Journal Week 6 909 | Early Childhood Educ

Journal and Reflection: Week 6

(18 March – 22 March 2024)

Palm Sunday Fun Activity with Sister Rosemary

This week was an important phase in my career as an educator, particularly in my investigation and implementation of Godly Play technique across our curriculum. Sister Rosemary from the Parish Church visited us to set up a Palm Sunday session, which was my first time employing Godly Play into our teaching method.

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 3.1 Establishing challenging learning goals.
Australian Curriculum. Mathematics
EYLF Learning Outcome 4. Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Learning Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators.
Play pedagogy: Learning through games

The workshop with Sister Rosemary was both informative and enjoyable. We learned about Palm Sunday and its significance during Holy Week through interactive storytelling and engaging activities. The way Sister Rosemary approach children with Godly Play was perfectly linked with our educational philosophy, promoting qualities like compassion, love, and generosity - principles that are deeply rooted in our teaching culture.

One of the most memorable aspects of the lesson was the children's active participation and real engagement with the material. As we discussed the story, it became clear that Godly Play is an effective method for developing not only religious understanding but also important life skills and values.

The use of play paedagogy highlighted the value of acquiring knowledge through games and engaging activities. By creating a joyful learning atmosphere, we allowed children to explore topics and express themselves freely, resulting in more involvement and knowledge.

This week's encounter with Sister Rosemary reinforced the importance of incorporating Godly Play into our curriculum. Moving forward, I am eager to continue researching creative teaching methods that not only meet intellectual standards but also encourage spiritual growth and growth in character in our children.

PATTERNS – MATH LEARNING

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 3.1 Establishing challenging learning goals.
Australian Curriculum. Mathematics
EYLF Learning Outcome 4. Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Learning Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators.
Play pedagogy: Direct instructions, Purposefully framed play

We dived into the fascinating world of patterns. Our activities focused on using large LEGO bricks as a hands-on approach to teach and promote pattern recognition within children. The class began with clear guidance on the concept of patterns, reinforcing the significance of recognising and producing repeated sequences. We encouraged children to discover patterns using the big LEGO bricks given in an intentionally structured way.

It was extremely nice to see the children's eager participation. As they engaged themselves in generating various patterns, ranging from simple sequences to more sophisticated arrangements, it became clear that children were not only having fun but also learning more about mathematical principles.

From an educational aspect, this encounter demonstrated the value of hands-on, experiential learning in improving mathematics comprehension. By manipulating physical materials like LEGO bricks, the children were capable of to imagine and manipulate patterns in a tangible and concrete way, which improved their spatial thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Into the future, I'm thrilled to expand on this foundation and investigate more techniques for improving mathematics learning through engaging and interactive interactions. I am persuaded that by continuing to incorporate strategically framed play into our pedagogical method, we will be able to instill an appreciation of mathematics in our children while also providing them with important numerical abilities for life.

Community Helper (Puzzle)

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
Australian Teaching Standards 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
EYLF Principles. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
EYLF Practices. Cultural responsiveness
EYLF Learning Outcome 2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world
Play pedagogy: Purposefully framed play, Modelled play
Teaching Strategies: Sustained shared thinking, co-constructing, facilitating

Our toddlers began on an exciting journey to investigate the duties of community helpers using puzzles, combining cognitive thinking with mathematical principles in a dynamic learning setting. Our session focused on the creation of puzzles illustrating various transportation vehicles utilised by community helpers, such as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances. We gave the children opportunity to engage in hands-on exploration while also promoting their cognitive growth and mathematics comprehension through carefully framed and modelled play.

The incorporation of puzzles into our curriculum not only met the NQS and teaching standards, but also catered to our students' different needs and perspectives. We encouraged cultural responsiveness and understanding by including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewpoints, which helped to facilitate reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

As children assembled the puzzles, their cognitive thinking skills were clearly stimulated. We encouraged them to connect the responsibilities of community helpers and mobility vehicles through shared thinking, collaboration, and facilitation. For instance, children identified the police car as a vehicle used by police officers to get criminals, the fire truck as a means of extinguishing fires and saving community, and the ambulance as a transportation used to provide help to those in need.

Milk & Detergent Colour Experiment

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
Australian Teaching Standards 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
YLF Principles. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
EYLF Practices. Cultural responsiveness
EYLF Learning Outcome 2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world
Play pedagogy: Purposefully framed play, Modelled play
Teaching Strategies: Sustained shared thinking, co-constructing, facilitating

This week, we carried out an exciting science experiment that investigated the synergy of milk, detergent, and food colouring. This exercise is directly related to the larger field of science and experiments with chemicals, stimulating children's interest and motivating them to examine and investigate the world around them.

The experiment included pouring milk into a shallow container. The children utilised droppers to apply coloured ink (or food colouring) on the surface layer of the milk. Finally, they gently added a drop of dish soap on the ink, and we all witnessed the interesting consequences!

This modest experiment stimulated the children's natural interest. They were captivated by the way the coloured ink swirled and twirled across the milk's surface following the addition of dish soap. This visual extravaganza served as a platform for discussions about the qualities of milk, soap, and the intriguing field of science.

Overall, the milk and detergent experiment was a huge success at sparking children's interest in science. This engaging project provides an opportunity for investigation, observation, and the development of early scientific thinking abilities.