This section is where students demonstrate their acquired and growing skills, their ability to put theoretical/in class learning and discussion into practice and where they will demonstrate their professional skills as early childhood educators, colleagues, and contributing members of effective early years teams.
Headings Students will use the following headings to reflect and organize the learning they are demonstrating.
- Professional skills: Reliability, punctuality, communication skills, problem solving, contributions to team, initiative, reflective practice and ability to listen to and adapt practice based on constructive feedback, etc.
- Practical Skills: Responsive/Relational Care of young children, roles, duties, tasks etc.
Resources
To better understand and plan for building evidence in this section please refer to:
- BC Child Care Sector Competencies
- ECED 1200 Moodle Section: Professional Foundations
- ECED 1350 Moodle Section: Observation
- ECED 1330 Child Guidance
- CYCA 2500 Human Development Birth to Age 8
- ECED 1340 Interpersonal Communication
December 4th, 2024
Things I observed and picked up from today:
- Educators talk to the children like adults, not like how people talk to little children. They did not oversimplify or water it down for the children to understand it better.
ex) An educator told the children that were not really paying attention that, “Our expectations of you do not change”. - Children are very relaxed which may be they key reason of their well behavior
The environment is very calming, educators do not enforce a lot of work to the children that may cause stress.
Questions I had today:
- How do the lead educator regulate and refresh as it gets really overwhelming and stressful when taking care of so many children for a long period of time.
- Is there anything parents do that can support educators in taking care of the children?
December 5th, 2024
It seems gentle words actual does work when guiding children.
I always thought it was impossible to take care of children without having to raise your voice or being a bit strict however, these educators do not do those things but instead, they use soft and gentle words and tone of voice when talking to the children(which makes the children feel safe and comfortable) allowing them to listen and comply by choice without having to be forced.
December 6th, 2024
This career as an ECE is not too difficult if you have enough capacity to take make children’s business yours, be present with them, listen to them and care for them. In order to attain that level of space and capacity, one needs to take care of one’s needs and wants first, through self care, hobbies and others, to feel relaxed and having enough capacity to take care of others.
December 9th, 2024
Children aren’t too difficult to take care of. Understanding is key, [Relationship] .
When you know how a child reacts situation; like crying or hitting friends, (which may affect the whole room /environment) You will try to avoid “that thing” by shifting the child’s focus elsewhere(by distracting them, ask questions, suggest something new etc.).
A child was sad he lost the game and started to cry which led to aggressive tantrum which led to “I want my mommy”. When he got to this stage, there is pretty much nothing I could say for him to hear me so I asked him what he is having for lunch today(which calmed him a bit) then he said he doesn’t know so I asked if he knew what I was having. And I told him it’s a secret but i will tell him then I whispered “Chicken” into his ear. This totally distracted him from “I want me mommy”.
May not work for all children but we have to find out what works and what doesn’t when building a good relationship with the children.
December 10th, 2024
Saying No
When trying to be guidance professional, it can be hard to say no. You don’t want to be too restrictive, but You also done want to be walked upon. So how to be nice” and still be firm with your decisions?
→ Instead of saying “don’t do this !! ” or scolding in a scary manner, say things like “This is what we do” “We use inside voices”, things you actually want to see them doing not the other way around.
Because children do what they hear and sometimes they are so distracted they don’t hear the “don’t” but hear the rest. (By my mentor educator) – And also, telling then not to do something is not telling them what to at all (ECED 1320)