Chapters International

Overview:

This workshop explores the role of learning spaces and materials in young children’s learning. The learning environment is viewed as the values and ideas that shape the interactions and learning within a school. Spaces are part of the learning environment and reflect the community’s ideas and values about learning.

Research informs us that young children primarily learn through their interactions with the social and physical worlds around them. Learning spaces play a pivotal part in supporting and extending young children’s curiosity, relationships and thinking. By being responsive, educators can support and extend children’s explorations, curiosities and theories.

Therefore, materials and spaces (both inside and outside) need to be carefully considered, prepared and maintained to sustain and evoke children’s imagination and wonder. Documentation plays an integral part in finding pathways to support investigations and learning.

AGENDA:

Session 1

Building from the known / Establishing a community of learners
Prior knowledge and questions
Theories about young children’s development and play
The pivotal role of learning spaces in early learning

Session 2

Responsive spaces that support the development of wonder, relationships and thinking
Outdoor and indoor spaces that support inquiry based learning
Materials that children can act on; supporting the development of creative and critical thinking skills
A cycle of observation, documentation, interpretation and planning for learning spaces

Session 3

The role of observation, documentation and planning in early years education
Adapting spaces / materials in response to children’s investigations and theories
Types of play
A deeper look at the role of dramatic play

Session 4

Role of symbolic representation - using materials to express and construct meaning
Remaining questions and tensions
Reflections and ways to incorporate new learning

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES:

Learn contemporary theories about young children’s development and play
Consider how to set up outdoor and indoor spaces that support inquiry
Learn how to select and present materials ‘children can act on’, supporting development of creative and critical thinking skills
Consider the role of dramatic play (and other types pf play) in young children’s learning
Learn how to create and maintain engaging play spaces for and with children
Consider the role of the arts in early childhood spaces
Reflect on the role of observation and planning in adapting space and materials in response to children’s interests and questions

Resources will be shared with participants through Padlet

POTENTIAL AUDIENCE

This workshop is best suited for teachers who work in the early years and/or school leaders who would like to deepen their understanding of how to support the development of early literacy and numeracy within a play based setting.

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 centered 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 as a 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 home town The Hague. She recently joined a new PYP candidate school as the PYP coordinator and vice principal.