Circle Time for Young Children

Mosley, J.

doi:10.4324/9780203481943

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Carpettime democracy describes a form of classroom-level practice in U.S. elementary 3 classrooms in which students are involved in ongoing enquiry at their most local context for civic engagement. Such a classroom space, generally created in younger primary classrooms (K-2) in which students sit together, usually in a circle, and talk about a variety of academic/non-academic topics or concerns, has also been called Circle Time especially in the UK (see Mosley, 2005), daily meeting, classroom meeting and (class) 'assembly' (as translated) in Sweden. Most commonly discussed in the fields of social studies and civic education, this form of research and practice explores instances of teachers engaging children in considering multiple perspectives as a process for students to make decisions necessary to solve problems of their lives, their society and the world.…”

Section: United States As An Outlier In Youth Participationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate

2013

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Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate spaces where robust opportunities for democratic participation and student voice exist. We use this article as an opportunity to examine the disciplinary, philosophical and methodological approaches that have framed youth participation in youth contexts. We conclude by identifying critical issues of citizenship and belonging that must be considered in participatory research.

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Section: United States As An Outlier In Youth Participationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate

2013

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“…Respondents indicated that they typically facilitate mat times in comparatively short bursts of 10 to 20 minutes at a time. The duration of time is consistent with Mosley's (2005) recommendation for mat time being not more than twenty minutes long in order to prevent children's boredom. Nonetheless, given that the present results suggest that mat time is held several times a day, most children will spend a cumulative 1-2 hours on the mat per day.…”

Section: Amount Of Time Spent On the Matsupporting

confidence: 80%

Lifting the School Mat: An Investigation of Pedagogy and Children's Social Worlds at Mat Time

Mortlock¹

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<p>Primary school teachers’ use of whole-class activity is a well-documented phenomenon. Typically, it is assumed that children’s active participation in group tasks is important for their academic learning and for developing self-concept. However, previous studies have found that children’s participation varies widely. The present research set out to investigate why individual children’s participation differs within the peer group during whole-class activity. Teachers’ pedagogy and children’s social worlds intersect during classroom interactions; it is in this intersecting space that this research is situated. One specific whole-class activity was chosen as a focus, namely mat time. This is a practice whereby the teacher calls the entire class to the mat typically for the purposes of instruction, discussion, or other similar activity. To understand mat time from the perspectives of the people who experience it, two studies were undertaken using a mixed strategy approach for data gathering. The first study investigated teachers’ perspectives (N=296) using a questionnaire. Participants were asked about a variety of themes relating to mat time including pedagogical uses, strategies, and outcomes. Principal components analyses confirmed the approximate uni-dimensionality of the data relating to each theme, which were then calibrated to a measurement variable using Samejima’s (1969, as cited in DeMars, 2010) graded response model. Various correlations and comparisons were conducted pertaining to the pedagogical factors influencing children’s participation, behaviour, and enjoyment. The second study used qualitative semi-structured interviews with children (n=49) from three year two classrooms situated in different schools. The data were analysed and discussed in relation to peer culture and peer-relations theories, which posit that children’s social groups consist of norms and interests that differ to those of adults’, and that such groups consist of internal social hierarchies. Taken together, the findings from the two studies indicated that teachers and children differ in their perception of the social climate at mat time. For instance, whereas teachers tended to report that mat time achieved prosocial objectives, children were more likely to describe socially divisive aspects. Such aspects included certain children’s desire to affiliate with specific peers while excluding others, or promoting their own participation over that of classmates. Seating position and opportunities to take active roles were sources of competition. Children’s differing participation was influenced by their individual strategic understandings of how to secure active roles, social support, and academic confidence. Furthermore, teachers generally reported that children were inattentive during mat time, suggesting that it may be an ineffective context for learning. Nevertheless, when teachers were cognisant of children’s interests, they tended to report better participation across the class. The implications for teaching practice include an onus for teachers to actively protect vulnerable children during mat time, socially and academically, and to ensure that opportunities to take part in activities are equitably distributed.</p>

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“…Children need to demonstrate listening, while educators might instruct and encourage children in the appropriate way to listen. Listening is shown by certain body postures, such as sitting upright and looking forward, by certain facial expressions, such as eye contact and appropriate emotional expressions, through the medium of language, using age-appropriate words to communicate, and by self-regulation, such as taking turns talking (Garforth, 2009;Mosley & MyiLibrary, 2005;Yifat & Zadunaisky-Ehrlich, 2008;Zaghlawan & Ostrosky, 2011). The environment is generally understood as passive within these listening contexts, and the child and educator act (MacNaughton, 2003).…”

Section: Seeking the Otherwise: Attending To The Complexities Of Listmentioning

confidence: 99%

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2015

J Child. Stud.

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CAYC exists to provide a Canadian voice on critical issues related to the quality of life of all young children and their families. THE AIMS OF THE CAYC 1. To influence the direction and quality of policies and programs that affect the development and well-being of young children in Canada. 2. To provide a forum for the members of Canada's early childhood community to support one another in providing developmentally appropriate programs for young children. 3. To promote and provide opportunities for professional development for those charged with the care and education of young children. 4. To promote opportunities for effective liaison and collaboration with all those responsible for young children. 5. To recognize outstanding contributions to the well-being of young children. IMPLEMENTING THE AIMS OF THE CAYC 1. The National Conference: The National Conference is a highlight of the CAYC. The program includes lectures by internationally renowned authorities on children, workshops, discussion groups, displays, demonstrations, school visits and tours. 2. Provincial and Regional Events: The organization of members at the local and provincial level is encouraged to plan events to deal with the issues and concerns pertaining to young children. These events may take the form of lectures, seminars or a local conference. 3. The Journal: An outstanding multidisciplinary journal is published twice yearly. Articles by nationally and internationally known experts in early childhood education and child rearing are presented in the Journal of the CAYC. Inside CAYC provides information on Association activities. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP Membership fees are payable on application and renewable annually on an evergreen basis. To be considered a voting member, fees must be paid no later than 60 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. CAYC members receive two issues of Canadian Children as well as favourable rates for national and regional conferences.

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Circle Time for Young Children

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate

Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate

Lifting the School Mat: An Investigation of Pedagogy and Children's Social Worlds at Mat Time

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