Reflection about placement

Reflecting upon placement - I've enjoyed being in a learning environment that consists of 0-5 years old. I feel that planning experiences for children of all ages allows for learning to be formed through all ages, children are learning off each other and its great to engage in. I enjoy children being together in an environment that offers for creativity, exploration and imagination. The environment is filled with great experiences that have been planned to cater for all ages, and to be displayed as an environment that allows for independent learning. Children are able to freely move from different experiences at their own pace. I feel that this placement has been an enjoyable experience as it gives opportunity to engage with the children as well as the parents who are essential part of children's lives. 

I've enjoyed creating experiences at placement that cater for arts and allow for further exploration through natural materials. I've emmensly enjoyed utisiling materials that are of natural materials such as leaves, rocks, water, sand etc. I've learnt that the simple experiences can offer a huge amount of enhanced learning where children appreciate and engage in their learning. I've encountered many children develop through many problems they have had for example independently playing without their loved ones which has been great to witness as it shows that children are young capable learners. Overall I've had a great experience at placement and have enjoyed getting to know the children and look forward to seeing the children again 

Democratising in children’s learning

Reflecting upon MacNaughton and Williams chapter on ‘Democratising’, I have been able to understand the importance of utilising this in the classroom. Children are capable learners who are valued highly in decision making their learning. As a pre-service teacher it is my responsibility to listen carefully to the children and respond respectfully to their opinions. Children’s participation is a vital element in my emerging philosophy as I strongly believe incorporating children’s strengths and interests are an essential part to planning and implementing activities/experiences for the children. 

Giving children the opportunity for decision-making in their learning is excellent in providing children with responsibilities and demonstrating the importance of equal rights to learn.All children should be provided with the same opportunities to learn and be treated equal. I believe that my goal in my future teaching practice is to ensure all children’s interests are incorporated together into learning experiences in order to have a balance of whole group and individual activities. Giving children the opportunity for empowerment allows children to have choice, freedom but most importantly be apart of decisions in the classroom. When children have responsibility they feel a sense of belonging and a sense of need. When children are felt as though they are needed, they feel as though they are highly valued. I believe that children are the most important aspect of learning, they are capable and responsible young learners who should be treated equal, fair and all of their opinions should be taken into consideration. 

Do you believe that children should be involved in decision making towards their learning?

Documenting in early childhood programs

Documenting is early childhood programs is a process to gather and organise information that provides written or pictorial record of what has occurred. Through my 0-2 placement I encountered children’s portfolios which consisted of photographs and a variety of learning stories based on children’s play. Documenting children’s play is one of the many aspects that teachers need to fulfil in order to help for future planning in regards to each individual child in order to target the strengths, interests, needs, but also ensuring their learning is constantly being extended. Reflecting on children’s portfolio can occur with staff and between the staff and children, giving children choice I feel creates a sense of independence, and respect for the child. It is essential for the teacher to ‘explore multiple perspectives on children’s learning and projects work as a provocation and invitation to further work and exploration of a topic’ (MacNaughton & Williams 2009, p. 300).

Collating children’s original artwork and also photographs of their artwork, I feel should be collaborated into a portfolio as a way of giving sentimental value, children may one day be able to look back on their early years education and their sense of achievements. I believe its an important aspect to give to families of their child in order to show how much their child has development throughout the year. 

References:

MacNaughton, G & Williams, G 2009, Techniques for Teaching Young Children; Choices for Theory and Practice, 3^rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, NSW.

The importance of empowerment as a pre-service teacher

Reflecting upon class discussions about empowerment, I believe it is a vital component to be brought into the classroom, however, I feel that it is not the teachers direct role to provide such a role. I believe that the role of empowerment should not be posed on one individual, rather a tool to give children choice, freedom and open-ended responsibilities that each child can be apart of, which will build children’s ability to think critically. I strongly believe that children should all be apart of a classroom environment which firmly supports equality but most of all children are working together as a learning community who can provide experiences for other children that can help to improve the learning of others around each other.

Having empowerment embedded into the classroom allows for children to endeavour responsibility as well as independence. During class today, it was noted of high importance to allow children to be apart of class rules, for example allowing children to discuss what classroom rules can be displayed as a way of respecting everyone around them. I believe giving children the opportunity to be apart of this form of empowerment is a great tool for children feeling wanted, supported and welcomed. Empowerment should be equal to each individual child in the classroom in order to role model the importance of equality and acceptance, each child should experience an equal view and opinion on any situation in the classroom because I feel that each child’s opinions are all equally valued in the same regard as each others. According to MacNaughton & Williams (2009, p. 311) ‘In this usage, empowerment is the process of giving great cultural, economic, social and political power to those who have little access to such opportunities because of injustices and inequalities in a particular society’.

References:
MacNaughton, G & Williams, G 2009, Techniques for Teaching Young Children; Choices for Theory and Practice, 3^rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, NSW.