PLAC909: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 3 (3-5 YEARS)

Assessment 3
Reflection and Summative Assessment

PLAC909 Professional Experience 3 (3-5 years)

ARIUNZAYA ENKHBAT
IKO000047X,
BACHELOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, IKON INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA

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 CRITICAL REFLECTION

PLAC909 incorporated my professional development to gain professional

knowledge and daily teaching and pedagogical skills. I aimed to link my planned

experiences to curriculum areas such as communication, language and literacy,

mathematics and numeracy, digital technologies, STEM, music, dance, movement

and drama and visual and media arts (ACARA, 2020).

Professional Knowledge

One of my professional goals was to improve writing pedagogical

documentation. I was giving my attention to children’s learning and taking my time to

think and reflect on their learning. I was able to discuss with primary educators and

the room leader to improve my documenting skills, reflecting on them to analyse and

make children’s learning visible for families, educators and children (Arthur &

Beecher, 2020). On some busy days, there were not enough devices (I am not

allowed to use my own device in the centre) for me to use and I wasn’t able to collect

enough evidence of children’s learning, or record children’s whole conversation and

events.

Moving forward, focus on gathering evidence in different ways such as video,

a sample of work, recorded conversations (using a voice recording device if

necessary) and things that children built etc (Arthur & Beecher, 2020).

I was challenged to setting up the activity for the focused children. When I set

up the planned activity, all the children wanted to have turns and be involved in the

experience. So, I talked to the room leader and decided to collect permission from

the families of all the children as possible. In the beginning, it was challenging to

build relationships with families so I decided to greet and make connections with

families during “pick-up time” when they are not in a rush (Kearns, 2017).

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 It was also challenging for me to make a connection with Charlie who was

diagnosed with Autism. Observing him and asking questions from primary educators

helped me to build a good relationship with him. I noticed that when educators try to

stop him from doing something, makes him frustrated and upset. I changed this

strategy by providing a safe environment for him and giving him enough space, not

forcing him to do something, exchanging and offering him something he likes, make

sure always have a calm manner and tone of voice when communicating with him.

This strategy worked really well and he played hide in seek with me, shared his

favourite toys, and listens to me when I ask or speak with him, allowing me to feed

him and engage in the planned experiences that I set up for the children. Moving

forward, I would like to improve my professional skills in inclusion plan (Allen &

Cowdery, 2015).

Professional Practice

One of my goals is to promote and provide safe, responsible and ethical use of

digital technologies in children’s learning and teaching (AITSL, 2017). I embedded

children’s interest in dinosaurs and extend their interest by introducing new dinosaur

by using a new app called “Jurassic Words Facts”. This app can be used indoors

and outdoors so I organised to run the activity both indoors and outdoors. The

planned activity went really well to draw children’s interest and I was able to

introduce new digital technology for children so they can use this at home with their

families. Moving forward, I would plan this activity with enough time frames so all the

children can see the dinosaur closer. I was able to get permission from the centre

director to use my phone during this experience because the centre IPad doesn’t

download a new app due to security reasons. However, my phone was too small for

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all the children to see closer. Next time, I will organise to set up this activity with a

bigger device so children can engage properly.

Professional Engagement

Working collaboratively with primary educators to improve my professional

learning to support children’s learning, I aimed to implement the weekly Curriculum

Plan accordingly (AITSL, 2017). Sharing the children’s learning and discussing with

the educators about what to teach, how to extend children’s interests, support

children’s development and documenting the children’s learning gave me valuable

opportunities to improve my professional engagement throughout the work

placement. Moving forward, I would like to improve the weekly Curriculum Plan to

add the sections “Family input” and “Inclusive learning”. Having family involved and

reflecting on what they said about their children’s learning will give us the opportunity

to broaden our teaching methods. As we have some children who have different

cultural backgrounds, some children with health conditions or impairments and some

children who need extra care and assistance, I would like to add the section that

allows us to think and reflect on what to add and consider.

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 SMART Goals

• To improve my professional skills to develop pedagogical documentation and

curriculum planning in a more appropriate way that can draw children, families

and co educator’s attention.

• Extending on knowledge of Australian Professional Standards for teachers,

Standard 4, use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically to inform practices on

how to use digital technology effectively and to engage more children in

experiences and develop more knowledge of children's skills as well as

expanding my experience in teaching school readiness program to the

children (AITSL, 2017).

• To build confidence in teaching children STEM curriculum that is challenging

for their age group.

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 Summative Assessment

PRINCIPLES

1. Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships:

Throughout my work placement, I interact positively with pre-schoolers in their

learning to build children’s confidence and feel respected and valued from their

reactions, engagement and performance in their play around me (Australian

Government Department of Education and Training, 2009).

2. Respectful and reciprocal relationships:

Throughout my work placement, I interact positively with pre-schoolers in their

learning to build children’s confidence and feel respected and valued from their

reactions, engagement and performance in their play around me (Australian

Government Department of Education and Training, 2009).

3. Partnership:

I started working with families when I collect their permission for children’s

documentation and learning. I positively introduced myself to the parents and

explain what I aiming to achieve throughout my planned experiences, parents were

happy to share their aspects of their children’s interests and learning. I was being

respectful and inclusive of each child’s needs and interests and explained to

parents that I wanted to include every child in the preschool during my planned

activity. Most of the parents were supportive and happy to let me include their child

in my documentation plan and I do respect the decision of two children’s parent’s

perspective that they were not willing to include their children. I positively respected

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their decision and appreciate to take their time to listen to me (Australian

Government Department of Education and Training, 2009).

4. High expectations and equity:

I was aware of Charlie’s ability and interest in how he responded to a particular

experience (Charlie was diagnosed with Autism). I recognised his needs and

responded to Charlie’s achievements positively (Australian Government

Department of Education and Training, 2009). I was very happy that he was

interested in my planned experience and participated in his own way.

5. Ongoing learning and reflective practice:

I participated in daily routine and seek for feedback in all observations and planned

activities from primary educators. I cooperatively worked together with each and

every educator.

I will extend my professional skills to understand deeply about early childcare centre

philosophy as well as Montessori philosophy and children’s learning theories and practices

in the future.

PRACTICES

Holistic approaches:

When I create Curriculum Plan, I consider on children’s physical, personal, social,

emotional and cognitive aspects of learning (Australian Government Department of

Education and Training, 2009).

Responsiveness to children:

I positively responded to each child’s interests, abilities, strengths and skills to

motivate children’s engagement and learning.

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Learning through play:

I plan and set up play activities in a safe and supportive environment where children

can discover, create, imagine and able to ask questions, solve problems and engage

in critical thinking (Australian Government Department of Education and Training,

2009).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Outcome 1 – Strong sense of identity

- I acknowledged each child’s uniqueness in positive ways and spend time

interacting with every child (Australian Government Department of Education

and Training, 2009).

- I assist children and provide opportunities to allow children to engage in

activities and play to motivate them to succeed (Australian Government

Department of Education and Training, 2009).

Outcome 2 – Children are connected with and contribute to their world

- I encouraged and role-modelled children to listen to other peers with respect

and allow them to explore Indigenous culture (Australian Government

Department of Education and Training, 2009).

- I provided various natural and loose materials throughout my planned

experience and encourage children to be gentle when they handle trees and

plants in the centre (Australian Government Department of Education and

Training, 2009).

Outcome 3 – Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

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 - I showed respect for children and families (Australian Government

Department of Education and Training, 2009).

- I supported children to learn hygiene practices and planned physical activities

to allow children to engage in dance, music and drama (Australian

Government Department of Education and Training, 2009).

Outcome 4 – Children are confident and involved learners

- I ensured the learning environment is flexible and open-ended and reflected

what and how they learned throughout my planned experiences (Australian

Government Department of Education and Training, 2009).

- I provided activities that encouraged children to solve problems and

investigate (Australian Government Department of Education and Training,

2009).

Outcome 5 – Children are effective communicators

- I encouraged children to listen and respond verbally to enhance their

language skills as well as read a range of books to discuss what they

understand from them (Australian Government Department of Education and

Training, 2009).

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 References

ACECQA. (2020). Guide to the National Quality Standards. Australian Children's

Education and Care Quality Authority.

AITSL. (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL.

https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Arthur, L. (2010). The Early Years Learning Framework: Building confident learners.

Early childhood Australia.

Australian Government Department of Education and Training. (2009). Belonging,

Being & Becoming: The Early Years learning Framework for Australia.

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-

02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for

_australia.pdf

Department of Education. (2018). Developmental milestones and the Early Years

Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards. Department of

Education.

Early Childhood Australia. (2019). Code of Ethics. Early Childhood Australia.

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ECA-

COE-Brochure-web-2019.pdf

Kearns, K. (2017). Frameworks for Learning and Development. Cengage.

MacDonald, A. (2018). Mathematics in Early Childhood Education. Oxford University

Press.

Raban, B., & Nolan, A. (2015). Theories into Practice: Understanding and

Rethinking Our Work with Young Children. Teaching Solutions.

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