Our workshops this week included s series of both numeracy focused and literacy focused sessions where children explored the same concept or a skill in a different way or context. Keep reading to find out more!
Numeracy Workshops
On Tuesday the preps explored the concept of time through participation in three carefully designed workshops. Each workshop enabled the teachers to gain insight into children’s current understandings and to build on these insights. Below is a brief summary of each workshop session…..
‘What is Time?’
This workshop gave children the opportunity to share their understandings of time and to listen to the ideas of others. The value of interaction and discussion was evident as children considered ideas, clarified understandings and respectfully challenged perspectives. These discussions have provided many possibilities in relation to further investigations in relation to the concept of time.
A Day in the Life of Prep
In this workshop the children considered time through the context of their daily routine. Through drawing they sequenced a ‘usual’ school day or part of the day including events such as having breakfast, going to school and doing provocations. Through this experience children had the opportunity to consider one way that mathematics is part of our everyday lives, to think about familiar routines and to use the language of time including vocabulary such as first, next, before and after.
Calendar Exploration
In this workshop small groups of children were given a page of a calendar to examine and discuss,they then shared their findings as part of a larger group conversation. Many children noticed the numbers and the days of the week but some children also wondered why the numbers only went to 30 or 31 and then repeated. This was a wonderful way to introduce the calendar and the concept of days, weeks, months and years and for children to share their existing knowledge and experience.
Literacy Workshops
On Wednesday our workshop series focused on the development of literacy skills with a focus on writing, exploration of the alphabet and the development of a bank of high frequency words. Below is a brief summary of each workshop session:
Independent Writing
In this workshop children were encouraged to have a go at writing on their own. The session began with a group discussion about things they like to do at playtime and Amy then wrote a simple sentence on the whiteboard and modelled strategies such as sounding out words, using tools around the room such as alphabet strips or word walls and including finger spaces between each word. The children were reminded that it wasn’t about making it perfect but simply giving it their best try-learning to write is a tricky process!
Make Your Own Alphabet Strip
This workshop was designed as a way for children to practice their hand writing and letter formation while building their familiarity with letter names and sounds. Children were encouraged to talk with their peers as they worked on their alphabet strips and to help each other identify the letters. Below you will find a few examples…….
Word Match
This workshop required children to cooperate with their peers in a small group to play a game of memory using a set of high frequency words (common words such as the, I, to). The children practiced the words first with Jess and learnt how to set up and play the game before having a turn independently. The social nature of playing a game enables peers to learn from one another in a fun and engaging context and also requires children to practice patience, turn taking and impulse control.
