Monday 11 February 2013

The role of an ECT in a centre

I really believe that the role of an ECT in a centre is modelling in a range of areas.  They need to model good behaviour management for other educators. Model how to implement emergent curriculum and the EYLF effectively. Model how to document for learning not just what occurred. Not necessarily be the educational leader and tell or demonstrate to other educators but to model so you demonstrate good practice in a non-threatening and encouraging way. Other educators who have years of experience in early learning now how to interact well they just sometimes need someone to show them where the learning is and this is done effectively not by teaching but by showing or demonstrating. I want to try and do this every day.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Documentation in early learning

Documentation in the EYLF is a contentious issue in both theory and practice in early learning. Educators that have been in the industry for a while struggle with constant state of change in relation to documentation. As I teach the Qld Kindergarten I have both the QKLG and the EYLF to work with when documenting learning. This can make it challenging but also exciting. I also program for about 50 children across 2 rooms so I feel that I need to get it right otherwise I will be wasting my time. I program in a few different ways. In the room I have an A4 scrapbook for each child which stays in an pocket. That is used by educators to record basic observations using a kindergarten template.  I use my IPad with the comic life app to co-construct learning stories with the children, which are recorded in an A3 scrapbook which is kept in the reading quiet area that the children and parents can access together and experience their learning together. We also have created a website which collate  all the information about that child from the kindergarten program including profile, transition to school and EYLF links.

Learning Stories

Am reading some great books on early learning at the moment the include some books on emergent learning which I am really passionate about and a book called learning stories - by Margaret Carr which is all about constructing learner identities in early learning. This book demonstrates how as educators we need to allow learners to construct their own learning. They can do this by co-constructing learning stories and by demonstrating the learning that has occurred over time.

Kindergarten in 2013

Well after my last post I became a bit slack and got caught up in coping with the documentation side of being a kindergarten teacher in long day care in a 3 - 5 yr room when kindergarten is mainly for 4 year olds with limited programming time. Since then heaps has changed. I work at a double centre and we at the end of last year decided to rearrange our centre so we now have two preschool rooms with two kindergarten programs. Which we are now into our third week. It is full on though I have two fantastic group leaders who are keen and passionate about kindergarten which is fantastic!