4.6: Reflect the Teaching Cycle

Introduction

In Section 4.2, we explored how to create meaningful, relevant, and appropriately challenging social studies lessons using the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) Teaching Cycle. This cycle begins with observation and includes documentation, reflection, planning, implementation, and review. These steps ensure that teaching remains responsive to children’s developmental progress and interests.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards: Teaching Cycle

WMELS Teaching Cycle Overview

Observation (Assessment in WMELS Teaching Cycle)

Purpose: Understand children's current skills, interests, and developmental progress.
Key Action: Teachers observe children’s play and interactions to gather objective, factual data.
Example: A teacher watches children interact with a snail and documents observations, such as curiosity or empathy.

Documentation

Purpose: Capture evidence of children’s behaviors, interactions, and learning.
Key Action: Teachers document observations through anecdotal notes, photos, and work samples.
Example: Children’s drawings and notes from a neighborhood exploration help track engagement and development.

Reflection & Planning (Planning & Curriculum Goals in WMELS)

Purpose: Reflect on observations and plan the next steps in learning.
Key Action: Teachers analyze the documented observations to determine the next learning experiences.
Example: If children show interest in community helpers, teachers plan a lesson focused on local occupations.

Implementation (Implementation in WMELS)

Purpose: Put the planned learning experiences into action.
Key Action: Teachers lead the activities, adjusting them as needed based on children’s reactions.
Example: Teachers take children on a walk to identify neighborhood buildings, encouraging participation.

Review and Adjust

Purpose: Assess the effectiveness of the activities.
Key Action: Teachers evaluate the impact of the learning experiences and make adjustments for future plans.
Example: After a snail exploration, teachers reflect on how children responded, incorporating their feedback.

Pre-service Education Student Application

A pre-service education student can effectively reflect the WMELS Teaching Cycle in their social studies lesson plans for young children, birth to age 6, by integrating observation, documentation, reflection and planning, implementation, and review and adjustment into their instructional approach.

Observation: During the initial phase, the student observes the children's interactions and engagement with social studies content. For example, they might watch how children respond to a story about community helpers or a simple discussion about family roles, noting their curiosity, questions, and any emerging interests.

Documentation: Next, the student documents these observations through various means such as anecdotal notes, photographs, or children's work samples. This documentation serves as evidence of the children's learning processes and helps track their developmental progress. For instance, capturing children's drawings of their families or notes from a class discussion can provide insights into their understanding and interests.

Reflection & Planning: Using the documented observations, the student reflects on the children's learning experiences and plans subsequent activities. This involves analyzing the collected data to identify patterns and areas for further exploration. If children show a keen interest in community helpers, the student might plan a lesson that includes role-playing different community roles or inviting a local firefighter to visit the classroom.

Implementation: The student then implements the planned activities, leading the class through engaging and interactive social studies experiences. They adjust the activities based on the children's reactions and feedback, ensuring that the learning experiences are meaningful and responsive to the children's needs. For example, if children are particularly engaged in a pretend play activity about community helpers, the student might extend the activity to include more props and scenarios.

Review and Adjust: Finally, the student reviews the effectiveness of the implemented activities by evaluating the children's engagement and learning outcomes. They make necessary adjustments to future lesson plans based on this evaluation. For instance, after a lesson on community helpers, the student might reflect on the children's responses and decide to incorporate more hands-on activities or field trips to enhance understanding.

By systematically applying the WMELS Teaching Cycle, pre-service education students can create dynamic and responsive social studies lesson plans that cater to the developmental needs and interests of young children, fostering their curiosity and understanding of the world around them.

Preschool Vignette: Exploring Our Neighborhood

• Observation: Ms. Lara observes children discussing different kinds of buildings around the school.
• Documentation: Ms. Lara records observations and takes photos of children pretending to be community helpers.
• Reflection & Planning: Ms. Lara plans a social studies lesson focusing on "Our Neighborhoods" and community helpers.
• Implementation: Ms. Lara organizes a walk around the neighborhood, encouraging children to ask questions and share observations.
• Review and Adjust: Ms. Lara reflects on the children's excitement about the fire station and plans the next lesson to dive deeper into the role of firefighters.

Toddler Vignette: Discovering Community Helpers

• Observation: Ms. Emily observes toddlers mimicking actions they’ve seen adults perform.
• Documentation: Ms. Emily documents the children’s behaviors by taking photos and writing down their actions.
• Reflection & Planning: Ms. Emily plans a hands-on activity introducing toddlers to various roles within their community.
• Implementation: Ms. Emily sets up a "Community Helper Station" with props and invites toddlers to participate in pretend play scenarios.
• Review and Adjust: Ms. Emily reflects on the toddlers’ engagement and plans future activities based on their interests.

Infant Vignette: Exploring Our Family and Friends

• Observation: Ms. Lily observes infants drawn to photos or small toys representing family members.
• Documentation: Ms. Lily takes photos and notes the infants' responses to the family-related materials.
• Reflection & Planning: Ms. Lily plans an activity centered on "Our Family and Friends" to support early social awareness.
• Implementation: Ms. Lily sets up a "Family and Friends" activity area with soft toys and family photos.
• Review and Adjust: Ms. Lily reflects on the infants’ responses and plans future activities to deepen their understanding of family and relationships.

Conclusion

The WMELS Teaching Cycle provides a structured framework for designing social studies lessons that are responsive to children's developmental needs and interests. By following the cycle of observation, documentation, reflection, planning, implementation, and review, teachers can create learning experiences that are both engaging and developmentally appropriate. This cyclical process ensures that teaching is continuously adapted to meet the evolving needs of children, fostering a supportive and dynamic learning environment.

Through the vignettes provided, we see practical examples of how the WMELS Teaching Cycle can be applied to various age groups, from infants to preschoolers. Each vignette demonstrates the importance of observing children's interests, documenting their behaviors, reflecting on their developmental progress, planning meaningful activities, implementing those activities, and reviewing their effectiveness. By adhering to this cycle, teachers can ensure that their lessons are not only educational but also tailored to the unique needs and interests of each child.

In summary, the WMELS Teaching Cycle is a valuable tool for educators, helping them to create lessons that are relevant, meaningful, and appropriately challenging. By continuously observing, documenting, reflecting, planning, implementing, and reviewing, teachers can support children's growth and development holistically and responsibly.