involve themselves in play? children’s learning. Explain to someone else what you did, why you did it and how it helped. As a If your team members have read the resource sheet prior to your meeting they will have been introduced group make a list of questions and comments that to the idea that educators should be involved in each of you have successfully used to expand and children’s play and learning. You might want to start enrich children’s thinking. If it would be helpful your discussion by talking about this expectation - you could also make a list of those questions and what does it mean to be involved in children’s play? - comments that haven’t worked - that have or by asking how team members responded to the tended to close down discussion and thinking points at the end of the resource sheet. conversation rather than opening it up. Some further discussion questions that be helpful: What strategies do you find most useful for extending children’s play? Decide on an action How do you decide when to intervene and when not to? To wrap up the meeting think about what you, When does involvement become over”. “taking as a team, can do to make your involvement How can we involve ourselves in play still with children’s learning more effective. You allowing children time to play by themselves might think about: without direct adult intervention? How does our program encourage problem how can we make more time to get deeply solving and provide opportunities for “sustained involved with children in what they are shared thinking”? doing?; or How as educators are we able to get deeply involved in thinking” with a child or “shared what can we do to help build everybody’s group of children? confidence in their ability to support children’s learning and play? How can we balance the need to maintain adequate supervision still being involved in Remember to document your actions in your play? Team Meeting Minutes. This will contribute to your self assessment and in planning for your For educators who may be unsure how to Quality Improvement Plan. involve themselves in children’s play the following group exercise may be helpful. The list of questions and comments you develop will make a useful End of Session 3. resource to help educators expand the strategies they use to extend children’s thinking and learning. Group exercise Ask each educator to think of an experience where their involvement made a difference to
involve themselves in play? If your team members have read the resource sheet prior to your meeting they will have been introduced to the idea that educators should be involved in children’s play and learning. You might want to start your discussion by talking about this expectation - what does it mean to be involved in children’s play? - or by asking how team members responded to the thinking points at the end of the resource sheet. Some further discussion questions that be helpful: What strategies do you find most useful for extending children’s play? How do you decide when to intervene and when not to? When does involvement become “taking over”. How can we involve ourselves in play still allowing children time to play by themselves without direct adult intervention? How does our program encourage problem solving and provide opportunities for “sustained shared thinking”? How as educators are we able to get deeply involved in “shared thinking” with a child or group of children? How can we balance the need to maintain adequate supervision still being involved in play? For educators who may be unsure how to involve themselves in children’s play the following group exercise may be helpful. The list of questions and comments you develop will make a useful resource to help educators expand the strategies they use to extend children’s thinking and learning. Group exercise Ask each educator to think of an experience where their involvement made a difference to children’s learning. Explain to someone else what you did, why you did it and how it helped. As a group make a list of questions and comments that each of you have successfully used to expand and enrich children’s thinking. If it would be helpful you could also make a list of those questions and comments that haven’t worked - that have tended to close down discussion and conversation rather than opening it up. Decide on an action To wrap up the meeting think about what you, as a team, can do to make your involvement with children’s learning more effective. You might think about: how can we make more time to get deeply involved with children in what they are doing?; or what can we do to help build everybody’s confidence in their ability to support children’s learning and play? Remember to document your actions in your Team Meeting Minutes. This will contribute to your self assessment and in planning for your Quality Improvement Plan. End of Session 3.
team_meeting_package.docx