Hi! Teachers attended a conference in Term 2. I particularly like this keynote about emotions and learning in children. The standards of lesson planning in SG starts with a tuning-in (about 10min), keeping the lesson objectives in mind. Instead of diving straight into the learning outcomes, learning is deem meaningful if children understood the purpose of learning what I had intended.
A friend once told me that young children will not know anything about planning for their future but they do enjoy learning if they like the teacher or the lesson. Perhaps that's where emotions come to play.
I remember a Modified Language Experience Approach (MLEA) to writing from years ago on sandwich making. The level teachers had to prepare peanut butter and jam, bread slices, plastic knives and plastic gloves for the lower primary children. It's such a simple snack to make but the children had a blast! A child had offer me her sandwich but I had to politely declined 😁 Then, they ate their sandwiches in the canteen and returned to the classroom to do class writing. The experience was to develop emotions in the fun activity in order to engage children to reflect on the common experience. It was sensorial. How difficult is it to forget about what was taught and the post-learning activity? Was the preparation for the sandwich-making activity a waste of time? Could the teachers have just dive in straight to writing? Can we assume that all children had made sandwiches under similar conditions before? Will the children remember the experience for years to come and have common topic to discuss with their peers?
Never associate teaching with pouring knowledge into empty vessels but rather provide positive learning conditions and trust the learners' ability to make meaning. But of course, we do not equate teaching with learning so assessment comes into place but that's another story for another day.
References:
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/the-brain-basis-for-integrated-social-emotional-and-academic-development/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may20/vol77/num08/Building-Meaning-Builds-Teens'-Brains.aspx
