Thinking outside of the box Thursday: How do we find balance between intentional teaching and self-directed learning?
As early learning professionals, it can be challenging to find balance between intentionally teaching or instructing children and allowing them to engage in self-directed learning. How do you try to find this balance? How do you support children by providing engaging and exciting learning opportunities, while also allowing for choice, individuality, and creativity?
I think that balance happens every day inside and out. We try to set up areas of play with an invitation to play with materials related to their current interest, and then allow for the children to explore them and use them at their will. It is interesting when the children use items you thought would be good for something and they use it in a way you never thought of!
ReplyDeleteThat is so true! This is why I love loose parts, because the children will find many ways to use them that I had never considered. I love to see the creativity!
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