Nature Connect:

The Power of Nature to Build Collaboration, Connection, Community

and Enact Change

Acknowledgement of CountryWe acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

We acknowledge and respect the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the ancestral lands on which we meet today.

We acknowledge the deep feelings of attachment and the relationship the Kaurna people have to the country and land.

Lobethal Kindergarten-Our Context

Our Journey to the Bush

Key Learnings From New Zealand• Time

• Revisit

• Community

• Connect

• Consult

• Communicate

• Commit

Taking risks and flying into the unknown

Three Pillars of Powerful Learning

Exploring the Role of the Educator

“The goal of education is not to increase the amount of knowledge but to create the possibilities for a child to invent and discover, to create men who are capable of doing new things”. Jean Piaget

The Slow Dance:Interacting, Being present, Learning, Teaching,Self discovery, Scaffolding, Observing, Listening, Providing feedback, Provoking, Resourcing,Challenging, Reflecting, Questioning, Language, Inspiring, Standing back, Playing, Responding,Supporting, Documenting, Planning, Understanding the whole child and their back story

Learning EnvironmentsWhat makes a quality learning environment?

PhysicalEmotional

Intellectual

Philosophy and Pedagogy

Social

Connecting with Places and Spaces

Making The Learning Visible

POWERFUL Tools

Digital technology is a powerful tool!

Powerful tools:Clip on magnifying

glasses

Using the Digital Microscope

Agency in Action….

Inquiry into agency

Inquiry into agency

Child Led Learning

The Great Bone Debate!

Learningdispositions

Transference across sites

Child’s voice-theories, ideas, justifications, arguments

Possible lines of development

Questioning Techniques

Girls and STEM

Creative and critical thinkers

STEM learning opportunities

The role of the educator

The role of the environment

Oral language and vocabulary development

George’s Sign Project

Passing on the Legacy-An Ever Evolving Journey…

Signs Of Change

Environmental Agency

Advocating for the rights of our children and learning about agency along the

way!

Our Children as Local and Global Citizens….

Creating Change!

Learning DesignWe plan our learning using a combination of the following approaches:• Morning Planning session with children (structured and unstructured)• Backward planning (responding to an emergent curriculum), • Children’s Reflections- Nature Noticers Almanac and Bush kindy Journal• Building on children’s ideas through use of observations ECED data and daily reflections• Aligned with ILPs to support, stretch and challenge children inline with their needs• Intentional and explicit teaching techniques planned for and used as required

Floor Book Planning Nature Noticers Almanac

Measuring the Impact

• Girls involvement in STEM activities

• Executive Functions- Cognitive flexibility, working memory, impulse control

• Involvement levels across sites• Oral Language- increased use of

vocabulary and listening skills• Increased mathematical and

scientific language• Preschool Numeracy Indicators • Endurance• Wellbeing• Emotional Regulation• Sensory Processing• Risk Taking• Learning Disposition growth• Increased educator confidence

• Reflect, Respect, Relate scales-Involvement, Wellbeing, Relationships and Active Learning Environment

• Daily observations• ECED data and reflections• Transference of skills and learning

across sites • Preschool Numeracy and Literacy

Indicators• Parent Feedback/surveys• Learning stories• Facebook page

HOW?

WHY?

Improvement focusIndividual child and cohort needsEducator InquirySite/Partnership Focus

WHAT?

Questions?

Reference

STEM Learning strategy: https://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teaching/curriculum-and-teaching/stem-learning-strategy Respect Reflect Relate Belonging, Being, Becoming - The Early Years

Learning Framework. Futurity Learning- Powerful LearnersDisposition Scale

http://lobethalkgn.sa.edu.au/blog/