Implications for Teaching,

Professional Roles and sources

of learning for Teachers
Exploration of the ways in which effective professional pedagogy
optimises childrens learning within a responsive learning
environment, such as the play space analysed; portrays that the
environment is only successful in stimulating the child if the
professional engages with the student within the environment in a
purposeful, considered and deliberate way.

The pedagogy that a Teacher

is expected to hold in Early
Childhood Education is
explained in great detail in
various government released

Right
an education
Right to
to an
education
that
that lays
lays aa foundation
foundation
for the
of their
lives,
for
the rest
rest of
their lives,
maximises
their ability,
maximises their
ability,
and
and respects
respects their
their
family,
family, cultural
cultural and
and
other
other identities
identities and
and
languages
languages

Right
Right to
to play
play and
and be
be
active
active participants
participants in
in all
all
matters
affecting their
matters affecting
their
lives
lives

United
United
Nations
Covention
Covention
on
the
on the
Rights of
the Child

documents. A review of the

national framework for Early Childhood in Australia found that the
framework aims to assist educators to provide young children with
opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation
for future success in learning. (DEEWR, 2009, p.5) The way in which
educators practice is affected by this framework is reinforced,
through the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child. These rights are targeted through the use of play-based
learning.

The DEEWR (2009) define play-based learning as a context for

learning through which children organise and make sense of their
social worlds, as they engage actively with people objects and
representations. McMonagle (2012) describes play as the natural
channel for young childrens thinking, learning and development. It
enables children to follow their own ideas and interests, in their own
way and for their own reasons. It physically strengthens their bodies,
expands their minds and influences many dimensions of
development and is a powerful tool for learning. From each
description it is clear that an Early Childhood Professional would need
to include some form of play throughout their curriculum decisionmaking.

The literature also highlights that there are various different

characteristics of play including:
Voluntary something children choose to do, but other
children can be invited to join in.
Pleasurable A deep sense of enjoyment which will vary from
child to child
Symbolic usually includes some type of make believe or
pretend and objects assume new meanings and purposes for
the player/s
Meaningful to the player/s, but the meaning may not always
be clear to an observer
Active It requires active mental, verbal or physical
engagement with people objects or ideas.

 Process orientated Its enjoyed for the activity itself, not

concerned with an end product
Intrinsically motivated it is its own reward

The way in which educators can promote this learning is explained

through the practice element of the framework through the two
practices of learning through play and learning environments. Each
of these practices reference the educator as a support for the
childrens learning as the environment should allow them to ask
questions, solve problems and engage in critical thinking. Perry &
Irwin (2000) explain that teachers have a pivotal role in designing
and supporting a context that supports play and need to be flexible
in teaching learning situations, create a secure and socially
responsive classroom and build the curriculum in playful ways.
Barblett (2010) identified five functions early childhood educators
have in play that include:
Quality adult-child interactions, including sustained shared

thinking
Intentionality
Taking different role directly in the play
Teaching to support play
Challenging unjust and unfair play

Furthermore the EYLF explains that a childs life up to the age of five
is categorised by belonging, being and becoming. Each category
relates to each other, as belonging is central to being and becoming
as it shapes who child is and who they can become.

Woodhead (2008) describes a sense of belonging as the relational

dimension of personal identity, and the psychosocial glue that
locates the individual at a particular position in space, time and
human society, or in other words connects people to each other. This
sense of belonging can be simulated by an educator in the play
space through strategies of inclusion, where the educator engages
with the children, within the space to make them feel that they are
liked, recognised and accepted for who they are and what they are.
However, they also need to be given the opportunity to choose what
they would like to participate in and contribute to. A diverse play
space such as the one analysed can fulfil this sense of belonging
through the many options that children have to participate or be
creative individually.

This sense of belonging is only one of the purposes that the play
space fulfils the literature reviewed discusses that a good play space
will aid the professional to be purposeful, considered and deliberate,
if the space holds the following concepts:
Acting as the third teacher
Incorporating Nature Play
Adventure and Risk

Fraser (2006) explains that the space we grew up in often has a

powerful influence on the adult life that we choose to live in. Frasers
views explain the importance of having an environment within Early

Years Education that can act as the third teacher. The environment
acts as a third teacher as it informs and shapes the kind of learning
that will happen in the room.

The environment acting as a third teacher is also portrayed through

research of nature play in which the research has shown that an
essential bond exists between human well-being and nature.
Although human well-being is promoted it also is most likely to
produce children who are more conservation-minded willing to care
for the planet, to protect natural resources and recognise them as a
precious economic asset. The research conducted has also found
negative health consequences of children who spend most of their
time inside and has been a leading cause to childhood obesity rates.

Tovey (2012) explains that when risk is a central feature of play,

children will use the excitement of the risk as a main reason to
continue playing. Children participating in this type of play
venture into new unexplored territory where they can safely explore
themes of good and evil, fear and joy, life and death, power and
powerlessness. It is then crucial for children to experience risky play
as it gives them a better sense of the world they belong to, which is
highlighted in the MD and portrayed through a sense of belonging.
Trovey (2012) also explains that risk-taking is part of life as we
assess and manage risks as part of everyday living and learn to
weigh up possible risks against the benefits. Educators who embrace

children taking risks support children through their risk taking as

their needs are met and they are able to develop without portraying
challenging behaviour.

A Professional aware of all these fundamentals of differentiating

environments can ensure that childrens needs are fulfilled whilst
also optimising their learning.

References:
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations for the Council of Australian Governments
(DEEWR). (2009) Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years
Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) Retrieved from:
http://www.mychild.gov.au/agenda/early-years-framework
Barblett, L. (2010) Talking about play. EYLFPLP e-Newsletter
Retrieved from http://moodle.cqu.edu.au
Fraser, S. (2011). Authentic childhood: experiencing Reggio Emilia in
the classroom. Toronto: Nelson Education, c2012.
McMonagle, A. (2012). Professional Pedagogy for Early Childhood
Education: Play is Work, Play is Learning. Letterkenny: Donegal
County Childcare Committee
Moore, R. (2014). Nature Play & Learning Places. Creating and
managing places where children engage with nature. Raleigh, NC:
Natural Learning Initiative and Reston, VA: National Wildlife
Federation V1.2
Trovey, H., & Bruce, T. (n.d). Adventurous and challenging play
outdoors. [electronic resource]. London: SAGE, 2012.
Woodhead, M., & Brooker, L. (2008). A Sense of Belonging. Early
Childhood Matters, (111), 3-6. Retrieved from
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au