Teaching and learning in cycle 1

For Peter Simons, teaching is an art based on deep-rooted values and personal beliefs.  Whether a teacher knows it or not, personal values weigh heavily in the balance and will shape what he or she does and what his or her students learn.  That’s why he talks about teaching people, not skills, not subjects.  That’s why he thinks it is important to teach co-operation, kindness, manners, independence, interdependence, friendship and sharing. This is how he translates into cycle one language the cross-curricular competencies that deal first with “being” rather than “ knowing”.

Here we tell the story of how he weaves together practices that help him reach his goals.  They are presented as snapshots of what the classroom may look like in different situations.

• What cycle 1 children need to learn
• Teaching through - art, music, math, ...
• Teaching through technology, learning with technology
  
• Learning autonomy while learning technology: winning strategies
  
• What cycle one teachers need to learn
• Open House – Open Minds: a culminating Learning and Evaluation Situation for the end of cycle 1

Appendix: 

The cross-curricular competencies: what they look like in a cycle one classroom.

• Competency 1: To use information
• Competency 2: To solve problems
• Competency 3: To exercise critical judgment
• Competency 4: To use creativity
• Competency 5: To adopt effective work methods
• Competency 6: to use information and communication technologies
• Competency 7: To construct he/her identity
• Competency 8: To cooperate with others
• Competency 9: To communicate appropriately
  
• Competencies 1 through 9