Characteristics for Learning
Meet Bobby, Monty and Olly: Explicitly teaching children learning habits, attributes, dispositions or characteristics is common place in primary schools. However, what is important is ensuring that you involve everyone in the process when designing your method of application. This includes teachers, children and parents. We decided to base ours on the well established Characteristics for Learning outlined in the EYFS curriculum and build from there. Next we discussed what we could use to represent each characteristic. Puppets fitted the role perfectly for our Reception to Year Two children (our pilot group). Bobby the Bee concentrates, perseveres and feels proud of his/her achievements (we tried to go for gender neutral names). Monty the Monkey is curious, applies himself/herself, takes risks and is collaborative. Finally, Olly the Owl is creative, plans, makes links and is reflective. Each of the 11 learning habits were then broken down into descriptors to help children, t...