Assessment
Aromatawai

Possible pathways with learning dispositions in mind: an analysis of an exemplar

“The three friends” exemplar in Book 15 provides excerpts from the portfolios of three children, Tane, Sarah, and Leon, over a period of time when they collaboratively developed their interest in sewing.

Frequency and regular events

The children’s learning repeated the learning story framework several times as they adapted their original interest in a number of ways, sustained their involvement over time, persisted with difficulties (with the adults often providing more assistance), negotiated with each other, and took responsibility in order to make the project their own.

The children’s individual portfolios include many stories about their deep involvement in projects that either they or others initiated and in which they became enthusiastic and interested participants. Sarah, for instance, was part of “The mosaic project” described in Book 2. These enterprises have become routine and regular events at this early childhood centre – it is what they do there, and spaces (in terms of place and time) are provided for such projects to develop. Children often observe events for some time before they become involved. The teachers have developed a “culture of success” in the way that they notice, recognise, respond to, record, and revisit learning.

Distribution across helpful people and enabling resources

Tane, Sarah, and Leon were learning about the distributed nature of pursuing an interest over time, becoming increasingly sensitive to which fabrics might be best for the task and which adults have particular expertise. They became particularly skilful at marshalling and adapting the support they needed in order to persevere with difficult enterprises and to achieve complex aims. They discussed their plans with each other, and the teachers made suggestions as well. The teachers provided a range of interesting materials and brought in a sewing machine when the project seemed to need it. They found that patterns were useful, and they combined drawings with sewing. Photographs reminded them of their learning journey. The teachers stepped up their direct assistance when a sewing machine was needed.

Connection to a diversity of social communities

These particular stories may have begun with the story from home about Tane sewing with his grandmother (it included a photograph). That story emphasised Tane coping with difficulty. Ideas and intentions came from the children’s knowledge about the work (and uniforms) of ambulance drivers and police officers. The social communities inside the early childhood centre became more diverse – extending from one child to include this group of three and then expanding to include other children (some of whom were initially visible on the periphery of the photographs). Connections continued to be made with home. The teacher commented to the children that Sarah’s mother sewed (and therefore might have a pattern for trousers). The children were reminded that sewing stories happen elsewhere.

Mindfulness and flexible power balances

The children frequently took the initiative and became more capable at negotiating ideas with others (for instance, discussing how different fabrics might be used). Sarah resisted Tane’s suggestion that she make an apron as he did and followed up on an imaginative idea of her own (creating a noticeboard for her bedroom at home). Tane has an imaginative idea of his own – to create a bicycle helmet from black lace (not included in the exemplar).