Coaching Children To Learn About Learning

Children naturally have multiple approaches to learning as they play, but they aren't necessarily aware of their process. When you offer children a framework for thinking about their actions, they can decide how to pursue their learning. They see what works best for them and are challenged to try new things. Over time, children come to know this is the way they learn. When you make the following concepts explicit, your time with children is focused accordingly.

• When you want to get smarter about something, look closely at what you have done and think about your ideas.
• You can tell someone your ideas through a conversation, through a dictation, or by creating a story.
• You can teach someone what you know or the steps you followed.
• Writing your ideas on a chart or in a book reminds us what we have been learning. We can come back to these ideas again without having to start from scratch.
• Another way to get smart is to create drawings of our ideas and actions.
• We can use different materials to explore the same idea.
• Inviting others to join us in our thinking will make us smarter.

The following example, illustrates the ways the Tel Aviv teachers have helped the children see how they can keep learning by using their passion for building with Magna-Tiles and wooden blocks.
After many days of shared excitement over building with Magna-Tiles and wooden blocks, Lauri approached the children with a clipboard and a pen. Mia was the the first to take her up on her offer and dictated a story as she pointed to the parts of the construction (a new Temple) she, Oliver, Sam, and Nathaniel had built. Mia went on, pointing to each part of their structures: "This is the Temple, there is the parking area, and the supermarket is right behind the Temple." Lauri said, "Mia let's look closer and see if we can draw it." Mia liked that idea a lot, and when the sketch was done, she ask for a copy to take home.
Today, the Temple mania continued in the classroom, and the children were invited to draw a picture of the Temple they had created. Mia went over to get a clipboard and marker and started sketching. When she was done she asked if we could make a book with pictures and drawings of all the things she makes at school. Lauri said, "Absolutely, we can work on it together!"