Playful Inquiry - Day 2

"The reality is that they [children of color] struggle not because of their race, language, or poverty. They struggle because we [schools] don't offer them sufficient opportunities in the classroom to develop the cognitive skills and habits of mind that would prepare them to take on more advanced academic tasks." -Zaretta Hammond, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Working through the Field Guide of Playful Inquiry in the Early Years from Teaching Preschool Partners is going to be my primary road for this topic. And what do they begin with? Human Agency. What is Human Agency? To know that one can initiate actions, carry out plans and create meaning both independently and interdependently with others. 

Schools are historically designed to have students listen to teachers and do what teachers say. This leaves little room to think for oneself and a lot of room for bias and outdated policies. And then we wonder why students don't want to learn for themselves! We haven't allowed them too. Especially when it comes to students of color.

Think about a time you were really interested in a topic you learned in school. Most likely it was a topic you were already interested in and wanted to learn more about. I loved my states unit in 3rd grade because I was able to make a 3D (topographical) model of Minnesota, and I loved art. To this day I love the The Hobbit, but hated reading it in the 8th grade. Why? Because it wasn't my choice. The point is, kids will learn more and deeper if they are tied to the topic somehow.

How do we create an environment of learning where students can develop and use Human Agency? 
In the early years we need to work on 4 things:
1. Intention - Showing commitment to a plan
2. Forethought - Making connections between what they are doing now and what they can do in the future.
3. Self-regulation - Showing engagement to carry out the plan
4. Reflectiveness - Thinking about your experiences and making connections and meaning.

These are best practices in teaching, but it is so much more than that for the child. My letting them work through their topic in a way that is of high-interest to them, we are helping them build and use human agency.

Playful Inquiry for me will be to help students build these qualities while they learn to read, write, and do math. There will be a thread of identity, diversity, justice, and activism  running throughout. These are goals set up by an Anti-Biased Education by the NAEYC (National Association for Education of Young Children). This will be my foundation.