Workshop Overview

Dr. Maria Montessori once wrote “He [the child] does it [learning] with his hands, by experience, first in play and then through work. The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” Playful learning develops cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development in children. It lays a foundation for children to become creative problem solvers and engaged in their learning. During this workshop we will reflect on play in our own lives and in our classrooms, using the 16 forms of play by play theorist Bob Hughes. We will look at the vital contribution play has in learning and development and how we can invite children to play about concepts and topics from our curriculum.

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

Facilitator:

Elvira Oskam

Elvira is an enthusiastic PYP educator and dedicated Early Years advocate. She is a workshop leader with a sound knowledge of inquiry-based learning, play-based learning and concept-based curriculum and instruction specifically for Early Years. In her professional life, she has worked in the Netherlands and Canada; with kindergarten up to secondary students, both national and international education. In her everyday life, she likes to spend time with family and go on adventures together; exploring the world in which they live. She recently co-authored a book titled ‘Teaching and learning in International schools, a practical guide on pedagogy and practices for teachers.