The Peregrine Approach to Instruction

by Lorie Hammond, Ph. D., Academic Director

SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES APPLY TO ALL PEREGRINE TEACHING AND LEARNING:

All instruction at Peregrine School should be as CONSTRUCTIVIST as possible.

• Peregrine School is committed to the idea that children learn through experience, and should experience all subjects as actively and using as many senses as possible.
• Peregrine School is also committed to the idea that children construct their own knowledge through an ACTIVE process which involves them not only as recipients of information, but also as generators of ideas.
• This means that all teaching is as inductive as possible. For example, word study is a reading program which involves kids recognizing patterns in word families and manipulating them various ways, rather than receiving a rote lesson in phonics.
• We distinguish between involving children in lessons, and engaging children in active ways. In this context, involvement implies the teacher doing something and children following along. Engagement implies discussion, problem solving, and other active learning strategies.
• Although many kinds of lessons can be engaging, there is still a distinction between skills-based instruction and integrated thematic instruction with a Reggio twist, which is a unique and important teaching element at Peregrine School.

In the Peregrine Elementary School (grades k-3), there are three main teaching elements.

• Skills-based instruction in reading and math.
• Integrated thematic instruction in science, social studies, incorporating reading, math, and the arts.
• Specialty classes in the arts and other special subjects, led by specialists.

The rest of this discussion defines #1 and #2. Specialty classes will be defined in another discussion.

Teaching early elementary grades (k-3) involves a balance between time for skills in reading and math, and time for integrated thematic instruction which applies these subjects while also engaging students in science, social studies, and the arts. At Peregrine School, integrated instruction is 1) central to our mission and 2) a key way in which the Reggio Emilia child-centered approach to education is acted out.

It is important to note that skills based instruction and integrated thematic instruction with a Reggio twist involve DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND PEDAGOGIES, even when delivered by the same teacher. A common mistake is to think that integrated thematic instruction, which IS project based, is simply a matter of doing projects. It is significantly more. The following table helps to define each method.

	Skills based learning in any subject	Integrated thematic instruction (Reggio style)
Purpose	To teach a set of skills, generally in a linear fashion over time. Skills in language arts and math are often ordered hierarchically, and it is up to the teacher to motivate students to make their way through them and to engage in problem solving which results not only in mastery but in understanding.	To teach multiple perspectives on a major concept or concepts—This is above all deep conceptual learning. Themes can be concrete, such as WATER, or abstract, such as PATTERNS. It is the concepts which tie the unit together, often through experiencing them from different angles: the perspective of a poet, an artist, a scientist, an historian… Concepts generally form a web rather than a linear pattern, and evolve organically.
The role of the learner	Children should be actively engaged through a mix of instructional techniques such as direct instruction, games, open-ended problems, and more.	The learner will participate actively in a series of processes which include information gathering, discussion, questioning, problem solving and/or creative activities, and reflection.
Who initiates the study?	Generally, the teacher, although as many activities as possible include significant learner input. For example, students might write their own stories or word problems.	The learners, generally as a group but sometimes individually, have some say in the direction of the project. Sometimes this means that they initiate the topic. Other times they might choose among several ways to approach a topic which meets grade level standards in content areas (science and social studies, mostly).
What sequence does a lesson take?	Generally, a lesson is initiated through direct instruction in a new skill. Students then practice this skill through a mix of open-ended assignments (such as journal writing) or problem solving activities (such as practice sheets or games). Mastery of skills is assessed in an ongoing and cumulative fashion, and further instruction is determined by the result.	Individual projects are part of an integrated whole, which includes projects in various subjects. Generally, each project involves: introduction of an idea gathering of information on the topic generation of a question or challenge participation in a project which explores the question or challenge (provocations) reflection on results generation of next topic of study
Is this activity teacher or child centered?	In general, skills instruction is teacher centered, although a good teacher engages students by allowing input through both discussion and open ended assignments which are relevant to students’ lives and interests.	Integrated thematic studies can be generated from different sources, which include children’s interest in a topic. The teacher’s challenge is to teach grade level standards through topics which come up. The work itself is child centered in that divergent pursuits and solutions are encouraged.
What are answers like?	Mostly convergent, in that they show understanding of a skill	Generally divergent. Results are intentionally unpredictable/creative.
How does one deal with different levels of student skill?	One of the great challenges of skills instruction is to meet the needs of students at a variety of skill levels at once. This involves: differentiating instruction teaching in small groups as necessary At a school like Peregrine, a key component is small group size which allows children to be taught at their level rather than all taught at the same level.	One of the beauties of integrated thematic instruction is that it can meet the needs of children at different skills levels and with different interests. This can be done through giving students choice within and among projects, through sending children off to do individual or small group work, through allowing projects to take different amounts of time for different children, etc. Another advantage is that children can shine in their area of expertise: discussion, art, music….
How is success measured?	Skills instruction is measured by the mastery of skills, which can be tested in a variety of ways. At Peregrine, portfolios can measure increased skills in areas such as writing over time. Anecdotal teacher records can also assess skills, in addition to quantitative tests. All might be used. Skills introduced in integrated thematic units might also be measured in concrete ways.	One of the major aspects of success in integrated thematic instruction is the quality of the experience itself. Engagement of children is key, as is their increasing ability to initiate and sustain effort. Another measure is products which result from projects. Children might create something, such as a model or an experiment, which can be assessed. A final measure must focus on children’s increased comprehension of and deepened perspective on the concepts being studied.

How can one distinguish a classroom in which integrated thematic instruction is thriving?

Many things in the room should reinforce the theme being studied. For example, books and music related to the theme will be present for children to look at casually. Objects will be on display, when possible, including models and other products children are making and artifacts collected from teachers and from families.

Some Peregrine classrooms are like art installations, in that parts of the classroom can be made into a stage set or model of the theme under study. For example, when we studied Thailand two years ago in primaria, we made part of the classroom into a bamboo tearoom, where children could enter with bare feet and serve tea quietly to younger children in the school. The upper spaces in the room can also be used—things can be hung from the ceiling, etc. so that the room is transformed and looks like a fantasy world of the children’s creation. When we studied the ocean, large leafed kelps were hung from the ceiling so that the room became a kelp forest.

Obviously grade school classrooms will have to balance spaces and displays related to skills with those related to thematic projects.

Are the projects the center of the instruction?

The biggest misunderstanding about this type of instruction is that the projects and materials are at the center. They are essential, because they provide the raw materials which enable children to experience concepts in layered ways and to express complex, three-dimensional ideas. However, the key to this kind of instruction is that it be not only HANDS ON but MINDS ON.

The real center of instruction is dialogue. Daily pre and post discussions guide the projects and are intentionally designed to question results and challenge students to deepen understandings.

In skills discussions the classic pattern which researchers have measured is T-S-T, teacher question, followed by student response, followed by teacher affirmation or redirection.

The goal of integrated thematic instruction (with a Reggio twist) is to encourage a variety of discourse patterns which affirm divergent directions in discussions, questioning of results, and more. In addition, students are encouraged to use reading and math skills to reflect on what they have learned about the thematic concept, by creating graphs, charts, and creative written works, singly or in groups.

Why is this type of instruction favored over others at Peregrine School?

People are adaptable, and can learn many ways. Why do we favor this particular approach? Research, such as Harvard’s Project Zero in conjunction with Reggio Emilia, has shown that when children become engaged problem solvers, working on divergent and/or real world challenges, they grow in the area of creativity. Daniel Pink, Howard Gardner, and others argue that twenty first century learners need to become divergent, creative thinkers who can work with others to handle complex problems. As we enter the “conceptual age”, rather than the “information age”, we need people who can operate at a high conceptual level solving ambiguous problems rather than people who simply do what they re told.

In addition, Reggio Emilia schools and our initial work at Peregrine School show us that when children engage in integrated projects which they partly choose, using a variety of media, that they experience great joy in learning. Creating joyful learners who will become voluntary lifelong learners is one of our major goals. Young children play voluntarily, and learn through this play. Our hope is that learning can continue to seem like play as children grow, as it is for artists and others who are truly joyful about their life work.