Chapters International

Overview:

Throughout this online workshop, participants will have an opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Kindergarten class (children turning six this academic year) at the International School of Paris. Sean Walker and Anne van Dam reflect on the values and intentionality that lie behind the decisions that impact on how children in Sean’s classroom experience time, space, materials, interactions and relationships. Learn how Sean builds a culture of inquiry through listening, responding and acknowledging children as competent learners.

Early childhood classrooms benefit from high levels of intentionality where educators plan for every child’s strengths and needs as well as planning for the interests, ideas and theories that develop within the group. Join Anne and Sean as they reflect on what impacts learning through play and show you some tools to observe, document and interpret learning.

Workshop Goals:

Reflect on how values and research impact pedagogy
Know what interactions shape a culture of inquiry in EY classrooms
Understand the importance of observation and documentation in the planning process
Consider ways to plan in response to young children’s thinking
Appreciate the role of concepts to frame learning around ideas and engage children as thinkers and meaning makers
Moving beyond isolated “lessons” to planning for opportunities for children to make connections within a coherent bigger picture
Deepen understanding of learner agency and how it impacts young children’s learning, identity and well being

Week 1

The school’s history and current identity
The school’s early childhood philosophy
Democratic values
The group’s identity and research projects so far
The role of concepts
Current investigations

Week 2

Daily and weekly rhythms
Rituals of belonging and identity
Learning spaces designed to be inclusive, promoting competence, independent exploration and learning through play
Engage with children as thinkers and meaning makers
Engagement and participation

Week 3

Engagement and participation
Planning for opportunities for children to make connections within a coherent bigger picture
Documenting
Teacher interactions: responding to children’s ideas and play and using intentional interactions to scaffold and extend children’s learning
Supporting the development of literacy and numeracy skills

Week 4

Supporting continuity of learning by sharing relevant information with families
Planning for opportunities for children to make connections within a coherent bigger picture
Enhancing self-efficacy and agency
Documenting
Teacher interactions: responding to children’s ideas and play and using intentional interactions to scaffold and extend children’s learning

ANNE VAN DAM

Child centred learning has been Anne's passion for more than 25 years. Anne has worked in schools in the Netherlands, China, Singapore and Switzerland, where she took on various positions such as team leader, PYP coordinator and director. Anne used to work at the Canadian International School (Singapore) where she was part of the team that took the school to IB authorisation Anne has been an IB workshop leader since 2005, sharing her passion for young children and play with educators in international schools.

Anne joined Eton House International Pre-School in August 2007, drawn to the school for its vision to establish early childhood education centred on young children's competencies in making meaning and building relationships. At Eton House, she first combined teaching with the responsibilities of the PYP coordinator. In June 2008, Anne became the Director of this school.

In August 2011, Anne moved back to Europe and took on the responsibility of Assistant Principal at the International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL). At ISZL, she supported the development of a new vision for learning and teaching in the early years. This direction places a strong emphasis on relationships, play, learning spaces (both inside and outside) and on making learning visible to others.

Anne moved back to the Netherlands in 2015. This has given her the opportunity to collaborate for two years with the PYP development team at the IB regional office in The Hague. She has been working on the IB PYP review focusing on learner agency, early years, inquiry and several aspects of 'the learning community'. Anne still works for the IB workshop leader and collaborates with international schools as an independent educational consultant. From May 2019 to May 2022, Anne has worked alongside 4 and 5-year-olds at an inner city, IB PYP school in her hometown The Hague. She recently joined a new PYP candidate school as the PYP coordinator and vice principal.

Sean Walker

Sean has been teaching for close to 30 years. Since 2009, he has worked in PYP schools in the UK, USA and France as an advocate for inquiry and conceptual learning through his roles as a homeroom teacher, PYP Coordinator and workshop leader. In recent years, Sean ventured into the Early Years to explore play and playful learning more intentionally and is currently the Grade Level Leader for Early Years at the International School of Paris.

DATES & TIMES:

7th, 14th, 21st September & 5th October 2024

Each Session is for 2 hours
London 7:00 am | Zurich 8:00 am | Dubai 10:00 am | India 11:30 am | Hong Kong 2:00 pm | Melbourne 4:00 pm

Please click here to check your time for the workshop

This workshop will not be recorded.