief and confidence by suggesting small, manageable tasks and ensure that they have time and freedom to learn at their own pace without pressure. "with their teachers and a forest school leader children are seen to develop a greater understanding about their own natural and ma made environments" (Tassoni.P,2007, p188)
In addition, the Forest School practitioner will be responsible for communicate with all interested parties, completing a health and safety and risk assessments, following policies and procedures, manage any first aid and maintaining the first aid kit. Forest School practitioners will always take into consideration the specific needs of a particular group or individual.
C1. Discuss the similarities and differences between the chosen approach and one (1) other international approach to learning
There are many beliefs in common between Montessori's and Froebelian philosophies. Both believe in the child's right to be active, explore and develop their own knowledge through investigation.
Both Froebelian and Montessori approaches see activity as a guide to education and do not believe in repressing it.
In addition they both also believe that the environment cannot create a human being, but it does give them scope and material, direction, and purpose.
And significantly believe that it is the teacher's task is nurture, assist, watch, encourage, guide, and induce, rather than to interfere, prescribe, or restrict.
During placement week I observed some of the practical application of their beliefs that we see the actual difference between Montessori's and Froebel's philosophies and found that Montessori children spend most of their time working with materials under the individual guidance of the directress, while kindergarten children are usually engaged in group work or games with an imaginative background and appeal.
As well as this, both Froebel and Montessori on needing to train the senses, but Montessori's curriculum is more elaborate and direct than Froebel's. Using Séguin's apparatus as a guide she developed materials that teach sensory discriminating through steps and repeated exercises.
Froebel on the other hand designed a series of objects (Called "The Gifts" or "Occupations") for creative use, but these materials were not designed specifically for or adapted to the training of sensory discrimination. Instead, sense training can be a side effect of the activity in which they are used.
Both systems believe in the need for free bodily activity, rhythmic exercises, and the development of muscular control; but Froebel's philosophy seeks much of this through group games with an imaginative or social content, while the Montessori philosophy places the emphasis on special exercises designed to give formal training in separate physical functions.
Both philosophies believe in teaching children social skills and empathy. In Froebelian philosophy this training is done primarily through imaginative and symbolic group games. (For example the children play at being farmers, mothers and fathers, birds, animals, knights, or soldiers; they sing songs, go through certain semi-dramatic activities-such as "mowing the grass," "a bird looking for seeds," with each child acting out his part.)
The social training involved in these games is formal only in the sense that the children are not engaged in an actual activity.
In the Montessori philosophy children often are in real social situations, such as that of serving dinner, cleaning the room, caring for animals, building a toy house, or making a garden. I must state here, that this is one of the main places the Montessori philosophies from fantasy come from. Many of her comments on fantasy were in regard to Froebel's teacher directed fantasy play.
Both philosophers created manipulative for their students to use. The Froebelian "gifts" concretely reveal of the concepts of whole and part, through the creation of wholes from parts, and the breaking apart of wholes into parts.
Although this material was designed for this purpose, it may also use for counting and any number of things that the child can vision.
In contrast the Montessori manipulatives were designed for specific purposes and Montessori herself professed her belief that they needed to be used for those specific purposes only.
She believed that by allowing children to "play" with the materials, a practitioner lessoned the impact of the academics they were designed to teach.
The international approach I will now talk about is Te Whariki and the adult's role in the child's learning.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nwTDLOe2QUIC&lpg=PA24&ots=FQIL8ZmXmm&dq=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&pg=PA23#v=onepage&q=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&f=false
B1 Evaluate the role of the practitioner in promoting children's learning in your chosen approach
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=57eIN0nNB-kC&lpg=PA4&dq=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&pg=PA4#v=onepage&q=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&f=false
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Gv5Du1vGWF0C&lpg=PA396&dq=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&pg=PA397#v=onepage&q=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&f=false
A1 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KyMAskSIPeUC&lpg=PA55&dq=te%20whariki%20the%20role%20of%20the%20adult&pg=PA49#v=onepage&q&f=false
Andrea Maria Fernandes 09/621764 306.000
