Reference no: EM133550218

Child Observation, Assessment

Learning Outcome 1: Children feel safe, secure and supported
Learning Outcome 2: Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and agency
Learning Outcome 3: Children develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a positive sense of self- worth
Learning Outcome 4: Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

2.1 Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens
2.2 Children respond to diversity with respect
2.3 Children become aware of fairness
2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

3.1 Children become strong in their social, emotional and mental wellbeing
3.2 Children become strong in their physical learning and wellbeing
3.3 Children are aware of and develop strategies to support their own mental and physical health and personal safety

4.1 Children develop a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity
4.2 Children develop a range of learning and thinking skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another
4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials

5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
5.2 Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts
5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
5.4 Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
5.5 Children use digital technologies and media to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking

Practicum

Practicum prerequisites:

- Working with Children Check (Volunteer/paid)
- Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate
- Attendance of 80% of lectures (please see information in Note below)
- Assignments for all co-requisite units and practicum unit submitted to date

Practicum fulfilment

Successful completion of your Professional Experience is dependent on both the efforts you are demonstrating while on placement AND on the proficient completion of your practicum folder.

(1) Fulfilment of Contact Time

- 1 Introductory Visit to the service before the block placement commences

- 10-day block to complete 80 hours of professional experience. You may negotiate with your service as to how these hours are structured. E.g., 5 x 8 hours per day per week or 4 x 10 hours per day per week with a minimum 30-minute lunch break, (start times can be arranged and negotiated between centre management and student)

- Students are required to work most of their hours with children and only be asked to handle cleaning and maintain chores for the immediate health and hygiene of the children

- We request, were possible, that students be given an hour of non-contact, (during children's sleep time, etc.), to work on their practicum folder documentation/programming and to attend a once a week Zoom support meeting with their lecturer

(2) Practicum support- zoom meeting

- Please inform your Supervising Teacher of the college requirement for you to attend a once a week Zoom support meeting with your lecturer

- Your lecturer will advise you of the time, date/s and Zoom link for this support meeting before your placement begins

(3) Practicum folder

- You are expected to present up to date, practicum folder documentation and programming to the Supervising Teacher each day.

- Successfully submit your type-written, digital practicum folder using the submission guideline found in the Action Plan.

Practicum Folder Contents

Every Student Teacher is required to prepare and maintain an Evidentiary Practicum folder. This is to be submitted via ExO at the end of your practicum and must always be up to date and available for the supervising teacher to view and assess.

It MUST include:

- Introductory Poster
- Attendance record (Appendix 1)
- Reflective Journals x 10
- Policy Reading Record (See appendix 3)
- Observations x 10 (See appendix 4 & 5)
- Supervising teacher reports (Interim & Final)

You will closely watch and reflect on the Early Childhood Teacher's (ECT) practice and begin to develop the skills and knowledge to care for children. You will read and record Early Childhood Services policies and procedures, paying particular attention to health and safety requirements as you become actively involved in the daily routines of feeding, sleeping, nappy changing and toileting.

You will be observing attachment and emotional connections between teachers and infants. The relationships observed between educators, parents and carers is a key objective of this practicum.

You will develop practical communication approaches including strategies such as verbal, non- verbal, intentional, and incidental communication styles to develop positive relationships with families and educators that facilitate a nurturing environment.

As part of your observation and assessment requirements, you will also observe the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of children, both individually and as members of a group.

Day 1

• Talk with your supervising teacher and confirm your goals for the first week of practicum
• Plan and organize what information and observations you will need to collect during your practicum
• Begin to familiarise yourself with the room routine
• Begin to familiarise yourself with the individual children's names and routines
• Make sure your Supervising Teacher has the interim report

Daily Expectations During Practicum

• Be punctual, polite, and always conduct yourself professionally
• Have your Practicum folder up to date and available each day
• Discuss your observations and professional documentation with your supervising teacher daily and be open to constructive feedback
• Always communicate in English in the presence of others who do not speak your home language
• Mobile phone usage is only allowed during breaktime or when approved for observational purposes
• Take initiative, be a team member, seek opportunities to interact with the children, staff, and parents where appropriate
• Be part of the cleaning routine to maintain health and safety of all children while not neglecting interactions, observations, and supervision while at the service
• Observe and model educators' strategies guiding children's challenging behaviour
• Participate in your weekly class Zoom meeting, making sure your supervising teacher is aware of when the meeting is scheduled

Interim report and Additional Support

• At the end of the first half of your placement, you are required to submit your interim report. Part of this process will include having a professional conversation with your supervising teacher to discuss your progress this far
• Your supervising teacher may identify a need for additional support. In this instance, they are asked to contact the education professional experience office and a support plan in consult with you and your lecturer will be put in place

The Daily Reflective Journal, (min. 200 words), is an opportunity for you (the Student Early Childhood Teacher) to participate in and build your professional knowledge via critical reflection. You should reflect on the care being provided to the children in the room through observation and conversations with other Educators, and your Supervising Teacher. This is an opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of how philosophy, ethics and practice will influence you as you move through the Early Childhood Profession.

You will need to complete and participate in continuous reflection and improvement via your reflective journal during your practicum. Please use the questions to guide your reflections.

Centre Policy Reading Record

Read and record the following centre policies relating to Health and Safety requirements.

What is the specific name of the policies you read?

What did you learn??

Story - What are you watching happen with the child? what developmental learning is going on?
Analysis of Learning - What learning and development did you document.
What next? - What resources or experiences can I provide to extend the child's learning

Observation- What did you see the child/ren do?
Analysis of Learning - What learning and development did you document.
Analysis of Learning - What learning and development did you document.
What next? - What resources or experiences can I provide to extend the child's learning.

Note: Use Child protection policy and Medical condition policy

Attachment:- Practicum.rar