BSBWOR301

Organise personal work priorities and development

When you work as an educator you have a responsibility to comply with legislation that relates to
your work role

Educators need to follow the National Quality Framework and following are the components of NQF

Education and Care Services National Regulations

Education and Care Services National Law Act

National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care

Early Years Learning Framework

Policies and procedures and care practices which are consistent with current legislative
requirements and professional knowledge about best practice in early childhood

We can implement the policies and procedures to our work by different ways for e.g.

1. Ensure consistency related to the day to day operation of the service

2. Guide specific practices related to the day to day operation of the service
3. Ensure consistency in relation to information provided to families , other service users and
statutory authorities
4. Ensure consistency in decision making with families , children and employees
5. Ensure compliance with legal obligations and responsibilities for e.g. WHS legislation
6. Provide evidence of compliance with the National Law, Regulations and National Quality
Standards
7. Ensure compliance with the most up to date information in relation to best practice eg
cleaning body fluids spills to minimise the spread of infection
8. Ensure compliance with the most up to date information in relation to best practice e.g.
cleaning body fluid spills to minimise the spread of infection

The role of the educators in children services will vary according to position and
qualifications
 Provide and assisting with meals to children
 Setting up activities and packing away play materials
 Setting up the learning experiences and environment
 Cleaning duties such as mopping and swiping
 Washing toys and clothes
 Preparation for sleep /rest such as making beds and comforts
 Nappy changing and toileting
 Guiding children’s behaviour all the time
 Supervising children at indoor and outdoor
Organise work schedule

As an educator it is expected that you will consult with your supervisor and senior staff members to
understand and to clarify your work goals and plans.

 Consult appropriate personnel to ensure information is obtained from those who are most
knowledgeable and have the expertise to give correct information
 Active listening – asking questions to fully understand what is required taking into account
non-verbal communication ( body language ) and acknowledging what is said by rephrasing
or summarising
 Open and closed questions – open questions encourage the sharing of information and
usually require longer answers whereas closed questions require yes/no answers
 Correct sourcing and selection of information to ensure all employees have the same recend
and up-to-date information

Successful planning
To assess and priorities workloads planning is essential
 Organising tasks – prioritising tasks in order of importance to ensure the most important
tasks are completed first . set up timeframes so each task is completed within appropriate
times so other people’s work is not held up. Task should be negotiated so the best person is
allocated to each task to speed up completion times . everybody should support each other
so all work is completed on time.
 Work ethics – It is based on values on hard work with each employee being accountable and
responsible for the work they complete.
 We need to seek assistance wherever necessary which may be from supervisors or
colleagues to ensure work is completed on time.
 If the acknowledging tasks are beyond current capacity we need to handed over to someone
with greater expertise.
 Planning and organising work routines on a daily , weekly or monthly basis

Effective time management

 Prioritising – ordering of tasks from most important or urgent to least important or urgent
 Consultation with others – good communicating will ensure fully understands what is
expected of them and gives employees the opportunity to ask questions for clarification
 Delegation with jobs i.e. allocating some tasks to your juniors according to their skill levels
 Problem solving which can be resolved by brain storming ideas may resolved the conflict and
time wastage
 Decision making – everybody from the team needs to be involved in making decsions as this
helps them to understand goals of the group and to plan new views and directions
 Negotiating – mutual discussion involving the completion of task including who should be
responsible for what task and how the task would be completed
  Minimising time – wasters – some time-wasters are beyond control such as technical
problems while some problems can be controlled such as employees wasting time by taking
too long lunch break.
 Accommodating changes in the routine - If some tasks are more urgent then we need to do
team approach which will ensure that tasks are completed on time as employees will help
each other

Key aspects of successful planning

 Organising tasks- prioritising tasks is very important for successful planning by completing
most important tasks first; timeframes are followed to so each task is completed within
appropriate times so other people’s work is not held up; tasks are negotiated so the best
person is allocated to each task to speed up completion times; everybody supports each
other so all work is completed on time.
 Work ethics – values based on hard work and persistence with each employee being
accountable and responsible for the work they complete
 Clarifying personal responsibilities to enable each person to be fully aware of their priority of
work so they don’t replicate the tasks and save time and resources
 Ask for assistance wherever necessary from supervisors or colleagues to ensure work is
completed on time.
 When find the task is beyond your capacity you need to handed over to someone with
greater expertise.
 Planning and organising work routines on a daily, weekly or monthly basis so that you can
finish your job on time

Time management and time stealers

There are many things that can impact on our ability to get the job done in a timely and efficient
manner. Common “time stealers” which can interfere with the “best laid plans” at home and at work
include

 Unforeseen interruptions,
 Procrastination and indecision
 Acting with incomplete information
 Poor communication
 Unclear goals and priorities
 Poor planning
 Taking on too many tasks
 Poor organisational skills

Common time stealers which you need to identify time management strategies

Procrastination - prioritise tasks, make a do list , tick the list when achieved
Acting with incomplete information -ask colleagues or supervisor when you are not sure about the
task

Ineffective communication (arrived late for work) – give information to other staff or using the
telephone

Inadequate knowledge – participate in ongoing learning by asking questions, take opportunities to

learn new task, ask for in house training for specific tasks/roles

Unclear objectives and priorities – take time to understand and familiarise yourself with your role
and responsibilities by asking and clarifying

Request from two or more senior educators at the same time – be assertive and ask about needs
and priorities to your team

Personal disorganisation – take some time to organise which will save your time, make personal
check list , diaries and time tables to organise your work effectively

Needs of family members – don’t attempt to do too much which will affect your family life be
realistic about what you can achieve

Being organised (left hat at home) – make sure your personal belongings and resources are left in
centre’s locker at all the time

According to job description what are the responsibilities for assistant educator in child care in daily
routines

Time Activity roles and responsibilities

8.30 service opens children Meeting and greeting children

engage in self-directed indoor parents on arrival and direct to
experiences supervising children all the time

9.30 Pack away morning experiences assisting children to pack away

Circle time large group supervising children

9.45 fruit as well as drink supervising

Monitoring health safety and

wellbeing of children

Serving fruit and drinks

Scenario about last paper towel

In this scenario you can call in at office to inform admin or director about the situation and ask them
to arrange paper towel

Stick a note on the door about paper towel stock and need to be bring from store room

When you will be back in to room ask your colleague whether you are able to go back and refill the
paper towel

When you are going for refilling the paper towel you need to make sure about the ratio or inform
someone else to do it.

Scenario about smelly paint

You need to remove all the affected paint from the store room

Inform about it to your supervisor or director

Prepare another activity in consultation with supervisor other than painting

Appropriate communication methods for different situations are as follow

For parents we can use communication book or email

About bruising you can inform verbally to director immediately

Parents forgetting to apply sunscreen you need to discuss in staff meeting and mention in the
newsletter to families, email, notice board

The outdoor storage shed is not closing easily so you should communicate by written report ,
maintenance report and checklist

Reflective practice

Definition

In the early childhood development context, reflective practice is best described as a

continuous process that involves professionals analysing their practice in order to identify
what drives children’s learning and development; as well as the impact of their own values on
understanding children’s learning and development.

Attributes educators required to consider in practice of critical self-reflection

you include different perspectives—those of staff, children, families, and the committee of
management ƒ

everyone involved speaks honestly about current practice and is open to new possibilities and
making changes

ƒ there is a professional climate of respect for everyone’s ideas

seek constructive feedback from others such as colleagues, supervisors and parents

engage in meaningful discussion with senior educators

take action to improve practices

Critical reflection is always important as it allows educators to identify personal and professional
strengths, professional knowledge and gaps in skills and knowledge. This can be an excellent and
effective starting point for developing professional goals and considering options for ongoing
professional development.

Goal setting is an ongoing development of your professional knowledge and skills which can be
achieved by identifying your goals and working steadily towards their achievement. Each time you
seek out new knowledge or learn new skills to support your work with young children and families ,
you are working towards becoming a well – informed early childhood professional.

Goals achieved if they are SMARTT

Specific - Make goals as specific as possible

Measurable – break your goals in to smaller and achievable steps

Attributable – you are in charge of achieving your goal

Realistic – your goal must be realistic and achievable

Time limit – set a realistic time frame that take into account

Trackable – goals should be easy to monitor to gauge process

Why set goals? Every one of us may spend countless hours to think about our present
life and future. Almost everyone wishes to change our lives. Whether it is family life,
friendship, career or finances. We all want to change something. The first step is to set
goals.
What are the benefits of goal setting? There are many of them and many reasons for
why set goals.

1. You take control of your life

Goal is like a GPS in life. It gives you direction and helps you choose where to go in life.
It makes you vision about your ideal future and to turn it into reality. When you have
achieved the goal, you improve your life and become a better version of yourself.

2. You focus on the important things

Goals help us to sort out what is important and what isn't. You will only focus on the
things that you want to achieve and spend precious time on them.

3. You will make good decisions

Goals help you identify and establish your priorities and make the right choices based on
the long-term view of what is most important to you.

4. You can finish the task efficiently

You will focus and concentrate your time and energy on the task. Keep away all the
distractions and this make you efficiently.

5. You will be self-confident and enthusiastic

When you set a goal and measure the achievement, you are able to see what you have
done and what you are capable of. This process of achieving goals gives you the
confidence and a belief in your self. And you become enthusiastic too.

6. You will make progress

After you have achieved one goal, you will try to achieve higher goals. In the long turn,
you will see big progress you have made when look back.

7. You are closer to success

Goals are the starting point of success. A good start makes half the success.

The Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) provides a rich, detailed picture of real life performance
in the five core skills of: –

Learning – knowing and acquiring professional knowledge such as child development and learning
theory, nutrition, hygiene practices and first aid applicaiton

Reading – reading and understanding about policy documents, written procedures, instructions for
the use of photocopiers, washing machines, cleaning procedures and dishwashers and completing
safety checklists everyday
 Writing – documenting observations of children, writing children’s names on artwork using correct
scrip, completing reports such as incidence , behaviour management plan and quality improvement
plan.

Oral Communication – asking questions to clarify work role or work tasks, communicating
information to parents and colleagues about children

Numeracy – measuring medications accurately, checking safe distance for the set-up of outdoor play
equipment , measuring ingredients when cooking with children

The following table lists some of the common warning signs and symptoms of chronic stress. The
more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself, the closer you may be to stress overload.

Cognitive Symptoms

 Memory problems

 Inability to concentrate

 Poor judgment

 Seeing only the negative

 Anxious or racing thoughts

 Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms

 Moodiness

 Irritability or short temper

 Agitation, inability to relax

 Feeling overwhelmed

 Sense of loneliness and isolation

 Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms

 Aches and pains

 Diarrhea or constipation

 Nausea, dizziness

 Chest pain, rapid heartbeat

 Frequent colds

Behavioral Symptoms

 Eating more or less

  Sleeping too much or too little

 Isolating yourself from others

 Procrastinating or neglecting
responsibilities

 Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to

relax

 Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

List factors related to child care that can contribute to stress

Lack of preparation time, unrealistic rosters and workloads , lack of sufficient recreation leave, low
wages, inadequate resources and supplies and high noise levels

Being asked to do something you are not comfortable with compromising your ethics

Extended shifts, lengths of breaks away from the children throughout the day, a lack of privacy and a
lack of a place to relax having to stay at the services during breaks

Lack of preparation time, unrealistic rosters and work loads, lack of sufficient recreation leave, low
wages, inadequate resources and supplies and high noise levels

Communication problems within the service between educators and management and with parents
and families

Lack of opportunities for professional development

Working with challenging children and parents

Five strategies to reduce stress and improve health and wellbeing

Try to adopt positive attitude of life and work

Set realistic goals for professional and personal life

Call upon colleagues for support and advice at difficult times

Find positive ways to prevent stress that can be incorporated into daily life such as regular exercise

Enjoying a social life outside of work

Specific strategies

Focus on all aspects of wellbeing including physical ,spiritual and intellectual

Manage stress through movements and relaxation such as physical exercise, yoga , breathing
techniques, massage and medication

Laughing and self talk

Walking to a window and focusing on something in nature

Using reflective practice write a response

What does being a professional educator mean to you

 Discuss and think deeply about a concern

 Respected families ideas and contributions
 Implemented a series of actions
 Made a difference for children, their families overall wellbeing
 Improved understanding of refugee families
 Encouraged an inclusive environment within the centre

Knowledge and abilities you would like to develop

 Have a thorough knowledge of your job description

 Be aware of roles and duties of others within the organisation
 Understand all timetables, rosters and associated duties
 Be aware of the equipment and resources available to you and ensure all resources used
during the day are returned to their designated storage area
 Work with others to ensure an effective system in place that enables equipment and
resources to be early accessible , properly cared for and stored in the designated place
 Prioritise – know what is important and not wasting time on trivial tasks
 Use a diary or an organiser to forward plan known commitments

Professional goal

I would like to improve my daily planning so that all the children will get opportunity for learning
from the day to day experiences.
Explain about cleaning procedure to student

Rosalina will need to explain about the cleaning resources requirement to carry out the task and
the location of the cleaning spray. She needs to explain the procedure and the standard that are
expected for cleaning tables and tidying equipment at the end of the morning play session. She
will need to clearly identify the what , when and how. She needs to address any WHS issues and
policy.

Rosalina can demonstrate how to wipe the tables and how to bend correctly while tidying up
equipment to avoid back injury. She also needs show her the location of the equipment around
the room.

Strategies to prioritise tasks in work place

 Prioritise tasks according to their importance such as make order important , important
but not urgent and urgent
 Make daily, weekly and monthly to do list and prioritise tasks on the list

Personal planning tools

Computer programs, electronic planners, pocket diaries, calendars, charts and index cards