Views & Opinion Guidance and interaction to
encourage independence Comment by Alicia Blanco-Bayo, Early Years teacher at Kirkham Grammar School
Have you come across parents who might not
have been aware of the possibility of encouraging independence from a young age? Perhaps it is how the encouragement takes place that matters and so it can begin as soon as the adult makes it happen. After a series of observations carried out over
a period of four months, I decided to write about the development of comprehension and the necessity of interaction between parents and their children from a young age. Candela is now 21 months old and my discussions with her mother
Monica began 6 months ago. I had noticed how much eye contact Candela was able to establish when an adult she felt comfortable with approached her. It amazed me how she was able to respond to simple instructions and carry out tasks with some level of complexity. Monica regularly spends time showing Candela how to complete simple tasks and as she demonstrates, she also talks to Candela going down to her level so that what really takes place is continued parent-child interaction. Following this approach, Candela takes part in household chores with interest, and understands when told where things must be stored in the kitchen. Children like Candela are an example of how parent-child interaction
can truly promote the development of comprehension and thinking skills. This answers the question of how to encourage independence from an early age. It is about how a task is presented. If a little time is spent talking to the child and then the task is completed between the parent and the child, not only the child is learning to follow instructions but the ability to think is developing as actions are copied and verbal rewards from the parent are received by the child. It is that first sensation of having completed a task that reassures the child because she is able to do something she could not do before. This will certainly give her the confidence to want to try similar, and with time even more complex, tasks. “When I complete a task I feel really good about myself and my mummy tells me she is happy and proud.”
Guiding but letting children experiment Let’s look at how the approach of learning through experimentation can at times be misinterpreted and how adult guidance is so valuable as children face situations for the first time. As adults, we are able to choose the tools we are going to use in specific scenarios and we can do this because we have developed that ability. By diluting the complexity of a task so a younger mind can get to comprehend it and attempt to carry it out, we are offering the guidance that will provide the young child with some tools. Would a child be able to use those tools without the initial guidance of an adult? If we reflect on how a child acts during play, we might notice how she uses expressions she has heard someone say before, and how many of the actions she reproduces she has seen someone do before. Does this explain how adult guidance should be at the centre of the experimentation we believe it is beneficial for the child to be part of? It certainly explains how the adult can be there to advise and support. Guiding is not leading and making children
do. Guiding is holding their hand to offer them the tools so that they can experiment and expand their independence and thinking skills. If we spend a little time interacting with the child and discussing how the tools available to them might be used in many different ways, we are offering a wide range of strategies that can be applied as he or she chooses to explore the world.
Candela completing a house chore independently
14
www.education-today.co.uk “A high-quality computing education equips pupils
to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.”
(Computing National Curriculum, September 2013) The new National Curriculum
places computational thinking and creativity at its heart. These concepts and ideas underpin the entire subject and the quote above is a truly inspirational opening line. But it’s easier said than done! For starters, what is computational thinking and how do you teach creativity? Teachers are having a tough time coping with the new subject content without having to tackle these concepts as well. But is it really that difficult to do? To begin with, how do we foster
creativity in our classrooms? Creativity needs the right conditions, including a playful state of mind; time and space to think; and the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other. While it may not be possible to ensure these conditions all the time, it is worth reviewing lessons to see if there is scope for us to incorporate at least some of these conditions some of the time. Computational thinking is also much easier than it seems. When
embedding computational thinking into lessons there are a few things that are worth keeping in mind: keep things simple and strip away the technical terms (opens up the possibilities); provide open ended problems; let students arrive at their own solutions. Play-based learning can provide a fun and innovative way to deliver
these concepts. When compared to traditional teaching methods, play- based learning employs a looser, more creative lesson format and gives pupils greater scope to solve problems and discover solutions rather than working towards one prescribed ‘correct’ result. One brilliant way to reinforce these ideas is through using ‘unplugged’
activities which help deepen the understanding of key concepts while adding a sense of fun and play to the lesson. Digital Schoolhouse, CS4FN, and CS Unplugged are just some of the resources available. Initiatives such as the Digital Schoolhouse provide free resources which embed computational thinking and creativity into full schemes and lesson plans mapped onto the computing curriculum. As a teacher I discovered that using creative resources (sometimes
referred to by colleagues as ‘gimmicks’) resulted in greater pupil engagement. The resource (eg. a magic trick or a toy robot) was the ‘hook’ that got pupils asking meaningful questions.
that we can then use to forge even deeper learning opportunities. So, one tip to embed creativity, instil confidence and ensure pupil
engagement from start to finish…in your next lesson, remove the skills demonstration. Instead set the skills as challenges for pupils to figure out themselves. You will be amazed at the results! With the advent of the new Computing curriculum we have a
wonderful opportunity to do something completely different for the first time. This is the first time that we as teachers are being actively encouraged to experiment freely and with confidence, to try new techniques and resources. It's a wonderful opportunity and it would be a great shame to teach this amazing new curriculum using the same old methods.
September 2015 It’s these questions
How play-based learning can help deliver the new
Computing curriculum Comment by Shahneila Saeed, Programme Director of Digital Schoolhouse
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