Tumut Preschool Co-operative Society Limited Tumut Preschool Education, Curriculum and Learning Policy
(Educational and Care Services National Regulation 2011, Clauses 73 – 76)
Goal – what we will achieve
Tumut Preschool is committed to providing inclusive, high quality, play-based educational programs aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Our educational program and daily practices and principles will work towards achieving the following EYLF outcomes – each child will
· Have a strong sense of identity
· Be connected with and contribute to his or her world
· Have a strong sense of wellbeing
· Be a confident and involved learner
· Be an effective communicator
The basis of our curriculum is the EYLF and the key principles of:
Belonging: knowing where and with whom you belong is integral to human existence. Children belong first to a family, a cultural group and neighbourhood and a wider community. A sense of belonging is developed within our Preschool where children are accepted for who they are and given opportunities to develop positive and supportive relationships. Relationships are crucial for a child to feel a sense of belonging.
Being: childhood is a time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world. “Being” recognises the here and now in children’s lives. We focus on the importance of the children’s right to be a child and experience the joy of childhood. BEING involves giving each child an awareness of their significance in their world.
Becoming: children’s identities, knowledge, understandings, capacities, skills and relationships change during childhood. They are shaped by many different events and circumstances, BECOMING reflects this process of rapid and significant change that occurs in the early years as young children learn and grow. The Preschool helps shape the children’s identity through evolving experiences and relationships which include change and transitions
Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships
Educators will underpin practice by nurturing positive relationships with children and supporting the development of a strong sense of wellbeing
Partnerships
Educators will work together with families based on a foundation of understanding of each other’s expectations, strengths and knowledge. Families will be active partners in the development of our curriculum and learning opportunities.
High Expectations and equity
Our learning experiences will be built on equity and the belief that children are capable learners and we will challenge practices that contribute to inequities. Our curriculum decisions will promote inclusion and participation of all children. We will work with and include other agencies to find effective ways to ensure that all children have opportunities to achieve learning outcomes.
Respect for diversity and cultural competence
Educators will make curriculum decisions that uphold all children’s rights to have their cultures, identities, abilities and strengths acknowledged and valued and respond to the complexity of children’s and families lives.
Ongoing learning and reflective Practice
Our service integrates regular reflective practice and professional inquiry to identify opportunities for us to improve in all aspects of our service. We will continually challenge what we do and why we do things, and how we can improve what we do. We will live the philosophy of continuous improvement.
Holistic Approach
Educators will pay attention to children’s physical, personal, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing as well as cognitive aspects of learning. We view children’s learning as integrated and interconnected.
Responsiveness to children
Our curriculum will be designed in response to children’s strengths, abilities and interests. Educators are responsive to children’s ideas and play. Educators will make use of “spontaneous teachable moments to scaffold children’s learning and will assess, anticipate and extend children learning.
Learning through Play
Our curriculum decisions will be based on extended periods of play. Educators will provide a balance between child led, child initiated and educator supported learning. We will create learning spaces that encourage children to explore and problem solve.
Play provides a supportive environment where children can explore questions, solve problems, and engage in critical thinking. At Tumut Preschool our program is based on play and the following points:
· Children are encouraged to express themselves creatively through a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
· Children’s fine and gross motor skills are strengthened and developed through a wide variety of both indoor and outdoor activities including: manipulative play, block play, sensory play, dramatic play, drawing, painting, collage and other physical activities such as running and skipping.
· Mathematics and science concepts along with exploration of natural aspects of our environment are encouraged through block play, building, cooking, and water-play, sensory play, collecting natural materials such as leaves and rocks and gardening.
· Language development is encouraged through educators modelling language, show and tell, story time, games, and dramatic play experiences.
· Social/emotional and independence skills are strengthened through activities such as role-play, dramatic play, group games and self-help tasks.
· Music and movement activities encourage physical, social and creative areas of a child’s development.
· Road safety, hygiene, dental care and nutrition will all be built into the curriculum.
Intentional Teaching
Educators will teach deliberately, purposefully and thoughtfully. We will actively engage in conversations and interactions with children, plan opportunities for intentional teaching and document and monitor children’s learning
Learning Environments and continuity of learning
Educators will develop with children learning spaces that are welcoming, reflect interests and connect children with the community, cultures and each other.
Materials will support learning and reflect what is natural and familiar. Our educators will introduce interest to children’s learning space, and will use technology to broaden global connections. Educators will foster interest in the natural world and how we can sustain our futures.
Curriculum plans and service policies will support children through transitions
Assessment for learning
Educators will gather and analyse information about what each child knows, can do and understands as part of our cycle of planning, documenting and evaluating learning. We will use a number of ways to collect information and understand its meaning. Educators will co-construct learning experiences through interaction with children.
Learning Outcomes will be the basis of our assessments and we will focus on children’s pathways towards the outcomes and not exclusively on the end point.
We will collaborate with parents and children in the assessment process
Implementation – how we will do this
Definitions
Curriculum means all interactions, experiences, activities, routines and events planned and unplanned that occur in an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development.
Pedagogy – Educator’s professional practice, especially those aspects that involve building and nurturing relationships, program decision-making teaching and learning.
Documentation – the range of methods used by educators to gather information about children, identify and analyse learning, plan and evaluate the program
Assessment – the process of gathering and analysing information as evidence about what children know, can do and understand.
Educational Curriculum Plan
Our curriculum and learning is led by our Educational Leader. The Educational Leader will guide educators in their planning and reflection and mentor/coach colleagues in the implementation of sound pedagogical practices. Different theoretical perspectives influence the way our educators plan and work with children. Our educators draw from a range of perspectives and are required to regularly reflect on and challenge traditional assumptions to see new ways of working with children and families.
The role of the Educational Leader is to work with educators to provide curriculum direction and to ensure children achieve the outcomes of the approved learning framework.
Our planning involves and reflects children’s lives, their interests, their curiosity and their disposition.
It is inclusive of the child, their family, community and culture and identifies the child’s strengths, interests, capabilities and experiences.
Tumut Preschools Curriculum Plan and documentation will include:
· Balance of spontaneity with a sense of purpose and predictability
· Happy and actively engaged children
· Consistency of approach from all educators
· Evidence of children making decisions about their own learning and development
· Evidence of learning towards the five EYLF learning outcomes
· Family involvement
· Child led learning
· Community involvement
· Meaningful documentation which can be shared with children and families and is used to inform future plans
· Documentation of children’s learning and development is carefully interpreted and analysed; and clearly shows how children are progressing toward the EYLF learning outcomes and other development areas.
Each room has a written Curriculum plan outlining the program of activities and experiences.
The curriculum plan will also provide for parent feedback and input. Educators will use the approved Tumut Preschool Curriculum Plan Template.
Children’s choice is offered and there are opportunities for children to interact with the learning environment both inside and outdoors. Our planning includes a balance of what educators notice children are ready to learn and what children are personally interested in pursuing.
Each curriculum plan is a balance of educator and child and family led learning, encompassed in a cycle of planning
The Educational Leader will meet regularly with staff and review the curriculum plan.
CURRICULUM PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT CYCLE:
Diagram 1
DESCRIPTION OF CYCLE PLANNING (Diagram 1)
1. Identify Learning Opportunities (Collect information)
Educators will record and collect meaningful information about each child to analyse, understand and assess learning (ie what they know, what they can do and what they are interested in). Educators use their professional judgement to determine what information is important to collect.
Spontaneous learnings (in the here and now) should also be captured and recorded and used by Educators to plan extended learning activities.
Spontaneous learning activities must be documented ensuring a link between daily experiences and the Curriculum Plan.
A good curriculum plan is based on a balance of planned and spontaneous experiences; however the balance may continually vary.
It’s important to identify learning opportunities, interests, activities etc... from “outside the preschool walls.”
Family/Community Initiated learning
We recognise that families are central to a child’s early learning as the most significant people in their lives. By understanding individual families’ expectations and aspirations for children and finding out how they can complement their efforts, we can actively promote meaningful partnerships with families and communities and support each child’s learning and sense of belonging.
Staff actively initiate conversations with families about what is happening in children’s lives outside the Preschool.
Educators consider information specific to the family:
· child’s culture
· family expectations
· children’s routines from home
· important relationships in their lives
Family context can be used to build on learning opportunities in the curriculum.
At the commencement of enrolment a Parent Information Form will be provided to parents to assist educators to understand the goals, expectations, cultural drivers and interests that the child and family have. Educators will use this information to plan learning opportunities for each child and include them in the curriculum plans. A summary of interests form will be kept in the Curriculum Planning folder for each room.
Educators promote conversations with families and where relevant include family directed learning activities into the curriculum. Providing information to parents on their child’s learning is also important and part of the parent-educator-child partnership.
As early childhood educators, creating a ‘sense of community’ is an important part of what we do. It is integral to the core themes of belonging and identity that run through the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Observations
The intent of observing children in our Preschool is to be aware of what children are doing and gain insights about meaning. We aim to gain a deep understanding of the child and to use the information we collect to enrich and extend children’s learning. Information is gathered through:
· ongoing discussions with children
· discussions with other educators and professionals
· samples of children’s work
· documentation – enrolment forms, “class pet” sheets, weekend sheets. Parent interviews etc..
· audio and video recording
· photos
Analyse what is occurring
Educators will use the information they gather about each child to tell them about children’s strengths, their interests and needs.
The Educators should consider:
· what is the information telling us, what learning is being demonstrated
· what activities and play could build on the child’s interests, strengths and abilities
· what learning outcomes could be promoted
· how the educator can support and extend (and not control) the child’s learning
· how children’s voices and opinions included in the curriculum – how do children lead the curriculum
· how the child’s family and cultural values reflected
· what intentional teaching strategies will enhance the learning
· how the Educator is constructed into the learning – ensuring the educator is the learning resource, supported by the environment and materials
Spontaneous teaching
The NQS requires educators to be responsive to children’s ideas and to be flexible and adapt plans accordingly. Although spontaneous moments cannot be planned for, responsiveness is critical to supporting children’s play and learning. Educators are required to follow the lead of children, to consider ways to extend their ideas. This will occur “in the moment” and also become part of the on-going planning cycle.
It’s essential that educators document spontaneous teaching on the curriculum plan.
Portfolios/Documentation
The intent of our children’s Portfolios is to document the learning journey of each child in a visible process for educators, children and families.
Each child attending Preschool has an individual Portfolio of documented learning and development evidence. Portfolios are contributed to by all staff and parents are able to readily review this at any time during the year. Children take these portfolios home at the end of their preschool education.
Documents included in the Portfolio include:
· Introductory Letter to Families
· A description of the EYLF Framework and the Learning Outcomes
· Child Information sheet (where returned) - Childs Interests
· Goals for the child developed with families
· First Day Experience
· Group Experiences/Activities (each term)
· Learning Journeys
· Today I…
· Child’s Journey Chart
· Work samples
· Observations (variety of types)
· Special events or experiences
· Family involvement
2. Determine opportunities to explore and extend
Educators use professional knowledge and understanding of children and their families to plan for each child’s play and learning.
The EYLF principles and practices inform the curriculum plan. Children are included in developing the plan as much as possible through morning circles, brainstorming and mind mapping techniques.
Educators make links to the learning outcomes on the curriculum plan. Physical spaces and environments are designed to support play and learning activities.