Journal Week 1 909 | Early Childhood Educ

Journal and Reflection: Week 1

(12 - 16 February 2024)

Today marked the start of my professional placement in the preschool area, where I will work with children aged three to five. When I first entered the class, I established specific goals and expectations for myself: to become familiar with the children and educators, to grasp the daily routine, and to address my placement requirements with the mentor teacher and room leader. However, I was aware of the children's developmental changes as they progressed from nursery to toddler and now preschool. Rebuilding trust and rapport was critical for the children to feel safe with me and for me to respond successfully.

Reintroducing myself to the children's parents and families was an important step. We were all navigating new ground together, as the children had recently moved into the preschool room. Adjusting to these new surroundings proved challenging for both the children and myself. I recognised the importance of support during this change, not only for myself but also for the children. We exchanged valuable experiences today, but some areas needed to be improved. As educators, we should assist students to adapt seamlessly into routines and acquire confidence in their new environments.

Among an abundance of changes, I found myself faced with the challenge of successfully planning my time during this professional placement. How do I effectively communicate with the team, and what strategies should I use to complete the requirements of my course? Despite diligently planning and organising everything leading up to this week, I couldn't shake the feeling of being overwhelmed. Balancing these tasks will be difficult, but one I am eager to face full-on.

Link to:

Australian Teaching Standards 1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
National Quality Standards Quality Area 5. Relationship with the children
National Quality Standards Quality Area 6. Collaborative partnership with families and communities
EYLF Learning Outcome 1. Children have a strong sense of identity

Join Morning Group time with Preschool

Literacy Learning - Letter of the Week

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 3.3 Use teaching strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 3.4 Select and use resources
EYLF Principle. Critical Reflection and Ongoing Professional Learning
EYLF Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators

Today I joined and sat in a circle together with children during Morning group time. As part of their literacy learning programme, our preschoolers explored the Letter A this week. During a normal morning group activity, children explored letter sounds and words that begin with "A." Encouraging active engagement, children gladly shared their thoughts on the letter. This two-week enquiry follows a set pattern: one week of brainstorming, followed by a week of show and tell. The children's enthusiasm was incredibly fulfilling as they demonstrated their extensive understanding of letters, sounds, and words.

I addressed my concerns about rote learning and requested clarification from both the Room Leader and the Educational Leader. I inquired if there were any other ways to teach letters besides the traditional ABC (alphabetical) approach and whether we should focus on letter sounds. My enquiry aimed to determine which strategy would be most helpful to children's comprehension. I have acquired two opposing viewpoints: (1) advocating for the ABC technique followed by sound instruction, and (2) recommending adhering to the current method despite concerns.

Where to next:

While I cannot completely change our approach to letter learning in a week because it involves collective reflection among all team members, I recommend enhancing our existing techniques with the following learning experiences:

Using educational videos to teach phonics (such as "Let's Learn the Letter A" by Jack Hartman).
Engaging children in the exploration of their name's letters and related letter sounds.
Incorporating words learned through group activities into classes, stressing letter sounds while practicing writing.
Taking advantage of unexpected possibilities by starting discussions with questions like, "I wonder what letter sound __ makes?"

Exploring Science-Sensory Balons (Ice Insect)

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 4.1 Support Student participation
Australian Teaching Standards 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
EYLF Principle. Critical Reflection and Ongoing Professional Learning
EYLF Outcome 4. Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators
Play pedagogy: Learning through games, Purposefully-framed play

The preschoolers made a sensory balloon on Tuesday with Miss Bailey (Room Leader); they put water and some insects into the balloon and then put these in the fridge. The goal was for sensory play the following day due to the warm weather. On Tuesday, I used this opportunity to discuss with the children about the change of state in the matter from liquid to solid that occurs when water changes to ice. “How does ice change to water?” The children mentioned that melting the ice by submerging it into water is the fastest way to observe the change. “What if we don't use water? How will it change?” Sophia suggested putting it under the sun; it's too hot and will cause the ice to melt.

While waiting for the ice to melt, we investigated volume, capacity, mass, and weight. Using balloons, we consideret

Which is heavier, a balloon filled with air or a balloon filled with water?
How much air should we blow into a balloon?
Which is easier to tie a knot: a balloon filled with air or a balloon filled with water?

Children tried their abilities and experimented with all of this curiosity, making for an excellent learning experience. While some children gave up after a few minutes and asked for help or said, "I don't want to do it anymore," most children demonstrated perseverance and dedication to these activities.

What's next?

After consulting with Miss Bailey, we decided to add science experiments into our March curriculum to assist children's scientific and mathematics development better and monitor their reactions to these activities.

Building together is Fun !

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 4.1 Support Student participation
Australian Teaching Standards 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
EYLF Principle. Critical Reflection and Ongoing Professional Learning
EYLF Outcome 4. Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators
Play pedagogy: Learning through games, Purposefully-framed play

Engaging preschoolers in outdoor play with large Lego blocks not only encourages their passion of building, but it also fits with fundamental educational goals and ideas. As children build together, they learn important engineering and building skills while also refining their teamwork and communication talents.

Children learn early numeracy skills including counting, sorting, and comparing sizes and shapes through purposeful play with large Lego blocks. This hands-on approach also promotes the use of descriptive language, which aids in literacy development.

Collaborative construction with large Lego blocks fosters active engagement, ownership, and achievement in children as they work together to bring their masterpieces to life. Educators can use this exercise to support continuing professional growth by reflecting and collaborating with peers.

Children who engage in purposely structured play become more confident and engaged learners, experimenting, problem-solving, and expressing their ideas via building. Collaborative construction also promotes excellent communication skills since children talk, negotiate, and exchange ideas with their peers.

Educators enable children to learn via hands-on exploration and experimentation by incorporating play paedagogy with large Lego blocks into outdoor activities. This strategy promotes deeper learning and engagement while also laying a solid foundation for lifetime learning and growth.

STEAM-Learning Volcanoes !

Link to:

National Quality Standards Q1 Educational Program and Practice
Australian Teaching Standards 2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
Australian Teaching Standards 4.1 Support Student Participation
Australian Teaching Standards 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
EYLF Principle. Critical Reflection and Ongoing Professional Learning
EYLF Outcome 4. Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Outcome 5. Children are effective communicators
Play pedagogy: Learning through games, Purposefully-framed play

In this STEAM project, children learn about volcanoes by watching informative videos that explain the science behind these natural events. Integrating digital media strengthens the educational programme by providing different learning opportunities that meet quality criteria. Watching volcanic videos promotes literacy by introducing children to scientific terminology and numeracy.

Using digital media allows children to actively engage with the material, which fosters curiosity and autonomy in learning. Educators interact to share digital materials, improve digital literacy skills, and make better use of technology. Reflecting on digital media use improves teaching practice and aligns with ongoing professional learning ideas.

Engaging with digital media boosts confidence and involvement in studying, sparking a passion for science. Watching volcanic films allows children to communicate well by sharing their views and observations. Integrating digital media improves STEAM learning by creating interactive experiences that allow children to successfully investigate scientific concepts.