Five features of the mantle-of-the-expert approach:
1. Community of Inquiry
MoE is a community of inquiry approach to learning. The children are engaged in exploring an emerging curriculum which they have to actively investigate.
2. Expert Frame
By investing their time, energy and imagination the children take on the responsibilities of a team of experts, working on a commission for a client with high expectations.
3. Real contexts for learning
The expert frame creates ‘truthful’ (imaginary) contexts for learning, which involve the children working on a series of tasks and activities that develop into the curriculum.
4. Dramatic conventions
MoE involves the willing suspension of disbelief and the use of dramatic conventions to create tension and challenging experiences in the classroom.
5. Not everything
MoE creates meaningful and purposeful contexts for learning, but not all learning makes sense within one context. And so there are many areas of the curriculum which need to be taught separately.
Mantle of the Expert is being used as a whole school approach at Surlingham, for more information visit: www.mantleoftheexpert.com
