What does scuba diving have to do with concept development in early education? In today’s episode, we are joined by Maria Cristina Caro, a seasoned early childhood educator with decades of experience. Maria Cristina takes us on a deep dive into the world of concept development in early education, comparing the process to scuba diving.

She shares her innovative strategies for making learning accessible to all children and underlines the importance of preparation, observation, and quality feedback in teaching. Tune in to hear how Maria is thinking about teaching children the 'whys' and 'hows' behind concepts, strategies to make concept development accessible for all children, and the use of visuals, individualization, and inclusion as key components in concept development

Topics Discussed in This Episode

• [00:00:41] Maria Cristina, an experienced early childhood educator, and her background
• [00:02:09] What concept development is
• [00:04:48] How to go deep into concepts with children
• [00:10:08] When concept development happens
• [00:10:52] How to help children think about concepts indicator by indicator
• [00:13:19] Making connections within a larger concept
• [00:17:13] Concept development for children with special needs, different cultures, and who speak multiple languages.
• [00:17:34] How using visuals is helpful
• [00:17:50] Individualization and Inclusion in concept development

Resources

Maria Cristina Caro