Mrs. B

Empowered Learning with Technology

By having students use technology, you open a world of new learning opportunities and reaffirm that learning can happen anytime, anywhere. When students use electronics during class time to access learning resources that they can also get at home or on the go, we see that learning doesn’t just happen within the four walls of a classroom. Plus, it literally puts learning power in our hands.

I can move the classroom & school in the direction towards empowered learning by keeping engagement and empowering at the forefront of learning.

When students are engaged, they begin to take ownership in their learning and become active participants in the learning process. Empowerment means that students own their learning. They have a meaningful voice in the process and must make critical choices along the way. Instead of following a recipe, they help create a path toward the learning destination. Empowered students are fully invested and control their own results. When students are empowered, they learn at a much higher level and gain the skills needed for future success.

Acceptable Usage Policy

Talawanda Acceptable Usage Policy: Each year parents and students are required to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement to maintain a current computer account district assigned Chromebook with the school. This form is included in the Returning Student Information Forms that are completed prior to each school year. Below is a copy of the Acceptable Use Policy.

Technology directly affects the ways in which information is accessed, communicated, and transferred in society. Educators are expected to continually adapt their means and methods of instruction and the way they approach student learning to incorporate the latest technologies. The Board of Education provides Information & Technology Resources (as defined in Bylaw 0100) (collectively, “District Information & Technology Resources”) to support the educational and professional needs of its students and staff. With respect to students, District Information & Technology Resources afford them the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge to learn effectively and live productively in a digital world. The Board provides students with access to the Internet for educational purposes only and online educational services to enhance the instruction delivered to its students. The district’s computer network and Internet system do not serve as a public access service, or a public forum and the Board imposes reasonable restrictions on its use consistent with its stated educational purpose.

The Board regulates the use of District Information & Technology Resources in a manner consistent with applicable local, State, and Federal laws, the district’s educational mission, and articulated expectations of student conduct as delineated in the Student Code of Conduct. This policy and its related administrative guidelines and the Student Code of Conduct govern students’ use of District Information & Technology Resources and students’ personal communication devices when they are connected to District Information & Technology Resources, including online educational services/apps, regardless of whether such use takes place on or off school property (see Policy 5136).

Students are prohibited from using District Information & Technology Resources to engage in illegal conduct (e.g., libel, slander, vandalism, harassment, theft, plagiarism, inappropriate access, etc.) or conduct that violates this Policy and its related administrative guidelines and the Student Code of Conduct (e.g., making personal attacks or injurious comments, invading a person’s privacy, etc.). Nothing herein, however, shall infringe on students’ First Amendment rights.  Because its Information & Technology Resources are not unlimited, the Board may institute restrictions aimed at preserving these resources, such as placing limits on use of bandwidth, storage space, and printers.

Students have no right or expectation to privacy when using District Information & Technology Resources (including, but not limited to, privacy in the content of their personal files, messages/e-mails, and records of their online activity).

While the Board uses various technologies to limit students using its Information & Technology Resources to only use/access online educational services/apps and resources that have been pre-approved for the purpose of instruction, study, and research related to the curriculum, it is impossible to prevent students from accessing and/or coming in contact with online content that has not been pre-approved for use by students of certain ages. It is no longer possible for educators and community members to review and screen materials to assess their appropriateness for supporting and enriching the curriculum according to adopted guidelines and reasonable selection criteria (taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students who would be exposed to them) when significant portions of students’ education take place online or through the use of online educational services/apps.

Pursuant to Federal law, the Board implements technology protection measures that protect against (e.g., filter or block) access to visual displays/depictions/materials that are obscene, constitute child pornography, and/or are harmful to minors, as defined by the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). At the discretion of the Board or the Superintendent, the technology protection measures may be configured to protect against access to other material considered inappropriate for students to access. The Board also utilizes software and/or hardware to monitor the online activity of students to restrict access to child pornography and other material that is obscene, objectionable, inappropriate, and/or harmful to minors. The technology protection measures may not be disabled at any time that students may be using District Information & Technology Resources if such disabling will cease to protect against access to materials that are prohibited under CIPA. Any student who attempts to disable the technology protection measures will be disciplined.

The Superintendent may temporarily or permanently unblock access to websites or online educational services/apps containing appropriate material if access to such sites has been mistakenly, improperly, or inadvertently blocked by the technology protection measures. The determination of whether material is appropriate or inappropriate shall be based on the content of the material and the intended use of the material, not on the protection actions of the technology protection measures.

Parents are advised that a determined user may be able to gain access to online content and/or services/apps that the Board has not authorized for educational purposes. In fact, it is impossible to guarantee students will not gain access through the Internet to content that they and/or their parents may find inappropriate, offensive, objectionable, or controversial. Parents of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using the Internet.

Principals are responsible for providing training so that students under their supervision are knowledgeable about this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

Pursuant to Federal law, students shall receive education about the following:

1. safety and security while using e-mail, chat rooms, social media, and other forms of direct electronic communications;
    
2. the dangers inherent with the online disclosure of personally identifiable information;
    
3. the consequences of unauthorized access (e.g., “hacking”, “harvesting”, “digital piracy”, “data mining”, etc.), cyberbullying, and other unlawful or inappropriate activities by students online; and
    
4. unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personally-identifiable information regarding minors.

Staff members shall provide guidance and instruction to their students regarding the appropriate use of District Information & Technology Resources and online safety and security as specified above. Additionally, such training shall include, but not be limited to, education concerning appropriate online behavior including interacting with others on social media, including in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response. Furthermore, staff members will monitor the online activities of students while they are at school.

Monitoring may include, but is not necessarily limited to, visual observations of online activities during class sessions or use of specific monitoring tools to review browser history and network, server, and computer logs.

All students who use District Information & Technology Resources (and their parents if they are minors) are required to sign a written agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of this policy and its accompanying guidelines. See Form 7540.03 F1.

To keep District Information & Technology Resources operating in a safe, secure, efficient, effective, and beneficial manner to all users, students are required to comply with all District-established cybersecurity procedures including, but not limited to, the use of multi-factored authentication for which they have been trained. Principals are responsible for providing such training on a regular basis and measuring the effectiveness of the training.

Students will be assigned a District-provided school email account that they are required to utilize for all school-related electronic communications, including those to staff members, peers, individuals, and/or organizations outside the district with whom they are communicating for school-related projects and assignments. Further, as directed and authorized by their teachers, they shall use their school-assigned e-mail account when signing-up/registering for access to various online educational services/apps.

Students are responsible for good behavior when using District Information & Technology Resources – i.e., behavior comparable to that expected of students when they are in physical classrooms and school buildings and at school-sponsored events. Because communications on the Internet are often public in nature, general school rules for behavior and communication apply. The Board does not approve any use of its Information & Technology Resources that is not authorized by or conducted strictly in compliance with this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

Use of Artificial Intelligence/Natural Language Processing Tools for School Work

Students are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and resources when completing schoolwork. To ensure the integrity of the educational process and to promote fair and equal opportunities for all students, except as outlined below, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools (collectively, “AI/NLP tools”) is strictly prohibited for the completion of schoolwork. The use of AI/NLP tools, without the express permission/consent of a teacher, undermines the learning and problem-solving skills that are essential to academic success and that the staff is tasked to develop in each student. Students are encouraged to develop their own knowledge, skills, and understanding of course material rather than relying solely on AI/NLP tools and they should ask their teachers when they have questions and/or need assistance. Unauthorized use of AI/NLP tools is considered a form of plagiarism and any student found using these tools without permission or in a prohibited manner will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Notwithstanding the preceding, students can use AI/NLP tools in the school setting if they receive prior permission/consent from their teacher, so long as they use the AI/NLP tools in an ethical and responsible manner. Teachers have the discretion to authorize students to use AI/NLP tools for the following uses:

1. Research assistance: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students quickly and efficiently search for and find relevant information for their school projects and assignments.
    
2. Data Analysis: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students to analyze, understand, and interpret large amounts of data, such as text documents or social media posts. This can be particularly useful for research projects or data analysis assignments – e.g., scientific experiments and marketing research.
    
3. Language translation: AI/NLP tools can be used to translate texts or documents into different languages, which can be helpful for students who are learning a new language or for students who are studying texts written in a different language.
    
4. Writing assistance: AI/NLP tools can provide grammar and spelling corrections, as well as suggest alternative word choices and sentence structure, to help students improve their writing skills.
    
5. Accessibility: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students with disabilities access and understand written materials. For example, text-to-speech software can help students with specific learning disabilities or visual impairments to read texts and AI-powered translation tools can help students with hearing impairments understand spoken language.

As outlined above, under appropriate circumstances, AI/NLP tools can be effectively used as a supplement to and not a replacement for traditional learning methods. Consequently, with prior teacher permission/consent, students can use such resources to help them better understand and analyze information and/or access course materials. If a student has any questions about whether they are permitted to use AI/NLP tools for a specific class assignment, they should ask their teacher.

Users who disregard this policy and its accompanying guidelines may have their use privileges suspended or revoked and disciplinary action taken against them. Users are personally responsible and liable, both civilly and criminally, for uses of District Information & Technology Resources that are not authorized by this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

The Board designates the Superintendent as the administrator(s) responsible for initiating, implementing, and enforcing this policy and its accompanying guidelines as they apply to students’ use of District Information & Technology Resources.

Digital Citizenship

My social media and online footprints are very vague. I only had a Facebook and Instagram until recently. My social media accounts are mainly used as an online family guide to keep track of photos within family that live out of state. My social media accounts will be perceived as she loves pictures of her children and family. There are a LOT of photos of my children!

Digital App

The digital app my CT used in student teaching is called SeeSaw. My CT showed me how to use it in so many ways for learning. I was granted access to her class, and she allowed me to keep up on the posting pictures/videos for families. The app empowers students to learn because it allows students to move at their own pace and its user friendly. Students can participate in their learning experience by using the app by exploring through the assignments, games, and learning opportunities that are assigned by the teacher.

Student Privacy

Common Sense Privacy Evaluation Rating: 85%

This product received a Pass rating based on the following details:

• Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
• Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
• Personalized advertising is not displayed.
• Data are not collected by third parties for their own purposes.
• User’s information is not used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
• Data profiles are not created and used for personalized advertisements.

I can promote management of personal data and digital identity by creating experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and show empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

Digital Literacy

Student Checklist

Name:  Crystal Bedinghaus

Date:     November 1, 2023

Grade Level of Teacher/Instructional Coach: Kindergarten

Content Area of Teacher/Instructional Coach: Kindergarten

Directions: When you meet with the teacher or instructional coach, ask him or her the questions below. Feel free to ask a few more related questions. Make sure you inform the teacher that you will take notes during the interview. Record the interview if the teacher agrees to be recorded. After the interview, reflect on the interview experience by answering the reflection questions.

Collaborate with Colleagues

What is your background, training, and experience as an educator?

I graduated from Miami University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and again in 2022 with my MAT. I have been teaching kindergarten for 5 years now.

What digital apps, digital programs and digital media do you recommend for your classroom?

We are lucky to have a class set of iPads. We use SeeSaw as a student learning platform. (I also use the app for family communication.) We use EPIC and Storyline Online for reading. We use our curriculum’s math apps and the website Happy Numbers for math. We also have a Clever Touch smart board that we use throughout the day.

Technology Goals

How do you stay current with key research that supports technology’s role in improved student learning outcomes?

 I stay current by talking with fellow teachers in my building, reading education websites and journals, and engaging in conversations on twitter.

When you learn that a digital tool or a pedagogical practice is not as effective as you originally thought, how do you adjust?

I like to give tools and practices an appropriate amount of time before I decide if they are effective or not. Because I teach 5- and 6-year-olds, I try to be extremely selective before introducing digital tools and practices to my students. I must make sure they are user friendly and worth our time.

How do you engage in conversation about current research or findings from the learning sciences?

I engage in conversations with my peers at school in person and via twitter. I like to hear from real teachers what’s working for them.

How do you make educational research meaningful in your context?

I don’t really understand what’s being asked here.  

Digital Learning

What is your experience in online or blended learning environments?

I taught online for the entirety of the 2020-2021 school year. I was the district’s kindergarten teacher. I had 18 students. The students I taught chose to be remote, so their families were very supportive, which made my job much easier than when everyone was forced to be remote. This experience helped me become much more tech savvy than I was before.  

What strategies do you use to engage students in active learning in online or blended learning environments?

I taught using Zoom and SeeSaw. Having SeeSaw as a digital learning platform allowed for students to work directly on the app, take pictures and videos of their learning, and record their voice. This helped me understand their learning process and allowed me to give them quality feedback.

Manage Technology Use

How do you manage technology use in the classroom and in the online or blended learning environment?

In kindergarten, we do a lot of hands on activities. I use the Clever Touch daily for lessons, but students only use their iPads probably once a week.

How do you engage students in setting clear ground rules and parameters for technology use?

I walk students through each technology tools and model how to correctly use them. I’m very clear with the expectations surrounding them before we even use them and we review the rules often.

Cultural Competency

Reflecting upon your class, how does this specific group of students create a completely unique learning group and environment?

Each group of students I get make for a unique class family. They came into kindergarten knowing more than my previous kindergarteners, which allowed us to jump right into some fun academics. They are also a pretty calm group. So that– coupled with my classroom management skills makes for a calm learning environment.

How would you recognize and describe diversity as an asset?

Diversity in schools allows students to get to know people who are different and gives them an opportunity to discover things they have in common with them. Which prepares them to be kind, connected human beings in the “real” world.

How do you model cultural understanding for your students?

I use inclusive language. We read books with diverse characters. We learn about holidays around the world. The pictures, clipart, etc. are inclusive– with all different shades of skin tones, different family types, etc.

What are the factors that affect your student’s learning?

The biggest factor that affects students’ learning is whether or not their basic needs are being met… food, clothing, shelter. Learning styles, speech and language skills, and family involvement are all big factors in how successful a student is.

What are a few student strengths and student learning needs?

The list of strengths and needs vary from student to student, but here is a list of what some of us have mastered and some of us find challenging…  ability to identify letter names and sounds, read sight words, one-to-one correspondence, counting skills, handwriting, fine motor skills, basic problem solving abilities

How can technology enhance your student’s strengths and remove barriers?

Students thrive when given opportunities to choose. So we like to give them technology as an option to show what they know through assessments and activities on Seesaw. Doing activities on Seesaw allows us to differentiate assignments… which allows us to work with individual students’ strengths and needs.

 Directions: Reflect on what you learned during the interview.

Reflection

 Describe what you learned about technology tools in the classroom. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the teachers’ classroom practices. Does the information connect with any personal experience or content learned in this course (research, theory, a scholar’s work)?

 I learned they are important aspects to a child’s learning, and very dominant heavy when taking tests. Mrs. Currier has done an excellent job teaching the step-to-step details with technology with her students. Everything is a teachable moment, especially in technology.

Describe what you learned about how to manage technology in the classroom. Describe how you will manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, or in the classroom. 

 I learned how to use the SeeSaw app, which I will be excited to implement in my future classroom. Mrs. Currier did an excellent job demonstrating the importance of connectiveness within our classroom family. Technology extinguishes this, and families love it.

 Describe what you learned about cultural competency in the classroom. Describe how diversity is an asset and how you can model cultural understanding for your students. Describe how the teacher demonstrates cultural competency in his or her classroom. Does the information connect with any personal experience or content learned in this course (research, theory, a scholar’s work)?

 Sarah Currier did a great job helping me understand some families’ beliefs on modern technology. We have a student that isn’t allowed to watch movies. She is to sit out when there is any sort of movies/dance being involved in class. We did a great job limiting the number of clips we showed in class. Most importantly, I learned how to understand/respect their beliefs.

Name: Crystal Bedinghaus

Date: Fall 2023

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Subject Area: Math

Directions: Work with your Cooperating Teacher to complete the Class Profile.

Class Profile

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Age Ranges of Students: 5-6 years old

Number of Students

· Male: 12

· Female: 11

· Other: 0

Number of Students’ Ethnic Distribution

· Hispanic or Latino: 0

· American Indian or Alaska Native: 0

· Asian: 0

· Black or African American: 0

· Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0

· White: 23

· Multiple Races: 0

· Unknown: 0

Number of Students Receiving Mental Health Services: 0

Number of Students Receiving Free/Reduced Lunch: 2

Number of Students Qualifying for Section 504 Services: 1

Number of Students Receiving an IEP: 3

Number of Students in each IDEA Disability Category

· Autism: 1-currently in progress to be tested

· Deaf blindness: 0

· Deafness: 0

· Emotional Disturbance: 1

· Hearing Impairment: 0

· Intellectual Disability: 1

· Multiple Disabilities: 2

· Orthopedic impairment: 0

· Other health impairment: 0

· Specific learning disability: 0

· Speech or language impairment:

· Traumatic brain injury: 0

· Visual impairment (including blindness): 0

Number of Students with other Exceptionalities or Learning Differences

· High Ability learners (including gifted):

· English Language Learners: 0

· Twice Exceptional: 0

Check which General Description of Family Structure Applies to Most of your Students

☐ Two Guardian Household :16 students

☐ One Guardian Household: 6 students

☐ Other

Important Details of any Significant Cultural Aspect of Students (e.g., belief, practices, norms)

· The clothing people wear: One student only wears dresses.

· The food they eat n/a

· The holidays and traditions they celebrate n/a

· Interpersonal relationships: n/a

· Family values: Pentecostal denomination: does not allow movies to be played in class or dancing.

· Familial roles and obligations: n/a

· Interactions between peers and community members: n/a

· Beliefs about power and authority: n/a

· Other:

Directions: Work with your Cooperating Teacher to survey students to find answers to the following questions.

Survey – Collaborate with Students on Technology Tools

1. What digital tools do students already use?

Students use individual I-PADs, Clevertouch

2. How was the student’s learning experience with using these digital tools?

It was hard for some students to understand logins or how to find certain apps on the I-Pad, but once we figured out how to use the tools, students were able to explore their learning tool with better ease.

3. What digital tools are students interested in exploring?

Students love their I-Pads.

Student Characteristics

My kindergarten class came into the school year with a decent amount of technology experience. Five students went to preschool at Bogan, so they were aware of the similar learning apps that take place in kindergarten. Most of our classroom had some knowledge of technoilogical tools, so it wasn’t hard to take a few days of detailed practice to understand the technology rules and how to use some of our learning apps.

Student Strengths & Learning Needs

We have one student who struggles with communication and comprehending small tasks. This was difficult to get him to take the I-Pad and use for testing, assessments, and learning assignments. We utilized our classroom family to our best ability with peer engagement and activity. Several students were able to assist others with their technology tools if their peer was struggling. This allowed teachers to assist the more severe needs.

Equitable Access

Technology tools with our more advanced learners has helped tremendously. If our fast finishers are done with an assignment and it’s completed well, they can utilize our Clevertouch or I-Pad for some more challenging assignments.

This Lesson Plan needs to include the following ISTE components: Technology for ALL Learners, Technology for Deep Learning, Digital Learning, Student Ownership, Solving Meaningful Problems, Digital Assessments, and Assessment To Guide Progress.

Wherever you have satisfied each of these components in the Lesson Plan, insert a comment box with the name of the component.

Canva is an online design and publishing tool with templates that make it easy to create presentations, posters, documents, and other visual content. In addition, Canva for Education provides upgraded access to images, tools as well as some automated student groupings to make using this design suite even more intuitive. Canva for Education is 100% free for K-12 (primary and secondary) teachers and their students, powering creation and collaboration in every classroom. Creativity, critical thinking, design, and visual communication are central to preparing our students for the world outside of school. Canva fosters these skills by making it easy to produce and complete group projects, videos, posters and more. And as a teacher, you can also deliver impactful feedback to reach and motivate students all in one place. Share, review, and give feedback on student work in real-time. I’ve been using the newsletter template for several weeks with my cooperative teacher. I’ve enjoyed browsing the many designs! I’m looking forward to working with Canva in my future classroom.

I’ve enjoyed working with Kindergarten students weekly with Ortin Gillingham curriculum on letter and dictation writing. It’s fascinating to see students who struggle with fine motor skills struggling with tummy time writing due to over use of their elbows. My Cooperative Teacher and I are adding tummy time with dictation writing weekly to our lesson plans.

Why it’s helpful:

• Increases postural core strength (neck, back, and abdominal muscles).
• Increases shoulder and arm strength, which is important for fine motor skills (eating with utensils, writing, drawing, cutting) and gross motor skills (throwing, crawling, climbing).
• Helps the two sides of the body learn to coordinate as the child learns to lift one arm at a time and reach in different directions, including across their body, for objects.
• Increases stability of the neck muscles, which helps support the functional use of vision in other positions.
• Helps ALL of us counteract the negative effects of looking down at technological devices
• Improves flexibility in the hips, which helps with running, jumping, and climbing and can relieve a tight low back.
• Very calming to the nervous system.

https://x.com/cdbedinghaus/status/1720849366385057796?s=20.

The top 5 educators that I have the most respect/admiration for in education are:

1. Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, known for her educational method that builds on the way children learn. Using scientific observation and experience gained from her earlier work with young children, Maria designed learning materials and a classroom environment that allowed the children’s natural desire to learn and provided freedom for them to choose their own materials. Maria dedicated herself to advancing the child-centered approach to education.

2. John Dewey

John Dewey (1859—1952) was a psychologist, philosopher, and educator who made contributions to numerous topics in philosophy and psychology. His work continues to inform modern philosophy and educational practice today. Dewey’s influential education is marked by the belief that people learn and grow as a result of their experiences and interactions with the world. He helped to shape educational environments so that they would promote active inquiry but did not do away with traditional instruction altogether.

3. Anne Sullivan

When Anne Sullivan was about five years old, she contracted trachoma, an eye disease caused by bacteria. Trachoma usually begins in childhood and causes repeated, painful infections, making the eyes red and swollen. Over time the recurring irritation and scarring of the cornea causes severe vision loss. Sullivan dealt with the effects of trachoma throughout her life. Anne Sullivan and her younger brother Jimmie were sent to live in the “poor house” in Tewksbury. At 14, after pleading with a visiting state official, she was allowed to leave the confines of the state institution and enter the Perkins School for the Blind, in Boston, where she eagerly learned to read, write and use the manual alphabet. After a few more eye operations, Sullivan’s eyesight improved, and she graduated from Perkins as class valedictorian in 1886. Shortly after graduation, 20-year-old Anne Sullivan accepted an offer from the Keller family of Tuscumbia, Alabama to tutor their daughter. The girl was 6 years old, blind, deaf, and mute. Her name was Helen Keller. Prior to Anne Sullivan, no one had been able to successfully teach a blind, deaf and mute child. It was perhaps Sullivan’s own difficult childhood that provided the patience for the trial and error necessary. Sullivan’ determination perhaps sets the standard for teachers. Even with Keller’s disabilities, Sullivan refused to give up, and set high goals. She was not only a pioneer in teaching the deaf and blind, but to this day is an example for all teachers trying to reach difficult and challenging students.

4. Booker T. Washington

Booker Taliaferro Washington ( 1856 – 1915) was an African-American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community. Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. Washington took the first opportunity to attend a formal school, Hampton Institute, which led to professorship and the founding of one of the most prestigious African American educational institutions of the nineteenth century, Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Washington was seen as accommodating the status quo of African American subordination because his writings and speeches advocated that success for blacks would be achieved through the economic stability of education (mainly, vocational training); he did not protest, did not challenge the political system and did not speak about the lack of social equality like his critics, Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. DuBois.

5. Frederick Froebel

Friedrich Froebel ( 1782-1852) was a German educator who invented kindergarten. He believed that “play is the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in the child’s soul.” According to Froebel, in play children construct their understanding of the world through direct experience with it. His ideas about learning through nature and the importance of play have spread throughout the world. Froebel considered the whole child’s, health, physical development, the environment, emotional well-being, mental ability, social relationships and spiritual aspects of development as important. Froebel believed that playing with blocks gives fundamental expression to a child’s soul and to the unity of life. Blocks represent the actual building blocks of the universe. The symmetry of the soul is symbolized as a child constructs with blocks, bringing them together to form a whole.

Welcome to my first blog! I’m looking forward in sharing my early childhood educational journey with all of you!