Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1524066
A group of five educators from the Early Years Sec- tor of St Catherine's High School, Pembroke attend- ed an Erasmus course in Rome titled "The Child First: Montessori, Reggio Emilia System and Contemporary Approaches to Pre-School Education." The course emphasised the importance of imparting 21st-century skills to chil- dren from an early age. This gives them the tools they need for learning rather than providing them with knowledge, as this pre- pares them better for life in today's fast-changing world. One of these tools is teaching the children how to think critically. The ed- ucators explored one way of helping children devel- op this skill by participat- ing in an Artful Thinking workshop in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moder- na e Contemporanea. The participants carried out ex- ercises to help them look at the paintings critically, each time, delving deeper into their thoughts to won- der about the stories be- hind these paintings. Such activities can be adapted for young children and can be used to supplement sto- rytelling and discussions about a particular topic. During the course, the educators also discussed the philosophies of Maria Montessori and the Reg- gio Emilia Approach which recognise the ability of chil- dren to be active agents in their learning. These phi- losophies encouraged the participants to rethink their role in the classroom and challenged them to exam- ine more deeply their view of the child. An in-depth analysis of the Montessori method helped the educators understand how to set up the learning environment for the chil- dren to promote learning by exploring rather than by instruction. This provided valuable insights on how the early years sector could build on its existing practic- es to move towards a more child-centred preschool education. Examination of Montessori materials and learning how these are used provided them with further tools to achieve this aim as well as opportuni- ty to extend opportunities for inclusion, as these tools provide a multi-modal ap- proach for learning and ac- quisition of skills. The Reggio Emilia Ap- proach encourages edu- cators to provide children with the means of commu- nicating their preferences using "the hundred lan- guages" of childhood. In- sights into Bruno Munari's art education showed the participants how art could be used as a means to help children express them- selves in a unique manner. It also gives them opportu- nities to experience art as a sensory experience involv- ing colours, textures and different forms. All this was rendered more meaningful as it was done through cultural exchange with educators from dif- ferent countries. Together they engaged in discus- sions about how to imple- ment what they learnt dur- ing their sessions taking into account the cultural differences and expec- tations that they experi- enced in their country. This exposure to diverse ways of thinking helped enrich the participants' knowl- edge and understanding of teaching practices. The course also includ- ed another cross-cultural element in that the edu- cators were encouraged, through the provision of vouchers and information, to immerse themselves into the city of Rome and learn more about its his- tory, taste different foods, visit new places and prac- tise the local language. Strong ties were built be- tween the members of the group and as they spent time together in beautiful surroundings in the after- noons, their conversation inevitably turned back to what they had learnt earli- er during the day and how they were going to use it for the benefit of the chil- dren at school. Educators who attended the course were keen to re- turn to Malta to put what they learnt into practice. They shared their insights with colleagues through in- formal peer-to-peer learn- ing, sharing of best practic- es and a "train-the-trainer" session. They will continue to work as a team and col- laborate with the school management in creating projects for their school, in- corporating the knowledge acquired during the course and providing additional opportunities for learners with diverse needs to ex- tend themselves. In the past few years, Ear- ly Childhood Education in Malta has moved towards a more child-centred pro- vision that targets better the needs of children. For this to be effective, edu- cators need to ensure that there are high-quality in- teractions between them- selves and the children in their care. Erasmus learn- ing opportunities like this give educators the time to stop and reflect on how they can continue to adapt to changing educational systems. Their interaction with practitioners from different countries helps broaden their horizons and encourages innovative ap- proaches in the classroom. St Catherine's High School educators complete course on imparting 21st century skills to children THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION