Reflection: Are the children engaged in purposeful play?

For me personallly, I assess my learning corners through observing the children- if they are able to sustain the activity and complete the tasks instead of playing it / being distracted.

Some learning corners aren’t as successful as others, children play with it 1-2 times and then start playing with the manipulatives freely.

Effectiveness as a teacher

I intentionally plan my LCs based on my children’s ability and skills that they need more practice. PG children require a lot of practice / attention in fine motor skills hence most of my learning corners have fine motor skills elements. Even numeracy activities - matching shapes, for eg, they were able to take out the cut out shapes and paste it as they have Velcro backings.

Learning corners must sustain children’s attention and interest. It Should be age appropriate. They should be about to hold the materials and manipulate them while learning at the same time.

Effectiveness as a teacher

I will have to create activities after observing their developmental level and their needs.

I will create activities that will reinforce their learning based on the core book and also their life skills

Akila

• The materials provided must be age appropriate - size of the activity, how safe are the materials, sufficient for the class etc

• the activities must be made so that children can engage in them on their own or with friends - little to no guidance

• change the activities when the children gets bored of it

• it will be good if the activities can be related to what they have learnt or going to learn

• activities must come with instructions/pictures - labelling - so children can keep the items back in the basket and return it to the correct place

• have a variety of materials for the children to engage in - hands on materials instead of just paper and markers (for example) - have 3D objects

The learning corners in my previous school

• Largely based on the children's interest.

• The materials are very hands-on and welcoming.

• We used the same materials and expand on it instead of completely changing it. For example, we will add materials to the construction area, week 1 will be blocks, week 2 we will add some figurines, week 3 we will add some houses etc.

• The children will have a say in maintaining, changing or adding to the learning corners.

• Encourages collaboration between children and teachers

• Parents are also requested to add in materials when needed.

Challenges:

• Instructions can be unclear sometimes to outsiders. They will think that it is play with no purpose. However, the previous school encourages play and the play covers many area. We usually will write portfolios if that area is one of the main area of learning and the parents will understand the purpose better.

• Instructions are unclear also because we usually follow the children's lead.

• Some materials are very open ended and some children lack the creativity to use it.

1. 需要加强引导幼儿遵守使用区角材料的规则。

2. 培养幼儿取、放材料的好习惯。

3. 我要思考多长时间更新投放区角学习材料、和学习材料操作性的循序渐进及层次性。考虑幼儿差异性学习。

Strength:

1. Children able to connect learning by engaging with the learning corner planned activities.

2. Children are able to enhance and deepen their understanding on a concept taught by attending to the respective learning corner activity.

3. Children are motivated to revisit and performed the tasks at the learning corner which they are confident to accomplish the tasks.

Challenges:

1. Children generally hesitated to work on tasks which they have poor grasp of the concept. Children have to be guided and required help from time to time resulted in poor motivation to do the task.

2. Children more interested in pair or group works activity engaging in play mode learning.

3. Lack of time to engage fully at the learning corner.