E4
Childcare practitioners need to work within a framework that represents excellent principles and values. Such frameworks can be found in documents like the CACHE statement of values and the Foundation Phase or EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). Bruce (2007) says children are the core of are practice and their needs are important.
CACHE states that as childcare practitioners we must put the child first by “ensuring the child’s safety and welfare, showing compassion and sensitivity when appropriate, respecting each child as an individual, upholding the child’s rights and dignity, enabling the child to achieve their full learning potential, never use physical punishment, respect the parent, or legal guardian as the primary carer and educator of the child, respect the contribution and expertise of staff in the childcare and education field and other professionals with whom they may be involved, respect the customs, values and spiritual beliefs of the child and their family, uphold CACHE’s diversity statement and honour the confidentiality of information relating to the child and their family unless its disclosure is required by law or is the best interest of the child” Beaver et al (2008) p213 – p214. Bruce (2007) says they maintain important childcare values and every practitioner needs to be familiar with them and follow them strictly.
The foundation phase which is known as the early years foundation stage (EYFS) in England is for children aged 3 to 7 years it has replaced key stage 1 in the school national curriculum. It is based on play giving children a choice in what they learn and how they learn; children are encouraged to make their own decisions. The foundation phase in Wales is based on 7 areas of learning “personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity, language development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development” Welsh Government (2012). The key difference between the EYES and The Foundation Phase is that we focus on the development of our national language Welsh as well as the common language English.
E5
It is important that we value and respect all children and their families no matter of their diversity or need. “We need to value children for who they are, not what they do or how they look” Bruce (2007) p256. Every child needs to be included in all activities and activities need to be adapted to allow each child an opportunity to participate regardless of their diversity or disability. Diversity is defined as “The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio – economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies” Gladstone (1999).
Tassoni (2007) says how an inclusive approach involves thinking about each child as individual and planning activities that allow each child to feel valued and accepted. Every interaction with the children should be positive making sure that no child is being left out.
Childcare practitioners need to encourage all children to participle in activities and be able to adopt an activity to involve children who have a greater need. “The skill is working with children is to think of ways in which to adopt practice to make sure that these children can now join in” Tassoni (2007) p353. This can be something simple like raising a table so that a child in a wheelchair can use for meals or table work, and putting chairs around the table for other children so that the child is not isolated. This allows the child to participate in normal activities without making too much fuss about the wheelchair.
Conwy (2012) says how Says how the foundation Phase supports the cultural identity of all children, helping children gain a positive awareness of their own cultures the foundation phase encourages childcare setting to celebrate different cultures. Through the foundation phase children are supported in becoming “confident, competent and independent thinkers and learners” Conwy (2012).
E6
One professional skill that supports a practitioner’s work with children is behavioural attitude in the workplace. The way a person acts in the workplace especially around children is important as young children are easily influenced by members of staff and often look to members of staff as role models. “Children can learn from the relationships that adults share and the attitudes and interactions they exhibit” Beaver et al (2008) p28. They often act the way we act and pick up bad as well as good behaviour from us. Behaving like a professional in a workplace (by this I mean acting appropriately like an adult) will allow children to see what is expected of them in their own behaviour. Being able to change behaviour depending on the situation is also needed. Being nice and appreciable when a child needs help but also able to be strict and in control when a child is disrupting the class.
Communication skills are one of the most important skills that you need in a childcare setting as you need to be able to rely information to the children and to be able to rely information effectively to other team members. “We talk to people face to face, and we listen when people talk to us. We write emails and reports, and we read the documents that are send to us. Communication therefore is a process that involves at least two people a sender and a receiver. For it to be a successful, the receiver must understand the message in the way that the sender intended” Mindtools (2012). There can be many barriers to communication in a child care setting and the practitioner’s needs to be able to overcome these barriers in order to communicate effectively. Barriers to communication can be cultural like language, emotional or social.
Confidentially is about protecting private information about someone or something and is a legal requirement in all childcare settings as article 16 of the united nations convention of the rights of the child states “The law must protect every child’s and young person’s rights to privacy” Crae (2012). Parents are also covered by the human rights act 1998 article 8 which states “right to respect for private and family life” Legislation (2012).
As your relationship with the children and their parents develop they will often tell you information that they want only you to know. Sometimes it is ok to keep this to yourself but in some situation you are unable to do this. For example a child might be a victim of neglect or abuse at home and opens up to you in these situations you are unable to keep that information a secret and must inform the relevant member of staff or organisation about it to be able to protect the child. “As confidentiality is a complex yet important area, most early years settings have a confidentiality policy, and in some cases it may be part of your written employment contract or job description” Tassoni (2007) p268.
E7
There are many different study skills that help students of all ages to manage with their courses. There are many different study skills and students will all be different in the skills they find most useful. Some study skills that I have found useful so far in my course are time management, note taking and referencing. It is essential that all students learn how to manage their time as this will help them organise their life in order to make deadlines. “It is important that you consider how you are going to study and organise yourself accordingly. When you participate in a programme of study, there should be no shortage of information about what is expected of you and the deadlines that has been set” Beaver et al (2008) p31.
All lectures and classes will supply you with information you will need to study. Note taking is essential as for assignments you will often need to look back on class notes to refresh your memory on topics you must put in your assignment. “Taking notes can be time consuming and require a lot of concentration” (Bruce, 2007, p31). I find note taking very useful as lectures sometimes explain the topic in their own words which might be easier than the slide show or hand-out they have given by taking notes of what the lectures have said when looking back on work it has refreshed my memory and make it easier to understand.
Referencing can often be a new skill that students learn in later education at college or university level. “The Harvard system of referencing is most often used” Bruce (2007) p35.
In an assignment the reference needs to have the name and date of the book publication or if a website was used the full web address. At the end of the assignment the student needs to in their reference list “the title of the book or article or website address, author, publisher, date of publication, place of publication” (Beaver et al (2008) p33.
The reference list needs to be put in alphabetically order; all sources of information used must be put in the reference list. For a website if there is no author the website along with the day you accessed that information is needed. The date you accessed a website is very important as website get updated and change all the time so when you access that website again you will often find the information has changed. “A bibliography will need to be included with every assignment, all reading and referenced material will need to be included in alphabetical order” Beaver et al (2008) p33.
Beaver (2008) says how being aware of your learning style can help you understand why you find some tasks easier than others and find the best type of study skills for you. There are three different learning styles these are more commonly known as VAK.
V is for visual “visual learners may learn best through the use of visual aids or prompts. Textbooks, diagrams, video” Beaver et al (2008) p31. Visual learners are often the student in the class who doodle a lot in their note books and use a lot of colour to separate sections of their work.
A is for auditory “auditory learners may learn best through listening to lectures, recording and discussions” Beaver eta al (2008) p31. Auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said in order to understand and may have difficulty with instructions that are written.
K is for kinaesthetic “kinaesthetic learners may learn best by doing things, using a hand on approach to learning” Beaver et al (2008) p31. Kinaesthetic learning are often the students in the class who cannot keep still, there are always active whether chewing a pen or playing with the hands they need to be busy.
“Most people learn through a combination of styles; they are different resources available both in books and electronically which could be used to help you to consider your preferred learning style” Beaver et al (2008) p31.
D1
As of 1990 when the Children Act 1989 came into force, developing and maintain appropriate relationships with parents become a legal requirement in all childcare setting. As the Children Act 1989 states “there must be more partnership between statutory agencies and parents. There must be respect for parents as children’s earliest and most influential educators. There must be acknowledgement that parents ultimately want the best for children” Legislation (2012).
As childcare practitioners are main relationship is with the children in are care along with other team members. It is important that we recognised that we need to develop a good relationship with the parents or legal guardian of the child. We must always assume that the parents want the best for their children. It is always in the best interest of the child to work alongside the parents. Working with the parents builds trust and makes the practitioner more approachable in the future if there is a problem the parent would like to discuss.
Beaver et al (2008) says how parents will have a greater knowledge and understanding of the child’s behaviour as their behaviour might be different at home then how it is in the setting. Though having a good relationship knowledge can be shared this can have a positive effect of the parent making them feel valued and more involved. “Relating to parents is an important skill, as relationships need to be built up. When early years settings have good relationships with parents, difficult subjects can be brought up more easily, for example if parents are not collecting children on time” Tassoni (2007) p267 – p268.
Practitioners who have daily contact with their children have a responsibility to ensure that they present a professional impression on themselves and the childcare setting. Tassoni (2007) states how the open door policy allows childcare practitioners and parents more opportunities to talk, share information and build a stronger relationship.
Maintaining a good working relationship with other members of your team is essential. To abide by the children Act 1989 children need to be protected and if there is an issue with a child considered to be at risk and a member of the multi - agency team need to be involved that the practitioners needs to feel comfortable approaching those agencies to get advice and help for the child. Procedures need to be put into place to enable practitioners to work effectively with each other and that any conflict between team members is resolved and bridges mended to ensure that the children in that setting stays the main focus of your care and attention while you are responsible for them. Barriers can arise and prevent a relationship from maintaining and even starting. Barriers that can prevent a good relationship need to be overcome. Some common barriers that can affect both types of relationships (parents and colleagues) can be language, beliefs / customs, being judgemental and discrimination. Maintaining a good relationship will colleagues can be beneficial “sharing of responsibility as well as knowledge, a sense of belonging and a sharing of problems, difficulties and successes, individual staff weaknesses being balanced by other peoples strengths, children and young people benefit from seeing people working well together” Bruce ( 2007) p23.
D2
Multiagency working is seen as the way forward. It is about sharing information and making it easier to access different agencies. A multi – agency team is made up of 5 agencies where these agencies use a holistic approach when looking at the child. These agencies are law, education, social services, health and voluntary (e.g. flying start). Not all children will have the involvement of all these agencies however all children should be involved in education as each child should get some kind of education. Children are involved in health from birth they get regular visits from the health visitor and other health organisations. A child considered to be at risk is an example where all 5 agencies will be involved.
Tassoni (2007) states how it can be helpful to understand the role of each member in a multi – agency team to insure when a situation arise you know the correct member to approach. “It is important to remember that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and this makes for a balanced team” Tassoni (2007) p211.
Cooperating with each other and working together on the same aim can help solve problems faster also reduces the risk of smaller group or gangs immerging with the team. Having small teams of 12 or less also help prevent this and allows all members to be more involved. Trust is important and necessary so a team will work well together without the chance of arguing and gangs forming. All team members should have the same common aim and know about the aim of the meeting by being consistent it allows all members to focus on their main aim with is the task of caring for children and working with their families. Responsibility of the care of the child is shared by all members involved and so solutions to problems relating to the child should be discussed with everyone involved with that child. Team members provide support and a support network should be in place and each member should know where to turn to for advice and information if they need it. Team members need to be able to communicate with each other and be involved and feel free to express themselves openly without fear of be teased.
C
Childcare practitioners need to listen to children views and value their opinions as of the UNCRC 1989 it has become compulsory to do so as it states in Article 12 “state parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own opinion the right to express these views freely in all matters affecting the child, the view of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child” Teaching expertise (2012).
In Wales it is also part of the seven core aims of the “children and young people’s right to action 2004” that children have the right to be listened to. “The wishes and feelings of children must be identified; children must be involved as active participants in decisions that are made about them. This is especially important when a situation is being reviewed” Bruce (2007) p234.
Practitioners need to listen to children and response to what they are saying with an appropriate answer this will help build the child confidence and boost their self-esteem allowing them to feel valued and respected over time this will improve your relationship with the child. Bruce says how if we are encouraging together children we help boost their self-esteem “when children make mistakes, do not tell them they are silly or stupid. Instead say something like never mind, let’s pick up the pieces and sweep them into the bin. Next time if you hold it with two hands it will be easier to work with” Bruce (2007) p257.
By showing you care and value their input the child might feel more confident in speaking out and might open up to you if there is a problem “listen to them and take their concerns seriously, often when a child has been bullied or abused in another way, he or she will try to put into words what has happened” Bruce (2007) p238.
By actively listening to children you can gain a lot of knowledge about that child for example their preferences, there like / dislikes this can help you in planning activities that everyone will enjoy and what to participant in. There are many ways in which you can show a child that you are listening to them and that you have valued their opinion. By allowing the children to make their own decisions about what they want to do. Here in Wales we have the Foundation Phase 2004 where children are encouraged to make their own decisions and to start taking responsibility for their actions and decisions. Given the children praise for work well done and for contributing to the decisions Bruce says how showing a true interest in what a child has to say increases the child’s confidence.
B
As childcare practitioners we need to be aware of are boundaries and limits when working with children for example confidentiality. It is important that childcare practitioners know what they role is within the setting and their limits. “It is essential that childcare workers are clear about their role, how they fit into the organisation and how the roles of other workers and professionals complement each other in order to meet the needs of children and their families” Beaver (2007) p25. We are limited by the policies and procedures laid down by the setting, we must follow and obey these policies for example each setting will have some kind of confidentiality policy and a procedure to follow if that policy is broken. “When thinking about your role, boundaries and limits there are four particularly important things to think about there are health and safety, managing children’s behavior, child protection and confidentiality” Tassoni (2007) p10.
Tassoni (2007) explains how children’s and adults rights are protected by confidentiality. A good way of thinking about confidentiality is “to assume that everything that someone tells you is not to be repeated to other people unless you have their permission” Tassoni (2007) p188. The only reason that confidentiality should be broken is if you feel the information given is so important that a child might be put at risk if no action is taken. Confidentiality is covered by the data protection act 1998 “if you handle personal information about individuals, you have a number of legal obligations to protect that information under the Data Protection Act 1998” Ico (2012).
Beaver et al (2008) says how childcare practitioners do not have the right to interfere with parent’s private lives and all information shared should not be a source of gossip. That any personal information about the child or he/she’s family should only be provided on a need to know basis. Childcare practitioners should not write down any information about a child they feel the parent or carer should not know about as if the parents wish to they have the right to look at any information kept at the setting regarding them self’s and their child.
The safety of the children is your main priority in the setting if there is a fire alarm it is your role to help the other members of staff follow the fire alarm procedures linked to your setting. This could be something simple like doing the register or head count outside to make sure everyone is present. Tossani (2007) says how we also need to be aware of hygiene policies in the setting “this may include wearing a uniform, tying hair back and using resources that have been provided such as disposable gloves Tossani (2007) p10.
Childcare practitioners need to be aware of the settings policy and procedure with regards to controlling children’s behavior as since the children act 1989 “protects children in schools and local authority care settings from all forms of physical punishment Lyon (2000) p 14.
Tassoni (2007) says how it is important to watch experienced practitioners in your setting and how they deal with children’s behavior. It is important to be award of child protection and the policies in place at the childcare setting. Some settings may require you to wear an identification badge at all times and sign in and out. It is normal if the setting does not know you to never be left alone with the children this is in place to protect the children and yourself as if a complaint is made about you with a certain child you have a witness with you at all times “you should be aware of how much physical contact you should give children” Tassoni (2007) p10. Childcare practitioners need to know when it is appropriate to hug and touch a child as it might be appropriate for babies and young children as they need that physical contact but for the older children it is not encouraged. “It is worth noticing the amount of physical contact the other staff uses with children. This will help determine what is appropriate. If you are not sure what to do, remember to ask your supervisor or tutor” Tassoni (2007) p11.
A
Beaver et al (2008) says a child centred approach recognises children as individuals and they are encouraged to reach their full potential. It focuses its approach on improving outcomes for children. In a child centred classroom the teacher challenges the children to develop their own solutions to problems given; this encourages co – operation, the development of their analysing and reasoning skills and their ability to organise themselves.
Bruce (2007) states how it also works along others to promote and contribute better outcomes for the children’s family. It focus more on the child’s rights and responsibilities “in child centred practice the intention is to try to keep the interests and the wellbeing of children central for the process, to do this, you have to engage with children and involve them wherever possible in the issues that concern them” Bruce (2007) p352.
Child centred practices can be beneficial to both the childcare practitioners and the child. The childcare practitioner will gain more knowledge about the child and their interests allowing both parties to bond more with each other and this will also help boost the child self-esteem and confidence.
A child centered approach is partially based on learning through play. “A child centered curriculum is practically play based. A child led curriculum takes the child’s interest one step further. Not only are the lessons planned after what the children are interested in, but the children plan the lessons and activities for the day. This idea implicates that each individual child can come up with activities rather than just the group as a whole” Downey (2007).The foundation phase in Wales is an example of a child centered approach to learning this was based on the principles and traditions of the Reggio Emilia approach.
Reggio Emilia Is an early childhood education programme that was developed in an Italian town called Reggio Emilia. Beaver says how this programme is based on “social – constructivist” theories including work by Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and Erikson. The constructivist approach views children as active learner’s children contribute to their learning. Education is seen as a way of gaining knowledge to be further used and explored. Constructivist strategies seek to develop a child’s natural curiosity and passion for learning.
The programme was developed after the Second World War when the town was left devastated the parents did not want to send their children to the school provided as they were strictly run by the local churches. Loris Malaguzzi the named founder of the programme “Loris Malaguzzi was the teacher who developed the philosophy on which the town’s nursery education was founded” Pound (2006) p52.
It is influenced by the theory of Lev Vygotsky, who states that “children and adults co – construct their theories and knowledge through the relationships that they build with other people and the surrounding environment” Valentine (1999) P1. As Valentine (1999) says it allows the child to become actively involved in their own learning. It is a model that establishes a strong relationship between school and community.
Loris Malaguzzi innovative approach to education is recognised worldwide. This type of educational philosophy is widely known as the Reggio Emilia approach. Many pre – schools around the world have adopted its approach into their own teaching programs. In Wales the Foundation Phase 2008 which is the national curriculum in wales for children aged 3 to 7 years old is based upon the Reggio Emilia programme.
These are characteristics of the Reggio Emilia programme as Beaver states co teaching is encouraged this is where teachers work in pairs instead of on their own. There is no ranking system every staff member is equal no matter teacher, cook, janitor. Teachers stay with the same class for three years this promotes the feeling of community. Most of the learning activities are done in the mornings when children are considered to be more alert. After lunch there is nap time for the children to rest. Teachers are encouraged to listen to children. Children get to make choices and suggestions and these ideas are used to plan topics and themes. There is no strict timetable for teachers this allows the learning to be at the child’s pace and not the schools allowing the children to learn as much or as little as they want again allow them at this early age to make decisions. Teachers are encouraged to teach themes and the world in general through expressive arts. “Pioneer Loris Malaguzzi famously said there are “a hundred languages of children”. He saw the different ways in which children express themselves through music, dance, art, writing and so on as different languages used in childhood” Beaver et al (2008) p252.
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