CINDY LOOSE PARTS TO LITERACY FERGUS, ONTARIO OCTOBER 3, 2015 Loose Parts and Playful Literacy

A Journey of Learning

Agenda How Does Learning Happen? Our Community of Learning Pedagogy, Curriculum and Loose Parts Noticing and Knowing The Theory of Loose Parts Intentionality Thinking of Literacy, Let’s Engage & Express What happened, where next?

Additions to the Agenda?

Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Year Years

How Does Learning Happen?

What needs to continue to happen today to help you feel like you belong here?

Coming to Terms with Terms What is Pedagogy? Pedagogy is how learning happens. What is Curriculum? Curriculum is the content of the learning. Curriculum and pedagogy are shaped by views of children, the role of educators and families and the inter-relationships between them. Green & Kashin, 2015

Loose Parts: The Materials What do you notice and know about the materials that you have just engaged with? Group Think and Chart

Loose Parts Theory Green & Kashin, 2015

Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research Blog by Dr. Diane Kashin with guest author Cindy Green Intentionality with Loose Parts: Playing, Tinkering and Messing About (July 2015)

Language is a communication system; voice, body gestures, written, dance, sculpting, painting … (Malaguzzi, 100 Languages of Children) that expresses our thoughts, feelings and understandings. Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials (UNESCO).

Thinking about Loose Parts and Literacy Intentionality Let’s PLAY! How might infants, toddlers and preschoolers investigate these materials?

Sharing Discoveries about Loose Parts and Literacy What happened? What literacy learning occurred? What other learning was evident? What next …?

Taking Loose Parts to the Children: Things to Think About Safety Quantity Interests and development Resourcing Set up: Indoors and Outdoors Storage Observe, Listen, Document, Extend Anything else?

Take it BACK -- To the Children Provide loose parts – platforms, connectors, indoors and outdoors Invite the children to play, play and play some more Provide time to play Document the play and share Ask “thick” questions to scaffold and challenge Green & Kashin, 2015

WHAT MOMENTS FROM TODAY REALLY CLICKED WITH YOU? WHAT ARE YOU LEFT WONDERING ABOUT? WHAT ACTION MIGHT YOU TAKE MOVING FORWARD? Sharing our “Aha” Moments and Wonders

Take it BACK - To the Families Invite your families to create together using loose parts Provide information that will help parents understand play and loose parts Document and share with families – make profound interpretations about children’s play – beyond “they enjoyed” … Provide ideas for how families can engage with loose parts at home Green & Kashin, 2015

Questions and Comments and Thank you … c. Jessica Rombouts