Curiosity and Questioning, facilitated by Tania Lattanzio is a series of virtual workshops that benefits experienced educators and focuses on everyday learning experiences, learning environments and contexts leading to further intentional explorations. It discusses teachers’ behaviours on how to respond to children’s learning that will challenge them further in their practices. The online workshops conducted between August and September 2020 welcomed beyond 400 attendees over the three sessions as we delved deep into the art of asking questions to provoke children’s curiosity.
Tania Lattanzio is an experienced international educator and educational consultant. Currently the Director of Innovative Global Education, she develops and conducts professional development for educators from early childhood through to high school. A passionate educator, Tania works closely with educational institutions to specifically meet their needs through supporting school reform, making significant shifts in pedagogy and developing conceptual curriculum frameworks in both local and international settings.
Saturday, 1 Aug 2020, 9.00am to 12.30pm
How can we organize our environment to provoke in children the natural wonder they have?
In the first workshop, we explored the role of the environment in provoking curiosity and wonderment, as a way for children to ask questions and develop theories. Tania and the participants analysed the difference between invitation and provocation, and the role of the environment in promoting exploration and inciting children’s interest. The group exchanged ideas on ways to engage early learners with provocations happening in their classrooms or at home.
Saturday, 22 Aug 2020, 9.00am to 1.30pm
Children continually theorise and question to construct meaning and make sense of the world. How do we organize learning around children’s questions and theories?
The second workshop began with the participants sharing a provocation they implemented in their classroom after the discussion in the first workshop. Thereafter, we examined theories, questions and the role of listening. The group also discussed Topics and Concepts, Emergent Curriculum and pedagogical documentation.
Saturday, 26 Sep 2020, 9.00am to 11.00am
How can we ask questions to promote deeper thinking in children?
The third and final workshop started with attendees discussing a curriculum they have created connected to children’s interest or theories. Tania moved on to share the different ways to hold conversations with children, ask open-ended questions to stimulate and extend the child’s thinking.
At the conclusion of each workshop, the participants were invited to join a closed Facebook group where we continue our learning as a community and extend our own research and questions.
