CUSTOM WRITING

Planning Cluster

Early Childhood Education and Care

Off-the-job Assessment 1

LA019909

Please note that all three (3) units in the Planning Cluster are co-assessed. This is the only written off-the-job assessment to be completed for all three (3) units. Please ensure that you have read the learning materials for all three (3) units prior to commencing this assessment.

Assessment Summary

This is an off-the-job assessment.

This assessment is graded. The total marks for this assessment is 100 marks.

Weighting: 25%

Learners will receive a SATISFACTORY-DISTINCTION, SATISFACTORY- CREDIT, SATISFACTORY- PASS, NOT YET SATISFACTORY (RESUBMIT) or in accordance with TAFE NSW Assessment Guidelines.

What you have to do:

TASK OVERVIEW

Task 1 Create your personal philosophy on Early Childhood Education and Care

Task 2 Evaluate the example curriculum format provided, collect and evaluate another curriculum format and design a preferred format for your own use during work placement

Task 3 Provide useful community information on resources to support inclusion and additional needs within a Children’s Service

Please read through all tasks very carefully before you begin.

Task 1

Personal Philosophy

(Total: 20 marks)

CHCECE024 – especially Topic 2

For this task you need to submit your own personal philosophy on Early Childhood Education and Care.

As someone who is new to the field you will have already started to think about your values and beliefs in regards to the Early Childhood profession. These may have been shaped by your reading and recent work placement experiences. A personal philosophy is necessary to guide and instruct your teaching practice. In keeping with current best practice and legislative guidelines this philosophy should clearly describe your view of ‘the child’ and your understanding of yourself as ‘the educator’. It should highlight your commitment to early childhood pedagogy, knowledge of legal and ethical guidelines and inform your decisions on responsive and inclusive programming and planning.

Your philosophy will be approximately one to three (1-3) pages in length. You may use headings, statements and point form for your philosophy. It should provide a unique and clear picture of your beliefs, values and vision regarding your chosen profession.

The Educator’s Guide to the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009) explains the importance of developing a philosophy:

“Once we understand our beliefs and knowledge, we can make considered, wise choices in our decision making in planning for supporting and reflecting on children’s learning.” (p 10)

Your philosophy will consider the following factors:

• Your image of the child. You will need to reference at least two (2) of the below at least in your philosophy.

• Current State Curriculum framework, such as the Early Years Learning Framework, or other that applies to your state or territory.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
• The Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics
• The National Quality Standard

• Your beliefs and ideas on how children play, learn and develop

• The relevance of relationships with families and the wider community

• How children’s skills, emerging skills, interests and community collaboration inform the curriculum

• Your understanding of inclusive and equitable practice

• How you view yourself in regards to other professionals and service staff

• Your obligations regarding your own ongoing professional development

• Your role as an advocate of children’s rights

You will find an example of a philosophy in the learning resources for CHCECE024 Design and Implement the curriculum to Foster Children’s Learning and information on philosophies in Topic 2.

You may find the below websites useful regarding your philosophy:

The National Quality Standard

http://www.acecqa.gov.au

Early Years Learning Framework

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

http://www.unicef.org/crc/

The Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au

Please remember to reference any texts and/or websites you use within your philosophy.

End of Task 1

Task 2

Curriculum Program Formats

(Total: 60 marks)

CHCECE024 – especially Topic 5

As part of your work placement within your on-the-job assessments, you will be required to develop and implement a curriculum that serves to foster children’s development and learning.

You will be implementing this program across a five (5) day period.

To assist you in preparing for the on-the-job requirements, you will need to complete the following tasks for this assessment:

1. View the example curriculum program format in the appendix of this assessment
2. Provide another curriculum program format that is different from the example. You may access this from planning textbooks, unit notes and reputable internet websites; however you are encouraged to network with other services if possible to collect an authentic example. You may use blank formats for this task or use those that include play provisions and children details. If you include an actual example, please ensure you edit out children’s names or other identifying features. It is sufficient to use a blank format here.
3. Analyse both of the collected program formats and discuss:

1. How the format reflects (or does not reflect) your view of the child and educator linking back your philosophy.
2. How individual and group strengths, interests and goals in conjunction with your state’s Early Childhood Learning Framework learning outcomes are referenced.
3. How the curriculum format allows for each child’s participation in the program and the opportunity for children and family to comment on and provide feedback on the curriculum. How families and children can actively contribute to future planning in order to support the learning, development and interests of the children.
4. How the format is accessible, flexible, inclusive and easy to use and interpret by staff and families.
5. How documented assessment, critical reflection and evaluation by educators is included. Detail how this assessment/evaluation can lead to future curriculum decision making.

(40 marks for this section, 20 marks for each analysis)

4. Now design your own curriculum program format for use in planning for a large group of children. Ensure that your design is accessible, flexible and allows for reflection, integration and extension of ideas. It should be a ‘living’ and holistic document and one you will feel comfortable using during your work placement.

Your chosen format will be individual, but a successful program format will reflect the following attributes:

• Provide space to record provisions for individual focus children, small groups of children and larger groups.
• Provide space for planned play experiences, provisions, projects and learning centres to be recorded both indoors and outdoors.
• Provide space to record spontaneous provisions that may occur on any given day
• Provide space to record future planning suggestions
• Provide space for collaboration, co-construction and sustained interactions with children
• Provide room for reflection and evaluation of current experiences.
• Be accessible for other team members to use and provide information to set up the environment and implement the program.
• Allow provision for transitions between significant parts of the day and routines
• Incorporate individual and service routines and rituals as potential learning opportunities.
• Outline a format to ensure all children in the group are planned for over time.
• Use a key or other device to reference and highlight provisions, focus children, groups and framework links.

(20 marks for this section)

(60 marks for Task 2)

End of Task 2

Task 3

Support and Information Contact List

(Total: 20 marks)

CHCECE020 and CHCECE021

During your work with children and their families, you will establish links with community services and other support agencies to support children in terms of inclusive practice principles and additional needs.

This task requires you to compile a contact support list of agencies and websites to assist in adapting the curriculum and service environment to promote inclusion and support for children who may have a barrier to learning or an additional need.

The Guide to National Quality Standard (2013) (pdf. 17MB) provides a helpful definition of children with an additional need…

‘These are children who require or will benefit from specific considerations or adaptations and who:

• are Aboriginals or Torres Strait Islanders
• are recent arrivals in Australia
• have a culturally and linguistically diverse background
• live in isolated geographic locations
• are experiencing difficult family circumstances or stress
• are at risk of abuse or neglect
• are experiencing language and communication difficulties
• have a diagnosed disability—physical, sensory, intellectual or autism spectrum disorder
• have a medical or health condition
• demonstrate challenging behaviours and behavioural or psychological disorders
• have developmental delays
• have learning difficulties
• are gifted or have special talents
• have other extra support needs.

It is important to note that: additional needs arise from different causes, and that causes require different responses any child may have additional needs from time to time.’ (p. 202)

This definition may be helpful to you in compiling your list, but you are NOT required to find examples for each of these points. Your data base should be specific to your service and give a useful description of agencies or websites that you could contact to provide strategies and support in terms of inclusive strategies and practices for the service, child and family.

Your information would include the name of the organisation, website, contact details and a brief description on how they could support your service regarding specific additional needs or other requirements.

There is no set number of agencies to list here, but between fifteen-twenty (15-20) would be useful and hopefully provide you and a Children’s Service with a current and useable list of associated Early Childhood professionals who can support the child, service and families.

End of Task 3

This is the end of the Assessment. Please submit ALL tasks now for marking.

Assessment checklist

I have completed:

• Task 1: My personal philosophy on Early Childhood Education and Care

• Task 2: a) Provided the example format within my assessment

b) Provided one other curriculum program format

c) Analysed both in accordance with given criteria

d) Created a curriculum program format for use on work placement

• Task 3: Complied a service support and information contact list

Appendix

• Example program format attached for use in Task One.

Original program template supplied with the kind permission of Simone, former OTEN TAFE Diploma in Children’s Services learner. Please include this template with your assessment.

Example Weekly program format

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

• This program has been left intentionally blank as an example
• Spaces and places indicated on the program would list resources required and useful set up advice when used in a service
• Symbols/keys may apply to any number of spaces and places
• Not all learning spaces and places may be used on any given day, but space is provided for scope and possibility
• EYLF Principles, Practices and Learning Outcomes as well as the National Quality Framework and Standards are displayed on clear bright posters alongside the program for easy reference and reflection.
• Focus children are identified by initial only to abide by confidentiality and privacy guidelines.
• Focus groups may be identified by first name or initial if appropriate.
• Individual focus children are formally observed on a rota basis (once every 6 weeks) or more often if applicable.
• Group interests are observed and recorded regularly throughout the program.

This program has been provided with the kind permission of Simone, a former OTEN Children’s Services Diploma Student.

It has been adapted by the writer for assessment and educational purposes.