How do we know that

children learn?

Milla Mikkola

Co-Founder of Kindiedays

“When you teach a child

something, you forever take

away his chance of discovering

it for himself”

- Jean Piaget

Learning through experiences

results in a change in knowledge

and behaviour

Finland’s cornerstones for

learning in ECEC

Children are curious to learn by nature

Children learn via interaction with other people and the

environment around them

Children learn by playing, moving, exploring

The value of learning is in the

process and context

Children’s strengths and interests as the starting point for

learning

Activities are interesting, goal-oriented and suitably

challenging

Educators interact, support and guide

Experiencing success and joy in learning is every child’s right

If learning

happens in

the process,

how can we

assess it?

There are three

problems in this

scene:

Different strengths,

starting points

Everyone may not be

ready for the same

exam

Assessment should

happen during the

learning process and

within the context

How to find evidence about

children’s learning?

The importance of

Pedagogical

DocumentationFind out the child’s strengths, interests, needs

Observe children’s activities

Document in pictures, videos, notes

Reflect and discuss with child to include their views

Engage families to participate

Use the gained knowledge in future planning

Observe,Observe

How to

document in

practise?

They know

me! I get to

participate in

suitably

challenging

activities

Reaching my personal best!

I’m heard! I

can follow my

own learning

and

experience

success

I’m motivated

and self-

confident, and I

have a positive

attitude towards

learning!

How do we know children

learn?

The observations and documents are the evidence of

learning, because they’re authentic.

Learning does not require scoring to prove its worth.

Happy children is the proof!