STEM Education – Dr M’s thoughts

Investing in the future : Sustainability in Early Years.

As a green early years school we nurture sustainability daily through our emergent curriculum under the Aistear learning through play Framework. Creating communities of practice with our children, families, subject matter experts – artists, gardeners, film makers, environmental experts have all been part of our wonderful journey over the last 12 years. Gardening, mud kitchens,Continue reading “Investing in the future : Sustainability in Early Years.”

Collaborative Partnerships: Supporting Parents to Enhance the Language of STEAM

As a Parent of three not-so-small boys anymore, it has always been my mission to instill confidence, resilience, and self-confidence in my children. Looking back I have to say I think I managed this successfully, but not without some hurdles and some help along the way. These three are young men now, and successful youngContinue reading “Collaborative Partnerships: Supporting Parents to Enhance the Language of STEAM”

A Supportive Pedagogy; enhancing the Language of STEAM

As practitioners, we are only too aware of the importance of children engaging with vocabulary and the rules of language through continuous exposure to spoken language, music, and books. Aistear the Irish Curriculum Framework places a thematic focus on communication and the value this plays in enhancing children’s development in Early Education, raising awareness toContinue reading “A Supportive Pedagogy; enhancing the Language of STEAM”

Communities of Practice in the ELC Sector

In 2010 I set up Úlla Beag, an inclusive outdoor green early childhood setting with a play-based pedagogy, delivered under the framework of Aistear. My aim was to provide the experience of an outdoor play environment similar to that in which I grew up; for both my own children and children in my locality, asContinue reading “Communities of Practice in the ELC Sector”

Outdoor Environments

Underpinning STEAM concepts the natural way! Research from O’Doherty (2011) tells us that active involvement helps wire the brain; which in turn helps to enhance and reinforce concepts relating to STEAM education. This isn’t a new phenomenon, and in fact, if we think back as far as Piaget’s conservation theory (1968), we see indications ofContinue reading “Outdoor Environments”

Learning Numeracy the Natural way!

“Maths doesn’t have to be boring“ Numeracy at any age doesn’t have to be tedious and boring, or for that matter limited to the indoors. There is much more to the emerging concepts of numeracy than learning how to count, or recognising the written number or doing sums. If you stop for a minute andContinue reading “Learning Numeracy the Natural way!”

Science all around us!

Supporting basic concepts of the scientific mind. During a recent webinar session with students, I was somewhat surprised to hear their views on how children develop concepts in respect of science and technology in early education. The discussion itself evolved from something completely different, but it struck me that there is a lack of consistencyContinue reading “Science all around us!”