Blooming Curious

Blooming Curious

by Edwina Cottino

How To Parenting

The Effect of Modelling When Teaching Children

As educators we are constantly being watched and copied by the children we teach. Modelling is a powerful strategy that educators use to teach everything from explicit instruction, to being curious and showing grit and determination in the face of struggle. Our attitude towards learning and our enthusiasm for learning are all picked up by children through the power of modelling. Because children learn through observation, we educators and parents must ensure that our attitudes and outlook, mirror that which we would like to see in children. 🔗 Links: Learn more: How to Stay Curious as an Educator The Power of Observation, A Guide for Teachers How to Nurture Keen Observational Skills in Kids to Help Them Learn 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction to Observational Learning 00:18 The I Do, We Do, You Do Model 01:01 Using Mini White Boards for Immediate Feedback 02:12 Modeling Beyond Academics 02:53 Teachers as Lifelong Learners 03:33 Sharing Personal Learning Struggles 05:03 Encouraging Curiosity in Children 05:47 The Importance of Enthusiasm in Teaching 06:19 The Power of Modeling in Education 06:53 Conclusion and Call to Action

Curating Real Life Opportunities for Exploration and Learning in K-2

Teachers are facilitators of learning, and curators too. To make learning and the learning environment more exciting than an ipad, educators need to curate real life experiences for children that technology cannot hold a candle to. In this episode we unpack the strategies for curating indoor and outdoor spaces and learning experiences that spark curiosity and give children opportunities to explore real life learning. 🔗Links: Learn more: How to Create an Inspiring Indoor Learning Environment Setting Up an Outdoor Learning Environment for Children Outdoor Learning - Bringing the Joy back to Learning Download this free checklist for setting up an inspiring indoor space HERE 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction: The Role of an Educator 00:30 The Impact of Technology on Education 02:19 The Importance of Real-Life Experiences 03:10 Creating Engaging Learning Environments 04:08 Curating Indoor and Outdoor Spaces 07:06 Encouraging Inquiry and Exploration 08:50 Conclusion and Call to Action

How to Record and Document Children's Learning

The Importance of Documenting the Learning Journey in Inquiry-Based Education. In this episode Edwina explores the various strategies for recoding and documenting students' learning. Key frameworks such as Kath Murdoch's inquiry cycle and the 5 E model are introduced, emphasizing the need for structured support for students. Edwina shares practical tools for making learning visible, including learning walls, mind maps, and floor books, and underscores the significance of reflective practice. 🔗 Links: Download the Living Things Investigation Graphic Organiser HERE Download the Integrating Inquiry Planning Sheet HERE Download the Observation Record Keeping File HERE Download the Simple Guided Inquiry for Teachable Moments Graphic Organiser HERE 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction: Learning as a Journey 01:07 Planning the Learning Journey 01:35 Scaffolding and Support Materials 02:25 Documenting the Learning Process 03:22 Engaging Learners: The Inquiry Cycle 06:31 Tools for Making Learning Visible 07:00 Integrating Inquiry Across Curriculum 09:13 Final Thoughts and Resources

Children's Questions that Lead to Curiosity and Knowledge

In this episode we explore the questions that get children thinking and curious. The questions that parents and educators need to ask to encourage curiosity and thinking, and even those questions that take learning further and deeper. Children ask a lot of questions! They ask questions because they have an innate desire for knowledge. But, sadly as children progress through school and eventually adulthood, the questions become fewer until eventually as adults we may not be questioning at all. Questions are the gateway to knowledge, but not all questions are equal. This episode unpacks the questions that keep children curious and interested in learning and the world around them. 🔗 Links: Learn more here: How Questions Lead to Curiosity and Knowledge Download your free list of Open Ended Questions HERE 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 The Power of Questions in Learning 00:49 The Role of Questions in Education 02:06 Inquiry-Based Learning and Its Impact 02:31 Deep Questions vs. Simple Questions 03:25 Strategies for Encouraging Inquiry 05:42 The Inquiry Cycle and Continuous Learning 06:46 Real-Life Example of Inquiry-Based Learning 07:59 Challenge for Educators and Final Thoughts

Jessica Vance on Inquiry, Curiosity and Learning walls

Jessica Vance, inquiry educator, thought leader, consultant and author of Leading with a Lens of Inquiry, talks about the role of leadership in cultivating a culture of inquiry and the strategies and practices that promote curiosity and an inquiry mindset in students, teachers and leaders. 🔗 Links: Connect with Jessica at https://leadingwithinquiry.com/ Connect with Jessica on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jess_vanceedu/ Watch on on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2QVTyUpJq5aZ62ZyoOwpCg Publications mentioned : Leading with a Lens of Inquiry By Jessica Vance Ron Ritchhart: Project Zero Adam Grant: Hidden Potential 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction to Jessica Vance 01:56 Jessica's Journey into Inquiry-Based Learning 04:30 The Concept of Learning Walls 08:06 Implementing Learning Walls in Education 14:04 The Role of Inquiry in Leadership 23:07 The Importance of Asking Questions 25:50 Advice for Educators and Leaders 33:25 Final Thoughts and Takeaways 38:51 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Open Ended Play with Marcus Veerman of Nudel Kart

Marcus Veerman is a playground designer, founder and CEO of a charity called Playground Ideas and designer and founder of the Nudel Kart, Nudel Pod and Nudel Rover, innovative open ended toys based on loose parts. These multilayered innovations allow children's creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and language skills not only to develop, but flourish. In this episode Marcus shares his amazing journey from providing children from impoverished backgrounds incredible opportunities for play and exploration to his latest development the Nudel Kart, which allows multifaceted skill development all neatly packaged in a highly sustainable loose part package making play, creativity, problem solving and language development easily accessible to children everywhere, and simultaneously meeting curriculum outcomes. Purchase Nudel products at https://nudel.shop/ Find out all about the Nudel Kart at https://www.nudelkart.com/ 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️

Dr Claire Warden on The Meaning of Nature Pedagogy in Practice

Dr Claire Warden, Nature Pedagogist, author, education consultant, entrepreneurial leader and founder of Auchlone, a multi award winning nature kindergarten in Scotland, unpacks what nature pedagogy is, and how educators can include it in their settings and teaching practice. We discuss the benefits of risk, and the importance of curiosity and fascination when it comes to sparking a love for learning in children.In addition Claire discusses the importance of observation and documentation when working with children and gives ideas on how to implement floor books for planning, guiding the line of inquiry, and documenting children's learning. 🔗Links: Dr Warden's website: Mindstretchers Academy To read how you can implement nature pedagogy in an urban environment go to https://bloomingcurious.com/the-meaning-of-n…gogy-in-practice/ 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️

How to plan for and integrate inquiry into your existing teaching

So you're inspired to integrate inquiry-based learning into your existing lessons, but you 're struggling to know how to go about it. This episode will walk you through the process and give you some ideas of how you can integrate inquiry into your planning and everyday lessons. 🔗 Links mentioned: Download the planning sheet HERE Step-by-step Integrated inquiry teaching guide HERE The most effective strategies for student learning HERE Jessica Vance at https://www.instagram.com/jess_vanceedu/ 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️

What's the Most Effective Strategy for Student Learning?

What is the most effective strategy for student learning? According to the latest Australian news reports, Australian children are performing terribly and the real culprit is the fact that teachers are not teaching using an explicit instruction model. In today's episode I explore very subtly (can you guess what it is?) what the issue might be, and exactly what it is we're trying to achieve if we are not using a whole repertoire of strategies. 🔗 Links mentioned: The most effective strategies for student learning https://explicitinstruction.org/download/sample-chapter.pdf an excerpt by Anita L Archer and Charles A Hughes from the publication Explicit Instruction and Efficient Teaching https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1188027.pdf Teachers Taking up Explicit Instruction: The Impact of a Professional Development and Directive Instructional Coaching Model 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️

How to Integrate Inquiry and Nurture Curiosity

You cannot expect children to be curious, if you yourself are not curious. In this episode Edwina gives you the tips and strategies you need to nurture your own curiosity so that you are better able to spot opportunities for nurturing it in the children you teach. Curiosity naturally leads to inquiry. Edwina demonstrates how the inquiry process is closely aligned to the strategies for nurturing your own curiosity and takes you through the step-by-step process for nurturing that natural curiosity in children and reawakening it in ourselves. 🔗 Links mentioned: 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ Sign up to Get Curious, the inspirational weekly newsletter for curious parents and educators HERE 💌Connect with Edwina: Email: contact@bloomingcurious.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/ Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by Buying me a Coffee. Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️

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