Hauora and Play Based Learning

This year I have focussed on play based learning with my Year 1 students. The primary objective was to support students with their learning in a way which also helped their emotional, physical, social and 'spiritual' well being or Hauora. 

Several of the Year 1 students had anxiety issues or outbursts of anger on a regular basis and they needed a way to learn that would help them manage these behaviours. 

The concepts of Hauora in our Health and PE document shows how this can be related to play based learning and supporting our tamariki to work towards a balance and a stronger sense of themselves as learners. 

This Whare Tapawha model by Dr Mason Durie incorporates the 4 areas where the walls of a whare are each supporting each other and working together to provide "strength and symmetry."

It is this strength and symmetry that I am trying to support my students with. Alongside this scaffolding comes concepts of student agency and growth mindset. 

Many of the students would refuse to do certain activities because they believed they couldn't achieve at them or they became angry and frustrated at their limitations. Through a planned play based learning environment with workshops and open ended activities students could begin to learn in an environment where you could try again, have something not work, talk about the problems through role play and then come to a point where learning worked for them. Failing had begun to be normalised. 

The classroom became a calmer and more relaxed environment. Instead of the constant internal banter and monologue play helped them to clear their thinking to a more mindful state. 

Play based activities could be picked to indirectly target behaviour so they could practice through play. Also areas of passion for the students could be targeted and linked to learning through inquiry, literacy or maths. At the same time these four areas of Physical, Cognitive, Social and Emotional Development are focussed on as well. 

Of course there are still challenges and days where activities and play based learning just don't work. From this reflection comes and we can start to work through changes together. Student input into this is vital to their learning. If we can help our students focus this through play and reflection then their Hauora and mindful state will support their learning journey and future challenges that they may face.

Maths driven through Play Based Learning

My Year 1 Students learning about Geometry through play based learning was my main focus in Term 3. Since working at an IB PYP school I have been particularly interested in inquiry and play based learning. 

My students and I designed a variety of activities for Discovery time together. We also posed open ended questions so they could investigate areas they were interested in. Questions such as: 

What could we make with these resources? 

How could we incorporate these shapes in our design? 

I wonder how we could use these shapes? 

enabled students to develop their wonderings and explore shapes in a variety of ways. They were free to investigate their own and/or other's questions through out the term. 

Investigating shapes and having a 'shape race.'

Designing a mini golf course using different shapes. 

Making a 3D shape marble run. 

Designing shape robots and describing them with the help of our Year 4/5 buddies. 

Our finished products. I love how they are all so different! 

Making different shapes bubbles with our hands and other shapes made from straws. 

Designing shape jewellery with wire and cardboard. 

'Baking' with play dough. 

Making shape 'mood boards' These have a New Zealand beach and outdoors theme. 

Although the students had the freedom to explore I still incorporated workshops to focus on our Junior Team learning intentions. I could then support or solidify their maths learning with rich learning tasks. Embracing their curiosity meant we could investigate shape concepts as they came up through discussion, reflection and sharing. 

I really like this image from uLearn 2016 as it shows the heart of our maths learning this term.

The utilising connectivity came primarily through the class blog but it is something that we would expand on in the future. 

 In particular thinking critically, communicating clearly, working collaboratively, developing creativity and embracing culture were particularly evident during the term.  This is why I value play based learning as I see students thriving in these areas. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on play based learning or maths inquiry. 

Nga Mihi Nui