Children make you want to start life over.
-Muhammad Ali
In her article in the Beginnings Workshop article collection, "The Intentional Teacher," Ann Epstein observes that the intentional teacher needs to balance both child-initiated and adult-directed activities.
Intentional teachers support child-guided learning when children:
- Investigate how things work by actively exploring materials, actions, and ideas
- Establish relationships on their own
- Turn to one another for assistance
- Are motivated to solve problems on their own
- Are so focused that adult intervention would interrupt them
- Challenge themselves and one another to master new skills
- Apply and extend existing knowledge in new ways
Intentional teachers use adult-guided learning when children:
- Are unaware their actions may be unsafe or hurtful
- Have not encountered materials or experiences elsewhereCannot create systems of knowledge (e.g., letter names)
- Are not aware of something likely to interest them (e.g., the smell of flowers)
- Do not engage with something they need for further learning (e.g., shape names in geometry)
- Ask for information or help, especially after trying several unsuccessful solutions on their own
$4 Each For 24 Hours Only!
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Exchange Press has 120 16-page Beginnings Workshop units, each addressing a specific early childhood curriculum topic in-depth. For two days only, all Beginnings Workshop units are on sale for $4 each!
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(Offer applies to PDF only. Sale ends 05/04/2016 11:59 pm PDT)
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