How can we create empowered early childhood classrooms?
Date
2022
Authors
Perreaux, Christine
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education
Abstract
The world has changed a great deal over the past one hundred years. Our classrooms for the most
part however have remained relatively the same. The movement to engaged students was a step in the right direction when looking at modernizing the way we teach but it wasn’t a big enough step. When we talk about engagement we really are still talking about compliance. In this project I explore six guiding principles that will allow kindergarten classrooms to become places of empowered learning. The six guiding principles are grounded in the work of Bailin and Battersby (2016), Bransford et al. (2000), Burke (2019), and Resnick (2018). They have a foundation in student-centred teaching practices as presented by Martin (2018) and Weimer (2013).These principles are purpose, peers, passions, projects, portfolios, and play. By using these 6 Ps as a guide when planning kindergarten programs we can create classrooms of critical, creative, and collaborative thinkers.