One of the aims of the project was to gather data on children’s perspectives on their Early Years programme. The researchers asked the educators in each programme to ask the children to express what they liked about their
programme, and also what they had learnt, in drawings, paintings, writing, interviews, etc. Both S1 and S2 provided drawings and writing about children’s responses to these questions. Unfortunately, we did not receive any thing from A1 or A2, possibly because of end-of-the-year demands on the staff.
10.1 Child perspectives at S1
There were 17 responses from children at S1, most in the form of a drawing with accompanying writing, usually an educator’s transcription of what the child had said, but sometimes in the child’s own handwriting (see photo 22). The responses indicated that the children had been asked to write and/or draw about what they liked about the programme, and what they had learnt. The responses were analysed according to what children ‘liked’ and what they had
‘learnt’.
Photo 22. Drawing and writing from a child at S1 on “What I liked’ and ‘What I learnt’
Of the17 responses, all but one identified at least one thing they liked about their Early Years programme, and all but two identified at least one thing they had learnt in the programme. For the ‘like’ responses, 7 children identified their graduation, which was an important event happening at the time. Interestingly, several children (4) also liked the singing involved in the graduation. Three children mentioned the exhibition, and two an excursion to Chinatown. Other likes identified included PE (physical education), drawing, meetings, Jackson Pollock (sic), making a cake, and private reading time.
Fifteen of the children described things they had learnt in the programme, with most of them identifying more than one thing. A few children talked about specific skills or content areas, such as learning how to jump, paint, sing or draw. Most of the responses however, focused on inquiry, knowledge
acquisition, and self-awareness, and could be understood in relation to one or more of the Learner Profile Attributes. Below are some examples of children’s statements about what they saw themselves as learning from their EY
programme, with relatable Learner Profile Attributes in brackets:
…we learn more inquiry and to get answers (inquirers)
…how cars work (knowledgeable)
We share new things and share our ideas (communicators)
We leant about who we are and what we can do (reflective), and
‘Sharing the Planet’ and taking care of the planet (caring)…learnt about what’s happening in the countries when we read the news
(knowledgeable)
We saved the planet by not wasting water and planting trees….(caring, thinkers)
…learnt how to show what we learnt (reflective)
I leant how to bake. I learnt how to crack eggs properly. Learnt drawing and learnt to draw desert. I did not draw desert before (inquirers)
We were learning about structures, we know all the structures on the earth’ (knowledgeable)
…learnt about painting (knowledgeable), learnt different people had different perspectives (open-minded). I learnt to write by practicing (risk-takers)
I loved the Exhibition and learnt not to be shy (risk-takers, reflective). I learnt to work hard and do science and art (knowledgeable, reflective)
In summary, the responses of the children at S1 indicate that they enjoy the learning activities in their programme, and that they are able to identify their own learning, both of specific knowledge and skills, and in terms of the IB Learner Profile Attributes.
10.2 Child perspectives at S2
There were responses from 11 children at S2, in the form of writing with an accompanying drawing (see Photo 23). The children seem to have been asked to respond to and continue a beginning phrase: ‘My favourite activity in school is…’. The educators appeared to have transcribed children’s responses in pencil, and children then wrote over the penciled words in texta pen. Unlike S1, the children do not appear to have been asked to talk about what they had learnt in the programme.
Photo 23. Drawing and writing from a child at S2 on ‘My favourite activity at school is…’
All but one of the children identified play as their favourite activity at school.
Four children identified the game of ‘corners’ as their favourite activity. This was presumably played outside, as researcher observations indicated that the indoor classroom at S2 was not set up in a way that would allow the sort of physical movement involved in the game. In addition, those identifying
‘Corners’ also mentioned other play involving pretence, such as pretending to be ‘Powerpuff Girls’ and fighting monsters, or ‘Super Girls’. Four of the children specifically identified playtime outdoors as their favourite activity. Boys
mentioned football and ‘playing ‘Star Wars’. One girl identified her favourite activity as ‘Show and Tell’, when ‘I tell all my friends about how I love them’. All the children talked of being with their friends as an integral part of their
favourite activity.
10.3 Summary
The nature of the responses of the children from S1 and S2 about their perspectives on their EY programme, differ quite markedly between the two programmes. Children at S1, in describing what they liked about their programme, focused very much on learning activities within the programme, with the favourite thing being activities associated with their Graduation and Exhibition. At S2, the favourite activity was play, outdoors at playtime with their friends. In regard to children’s perspectives on what they had learnt from their EY programme, the responses of children at S1 reflected both the learning of specific knowledge and skills, but also Learner Profile Attributes, including learning how to be inquirers, knowledgeable, communicators, caring, open-minded, risk-takers and reflective. What was striking about the responses of the children at S1, was not only that they identified specific skills and
knowledge they had acquired, but they also expressed a meta-awareness of their own development as learners.
Because they were apparently not asked to think about what that had learnt from their EY programme, it is understandable that the children at S2 did not talk about this. However, even though children at both sites were asked a similar question about ‘what they liked most’/’their favourite activity’, their responses of children at S2 were different from those of children at S1.
Children at S1 talked about learning activities within the programme as what they liked most, while children at S2 talked about play with friends and the outdoors as their favourite activities.
With the small number of responses, and the lack of consistency in the manner of collecting data on children’s perspectives across the two sites, it is not possible to draw definite conclusions about why there are these differences between S1 and S2. It is interesting to speculate, however, about whether it has something to do with the differences between the two programmes, particularly in relation to the role of play and the outdoors. At S1, play-based learning, and time outdoors were integrated into the programme. In contrast, researcher observations of the programme at S2 identified a ‘work-play’ divide in the programme, and that children had only limited opportunities to play and be outside. Could it be that the children at S2 identified learning as ‘work’, and therefore not a pleasurable ‘favourite activity’ like play? If so, this would reflect the prevailing views of parents in many Asian cultures, who also perceive a
‘work-play divide’ (Fung & Cheng, 2010). On the other hand, if play and being outdoors are integrated into the learning programme at S1, does this mean that children there are having their desires for such activities met within the programme, and are therefore able to focus on their learning as a pleasurable and rewarding activity?
Finally, the responses from the children at S1 indicate that the programme there is indeed supporting the children’s acquisition of Learner Profile
Attributes. Children’s responses reflected an awareness of their own learning, and their own development towards the Learner Profile Attributes. The
responses from the children at S2, while not focused on their learning, did indicate that their friendships were important to them, and that they had positive relationships with other children. They also suggested that these children had good skills in organizing their own play.