How do you design a classroom that fosters inquiry-based learning? by Cynthia Mercer
"...the space
has to be a sort of an aquarium that mirrors the ideas, values, attitudes, and
cultures of the people who live within it" (ETFO, 2010a, p. 9)
The
educators in Reggio Emilia collaborate and purposefully set up the environment
so that there is a clear message inviting children to take part in new
explorations and to look at what they have done in the past, helping them make
deeper inquiries. Experiences such as
these encourage revisiting.“ Revisiting
is not merely redoing. Rather,
revisiting entails reflection and encouragement of thinking about one’s own and
another’s thinking…. Revisiting is a process of reviewing the discovery that
has been captured and made concrete through documentation. Revisiting allows
and encourages extension, connections, and understanding. (Sussna, 1995).”
The set-up
of the physical and emotional classroom environment is critical to implementing
inquiry-based learning, as the environment informs and shapes the kind of
learning that will take place in the room (ETFO, 2010a, p. 9).
· In the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, they validate the
importance of the environment by defining it as the "third
teacher".
Taken from ETFO's resource, "Primarily
Play", it outlines how specific learning centres can be set up to promote
inquiry. Materials that invite
exploration are listed for various centres (flashlights, plexiglass and
workbenches in the building centre evoke curiosity and investigation). The
importance of incorporating natural, open-ended materials is highlighted. The article also provides important
considerations for educators when setting up an environment, such as the need
for an abundance of materials to avoid issues with student sharing and
classroom management.
The Reggio Emilia Look:
Many
classrooms across Ontario are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. In the Reggio Emilia approach, the classroom
environment is presented in a beautiful, homey, pleasing, and organized manner
(Sussna, 1993). This attention to details in the environment is something to
emulate for many reasons. First of all,
the classroom environment is important in building aesthetic awareness (Feeney,
& Moravcik 1987). Also, organized materials build organizational skills. A young child will put things away when the
items are presented in an organized manner and will build important sorting
skills while performing the task.
Achieving
Environmentally Pleasing Classroom Spaces
To achieve
“environmentally pleasing classroom spaces teachers are inspired to get in
touch with what feels good to them and attend to the specific population that
will be using the room.” Teachers are encouraged
to think and spend time visualizing the space and what they envision for the
space they will be using day to day.
Thinking about size, smells, shapes, and lighting are helpful in
reminding adults to provide children with what they naturally need and create a
variety of environmental experiences. They need hard and soft spaces. A chance
for sunlight is important. There is not
one prescriptive answer that fits every classroom. Teachers are asked to reflect on
developmental ages, issues of diversity, attention to safety, and a need for
varied uses (e.g., large group times and small group times) of the same space.
When evaluating your environment, consider the following:
Does the
environment reflect tendencies of the developmental age level of the children
that are going to use the environment?
For
example: Helping four-year-olds learn that there are several right ways to use
their environment would be helpful.
How many people are typically in the environment? Is there a place for them to meet as a whole group? There should also be places for them to break out into small groups. Since children are at school for a long time each day, they may yearn for some quiet and a place to be alone sometimes.
What about safety issues? If the space is too open, it may invite running. On the other hand, if a space is too closed, children will not have enough room to use materials appropriately. Without the proper space, children may bump into each other and this could lead to arguments. Every classroom should have spaces that give children a chance to be alone and have privacy, but teachers need to make sure there are no hidden spaces that could be dangerous.
How many people are typically in the environment? Is there a place for them to meet as a whole group? There should also be places for them to break out into small groups. Since children are at school for a long time each day, they may yearn for some quiet and a place to be alone sometimes.
What about safety issues? If the space is too open, it may invite running. On the other hand, if a space is too closed, children will not have enough room to use materials appropriately. Without the proper space, children may bump into each other and this could lead to arguments. Every classroom should have spaces that give children a chance to be alone and have privacy, but teachers need to make sure there are no hidden spaces that could be dangerous.
Suggestions for
Getting Started (taken from the article):
A classroom should greet you with a strong
feeling of “welcome home.” When you enter your classroom it should make you
smile. If you do not feel this positive welcoming, it is a signal that
something probably needs changing. It is important to remember, however, not to
change everything at once. When making changes, think about what appeals to you
and see where it takes you. Also, think about the various areas and materials
in the classroom and the type of behaviors and activities you wish to foster.
If something is not functional or attractive, let it go. It is important to
think about function and attraction from both the child’s and adult’s point of
view.
Small and inexpensive changes can have a positive impact on your space.
Sit on the floor, brainstorm solutions and dare to take some small action to
improve your environment.
Small and affordable additions to the classroom
can be the inclusion of homey touches. For example, add a basket to the
classroom for holding materials. If you don’t sew, find parents who enjoy
sewing and ask them to make items such as curtains or pillows. Ask families for
help. Perhaps you can have a family
meeting to talk about building a peaceful environment. Parents may also be
helpful in brainstorming ideas and making sure that the population in the
classroom is authentically attended to.
Ask the children in the class.
Children feel a sense of ownership when they are represented in the classroom.
Knowing that they have contributed can extend this ownership.
- In inquiry-based classrooms, educators provide a rich variety of materials and resources, observe children as they notice and wonder, then support the inquiry process by posing strategic, open-ended questions to encourage children to extend or expand their learning and connect new learning with prior knowledge (Ontario Ministry of Education 2017).
- According to Vygotsky ([1930–1935] 1978), the types of materials teachers choose for children to use mediate children’s development of higher mental processes. In addition, how and where materials are placed in the environment influences how children can use those materials
- Open-ended materials offer meaningful ways for children to deepen their understanding of a concept, build creativity, and heighten their cognitive abilities
Setting Up a Classroom to Inspire Inquiry
Inquiry with Provocations:
Drama Centre:
Promotes: • Sociodramatic play-creating narrative
structures, understanding roles, and taking perspectives • Language and
communication • Literacy and math • Collaboration and social skills
Furniture that will promote the drama
Setting up a stage for a television studio, a
commercial or student-made theatre for puppets, a
screen and projector for shadow plays, tables and chairs for a home setting,
shelves for a store, etc.)
Props (Large pieces of materials for making
items of clothing, glasses for changing characters, masks as appropriate to the
drama, a microphone, various kinds of puppets, etc.) Literacy materials. (Tools
for writing, environmental print that can be incorporated into the various
themes, etc.) Math manipulatives that can extend the play. (Money, calendar,
calculators, and other objects as appropriate to the theme.)
The drama
area tends to evolve on its own but quite often is connected to stories that
are read or experiences that have occurred within and outside of the school
situation. Props themselves will stimulate a story of element of drama. It is
important for children to create what they need for their drama, and not rely
only on commercial props. Loose parts are
a great addition to any classroom. When
students have access to these parts they might be inclined to use them for
props. For example, gems may be
decorations on a cake, or small stones may be cookies for serving, etc. The students will use their imagination and
use loose part and turn it into anything they can imagine.
Science Centre:
Emphasis
on:
• Science
and math concepts Inquiry skills: • Technology and Discovery
•
Problem-solving • Literacy • Language and Communication
Furniture
can contain sand or water. For example, sand, water table, large clear bins
with cornmeal for experiments, etc.) Materials to promote various concepts –
materials for measurement. (Cups of different sizes, clean containers, funnels,
pulleys for flow, different shapes of containers for molding in sand.) Also important
are materials to promote experimentation.
For example, sponges for the water, blocks of ice, cardboard tubes for
the sand, etc.) Another science centre
might feature collections of objects from the natural world. (Rocks, shells,
seeds, nests, etc.) Tools for studying collections include magnifying glasses,
measuring tools, etc. A science/discovery centre or technology centre could
include gears, pulleys, different kinds of machines with moving parts, wind-up
toys, springing toys, etc. Resources for reference and information such as
non-fiction books, photos, etc.) Writing/drawing tools. Clipboards can be available for students to
record their observations and things they notice. Children tend to enjoy playing with natural
materials like sand and water. Through using these natural materials, children
learn about the properties of the materials. Children use and develop inquiry
skills through exploration and experimentation. The technology skills needed to
create a structure from sand is quite different from that of wood. You can do
things with water that you can’t do with sand. Collections of objects from the
natural world stimulate curiosity and investigation. Such collections naturally lead to comparing,
sorting, and classifying.
Building/Construction Centre
Emphasis on:
• Science • Technology • Mathematics • Language
and Literacy • Problem-solving
Materials:
Blocks of all types, sizes, and shapes. Various construction materials
both commercial (Lego, Marbleworks) and found (yogurt containers, heavy
cardboard tubes of various sizes, boards for ramps, molding such as cove
molding for ramps, etc.) Workbench with tools. (Hammer, saw, goggles, etc.)
Props that support experimentation. (Mirrors for block structures to create different views, plexiglass for creating different levels, flashlights for creating shadows within structures,
different lengths of boards for making ramps and
connections, etc.) Props that encourage socio-dramatic play. (Models of people,
vehicles, animals, sea creatures, etc.) Props that add aesthetics to buildings.
(Round tubes, centicubes, coloured tiles, etc.) Literacy props. (Books for
information, photos for reference, writing tools, etc.) Math props. (Measuring
devices – rulers, timers.)
Children need enough materials to use on their own
to be able to build complex structures. Lack of materials becomes frustrating
and may result in frustration when children try to share a basin with very few
pieces. When choosing materials think about the potential for learning, (blocks
for fractions, symmetry, geometry; marble works for speed, distance, time,
etc.) These materials may spark interest
in children and lead to other inquiry.
For example using marble works and sand timers in my classroom lead to
an inquiry on motion.
Math Centre:
Materials:
Math
Manipulatives and Table Toys
Emphasis
on: • Math concepts • Literacy – following directions
•
Interpersonal skills
A range of
games, puzzles, and brain-teasers to meet the diversity of ability in the
classroom. Math manipulatives. (2D and 3D shapes, base ten blocks, tangrams,
pattern blocks, geometric shapes, cuisenaire rods, tools for measuring, unifex
cubes, rekenreks, two sided counters, dice, etc.) Here is a link to a top ten list that
every kindergarten class should have!
Visual Arts
Emphasis on:
• Painting • Modelling Materials (clay,
plasticene, play dough) • Collage • Design Technology • Problem Solving •
Literacy (representation of ideas, communication, writing) and Math (spatial
concepts, patterning, symmetry, etc.)
Tools and equipment: Paint and paint brushes, modelling materials
such as playdough or clay. (Mats, sculpting knives, materials for printing and
adding to sculptures, wood for wood sculpture, etc.) Sponges, stampes, Paper
such as construction paper, glue, scissors, collage materials (Different sizes and colours of paper,
feathers, sequins, twigs, pebbles, nuts, bolts, string, etc.) Other dollar
store items such as pom poms and ribbon.
Through art opportunities, children gain fine motor skills by using scissors,
paintbrushes and other materials. Children learn that art and writing are
important ways of expressing themselves, a precursor to reading and writing.
Math involves more than just counting and numbers. Patterns, shapes and rhythms are a part of math, just as they are a part
of art. Art is a sensory activity, giving children the opportunity
to explore science topics, such as texture, temperature, consistency and form.
Research
Study:
In
a study of a classroom conducted over a period of three months, a teacher
conducted a study which focused on the use of materials in the classroom. It focused on the different ways classroom
materials influence learning, as the children investigated faces and
expressions.
Findings
While
analyzing the data, there were five common themes, or findings.
1. The number of materials within an area affected
the children’s investigation
2. The children’s prior experience with materials
influenced how they used them
3. Teachers were able to influence the children’s
use of materials with commentary and questions
4. The amount of time the materials were offered
impacted children’s investigation
5. Integrating parts of a previous activity into a
new activity helped children transition to the new method of investigating.
Conclusion
and Discussion
Forming a question about the influence materials
have on learning led to meaningful teacher research that changed the way this
teacher teaches day to day . “I am now a
kindergarten teacher, and when I introduce new materials to my classroom, I
give children time to explore and build relationships with the mate of
materials evolves along with children’s learning. My teacher research shaped
this perspective.”
References
Ontario’s Early Learning–Kindergarten Program: A Transformative Early Childhood Education Initiative. (2017) Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/sep2017/ontario%E2%80%99s-early-learning%E2%80%93kindergarten
Ontario Ministry of Education: The Kindergarten Program Document (2016), pages 4-35
Teacher Inquiry on the Influence of Materials on Children’s Learning (Voices). (2016) Retrieved from
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