All early childhood educators know that play is an integral part of a child’s learning. But there is much more to the science of play than meets the eye. This must-read book calls on teachers to focus more deeply on specific modes of play to promote concept formation from an early age. As Kriegler explains, if children only ever free play, educators miss a vital chance to design engaging learning projects and scaffold students’ conceptual understanding of the world around them. In Edu-Chameleon, Kriegler offers ways to engage the minds and imaginations of young children at the level that is appropriate to their current ability, whilst simultaneously laying foundations for future success. Written for educators of children aged three to nine years, including preschool assistants, teacher aides, degree qualified teachers, leaders and curriculum designers, this practical guide outlines how to identify and utilise the endless opportunities in the classroom to enhance concept-based understanding for learning all subjects including a solid foundation for STEM. And to do it in a way that is absorbing and appealing to children. Over 30 years working with teachers across a variety of early education settings, Kriegler has deepened her understanding of knowledge. She explores knowledge at its atomic level of language and concept acquisition and explains that knowledge is static unless it is actively mobilised. She commences the book explaining the process of language and concept acquisition and later presents seven dynamic learning zones each with a different relationship between the educator and the child. In some zones children have extensive freedom to follow their own actions and ideas, in others, their freedom is intentionally narrowed, but their learning is deepened through engaging provocations. Each zone has its own definition, methodology and structure.
The seven learning zones are:*
* Free play
* Mediated play
* Embedded concepts
* Concept clarity
* Closed-ended mobilisation
* Open-ended mobilisation
* Auto-generative creativity
This book is designed to be an accessible companion for educators looking for ways to refine their knowledge about concept formation to augment the value, purpose and precision of everything that is already planned, assessed, said and done in the normal course of teaching practice. The best thing about the strategies found in Edu-Chameleon is that they don’t add time to educators’ already jam-packed schedules, they maximise the impact of that time. In four well-structured parts, the book engages with current trends in the early years’ landscape, explores how concepts are formed and deployed in the learning curriculum, presents the seven learning zones with their unique characteristics and provides a handy collection of lists and resources to help educators in the classroom. Kriegler says, ‘There is little that intrigues and excites me more in my teaching role than seeing children in flow as they challenge themselves to learn, think, create and communicate. Concepts, insights, thoughts, the mastery of techniques and skills - all inspire and interest me whether they are encountered in preschool, primary, secondary or tertiary settings. This is equally true in my consultancy when educators encounter ideas and gain insights that transform their practice’. After reading this book, educators will have the confidence to elevate their practice with every word they speak. Their competence will be amplified, and the learning dynamics in their classrooms will be positively realigned. Rather than seeing play as one-dimensional, educators will become agile Edu-Chameleons, leveraging the seven dynamic learning zones, to magnify the concept-based understanding and cognition of their students every day.
