Task 5 - Reflect on feedback

Reflecting on feedback for teaching practicum using D.A.T.A model.

Describe:

The feedback I received I thought was fair and understanding, there was a lot of positive about my Te Reo being used with a game I made and playing hide and seek with one of the children outside. I really took on board the information about letting children have time to process questions before firing around another question something I seem to do when I'm being watched or nervous.

While I was playing water play with a few children I just kept asking questions after question not really giving them time to process their answers or the questions I was asking. But I really appreciated that being pointed out so I can work on it next time. It was suggested that I sit back and watch the children at play a little more instead of asking all the questions which I felt was fair.

There were comments on how directing and asking children questions while playing the game I made giving them the chance to work things out for themselves, encouraging the children to have a go and teaching them about turn taking and waiting their turn. I liked that it was picked up that I said bye to a child as they were leaving to head home and continued this for other children leaving the game area after they had finished playing.

When having our three way meeting, I was asked if there was anything else I would like to do, between us we came up with a mat time, messy play and a craft. I am open to these and gave it my all. At mat time I read a story with the children and they enjoyed it “going on a croc hunt” one of my own kids fav books, a messy activity using lax flakes, water and food colouring making it an awesome outside fun, then making people based on the Maori game I made for the children to play with, the children were very interested in making their own people so we did, I made up a template they traced, cut it out and then dressed their people, making some very awesome looking people

I felt really pleased and proud with what I have achieved so far with my visit, I am pleased I didn't freak out too much and forget everything I needed to do or know, I left the meeting feeling more confidence and excited to carry on with knowing what I have been doing is great.

Analyse:

My own beliefs actually fit in with what I was told about the letting children play and sit back to watch for a bit as I believe asking too many questions can stop children doing what they were going to do and make them do something you said. So not sure why this went out the window maybe nerves kicked in.

I believe we practise like this to give the children a better idea of what they want, children that use their own brains for their own games and learning can learn at their own pace about the world we live in, where if we give them everything all the ideas they will learn to live off other ideas and not their own.

I also believe in letting children learn while I'm there with some help just like Vygotsky believes in scaffolding children, offering support to them but not doing it for them. Teaching them on their level giving them the skills to be able to do it again and again (Berk, 2003, p. 224)

Theorise:

While in my away centre there was a lot of routine for the children but also a lot of free play so a great balance for them “Children and their families experience an environment where they feel comfortable with the routines, customs, and regular events” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 60). Children know when its time to clean up or have mat time by the different music that is played, its a very good way as the teachers dont have to call out they just know the music.

While we were tracing and cutting out the people the children were “increasing control over their bodies” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.86) with the holding a template down to trace around it, then holding scissors to cut out their person.

Act:

I have worked on the talking all the time with the children asking them too many questions, I am taking the time to sit back and watch their play and waiting for them to come to me about ideas they wish to use. We talk as its needed and every so often I will ask them questions about their play. I'm going to carry on using the Te Reo that I have learnt along with other songs I have learnt from this away centre.

References:

Berk, L. (2003) Development through the lifespan (3^rd ed). Boston, Ma: Pearson Education.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki matauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Task 2- Challenging situation

I am using “What, So what, Now what” model

What?

One little boy has decided horses are his favourite thing to play with at daycare, he will carry these horses around and each day its getting a bigger collection to the point of needing a basket to carry around. Out of those horses there are two that are the favourites and will carry those around on their own if he does not have the basket.

When it was time to wash hands this little boy decided he did not want to wash hands because he did not want to put the horses down, a teacher and I got him into the bathroom to wash his hands while the teacher was changing nappies she had me washing the hands. The little boy decided to throw himself about and not want to wash the hands while in the bathroom.

I talked to him about leaving the horses next to him while he washed his hands, also put his favourite horses on the sink so he could wash them afterwards. I turned the tap on for him and washed my hands talking to him to get him to do it too, but no such luck. The teacher in the room with me ended up coming over and having no luck with it either and told him he needs to wash his hands.

In the end I was feeling a little stressed as he is a heavy child when he throws himself around, so hard to hold up to wash his hands so he can have kai. I was trying to achieve washing hands for kai like I was asked to do, in the end I ended up wetting paper towels and washing his hands that way as that was the only way he would allow it.

So What?

The important of washing hands is to teach “self-help and self-care skills for eating, drinking, food preparation, toileting, resting, sleeping, washing, and dressing” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.48). But it was also important to nurture his emotional well-being with the horses that he is really connected too.

I need to learn more from other staff on what they would do with this child and his horses and what we can do to help him want to put them down to wash his hands, he is happy for kai time with his horses sitting on a chair next to him, but with washing that was not going to happen. I have learnt that some children when they really love something they will not put it down for anything.

It told me that I'm okay to pick my battles until I can get some more help on the situation with washing his hands with a paper towel instead of under the tap. I had so much going though my head with this, of am I hurting him by picking him up and pulling his hands under the water, am I losing his trust as I'm making him do something he really does not want to do. Once I have talked to others about this and worked out a action plan for him, I can research the ideas of it talk to other places that might have an idea like my own plunket nurse without mentioning who the child is and once I have more knowledge I will be able to apply it. Also talking to his family to see if they have the same problems at home.

The broader issues that come with this is he learns if he screams enough he will get away with not washing his hands and get a paper towel instead, this could teach other children this behaviour and start coping, with toys and hands.

Now What?

Now I can keep trying with him and talking to him to get the horses on the floor so he can wash his hands and then take the horses though to dining room. Also can try other ways like washing the horse or singing songs while we wash hands. But overall I think I need to talk with the staff members and work out together what we can do with this little boy as it turns out he does not just do it with me he does it with other staff too.

If I carry on doing it and fighting with him then the other problems with other children watching may come about, and he might stop trusting people when he is being made to do something. If he is upset and not feeling the trust then that is not good for his well being as children need to “trust that their emotional needs will be responded to” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 50)

References:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki matauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Task 3: The importance of fostering childrens social competence

Is social competence really important in early childcare centres? Well lets take a look at what it means if we look up social it says “of, relating to, or characteristic of the experience, behaviour, and interaction of persons forming groups” (collinsdictionary, 2013, n.p). and competence gives a meaning of “the condition of being capable; ability” (collinsdictionary, 2013, n.p). Giving those two meanings my definition of social competence is “A person that has social skills and the ability to form positive relationships with another person”. In this essay there will be a few things discussed including why it is important for children under five to learn these skills, how they can learn these skills and and the factors that impact children under five.

Social competence is very important for children, it helps so many things develop and gives them a head start in life. Having a skill to be able to act well in situations will carry on until adulthood. “A child's long term social and emotional adaptation, academic and cognitive development and citizenship and enhanced by frequent opportunities to strengthen social competence during the childhood” (Hartup & Moore, 1990; Kinsey, 2000; Ladd & Profilet, 1996; McClellan & Kinsey, 1999; Parker & Asher, 1987; Rogoff, 1990 cited in McClellan & Katz, 2001).

When developing social competence children decide how to react when in a conflict, they decide who to play with and where to play. While they are making choices they decide if they are good or not good choices, this develops their social competence. Making these choices takes time, it does not happen overnight, it also takes some guidance by the adult. Asking the child how they can solve a problem instead of giving it to them helps them understand the problem at hand. You can help your child make the choice by brainstorming and listening to the child and the way they think they will work it out for themselves. Brainstorm with them again afterwards to see what happened and what they could do different next time (Fliess. S, 2008). Brainstorming is equipping the child with the tools they need to cope with decision making.

Children need to learn to make decisions about forming relationships, dealing with conflicts and dealing with emotions. It is important for infants, toddlers and young children to feel empowered when making decisions, giving them choices on good and not so good choices. Children are natural explorers and are going to want to explore the world at their pace and learning on the way, with and without others. A social competence child does not have to be a “social butterfly” but a child that has one close friend where they will start feeling positive about places, themselves and school (childcare) ( McClellan, D & Katz, L. 2001). Social competence is all about taking risks and letting them make choices lets them take safe risks at the same time.

Vygotsky believes we should scaffold a child's learning though zone of proximal development (ZPD) helping a child though something they have yet to master by giving them the tools to solve the problem and not doing it for them (Gonzalez-Mena, J. 2011). Children can help each other though this as well by peer interaction for example turn taking is a action children do all the time, sharing with each other with blocks, books or swings “older children help younger ones perform in ways they wouldn’t be able to on their own.” (Gonzalez-Mena, J. 2011. p. 174). Adults need to observe infants, toddlers and young children to see their strength and work with that, as they get stuck a helping hand is what they need to get to where they are wanting to get to. This can be just open ended questions to get the child thinking for themselves.

Bandura believes children observe positive role modelling from adults and this gives children the best social learning, helping them become social competence people. “Competence and power. Children admire and therefore tend to select competent, powerful models to imitate – the reason they are especially willing to copy the behaviour of older peers and adults” (Bandura,1977, cited it in Berk, L. ed.3 2003, p.254). When working in centres I notice young infants and toddlers will try and copy the older toddlers, following them around and doing what they do. I have also noticed they will copy and imitate the adults they are in close contact with, infants and toddlers tend to find a adult and stick with them as their “main” caregiver watching and learning about the world around them and learning social competence.

There are so many factors to consider with infants, toddlers and young children these can impact the child emotionally and social and can have affects positive or negative on the child. Peer relationships can impact a child, though to their adulthood “good peer relations are developmental forerunner of good adaptation in later life” (Hartup & Moore, 1990, p.15). Family play are huge part in peer relation for children, if there are problems in the family this can be make it hard for the child to gain positive peer relations finding it hard to make friends.

Children learn in an environment where it is set up for make believe and pretend, children getting into groups together and making peer relations over the same game, story or play they create on their own, using props given by the teachers. By doing this children develop socially and intellectually and building on their on social competence (Berk & Windslor, 1995, cited in McClellan & Katz, 2001). In my centre I work in we have dolls and bottles for the toddlers to access, we watch these children as they hold their “babies” like we hold the infants feeding them a bottle. Toddlers watch us teachers close and imitate what we do at bedtime when we sit next to one or two toddlers rubbing and patting their backs until they fall asleep, our toddlers do this with their “babies”.

Infants, toddlers and young children need to learn social competence it is important in the way of life, the way we talk to other people, the way we interact with our peers. Learning this at a young age will help them get through life, with positive role modelling they will watch and repeat. Coming from homes that do not have that role model of good behaviour can impact a child, they child may or may not learn social competence hoping when coming into a childcare centre they will learn this with their peers and watching their teachers interact with each other and the children. There are so many different factors that can impact the child such as the way they play, and the way they watch and who they watch, it is important for teachers to role model the behaviour they want the children to learn.

References

Berk, L. (2003) Development through the lifespan (3^rd ed). Boston, Ma: Pearson Education.

Collins. (2013). English Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/competence

Collins. (2013). English Dictionary. Retrieved from

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/social

Education.com. (2013). Decisions, Decisons: Letting your child make his own. Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Decisions_Decisions_Letting_Your/

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2011). Foundations of early childhood education: Teaching children in a diverse society (5^th ed). Boston, Ma: McGraw Hill.

Hartup, W & Moore, S. (1990). Early Childhood Research Quarterly (5): Early peer relations: Developmental significance and prognostic implications. University of Minnesta.

McClellan,D & Katz, L. (2001). Eric Digest, Clearing house on elementary and early childhood education: Assessing young children's social competence. University of Illinois. Champaign, IL.

Task 4: Inclusive Education

How has reading about Simon deepened my understanding on individual needs, before learning about Simon and that there are steps to take with children with special needs I always thought they would just fit in, that they would settle down if that's a way of explaining it to a centre life. After reading about Simon I have learnt that there are more things to a special needs child that what appears to the eye on a first look. Each child being unique and all having their own individual needs met is very important.

I have worked with children for 10 years and only ever have come across a child with downs syndrome and she looked a little different but she fitted in well, she was a very smart child and loved to draw. I didn't work at the centre for long to see what things were put in place with this child but I do know for sure every time things got hard she would do some drawings. For Simon he appears to be a smart kid, “he had the ability to think of a superhero game, assign roles to other children, create costumes for those roles and direct the play “ (Glass, B., Baker, K., Ellis, R., Bernstone, H., & Hagan, B. 2010, p. 85).

The stafff at the centre noticed this and went with it, once he was diagnosis with Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) they noticed he enjoyed looking at his very special made books just for him. These books are to help him understand routines, Ok/not Ok behaviour chart and a book about him. This made me think about a child in my centre on a way we could help him as he has ASD and likes to hit other children, something like a book might help him learn good and not so good behaviour. “Simon liked reading about himself and he could articulate the expected behaviours” (Glass, B., Baker, K., Ellis, R., Bernstone, H., & Hagan, B. 2010, p. 89).

I liked how the staff got a public meeting together to help the other parents understand what was happening with Simon, some parents weren't on board or didn't understand still but a lot of the community were all for helping Simon, children would see Simon do things and ask questions to their parents, one child decided to pray for Simon to make the right choices and other children would role play acting Simon out making right choices. This shows they have also learn skills from Simon that they could take with them to school. 

“Understanding difference and how children think about difference is an important aspect of developing inclusive practices and policies and we should not forget how, at a very young age, children can develop political, social and cultural preferences which could – ultimately – lead to the generation of exclusionary values and behaviours” (Nutbrown, C. & Clough, P. 2006, p. 50).

This has deepened my understanding by knowing that each child is different and each child with special needs has different interests and its best to find out what they enjoy and go with that. Talking with other staff members, teachers and involving the other parents to a public meeting about issues can help everyone involved. Parents can help their children understand the needs of another child and can help that child make good choices. Keep children with special needs in a centre is good it includes them and helps them transition to school later on. I believe now that a centre has a lot of input in a child with special needs that can be remembered for a lifetime, like what Simons mother said “I am grateful for the work you did with Simon. You made him what he is today. He still talks about you all the time” (Anecdotal notes, March 2008. Cited in Glass, B., Baker, K., Ellis, R., Bernstone, H., & Hagan, B. 2010, p. 96)

References

Glass, B., Baker, K., Ellis, R., Bernstone, H., & Hagan, B. (2010). Inclusion at Botany Downs Kindergarten. Retrieved from

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ece/22551/inclusion-at-botany-downs kindergarten-centre-of-innovation-2006-2008/chapter-6-including-simon-inclusion-in-action

Nutbrown, C. & Clough, P. (2006). Cultures of inclusion in the early years. In Inclustion in the early years: Critical analyses and enabling narratives(pp. 1-16). London: Sage Publications

SMART goal.

SMART goal for semester 2 2013

To get more Te Reo into my everyday speaking with children in the centre.  Asking or researching for Maori words for everyday words I say with children.  Also getting my mihi done and sorting, find the courage to speak it in front of class without freaking out

Progress update

12 August 2013
Stood up to to presentation but freaked with mihi and walked out of the class, need to really work on this

26 August 2013
Working on my Te Reo still getting pronunciation wrong but trying to correct it, been asking staff members for certain words and asking my friend if she can help me with words too

2 September 2013
Been practicing mihi at home but still not feeling good about it or getting the hang of it

25 September 2013
I have been off work/course for 2 weeks due to a operation but i have been practicing my Te Reo with my own kids at home.  I feel its coming more naturally than it ever has before still end up talking English more as i have done that for the last 28 years.  I have got myself this neat little book called First words in Maori so i can learn more words.  It has colours, body parts and numbers, its a simple easy book and I love sitting with my kids going though it so we are all learning at the same time.

18 October 2013

Getting back into things and the book i got has come in handy, i can sing songs with the children and learning more and more, still listening to staff members using Te Reo with the children.  There are still signs and words up around the centre to refer too.  Im also using more face names for wiping noses etc.

19 November 2013

Going around the class doing mihis got up to do it and got though 2 lines if that before my heart took over and ended up crying, so sat back down.

20 November 2013

Been away in my away centre for practicum and have enjoyed it.  Used more Te Reo than i thought i would but listening to other staff using it made it easier to do.  My VL commented on how much i used and was happy with it, and my AT was happy with the amount i used as well.  Lots of counting, also using my Maori resource in the centre with clothing names worked well too, this helped me learn more about clothes as well.  Using the game helped the children match up names with the felt clothes

25 November 2013

Back in my own centre and using alot more Te Reo than i have done before, feeling more confidence using it with the children.  Just got to work on it for class now.

26 November 2013
Stood up with group to do a group presentation and got some of the mihi out, did the beginning said my name and did the closing, felt proud but heart was pounding and felt worried and I was shaking alot.  But its the first time i have done part of it without getting upset or crying.

Task Five: Reflection on course and own learning

Learning a lot from the course, I have been working in childcare on and off for 10 years but there is always room to improve and learn.  I enjoy learning new things and getting more information about being a teacher.

Things I'm finding interesting is Te Reo, I find it very hard to get my head about Maori words but I'm trying my best at getting the words right and putting them into practice.  Also enjoying the whole home centre 12 hours a week in a centre as this is giving me more skills that I will need for my practicum and when I get a job in the field.

Things I need to further development on is my Te Reo, I will get better in this as the staff at my home centre say a lot in Maori so I will pick it up with listening and making sure I ask if I have the words correct before saying it to the children.

My Philosophy of teaching.

I believe children learn by watching others and by doing it themselves.  Giving them skills to help them develop and increase their skill level is essential and they will use those skills in their own time, for example walking, climbing or jumping they wont all do it at the same time, they all have different ages they will start and complete a milestone in their life.

I also believe that adults are a support system to the child while they learn about the world in their own time, no point in pushing a child that isn't ready to do something as that can cause stress and upset the child and frustration for the adult.

As I get further into my course and learning I will be able to adapt my philosophy.

Task Three: Students facilitation of one learning experience.

I set up cornflour and water to make slime, added glitter and blue water into a tub outside for the toddlers to have a play in after they had afternoon tea.  The children can learn about water and cornflour making something else, something hard to pick up but will run and fall though the fingers.

The children had lots of fun splashing in the water and pulling the slime off the bottom of the tub or a teacher putting the slime into their hands.  I went with the children's interest one they were out there and after they were splashing in the tub and moving everything around and with more water being added, making the water a milky white, they started adding leaves to play with in the tub.  This empowers the children to facilitate their own learning to learn and grow with the materials around them (Ministry of Education, 1996)

The interacting with the children in this space was fun and enjoyable, they seemed to have lots of fun, laughing and screaming with the items they were playing with, they seemed to enjoy taking over the activity and making it their own by adding things they wanted in there, such as the leaves.  I sat along side them talking to them about what they were doing and playing in the water, milky, leaf water with them, picking up slime and leaves and dropping them.  Some of the children would put their hands under my hand to catch and then drop them again.

"Within minutes, a child can be both dependent and independent, according to changes in temperament, environment, or adult expectations" 
(Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 21).

To ensure the children were safe around the water I had it off the ground so their hands could get into the tub but they couldn't fall into the tub of water, I used hot water before the children came outside so it was warm when they came out and not too hot for their hands.  When adding more warm water I made sure it was out of the hot tap which is a good temp for the children and by the time it got outside it had cooled down a little more making it safe for the children to put their hands into, testing this with my wrist.

What I think worked was the children love water play and they played in it when more warm water was added as they didn't seem to like it cold.  Next time I will add more cornflour as once we added more water the cornflour dissolved, but this also gave the water a neat milky colour.  I liked that the children could make it their own by adding things they wanted in it like leaves. 

Reference:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki matauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.