Ms. Clare Dreyer
IB PYP Early Years Educator
Currently on the menu:
The classroom is a busy place with things constantly changing and moving. Here is a quick look at some of the big ideas we are looking at and how we are inquiring into each of them.
Responsive classroom:
Building a community of open-minded leaders who care about their local and global environment. From the start of the year, we set routines and expectations for student behavior. We build close relationships with all members in our class and allow for times of sharing and play.
Every morning the class gathers for the morning meeting where we first take turns to greet each other, then share something about ourselves or our thinking, play in an activity together, and then read the morning message to start the day off right.
We also make use of a timeout space where students can go if they are feeling overwhelmed and need to take a break from what is happening around them until they are ready to rejoin the group.
Units of Inquiry:​
Throughout the year we dig deep into six units of inquiry and explore them through different conceptual lenses. These units are usually integrated with both our specialist classes in some way, as well as our math and literacy standards.
We also use these units to grow our thinking and take action with the knowledge we have gained to solve problems or innovate new ways of doing something.
Literacy​
Literacy is usually divided between readers' and writers' workshops. During both these workshops, we inquire into mentor text to guide our learning.
During "Readers' workshop", we usually have a short whole group mini-lesson with a key focus of the day, after the lesson we divide into smaller groups and practice our reading skills in various stations. Stations change week to week: Read to self, read to someone, word work, teacher table, and work on writing.
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During "Writers workshop", we usually have a short whole group lesson too. We use the same read-aloud books from readers workshop and then look at them as writers. After the group lesson students work individually on creating books where they apply the skills we learn from other authors. At the end of the class we gather as a whole group again and share our writing.
Math​
"Between PreK and Gr.2 students establish the basis of all their mathematical knowledge." Erma Anderson math expert and consultant.
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Providing students with the tools to become problem solvers, thinkers, researchers, and storytellers enables them to become real mathematicians who are capable of solving rich problems.
Allowing them to extend their thinking on the same problem, share and learn from friends, and practice skills in a variety of different ways.
Outdoor inquiry​
The more time students spend outdoors inquiring into how the world works the more prepared they become as students to face its challenges and create solutions that will change it for the better.
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