Using the Early Years Planning Cycle
On placement in an early childhood centre’s
kindergarten room, I found setting up open ended learning experiences to be
quite challenging at first. It was difficult to think of experiences which
connected to: children’s interests, were of a play based nature, and also built
on children’s learning and development. It was hard to change my thinking from teaching
primary school education to early childhood education, as they are quite
different from one another. One of the first learning experiences I implemented
was the ‘flower learning experience,’ and through this I was able to better
understand the purpose of open ended and play based experiences and how they
afford children’s learning and development. The experience also furthered my
understanding of my role as an educator, and how I can extend children. I used
the early years planning cycle to document my ‘flower learning experience.’
This not only helped me to modify and improve my learning experience, but
assisted me to reflect on the children’s learning as well as my own.
Below is the write up of the flower experience using the early years planning cycle. It includes my observation, analysis, plan, implementation and reflection in relation to the flower learning experience.
VIT Standards for Graduating Teachers:
This item links to standard 1; "Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively." This is illustrated in my awareness that I am teaching young children who benefit from play based and open ended learning experiences.
This item links to standard 1; "Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively." This is illustrated in my awareness that I am teaching young children who benefit from play based and open ended learning experiences.