Nurturing Learning Dispositions

through Thinking Routines

Early Childhood Conference Oct 2018

1

Jermaine Lim & Jilyn TanMinistry of Education

What do you SEE?

What do you THINK could be the

presenters’ focus / key message?

I wonder how this can be applied

to my own beliefs/centre practice?

“The fundamental purpose of education

for the 21st century it is argued, is not so

much the transmission of particular

bodies of knowledge, skill and

understanding as facilitating the

development of the capacity and the

confidence to engage in lifelong learning.”

(Carr and Claxton, 2002)

‘Learn for Life’ is a value, an

attitude and a skill that our students need

to possess, and it is fundamental in

ensuring that education remains an

uplifting force in society.

Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education

(Opening Speech at School Workplan Seminar 2018)

Objectives of Session

• HOW can teachers nurture learning dispositions in

young children explicitly and purposefully?

WHAT are the key guiding principles and strategies

to nurture learning dispositions in young children?

• HOW might thinking routines be introduced to integrate

learning dispositions into existing classroom activities,

routines and transitions?

Why are Learning Dispositions Important?

Dispositions should be included in learning

goals because “the acquisition of

knowledge and skills alone does not

guarantee that they will be used and

applied”.(Katz, 1993)

Knowledge

+

Skills

+

Learning

Dispositions

Why are Learning Dispositions Important?

Lifelong Learner

NEL Curriculum Framework

Learning dispositions

Desired Outcomes of Education & Key Stage Outcomes of Pre-School Education

12

Children will keep working at a task to complete it.

They do not give up even though it is challenging.

Children will think back about what they have done, seen, heard or felt in their experiences.

They will generate alternative ideas, gain new knowledge to improve their learning

Children will be able to recognise individual qualities.

They will listen to the views of others and show respect for others.

Children will be flexible in their thinking.

They are willing to try out something new or different and will explore doing things in different ways.

Children will show interest in the world they live in.

They will not afraid to ask questions and like to explore and discover new things.

Children will immerse in what they are doing and enjoy what they do.

They will take initiatives to seek opportunities in learning without being asked.

What are the Learning Dispositions?

Scenario 1

Teacher Jilyn is facilitating reflection time with a group of

children in the classroom. As a child is sharing her artwork

with the class, Christopher shouted “Why is your cat blue?

Cats are black, brown or white. MY CAT is BROWN!!!”.

What do you see in this scenario?

Why do you think the child, Christopher responses in this way?

I wonder how we can nurture learning disposition(s) in the above scenario?

Scenario 2

Teacher Jermaine’s class is having learning centre time. In

one of the small groups, the children are stuck and have

difficulty completing their task. In the other group, the

children have completed their task and are getting restless.

What do you see in this scenario?

Why do you think the children react this way?

I wonder how we can nurture learning disposition(s) in the above scenario?

How Can We Nurture

Learning Dispositions

in Children?

Guiding Principles - CRANE

Nurture

deliberately

Establish a

common language

Reinforce

across contextsCreate a

Classroom

Culture

Adopt a

whole Kindergarten

approach

Engage children’s affect (heart) and

intellect (head) so that they are able to

exhibit the disposition in their actions (hand)

3 Key Considerations:

• Plan meaningful learning experiences

• Design the learning environment

• Model through appropriate behaviour and

language

Role of the Teacher

Create a classroom

culture

Reinforce across

context

Adopt a whole

kindergarten approach

Establish a

common

language

Nurture

deliberately

1. Plan meaningful

learning experiences

2. Design the learning

environment

3. Model through

appropriate behaviour

and language

1. Plan meaningful

learning experiences

Aim to nurture learning

dispositions deliberately

Use common language

Reinforce learning

dispositions across various

contexts

Role of Teacher

2. Design the learning environment

a) Physical set-up of the classroom

Displaying children’s work to promote reflection and appreciation

Seating arrangement to promote inventiveness, engagement and/or appreciation

Audio-visual aids to promote reflection and facilitate conversations about other learning dispositions

Role of Teacher

2. Design the learning environment

b) Safe and inviting atmosphere (Tone, words)

Role of Teacher

3. Model through appropriate behaviour and

language

Seize teachable moments to:

Strengthen desirable dispositions

Weaken undesirable dispositions

Role of Teacher

How might a child who is facing difficulty with a

particular task serve as a teachable moment?

3. Model through appropriate behaviour and

language

Act as role-model:

Lead by example

Recognise and value the learning dispositions

Role of Teacher

Use of Routines?

• In early childhood settings, routines play

an important part in shaping the dynamics

of the classroom, including teaching and

learning.

• Routines are simple steps that organise

children’s and teachers’ participation in

classroom activities.

Characteristics of Routines

• Classroom routines tend to be explicit, and

goal-driven in nature, usually due to a

deliberate choice by the teacher.

– Only a few steps

– Easy to teach and learn

– Easily scaffolded

– Used over and over again

Use of Routines?

• Ritchhart (2002) identifies 4 types of

routines:

Types of

Routines

Purpose Example

House-keeping Manage movement and

physical materials

Putting bags in cubby holes

Management Set up the classroom to help

children prepare for learning

Forming groups, coming to

attention

Discourse Organise conversations

between teachers and students

Norms for classroom

discussion e.g. raising hands

Learning Focus children’s attention on

the current topic being

discussed

Circle time at the end of the

day for reflection

Thinking routines

Visible Thinking

• Developed by Harvard Project

Zero

• Practices that help to make

thinking visible by guiding

learners’ thought processes and

encouraging active processing

• Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKV_S5NpDdc

Thinking Routines for Nurturing

Learning Dispositions

29

Create a classroom

culture

Reinforce across

context

Adopt a whole

kindergarten

approach

Establish a

common

language

Nurture

deliberately

1. Plan meaningful

learning experiences

2. Design the learning

environment

3. Model through

appropriate behaviour

and language

Thinking Routines for Nurturing

Learning Dispositions

• Here are some possibilities for nurturing

learning dispositions through thinking

routines:

Learning Disposition Thinking Routines

Perseverance Stuck Talk

Reflectiveness Think back – Learn From it –

Do it Better

Appreciation Think – Pair – Share

Inventiveness Imagine if…

Sense of Wonder and Curiosity See – Think – Wonder

Think – Puzzle – Explore

Thinking Routines for Nurturing

Learning Dispositions• “Stuck Talk”

• Think back – learn from it – do it better

I am stuck. I am stuck because… VS

Think Back Learn from it Do it better

• What happened?

• What was the first thing

you did?

• What did you do next?

• Was it easy or difficult

to…? Why?

• What have you learnt

from…?

• What could you have

done?

• Do you like to…?

Why?

• If you are asked to…

again, what else would

you do?

• What would you do if

this happens again?

Thinking Routines for Nurturing

Learning Dispositions• Think-pair-share

– Helps children to understand multiple perspectives

through sharing ideas.

Think Pair Share

Think

about your

answer to

the

question.

Share your

ideas with

a partner.

Tell the

group

about your

partner’s

responses.

Thinking Routines for Nurturing

Learning Dispositions• See-Think-Wonder/ Think-Puzzle-Explore

– Stimulates curiosity and sets the stage for inquiry

See Think Wonder

What do

you see?

What do

you think

about that?

What does

it make you

wonder?

Think Puzzle Explore

Do you

think you

know about

this topic?

What

questions

or puzzles

do you

have?

How can

you explore

this topic?

Thinking Routines for

Nurturing Learning Dispositions

• Imagine if…

– In what ways could the bus be made better?

– In what ways could the bus be made more beautiful?

Discussion

How do you think learning

dispositions may be nurtured

in your centre through the use

of thinking routines?

• Which thinking routine might you want to use?

• Consider the guiding principles and roles of a teacher – would the

thinking routine in question support that?

Q&A

In Summary

SituationShaped by

attitude/values

Decision Action

Behaviour(over time)

Teacher’s role

including the consistent use

of thinking routines in the classroom

THANK

YOU!