ASSESSMENT 1: Critical Review

Summary

Task Description

Rationale

Task Instructions

Develop a professional response to each scenario below (500 words each) to demonstrate your knowledge of relationships and the environment, by referring to the EYLF, the NQS and unit materials to support your points.

Scenario 1:

PART A

It is important to ensure that the children in the toddler room are given the opportunity to develop their agency and be supported to make their own decisions. This is in line with Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2020), which requires that children are supported to develop a sense of autonomy and independence. The Early Years Learning Framework (DoE, 2022) also speaks to the importance of agency by stressing the Principle of ‘Secure, Respectful and Reciprocal Relationships’, which encourages the development of secure relationships in which the children are respected, their ideas are acknowledged, and their decisions are valued. In practical terms, this might involve actively involving the children in the decision-making process and providing them with the opportunity to take part in their own routines (DoE, 2022). This is in line with the National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2020) Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice, which states that services should provide educational programs that are responsive to children's learning and development. Through free play and intentional teaching, children are provided with opportunities to develop their decision-making skills and gain a sense of autonomy (DoE, 2022). This aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) Principle 3: High Expectations and equity, which states that all children, regardless of ability, background or circumstances, are capable of learning and benefit from high expectations and equitable access to learning opportunities and resources

Furthermore, the EYLF Practice 6: Intentional teaching, seeks to ensure that educators are purposeful in their interactions with children, providing them with opportunities to explore, problem solve, create and build upon their skills and knowledge (DoE, 2022). Staff can support the children to develop their decision-making skills and gain a sense of autonomy. Intentional teaching can be done through free play by providing support and guidance to children during play. Educators and adult caregivers can scaffold children's learning and provide them with opportunities to explore, problem solve, create, and build upon their skills and knowledge. For example, in a block play activity, the educator can provide guidance and support by modelling how to build structures, introducing new materials and ideas, and encouraging the children to communicate and collaborate with each other to create something new. Through intentional teaching, educators can ensure that children are provided with the necessary guidance and support to make the most of their learning opportunities.

Scenario 2

PART A

One way I could involve the children in developing and implementing a healthier eating program in my four-year-old room is to create a food committee. This committee would be made up of the children in the room who are interested in deciding what foods are served in the room, based on their preferences and cultural backgrounds. This would ensure that the children are actively involved in deciding what foods are served in the room, and would also provide an opportunity for them to learn about the importance of healthy eating. In order to ensure that this is done in a collaborative way, I will ensure that I comply with the National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2020) Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities, and the Early Years Learning Framework (DoE, 2022) Principle 4 Respect for Diversity, and Practice 6: Cultural Competence. This will involve reaching out to the families and engaging them in conversations about the food that is being served in the room, and being open and respectful to their cultural preferences and dietary requirements (such as veganism). This will also involve providing opportunities for families to provide feedback and suggestions around the food that is being served, and to provide resources and information about healthy eating. This will ensure that the food served in the room is reflective of the diverse range of cultures and preferences in the room, and that the children are actively involved in making decisions about the food that is served.

Scenario 3

You are the educator in the 0–2-year-old room. You have a number of new families who do not understand why the children are so upset at drop off time. You want to ensure that parents are aware that this is common for many children.

To help the children build trust and settle each morning, I would introduce a distinct transition routine that families can follow. This transition routine should be consistently used each morning and involve activities that are calming, such as singing a song together, reading a book, or talking about the day ahead. I would also suggest that families bring a comfort item from home for the child to hold or that an educator could hold for the child during drop off. This would help the child to feel safe and secure in the new environment and build trust with the educators. Furthermore, I would suggest that families spend a few minutes saying goodbye to their children, to acknowledge their separation and provide comfort. This will help the child to develop secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships with the educators and the other children in the room (DoE, 2022). This strategy is based on EYLF Practice 1 Holistic approaches (DoE, 2022). By encouraging families to engage in activities with their children and bring a comfort item from home, it will help the child to feel safe and secure in the new environment and develop secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships with the educators and the other children in the room. Furthermore, by providing a few minutes for families to say goodbye to their children, it will help to ensure that the child's emotional and social needs are met and that the NQS Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children is met (ACECQA, 2020).

By following these steps, I believe that the families will understand that it is normal for children to be upset at drop off and will be better prepared to help their child transition into the room. This will help the children to feel safe and secure in the early childhood setting and ensure that the NQS Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children is met (ACECQA, 2020). This will help the children to feel secure, as they will understand the routine and know what to expect. I would also focus on building relationships with the children and their families by taking the time to get to know them. This will help to create a secure base for the children and build trust between us, which will assist with the settling process.

• Create a new Word Document and save it with your surname and initial and the assessment task’s name. E.g: MillsA_TCHR5003_assessment1_criticalreview

• Create a cover page with the following details:

  • Date submitted

• Complete ONE reference list for the entire assessment task. Please note, your reference list is not included in the 1500 word count.

Referencing Style

Task Submission

Special Consideration

Students wishing to request special consideration to extend the due date of an assessment task must submit a Request for Special Consideration form via their MyEnrolment page as early as possible and prior to the original due date for that assessment task, along with any accompanying documents, such as medical certificates.

Late Submissions & Penalties

Except when special consideration is awarded, late submission of assessment tasks will lead automatically to the imposition of a penalty. Penalties will be incurred as soon as the deadline is reached.

Grades & Feedback

Academic Integrity

Assessment Rubric

Description of SCU Grades

High Distinction:

Distinction:

Credit:

Pass:

The student’s performance satisfies all of the basic learning requirements specified and provides a sound basis for proceeding to higher-level studies in the subject area. The student’s performance could be described as satisfactory in relation to the learning requirements specified.

Fail:

The student’s performance fails to satisfy the learning requirements specified.