On 3rd of November 2016 all 12 Pirita Kidergarten teachers, director's assistant on the field of education and 14 teachers from other Tallinn's kindergartens took part of inquiry-based teaching seminar. The seminar was conducted by Estonian Associacion of Inquiry-based Learning instructors. On this seminar teachers learned about one active learning method which program was thought out in USA and adjusted to our system through Innove funded project POLLEN. This program is systematic, structured and directed so that children have the ability to get new knowledge through researching and to come to conclusions him/herself. The program can be used with children starting the age of 5 years. By that time the children have the vocabulary, ability to make group work and work on their own and their thinking has developed enough to be able to make logical connections. This program has activities in 5 themes: discover the senses; discover weather; discover comparison and measurement; discover the colors; and discover liquids. On this seminar the teachers were taught how to use theme "Discover senses (seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting)" in their everyday work with children. They were given examples of activitis, how to connect this to our curriculum and also teachers book with the program.
In Pirita Kindergarten two groups are testing the program in this schoolyear: group Sinilill discover senses and group Rukkilill discover senses and discover weather.
Here are also some pictures of the seminar:
What is discovering and what is inquiry-based learning?
What is the difference?
I am touching a round, hollow and rimose object in my mysterious bag.
It is, it is, it is a plastic bottle cork! Did You fine the same?
What sounds do You hear?
It was a very interesting seminar with full of activities and something to learn for everybody!
Congratulations!! I loved to read about your seminar!
ReplyDelete