Overview
In this unit Early Childhood pre-service teachers extend their professional knowledge and skills through tutorials, workshops and a kindergarten placement comprising 10 day visits (including 5 contextual days and 5 assessable days) during the term and a 15-day block placement. Students participate in tutorials to build both theoretical and practical knowledge of the strategies that teachers use to create learning environments underpinned by responsive relationships with children and that support wellbeing, belonging, and learning. They analyse the impact of different approaches to classroom management/guiding behaviour on student learning and apply their understanding of legislation and principles that inform how educators support children to manage their own behaviour and respond appropriately to the behaviour of others. Students apply knowledge gained from curriculum and early childhood units they have studied to plan, implement, respond to and evaluate learning experiences that incorporate the principles and pedagogies outlined in Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (DEEWR, 2009). Students apply pedagogies that support the children's engagement with, and learning in, literacy and numeracy and they use ICTs with children to improve learning. Pre-service teachers monitor their professional learning through critical reflection and by selecting and evaluating evidence of their practice that demonstrates focus areas of the National Professional Standards for Teachers to add to their e-portfolios.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite:- Students must have successfully completed EDFE11038, EDCU12044, & EDEC11026 to be eligible for enrolment in this unit and placement in a setting for completion of the practical component.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Feedback via Redbutton
Moodle Navigation
Continue to streamline the organisation of the Moodle site
Feedback from Feedback via Redbutton
Requirements for placement
Provide further explanation about why the requirements are designed in the format they appear and also explain how the requirements are informed from systemic requirements.
- Interpret observed behaviour to identify possible causes and apply responsive strategies that maintain classroom relationships and engaged learning.
- Use system and/or kindergarten policies and knowledge of strategies for guiding behaviour and creating safe supportive learning environments to plan proactively for effective classroom management.
- Select strategies that facilitate positive interactions, promote wellbeing, belonging and learning and facilitate the continuation of centre routines.
- Plan and implement learning experiences that promote the engagement and participation of all learners and are responsive to their characteristics, stage of development and social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Reflect on planning, teaching and assessment of student outcomes to improve teaching practice and promote learning and engagement.
- Use the National Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
Successful completion of the unit " EDFE11039 – Professional Practice 2 (ECE) – Kindergarten provides opportunities for the students to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
2.2 Content selection and organisation
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies
2.6 Information and communication technology (ICT)
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
3.3 Use teaching strategies
3.4 Select and use resources
3.5 Use effective classroom communication
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs
4.1 Support student participation
4.2 Manage classroom activities
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour
4.4 Maintain student safety
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements
Evidence of meeting the standards will be at a level appropriate for students' current progress through the course of study. Assessment tasks for this unit may be included in a portfolio and used as evidence of progress towards demonstrating the standards at Graduate Level and the focus for identifying learning goals.
Additionally, students build understandings required by the registering body for early childhood (ACECQA - Australian Children's Education and Care Authority) including, for example, guiding behaviour and engaging young learners, curriculum approaches, teaching methods and strategies and catering to children with diverse needs, including CALD children. Content linked to Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (DEEWR, 2009) is examined also.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||||
3 - Portfolio - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Communication | ||||||
2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
5 - Team Work | ||||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||||||||
3 - Portfolio - 50% |
Textbooks
Young children's behaviour: Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers
Edition: 3rd edn (2008)
Authors: Porter, L
Elsevier Australia
Marrickville Marrickville , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 978-0-7295-3833-6
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
g.busch@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Expectations and professional conduct
Models of Discipline
Introduction to the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline
Revisiting Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Chapter
Detailed resources will be provided on Moodle
Professional Practice Handbook
AITSL materials and website
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Essential skills for classroom management
Policy imperatives in compulsory and non-compulsory settings in relation to guiding behaviour
Links to the National Quality Standards
Pedagogy of play
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
ABC model of behaviour analysis
Pedagogy of provocation
Routines and transitions - practices and opportunities for learning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Features of positive learning environments
The environment as the third teacher
Interactional and temporal environments
Pedagogy of listening
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Building children’s belonging and wellbeing
Circle of security and attachments
Building spaces intentionally – creating an environmental plan
Identify aesthetics as important in the design of learning environments
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Considering how to identify the impact of the learning experiences on student learning and achievement (observation, profiling/documenting information collected about children - their needs, strengths, interests and goals)
Guiding behaviour in early childhood contexts
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Guiding behaviour in early childhood contexts continued
Developing a behaviour plan for an individual
Constructing learning stories
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Teaching strategies for explaining questioning and listening
Intentional teaching
Developing a vision of intent for building relationships with young children – developing our interactions with children and supporting children to engage in interactions
Constructing a lesson plan for a group time
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Curriculum decision making
Long and shorter term planning
Identifying spaces/opportunities for intentional teaching
Constructing a lesson plan for a group time
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 1 Monday 12 September
Creating a supportive learning environment and guiding behaviour Due: Week 9 Monday (11 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Curriculum decision making
Collecting information to make informed judgements about children and their learning
Interpreting data collected to inform the placement on a continua of learning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Reflection as central to improving teaching
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Professional Goal setting and ethical behaviour with young children and families
Revisiting the ECA Code of Ethics
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Block Professional Practice 2 Commences
Task 3 due One Week after the completion of Professional Practice 2
1 Written Assessment
Part A
Create a plan for one whole session (part of a daily plan) that you might be required to manage and teach in your placement kindergarten classroom. The plan may be a morning, middle or afternoon session and should be written up on the daily planning format provided on the unit Moodle site.
As a minimum, your plan must include transition to the activity and transition to a following activity. So, you could plan for the following:
Transitioning the children to a group time (eg: story time, music time) and then transitioning the children from the group time. You would also include your plan for the group time and for at least one other activity for which you are responsible.
It is suggested that you use the 4 columns on the template to record time frames, goals for each activity and for your focus child, a brief outline of the introduction, body and conclusion of activities and resources required. In the final column, record strategies and considerations for guiding behaviour and organising a positive classroom learning environment at each stage of the planned session.
Part B
Write a justification of between 500 - 750 words that:
(a) explains how your selected strategies align with the centre/kindergarten policy, relevant National Quality Standards (NQS) and established classroom rules/practices in your kindergarten classroom; and
(b) justifies how your selected strategies will achieve each of the following outcomes:
· Create a positive and supportive learning environment that encourages participation of the children
· Guide behaviour that may arise during the planned session
· Impact on student learning and achievement of the learning goals for the planned lessons / activities that align with the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009) or the relevant state framework. In Queensland you may use the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline or Building Waterfalls.
Week 9 Monday (11 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Monday (25 Sept 2017)
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next assessment task.
- Knowledge and understanding of practical strategies for guiding the behaviour of young children
- Application of centre based approaches and established classroom rules, practices and routines
- Understanding of the teacher’s role in creating supportive and inclusive learning environments
- Knowledge and understanding of the skills for guiding behaviour that apply to a kindergarten setting and their impact on children's learning
- Personal and academic literacy
- Interpret observed behaviour to identify possible causes and apply responsive strategies that maintain classroom relationships and engaged learning.
- Use system and/or kindergarten policies and knowledge of strategies for guiding behaviour and creating safe supportive learning environments to plan proactively for effective classroom management.
- Select strategies that facilitate positive interactions, promote wellbeing, belonging and learning and facilitate the continuation of centre routines.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Ethical practice
2 Professional Practice Placement
Undertake a 25 day supervised placement in a kindergarten setting as detailed below and complete all tasks outlined in the Information and Guidelines for Professional Practice 2: Kindergarten. These tasks include the development of a behaviour plan for a focus child and the enactment of pedagogies that support wellbeing and belonging of all children. You will plan for small group sessions and build to taking responsibility for half days and at least one full day by the end of the three-week block. Application of your knowledge about the pervasive nature of literacy and numeracy within play and everyday experiences in the kindergarten will be documented. You will use ICTs to support children’s interests and learning and plan for, document and enact strategies that support play and are responsive to children’s emerging interests. Your professional behaviour will be guided by the Early Childhood Code of Ethics, requirements articulated in the NQS and in the Professional Practice Handbook.
The placement will be organised by the relevant University Professional Practice Coordinator on each campus and consists of:
10 assessable days (completed one day per week throughout the term)
15 day assessable block
-
An up-to-date working portfolio must be maintained throughout the placement. Explicit guidance about the organisation of the portfolio is provided in the Information and Guidelines booklet. The working portfolio should include a copy of the behaviour plan; your vision of intent for how you plan to build relationships; the centre policy pertaining to behaviour and interactions; a copy of the daily routines and written observations of the routines. In addition, you will need to include records of all observations, planning, evaluation and reflection conducted throughout the placement.
Assessment for the 25 day school placement is as per Standards and Guide to Making Judgements on the Final Summative Report in the PP2 booklet.
On completion of the three week block.
Feedback on this assessment task will be provided by the Mentor Teacher using the reporting documents in the Information and Reporting booklet.
Assessment criteria for this assessment task are outlined in detail in the Standards and Guide to Making Judgements on the Final Summative Report in the PP2 booklet. Assessment criteria are drawn from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level).
- Interpret observed behaviour to identify possible causes and apply responsive strategies that maintain classroom relationships and engaged learning.
- Use system and/or kindergarten policies and knowledge of strategies for guiding behaviour and creating safe supportive learning environments to plan proactively for effective classroom management.
- Select strategies that facilitate positive interactions, promote wellbeing, belonging and learning and facilitate the continuation of centre routines.
- Plan and implement learning experiences that promote the engagement and participation of all learners and are responsive to their characteristics, stage of development and social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Reflect on planning, teaching and assessment of student outcomes to improve teaching practice and promote learning and engagement.
- Use the National Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Portfolio
Information about the presentation and submission of this task.
This assessment task is to be submitted no later than one week after the conclusion of your placement for Professional Practice 2. The portfolio should be created using a website building tool such as Weebly or iTunes U ( instructions regarding iTunes U will be located in the PP2 Moodle site). You must ensure that you make your website private.
You should upload a word document to the link for Assessment Task 3 on Moodle with the username and password for your website for viewing and marking by your lecturer.
Task Description
Select a sequence of learning experiences/activities that you planned and implemented during your Professional Practice 2 placement for your portfolio. This could be developed from your observations of children’s play and interactions or teacher initiated. Your planned learning experiences/activities should align with the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009) or the relevant state framework. Your planning must show links to the learning outcomes of the framework guiding your curriculum decision-making and show practices that align with the Early Years Learning Framework or framework guiding your curriculum decision-making. You need to include documentation from the selected learning experiences/activities to show “what children know, can do and understand” (DEEWR, 2009, p. 17).
Create your portfolio by selecting the following artefacts:
· A copy of the learning activities/experiences
· Documentation that you have collated – this might include photographs of children engaging in the activity/learning experience, conversation transcripts and copies of children’s work samples, anecdotes of observations
· Copies of classroom observations completed by your supervising teacher at least one of which should focus on an aspect of your teaching in at least one of your chosen activities.
· A copy of your vision of intent for building relationships with the children in the kindergarten and your behaviour plan for one child
· A copy of the environmental plan you developed for a space and your plan for a provocation space that considers beauty and aesthetics
Write an evaluation of your teaching practice based on the artefacts you have selected. You should make explicit links between the evidence of your practice as shown in your portfolio and your engagement with specific descriptors from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers outlined on the Final Summative Report for your Professional Practice placement. Your evaluation should be approximately 1000 words in length (no more than 1500) and should include reflection on the following questions:
· How did you sequence/organise learning experiences to scaffold the children’s learning?
· What pedagogical practices and resources did you use to enhance students’ learning and interests? How effective were your choices?
· What formative assessment strategies did you use to check on students’ learning progress? How effective were these strategies in providing information you could use to plan subsequent learning experiences and support the learning of the children in your kindergarten group?
· What information did you discern from your observations about the learning outcomes demonstrated by the children?
· What strategies did you use to engage children and encourage the participation of all children in the class? How did these strategies contribute to a positive and supportive learning environment?
· How did you use feedback from your supervising teacher to improve your teaching practice and enhance student learning throughout the sequence of learning experiences/activities that you planned?
· What do your chosen artefacts show about your strengths in planning, teaching and assessing and recording student learning?
· What goals would you set for your ongoing professional learning that would enhance your ability to enact the curriculum decision making process and create a positive learning environment?
One week after the completion of the block placement - Friday November 6, 2017
Feedback on this assessment will be provided following moderation.
- Justification for planning decisions and teaching strategies that align with the relevant learning framework
- Evaluation of the appropriateness of formative assessment techniques for monitoring student learning
- Knowledge and understanding of teaching and classroom management strategies/guiding behaviour for creating positive and supportive learning environments
- Understanding of the need to respond to the learning needs of diverse student groups
- Reflection on feedback to identify teaching strengths and set professional learning goals
- Reflect on planning, teaching and assessment of student outcomes to improve teaching practice and promote learning and engagement.
- Use the National Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.