Heather Lochhead’s Post

An Ignitive Insight on Classroom Engagement - After my recent visits to n. number of schools, a common thread emerged—the challenge teachers face in making the concepts interesting for students. Inside the classrooms, the vibe felt dull, thus pushing students to explore their curiosity through conversation with their friends.  This raises a critical question: Do our educational institutions truly nurture learning for children? Let's spark a conversation about reinventing education and creating classrooms that excite and inspire students. Happy reading, LinkedIn folks. Suggestions are welcome.:) #EducationRevolution #StudentEngagement #ClassroomDynamics #Criticalthinkingineducation #Educationfrommylens

#ThursdayThoughts 💡 How can we incorporate play into classrooms with young learners? In an article titled “For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning,” Andrew Boryga reports that “A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge analyzed decades of research on ‘guided play’—more commonly called play-based learning—and concluded that it can have a ‘greater positive effect’ on the acquisition of skills like math, shape knowledge, and task switching than more traditional approaches that prioritize seat time and explicit instruction.” Play-based learning allows students to explore areas of interest and express their personal creativity. Some teachers incorporate play into the classroom by dedicating 30-45 minutes to “choice time,” where students can explore different spaces in the classroom with a variety of activities. This type of guided play is an emerging tool to encourage student agency, participation, creativity, and more for young learners. “For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning” - https://lnkd.in/gpaZiAVk #fōmcorefurniture #playbasedlearning #k12education #classroom #softseatingexperts #younglearners #guidedplay #fosteringconnectionandbelonging #servecreateinspire

In our education system, a troubling trend has persisted for decades - Rote Learning. How did we get here? Let's take a closer look. For years, bulky textbooks have dictated the curriculum, burdening young children with heavy school bags filled with 8-10 books. Teachers under pressure to cover this vast content, resort to rote methods to ensure all material is delivered. The result? Little kids, who can barely read, are memorising information without truly understanding it. It's a vicious cycle. Textbooks demand coverage of numerous topics, leaving no room for play-based learning or creativity. Teachers, overwhelmed by the sheer volume, use rote memorisation as a survival tactic. Books which should foster a love for learning, overwhelm and stifle young minds, and most often push them away from learning. Although, many schools have broken free from the shackles of traditional rote learning, embracing more holistic and engaging methods. There is still a long way to go. Lets prioritise understanding over memorisation, and playful exploration over rigid instruction. Lets encourage- 👩🏫 Empowering and Unburdening Teachers: Enable teachers to teach creatively and adaptively and unburden them by letting technology handle their non teaching tasks . 👶 Experiential Learning: Allow children to learn through exploration and discovery. 📘 Using Supportive Tools: Use role play, outdoor and indoor games, storytelling, films, flashcards, bigger fonts, pictorial books, sensory trays, etc to inculcate love for learning. Together, let's rewrite the script of education and reclaim the joy of learning. #EarlyChildhoodEducation #HolisticLearning #PlayBasedLearning #EducationReform #21stCenturySkills #ChildDevelopment #InnovativeEducation #EducationMatters #TeachingStrategies #LoveForLearning #RoteLearning #EmpowerTeachers

Inspiring Early Years Learning classrooms focus on child-centered, inquiry-based learning that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and social-emotional growth. Learning Centers in such classrooms encourage exploration, collaboration, and hands-on experiences. These Learning Centers should be flexible (changing frequently), carefully developed curriculum, reflect the interests of the children, as well as open for adaptations and new discoveries. Here are some ideal centers for an innovative Early Years Learning Classroom classroom: (1) Art and Creativity Center; (2) Dramatic Play/Imagination Station; (3) Sensory Center; (4) Building & Construction Center; (5) Reading & Literacy Center; (6) Science Exploration Center; (7) Music & Movement Center; (8) Math & Manipulative Center; (9) Outdoor Exploration Center (if applicable); (10) Writing Center; (11) Loose Parts. When we spark creativity in our students we spark creativity in learning! #Edchat #Learning #Teaching #Leadership #STEM #Students #Edreform #Education #School #Classroom #ForestSchool #OutdoorLearning #BlendedLearning #EarlyEd #PassionDrive #Learn #LaScuoladItalia

🌟 Excited to share insights from an insightful article on edutopia! 🌟 Just came across an enlightening piece on "Using a School Walk-Through to Assess SEL and Character Development." It highlights the importance of evaluating social-emotional learning (SEL) within schools through systematic walk-throughs. As educators, understanding and fostering SEL skills are key to creating supportive learning environments where students thrive academically and emotionally. Check out the full post for a deeper dive into why assessing SEL is crucial and how it connects to our future classrooms! Let's prioritize SEL in education and empower our students to succeed. #SEL #Education #SchoolCulture #TeacherDevelopment 📚✨ Original Article: https://lnkd.in/gJqQWN6B

If learning can happen in so many different ways and in so many different places, then why do children spend the majority of their school day stuck in a classroom? Research shows that students spend approximately 70% of their time in traditional academic settings during a typical school day, lasting around 6 to 7 hours. It's time to rethink the traditional classroom model and explore how we can create diverse and dynamic learning environments that truly engage and inspire our children. Let's break the mold and design spaces that reflect the myriad ways in which learning occurs. Photo credits Education Design International Fielding Nair International #Education #LearningEnvironments #InnovativeLearning #SchoolDesign

Looking for ways to quickly engage students in the classroom? Spark more durable learning for your lessons by activating students’ prior knowledge. Check out these and more strategies from Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation here https://lnkd.in/gyYX-5bJ

Want to reduce teacher burnout? Play-based teaching and learning helps, big time.   Edutopia’s research in 4 countries found that play-based learning increases teacher satisfaction, learner engagement, and helps create positive school communities. As a result, teacher burnout decreases.   Interested in tailoring these insights to your school or early learning setting? Let's collaborate to bring more joy to teaching and learning together 🌟 . Here’s the research: https://lnkd.in/d4jB3S6D   #PlayfulEducation #TeacherWellness #PositiveSchoolCommunities

Summer is a great time for reflection. Looking back helped us discover successful strategies we used to engage our students in their reading. What did we do? It was a team effort. This article shows you how. Thank you, Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation! #instructionalcoaching #scienceofreading https://lnkd.in/eFDNTREP

Thinken, the mobile STEAM lab, plays a crucial role in reducing school dropout rates by bringing hands-on, interactive learning experiences directly to students, no matter where they are. ➡️ When students are exposed to modern technology and innovative teaching methods, they are less likely to drop out of schools. ➡️ Additionally, these innovations can provide support for learning disabilities like dyslexia and various visual impairments. ➡️ By transforming the educational experience, we create a learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed and therefore, chances of school droput decrease. #schooldropout #shaperobotics