One of the first things that one can notice when looking at the various pedagogies is that one often takes the learning out of the typical framework that we know: sitting at the table with a notebook. Learning becomes a multisensory experience that meets their needs to move, manipulate, feel and more. So, children are also prone. These proposals meet their needs to move, manipulate, feel.
Each child has their own way of learning and it is by experimenting with a variety of approaches that they are more easily able to acquire new knowledge. Moreover, several schools in Quebec are increasingly aware of this reality.
Workshops on a platform to manipulate
The first idea is inspired by the universe of Maria Montessori. It is about isolating each skill, each specific objective and presenting it on a board. The material is placed to invite the child to take a specific action: sort, reproduce, put on, fill, transfer or associate. To introduce him to drawing numbers for example, I will first invite my daughter to follow the drawing of therough figure, then trace it in the sand and deposit the correct number oflogs. When she is in action, her whole body participates in encoding a notion: she understands that compared to three marbles, four marbles are heavier and take up more space in her small hand. She associates it with the number she wrote down. The balls can also be used to make the first mathematical operations more realistic and visual by giving them more meaning.
Learning on the move
With this approach, we give up sitting down to use our surroundings to learn while moving. You can stick masking tape on the floor to create a hopscotch game in which you advance by jumping each time you manage to spell a word or an addition. Outside, you can write words with chalk on the ground and throw the balloon at a word and then read it aloud. For calculation tables, we can use a giant dice and ask the child to add or multiply the numbers obtained. The goal is above all to incorporate movement and pleasure into learning. By integrating the concepts in a good mood, it is often easier (and more enjoyable for everyone!).
Classical education
Personally, several principles of classical education agree with me. One of the things I like a lot is asking the child to copy first rather than having them do a dictation to check their vocabulary words. The goal is to prevent the child from integrating the wrong way to write the word. A bit like us, when we write and we doubt how to write it…
Another idea around writing is to circle the best of each line (or half a page) rather than the unsuccessful ones. The focus is on who should serve as a role model, as a benchmark, rather than on those who are less successful.
Reading, reading, reading
Finally, for me, reading is something really important. We read to our children every day. As soon as they start reading, allow them to have books for beginners, adapted to theirreading level. and their interests is a big advantage. They quickly become proud of themselves as they have the opportunity to gain independent reading. Being able to have small successes is motivating!
Signed Five minutes to play - Zoé L. Sirois
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