Who We Are
Central Idea: The choices people make affect their health and wellbeing
Lines of Inquiry:
.What it means to have a balanced lifestyle [reflection and responsibility]
.Daily habits and routines (hygiene, sleep, play, eating, work/school, leisure)
.How the choices we make affect our health [causation]
This year has been busy, but I say this every year. Once again I have an exceptional group of young learners. They’re learning about mapping their own learning journey, the importance of being able to articulate what they have learnt and what they are learning now. Some are even able to talk about what they need to learn.
Young learners need to understand that learning is part of their health and well-being and is part of having a balanced lifestyle, good daily habits and being able to make good decisions. My hope is that very young learners understand that they have many choices to make each day and that choosing good choices is crucial to their well-being.
Young learners amaze me with their ability to take responsibility when encouraged. It actually empowers them! I’ve been in many classrooms where the teacher takes the responsibility for most things. Not in the JD classroom… as I believe choice is important and builds life skills and improves self-esteem. I’ve had children over the years ask me what color paper they should use or should their paper be ‘this way’ and my answer is always ‘you choose’.
Enabling learners to make choices is what this inquiry has been about. After unpacking and discussing the central idea in groups, as a class, individually and in pairs the children were asked to come up with three ‘best fit’ labels. Their labels & some ideas were:
Feelings Health-brave, ‘have a go’, independence, pride, joy, kind, encourage
Thinking Health-stay safe, care for others, have fun
Body Health-sometimes food, walk, exercise, sport, slip-slop-slap, wash & brush teeth
In the various groupings outlined students brainstormed key words and phrases to be pasted on our life size bodies. Our bodies will be added to throughout the year.
Hand over the responsibility and watch them grow!
Cheers Nina
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 