TD UOI - What's that? What does it look like in Early Years?

At the begin of this week I was approach with the question 'what is the meaning of TD UOI? Teachers at ISPP love questions! no matter from whom, big or small people. The fact that someone is INQUIRING is what we like to see being modeled to our students every day. So the question prompted me to think that maybe there are a few others wondering about the same thing. 

TD - stands for transdisciplinary. Following are some links to help explain this visually:

This clip is a summary result of a Category 3 IB Workshop, it's very informative for teachers and parents. 

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G35IBmEngO8

The Greenwich School Virtual Library has a nice visual to the explanation, which you can take the time to read here at your leisure.

source: http://www.greenwichschools.org/page.cfm?p=6697

UOI - seen just as frequently as the acronym TD, stands for unit of inquiry. 

In Early Years, we are required by the IBPYP to explore four of six units of inquiry each of which align under a Transdisciplinary Theme. Two of these are mandatory and must be covered each year:

1. Who we are
2. How we express ourselves

In addition to the above this year we will also be coving How the world works and How we organise ourselves, to make up the four units. 

Our current unit of inquiry aligns under the TD theme Who we are and our Central idea is: Our interests and abilities inform our learning

So what does that all look like in an Early Years classroom?

Using a model called Backward by Design EY2 teachers discuss what milestones we can expect for this year-long inquiry; a midway point and end of year objective. We have decided to first focus on helping the students identify what their specific interest and abilities might be, that will enable them to create a personal profile of themselves. 

The journey so far involves - the planning...

1. Prior knowledge assessment - while keeping in mind the five essential elements (concepts, knowledge, approaches to learning, attitudes, action - more about this in another blog)
2. Differentiated groupings and
3. Appropriate learning engagement selection

... and the practice

This week EY2 students have continued to engage in a variety of learning experiences that have allowed us to observe and assess their individual interactions, attention spans, perseverance, or the willingness to 'give it a go' and be a risk-taker. We engaged in social-development experiences such as dramatic play. We explored numbers and colours. We had conversations about our identity, created our birthday calendar, and drew self-portraits. We were excited to have Ms. Dee visit us and talk about feelings. 

Much excitement arose during our first trip to the swimming pool.

Lastly, on Friday, we did our first 'brainstorm' and had our first group work experience. In groups of six, the children brainstormed things they liked, then gathered to listen to the story Things I like, by Anthony Brown.  As they returned to their groups they were encouraged to think and where necessary add more ideas that may have been triggered by the content of the story. Finally, they were asked to illustrate at least one of their 'likes' on their group poster.

It was amazing how engaged they were and many were keen to draw more than one thing. 

Like in our adult life, the above learning experiences involved a range of thinking strategies such as critical thinking, logic, as well as numercy, literacy and language abilities - transdisciplinary.

We look forward to a new week of learning!

Have a great weekend



PS. Oh! a highlight this week was understanding the word 'patients'. 

Hopes and Concerns Meetings

Thank you to those who took the time to share their hopes and concerns with us. We found the time together and the information very valuable. As mentioned in the EY parent meeting last Friday, we can best support you and your child when we are informed. We would like to encourage those of you who have not yet had the chance to meet to make and appointment at some time over the next fortnight. 

Time available to meet would best be:

Monday, Tuesday or Friday between 2:45pm and 3:30pm.

Thank you in advance and have a great week!

Mark your calendars

After school activities

Monday, August 24 • After School Programme Begins
Please email any questions to - afterschool@ispp.edu.kh
More detail can be found on the school website:
http://www.ispp.edu.kh/athletics-activities/after-school-programme

ManageBac

Parent Introductory Sessions for ManageBac

Various dates and times:

Secondary (Location TBD)

Tuesday 25 Aug English and Khmer

Elementary (In the Elementary Computer Lab)

Monday 24th 7:45-8:05 Khmer and English 

Wednesday 26th 7:45-8:05 Khmer and English

Thursday 27th 7:45-8:05 English

Adapting to change and establishing our shared learning environment

Change

It's been an incredible week of learning, not only for the children but also for the teachers and parents. The beginning of a great year ahead. 

Change is scary sometimes; however, using the words of the ancient Greek philosopher of Ephesus, Heraclitus, that have been sung so beautifully by Indie Arie, "The only thing that is constant is change!". Change encourages questioning, wonderings, inquiry, and growth. Change is good if we allow ourselves to explore the advantages it has to offer us. 

Over the past 7 days, all the students of ISPP experienced a huge change in their environment which they explored with much enthusiasm. The changes they experienced as individuals varied. Some were able to adapt sooner than others they reconnected to familiar faces, friends, furniture and equipment from the old campus on Norodom. Others, on the other hand, were adapting to bigger changes. Country, teachers, loss of old friends in different places, school life, and making new friends. Adapting to these changes is a feat that costs energy and emotions, for big and small people alike. 

Week review

This week in EY2 we have taken these feelings and emotions into consideration as we worked towards establishing child-friendly and understandable essential agreements. Through the aid of the character Ms. Beany and Golden Rules Animal Stories, the children were encouraged to make connections on what 'learning together' might look like, sound like and feel like. 

Their 'written responses' were established through individual conversations while reflecting on the actions of the story characters. 

The essential agreements (posted in the classroom) will be regularly revisited as the children take action within their learning environment. Aided by the 'rainbow chart' they are encouraged to manage the own behaviours. 

Each morning every child begins on the colour green meaning we are ready to learn. Like in our adult lives, our days go up and down, but with each passing day we have an opportunity to start fresh, to learn from mistakes made and build on newly acquired knowledge. 

Throughout the day, the children may move up or down the charts:

Alongside our work on articulating an understanding of our shared learning environment, we have also focused on our circle time skills: looking, listening, speaking, thinking, and concentration. We enjoyed practicing these in our classroom as well as during our specials classes which we visited for the first time on Thursday and Friday. 

Music with Ms Liegh

Art with Ms Dana

Library with Ms Anne

With Thursday and Friday being our first full days of school, we used that time to do some general observations and assess some specific abilities. The children viewed the story Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh.

Before viewing the children were asked 2 focus questions - What did the mice do? and what happened? - this encouraged them to view with a purpose. Later the children engaged in a variety of fun activities; such as, retelling the story using images, mixing primary colours and predicting how they change, and cutting shapes to make mice, from which the teachers could record the data we needed.

 

Lunchtime

The week review would not be complete without mentioning something about our lunchtime. The children have practically all shown a fantastic ability to manage themselves and their space. I have enjoyed sitting and eating with children, not only to monitor but to capitalise on this valuable time as a learning opportunity. If you child is a 'home food' eater, please be sure to send in all the utensils s/he needs to support their independence. 

First fulltime week

With the first full-time week ahead of us, it is understandable that your child may be extremely tired and very likely cranky when s/he returns home in the afternoons. My advice as an experienced mother and educator is: Choose your battles and be gentle with them and yourselves :)

Have a great week. 

EY2 Timetable

Here a quick screen shot of the timetable as it stands for now. 

Have a great Friday!

Lunch orders

It's great to see how many students have signed up for the Epicure lunch offer. 15 of our 18 children from the class will be enjoying the school lunch along with me and other teachers tomorrow at 11:30am

Lunch time offers a great range of transdisciplinary learning opportunities and teachable moments, particularly in the areas of literacy, numeracy and social skills. 

Please know that the complete lunch menus can be found on the ISPP website:

http://www.ispp.edu.kh/services/school-lunch-programme/early-yearskindergarten-menus

Each menu offers a choice of Asian, western, vegetarian & Halal, salad and fresh fruit.

Home lunches should be dropped outside the Early Years Piazza in the coloured baskets. Look for the basket with our homeroom label.

Welcome to Early Years 2

A very warm welcome to ISPP and to our EY2 blog! 

Valuable information will be posted here and updated on a regular basis. It is important that you check for any updates. An email will be sent when we have updated the site.

Why I do what I do

My name is Elaine Reimann, the children will know me as Ms. Elaine. Although I have lived in Cambodia from 2000 to 2003, this is my first year working at ISPP. During my 18 years of teaching, I have been fortunate to experience the cultures of Germany, France, The United States, Cameroon, and Lao People Democratic Republic. ISPP is my fourth international school and I come with eleven years of IBPYP Early Years teaching experience, a degree in Teaching and Learning, Diplomas in Management, and a Masters in TESOL. My research focussed on language acquisition for young children in a multilingual environment. 

I look forward to working in close collaboration with Ms. Karyn and our EY2 Assistants Ms. Solieng, Ms. Socheata, Ms. Bora and Ms. Neary; as well as the EY1 team, Ms Helen (EY Coordinator) and Ms Henny, along with their Teaching Assistants Ms Raly, Ms Bany, Ms Borey, and Ms Thida. 

Thursday and Friday were the first days of school for some of the EY2 students. The children showed curiosity as they explored the classroom materials and warmed up to their peers and their teachers.

Next week from Monday to Wednesday we will continue to have dismissal at 11.30. THURSDAY will mark our first full day of school when children will be dismissed at 2.30pm. 

Please note that on Thursday & Friday the students will remain at school for lunch. If your child is having a school lunch (Epicure) please let us know. A sign-up sheet is posted on the information board outside the classroom.

Specialist classes are scheduled as follows:

Have a great weekend!
See you on Monday

Learning together, growing together, each making a difference.

Dear Families,

Welcome to a brand new school and a brand new year at ISPP! I hope you all had an enjoyable and fun-filled summer and we are very much looking forward to meeting you all in the coming week!

Your Early Years team is Helen Bartlett, Henny McBurney, Karyn South, and Elaine Reimann.

We would also like to introduce the single subject teachers who will be working alongside us:

• Ms. Leigh Pritchard – Music (EY2 only)
• Ms. Dana Carney – Art (EY2 only)
• Mr. Ben Wiggins and Mr. Andy Munn – PE (EY2 only)
• Ms. Ann Coster – Library
• Mr. Matt Dolmont – ICT integration
• Ms. Anne - Swimming

Returning parents may recognise not only physical changes but also to the daily functions of the Early Years team. You will see the children:

• Move between the rooms
• Engage in a variety of learning experiences and provocations
• Collaborate with friends in the piazza
• Interact with all the teachers and teaching assistants

In Early Years, we learn through a variety of transdisciplinary play-based learning engagements. We will begin to lay strong foundations in developing numeracy and literacy concepts. One of the greatest benefits of playing is to assist with the development of social competence. Children can build relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviours. Physically active play allows children to test and develop all types of motor skills. The dispositions for learning, such as curiosity, openness, optimism, resilience, concentration, and creativity (SACSA, 2009), are developed in play. The IB learner profile and PYP attitudes promote the development of resilience and the beginnings of empathy as children begin to understand other points of view.

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing further details of the coming year. For now, here is some essential information.

School Hours:

• The school day starts at 7.30am and for your child to maximize their potential learning this year, they need to be at school every day by 7.30am.
• School finishes at 2.30pm, please ensure you are here on time.

Clothing:

Please ensure that your child wears comfortable clothing and shoes to school on a daily basis that will allow freedom to move and explore. Please ensure ‘best’ clothes are not worn to school in case they are dirtied during work/play time.

• Please send in two sets of spare clothes in case of accidents. Please ensure all items are clearly named and sealed in a labeled plastic bag. If your child uses the spare clothes, please return a replacement set to school.

• Send a hat for your child to wear outside for additional sun protection
• PE - Please ensure your child is dressed suitably on these days including sports shoes

• Swimming -  your child should bring a close-fitting swimsuit, a towel, a hair tie and goggles (optional) in a plastic bag

Items to bring to school:

• Library - Students will be allowed to borrow one book at a time that should be returned the following week.

• Home/school communication folder will be used for notes from home and school. Please ensure that any important information (ie, change of pick up, etc...) is relayed here or by email. Please spend a few minutes at the end of the school day checking the folder for any additions.
• Students should bring in a reusable bottle for water (please label with your child’s name) for use throughout the day.
• A healthy snack (please label the container) – fruit, yoghurt, vegetables, crackers, etc. Please note that at school, children not have fizzy drinks, candy, chocolate, donuts or large bags of crisps/cookies.
• School lunch - Your child will either eat the Epicure school meal, or eat a lunch from home. If your child eats lunch from home, please ensure the container is labeled with your child's name and dropped at school by 11.15am. More details regarding lunch drop off points will follow, but as always, there will be a drop-off point, and no food is to be delivered to classrooms.
• Toys and special items should be left at home to ensure they are not lost or broken at school.

Additional Information:

• We welcome the opportunity to celebrate your child's birthday in our classrooms! Please note that a small cake or mini cupcakes may be sent to school to share with all class members. Please do not send sweets or party bags to school, as ISPP supports a healthy eating philosophy, we will ask you to take them back home. Please let your child’s teacher know in advance.
• Children at this age require much sleep and rest, therefore, please ensure that your child gets a good night's sleep so she/he is refreshed and ready for a new and exciting day of school! Bedtime stories or lullaby CDs are a great way to keep a routine for bedtime.

Communication:

• Please feel free to contact your child’s homeroom teacher with any concerns you may have either by email or the communication folder. Please note that whilst you are very welcome to email, teachers will spend the majority of their school day working alongside the children and therefore, do not check emails during the school day. If the matter is of great urgency, a phone call to the school office (012 222 970) is the best means of communication.
• Our class blogs - Please subscribe to our blog to ensure you are kept fully updated with the latest events and happenings in the classroom. More details to follow soon.

We are looking forward to having an exciting year with the students! Thank you in advance for all of your help and support!

Many thanks!

Early Years Team