They're only Preps?

Authors

K Dalgleish, Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School (Eltham North Vic)

Abstract

The author discusses the prevailing attitude that Prep class children are simply enjoying a year of socialising and getting into routine, but not learning much that is constructive. She first describes a Prep science unit on insects which she conducted three years ago, in which she wanted to show just how much Preps could achieve, understand and learn, despite their young age. Three years later, while attending the Monash University Science Teaching and Learning Program, her expectations of her Preps were again challenged and this time it was her own doubts about their capabilities that surfaced briefly during a session on the discussion technique called 'delayed judgment'. Today she is continuing to ask open-ended questions using delayed judgment and continuing to believe that there is no end to what Preps can learn. [Author abstract, ed]

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