Saturday, 13 September

STEM in Early Years

By Deborah Udakis Consultancy Ltd

STEM learning in the Early Years – promoting Investigation, Exploration, and Research

Date and time

Location

Online

Good to know

Highlights

2 hours, 30 minutes
Online

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

Workshop overview

The research is quite clear that the best practice in early childhood education is to break away from passive instruction and allow for more play and investigation, and this kind of learning early in life builds skills and interests that serve children throughout their education.

We want children to develop the essential lifelong skills of exploration, investigation and research. So, it is essential that we allow children to be active, engaged, and take initiative in their own learning.

Long-term research also shows that being allowed opportunities to take initiative in your own learning is not only good for STEM learning, but for overall long-term academic success. The most important thing to remember about teaching STEM in early years is that children are perfectly adapted to learn STEM concepts, and it is not difficult to teach STEM to young children. The secret is to tap into children’s natural and innate curiosity about the living world. Allowing them to investigate, research and explore by encouraging them to ask questions about the real world, you are engaging children in STEM.

During this workshop, we will explore how a STEM rich continuous provision curriculum promotes and supports high level engagement across all seven areas of learning; and provides wonderful opportunities for playing & exploring, active learning, and creating and critical thinking. We will also examine the role of the practitioner / teacher as co researcher, co investigator, and co explorer; and how to skilfully use questions, conversations and discussions with children to enhance their learning and enjoyment.

Each participant will be sent a copy of the notebook that accompanies this session. The notebook is full of STEM activities, ideas, questions to support learning, and activities to support your teams professional development and understanding of STEM learning etc.

In preparation for this session, I ask you to familiarise yourself with the notebook and to complete the activities.

Organised by

Deborah Udakis Consultancy Ltd

I was previously one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. I am a highly qualified early years practitioner and leader. I previously worked in leadership roles in London local authority nurseries and children’s centres. I held a senior role in a local authority Registration and Inspection Unit, and helped to develop the Home Childcare Scheme for the Department for Education. I have extensive experience of inspection, investigation and survey work across nursery, infant and primary schools, children’s centres, and early years. I contributed greatly to the training of inspectors while at Ofsted. I hold a B.Sc. (hons) degree in Social Sciences with Social Policy, and a Post Graduate Certificate (PGC) in children and young people’s worlds. I am qualified at level 7 in investigative practice.

I have particular expertise in teaching, learning and assessment, improving outcomes for children, self-evaluation and leadership and management.

As HMI, I regularly led inspections of schools, children’s centres and a range of early years settings. I quality assured inspections and the work of early years inspectors. I played a significant role in carrying out safeguarding audits of inspections and promoting the welfare and learning outcomes of children in care. I contributed to inspection and regulation based advice to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector (HMCI) and to government; writing and making contribution to reports, including HMCI’s Annual report and other publications.

I have a long history of raising standards and supporting improvement in the early years in maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors. I have a highly developed knowledge and understanding of the application of early years inspection and regulation based on an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of relevant good practice.

As an Early Years Specialist, I inspire confidence and deliver high quality results. I have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the early years foundation stage and related regulations and how these are applied. I work with leaders to support improvements and to help settings 'Get to Good and Beyond', through a range of training, advice, support and practice analysis and evaluation. I work closely with providers and leaders; and provide mentoring and coaching to support excellence in leadership. With specialist knowledge of the welfare and learning and development requirements, I quickly identify and provide detailed evaluations of settings, their key strengths and areas for improvement.

With almost 40 years experience in the early years field, I am passionate about improving the life chances of children. I am committed to ensuring that the quality of early years provision and outcomes for children continue to improve at the end of the foundation stage.

Education.

Postgraduate Certificate in Integrated Practice in Childhood and Youth

BSc (Hons), Social Sciences

Post Graduate Certificate in Children and Young People’s Worlds

Advanced Diploma in Investigative Practice

Diploma in Social Policy

Certificate in Care Management

Certificate in Health and Social Care

NVQ level 4 in Management

D32 & D33 Assessors Award

Diploma in Nursery Nursing (NNEB)

I have a clear enhanced DBS disclosure.

£44.04

Sep 13 · 01:30 PDT