I value early childhood education as the foundation for lifelong learning.
I believe that each student is a unique individual and should be viewed, respected and treated as such. I strive to provide holistic support of each student’s exclusive requirements and interests in a nurturing, safe, positive and fun environment that fosters development across all developmental domains. I am attune to students’ thoughts and feelings, positively interact with students in their learning and support the development of a strong sense of well-being. I develop secure relationships with students so they develop confidence, feel respected and valued.
I believe play provides opportunities for my students to learn as they discover, create, improvise and imagine. Play provides a supportive environment where my students can ask questions, solve problems and engage in critical thinking. I set up learning centres which are areas designed for play-based learning or a particular activity which engages and motivates my students, see Figures 1-7. Learning centres provide students with opportunities to experiment, explore, problem solve, socialise and construct knowledge. I regularly change the provocations within the learning centres, which creates an enriched environment that is student centred and where student’s interest are sustained, see Figures 1 and 2 which were inspired by the students' interest in dinosaurs.
Figure 1 - Sensory and fine motor ice play-based activity inspired by students interest in dinosaurs
Figure 2 - Construction play with dinosaurs inspired by students interest in dinosaurs
Figure 3 - Feeling, listening to, comparing colours and drawing autumn leaves
Figure 4 - Play dough with lentils and potpourri for fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and a sensory experience
Figure 5 - Fine motor skills, number recognition and using the senses to explore Rice Bubbles and
Corn Flakes
Figure 6 - Unusual creations which I set up to encourage students to create using construction materials
Figure 7 - Loose parts and mirrors for students to create themselves
Through intentionally set up play areas, as an educator I am able to guide and extend the learning which takes place in these areas. I believe my role as an early childhood educator is to set up experiences for play and provide a balance between child led, child initiated and educator supported learning. I am responsive to students and scaffolding learning by responding to student’s ideas and play and extending student’s learning through open-ended questions, interactions and feedback. I also use spontaneous teachable moments to build on students’ learning.
I teach and encourage students to respect the feelings of others, interact positive and value collaboration and teamwork, see Figure 8. I model and promote positive ways to relate to others and support the inclusion of all students in play. The learning environment I provide is vibrant and flexible, catering for different learning styles and capacities. It invites collaboration, open-ended interactions, risk-taking, discovery, spontaneity and exploration, see example in Figure 8. I also provide students with activities involving problem solving and critical and creative thinking, see Figures 8 and 9.
Figure 8 - Students collaborating together on an open-ended, risk-taking, discovery and exploration play activity
Figure 9 - Examples of a student's problem solving and critical and creative thinking on an open-ended, risk-taking, discovery and exploration play activity
I create a play-based learning environment with elements of nature and which is inclusive of nature play, see Figures 10-14. I provide natural materials which enhance students’ sensitivity, extends the range of experience of students, provokes interest and imagination, and more complex and increasing abstract thinking. Within my classroom I use natural materials such as rocks, tree cookies, pine cones, nuts, leaves and objects made from natural materials, which are open-ended materials that can be combined, moved, carried, lined up, redesigned, taken apart and put back together in multiple creative ways. These natural materials have endless play possibilities, limited only by a student’s imagination. Research suggest when students use open-ended and ambiguous materials students' negotiation and communication about their play increases substantially.
Figure 10 - Natural objects in the home corner
Figure 11 - Puppet play with gum leaves, gum nuts, flowers, tree cookies and pine cones
Figure 12 - Creating art using a range of natural objects
Figure 13 - Tree cookies combined with wooden construction blocks for outside play activity
Figure 14 - Gum nuts set out on outdoor kitchen for imaginary play
I acknowledge that parents and families are the first and most influential educators and I strive to continue their involvement in their child’s education by encouraging them to become actively involved in our Early Childhood Program. Partnerships with families provide me with invaluable information relating to cultural backgrounds and heritage. I strive to build relationships with families based on co-operation and a mutual respect. Partnerships with families are developed through daily discussion, written communication and meetings. I have an open door policy which aims to facilitate an open flow of communication while maintaining confidentiality and respect of the privacy and wishes of each family. I value the cultural and social contexts of students and their families including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, see Figures 15-20 which are examples of the students' learning about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Figure 15 - Placing down coloured rocks using fine motor skills onto Aboriginal art symbols
Figure 16 -Aboriginal figures in traditional dress for small world play
Figure 17 - Group collage of the Aboriginal flag
Figure 18 - Dot painting on gum leaves using traditional Aboriginal colours
Figure 19 - Dot painting on bark in the outdoor environment
Figure 20 - Drawing Aboriginal art symbols in lentils
I use inquiry learning which is a powerful teaching strategy and an approach to learning that emphasises the student's role in the learning process, it enhances the development of critical thinking skills and promotes self-directed work. Through inquiry-based learning my students are encouraged to explore, ask questions and share ideas, please see the start of our spiders inquiry Floorbook, in Figure 21.
Figure 21 - Spiders inquiry Floorbook
I assess students by gathering and analysing information as evidence about what students know, can do and understand. My assessment is part of an ongoing cycle that includes planning, documenting and evaluating students’ learning. I communicate students’ learning and progress, determine the extent to which all students are progressing toward learning outcomes and if not, what might be impeding their progress. The five Learning Outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), provide me with key reference points against which students' progress can be identified, documented and communicated to families, other early childhood professionals and educators in schools.
I adhere to the guidelines set by ACEQA, the National Quality Framework, the Kindergarten Guidelines and the EYLF and take the student’s developmental level into account. Modifications to the curriculum are made for students with diverse needs and experiences. I use the EYLF to extend and enrich my students lives through Being, Belonging and Becoming which is the vision for student's learning outlined in the EYLF. In teaching within the EYLF pedagogy, I believe that learning should be holistic and active. Due to my studies for my Graduate Certificate in Education (Early Childhood) I am up to date with current trends, theories and practices, however I am continually seeking ways to build my professional knowledge for ongoing learning and reflective practice.