New creativity in the curriculum and learning styles

[Cortina]

Is there a new drive to inject more creativity in the curriculum? We were told at a meeting recently they will try to deliver the NC more creatively going forward? Not sure what this will mean exactly yet but it sounds positive.

Also they will be looking to see whether our children are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners etc, letting us know accordingly and keeping this in mind about about them? Our teacher explained that she is a visual learner etc. Are learning styles really so permanent and clear-cut? Isn't it better to see them as temporary snapshots? It seems that the belief is learning styles are usually rigid and set in stone?

[IndigoBell]

Not sure how there could be more creativity in my kids school - all they seem to do is 'be creative'

Most teachers plan lessons to appeal to visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners - so that most kids will learn. They don't segment the kids and teach this group visually and that group aurally.....

[clam]

The idea of catering for auditory/visual/kinaesthetic learners in lessons has been around for several years. I'm surprised your DC's school is selling it as a 'new' idea.

[Cortina]

Yes, I may have got the wrong end of the stick, it wasn't news to me either.

Is there a move towards a less structured approach to teaching Y1 and Y2? There was something mentioned about children finding Y1 a big step up from reception with it's table based learning etc.

Is this creativity drive a new thing? That isn't something that's been stressed before.

[mrz]

No it isn't anything new some schools including the one where I teach have been working that way all the time. With regards to Y1 being a big step with table based learning many schools (including mine for 7 or 8 years now) organise Y1 in a very similar way to reception with a mixture of teacher led learning and teacher initiated learning. So not all sitting down together (all the time) to write or do maths ... in a way very similar to how many reception classes worked before EYFS. Most schools work this way at least for the first half term to soften the transition others gradually become more table based as the year progresses.

[magdalene]

If your school has excellent teachers then they will already be enthusing the children and teaching in an interesting, creative way regardless of any new initiatives. Sadly with the 'creative curriculum', knowledge is driven out in favour of creativitity when all lessons should have a mixture of BOTH.

[Panzee]

Oh god are they really doing learning styles? I hope they just make sure there are a range of teaching methods instead of assessing and pigeonholing them.

[mrz]

I didn't read the part in your OP about learning styles (sorry) and would say very few schools work that way. Most teachers will try to make lessons multi sensory and would never compartmentalise a child's learning.

[hockeyforjockeys]

I agree that compartmentalising is not a good thing. Can't find it but did read a good article about learning styles that explained that the idea that we learn best in one way is rubbish. The argument went that different skills require different types of learning (e.g languages and music require aural skills, woodwork kinesthetic etc.). We all have a natural tendency to be stronger in one area than another, but in order to be effective learners we need to use all learning styles, and that will only happen if we are able to work on styles that we are naturally weaker in. So if you only teach children in the style that they are strongest in then you are actually weakening their learning ability.