CQUniversity Unit Profile.

Assignment One.

Part A
Creating a supportive learning environment and guiding behaviour
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 course 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 A MAXIMUM OF *500 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

· Impacts on student learning and achievement of the learning goals for the planned lessons / activities that align with the Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF)  or the relevant state framework. In Queensland you may use the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline or C&K’s early childhood curriculum Listening and Learning Together: C&K Curriculum Approach.

Level 2 GEN AI Planning is permitted for this assessment.

A 72-hour grace period is available after the assessment due date to support students who experience unexpected difficulties that prevent them from submitting on time. This means you have an extra 72 hours to submit your task without any academic penalty.

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. 

Professional levels of personal literacy.

a) Formative assessment - Completion of placement compliance form. You will access and complete this form through the SONIA placement system. Once you have agreed to each of the statements and submitted the form, it will be available to download through SONIA. A copy of this completed form needs to be uploaded to the assessment link as per Moodle instructions.

b) Formative assessment - Compulsory Online Quiz. You will complete a 15-question quiz based on the content from the unit (weeks 1-10). To pass this task and proceed to placement, 100% (that is 15 out of 15) needs to be achieved. You are able to take the quiz as many times as needed to achieve 100%. Failure to complete the quiz will result in cancellation of your placement. Due before placement.

c) You will undertake a 25-day supervised placement in a kindergarten setting as detailed below and complete all tasks outlined in the Information and Guidelines Booklet 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 five-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:

25 assessable days to be completed in a 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 day placement is as per Standards and Guide to Making Judgements on the Final Summative Report in the PP2 booklet.

Assessment Due Date

On completion of five-week block placement.

 
Return Date to Students

Feedback on this assessment task will be provided by the Mentor Teacher using the reporting documents in the Information and Reporting booklet.

 
Weighting

Pass/Fail

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 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.

The online quiz available in the Moodle Site and must be completed before going on placement.

No Assessment Criteria

No Assessment Task Description

No Assessment Criteria

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 V2.0 (Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE], 2022) 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” (AGDE, 2022, p. 25). 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

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 of your choice, eg Wiki, Wix, Weebly. You must ensure that you make your website private - however, you need to ensure that the lecturer/s have access if you have it password protected.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI) Within this assessment, the use of Microsoft Copilot, Chat GPT or other Gen AI agents is as follows: No Gen AI can be used at any point during this assessment.

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.
NOTE: This assessment task provides opportunities for reflection on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and teachers' responsibility for creating supportive learning environments. The task provides evidence for demonstrating aspects of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas 6.1 and 7.

Assessment Due Date: 1 week after the completion of placement

Return Date to Students

Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided via the criteria sheet following moderation and certification of grades.

 
Weighting

Pass/Fail

 
Minimum mark or grade

Pass

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 V2.0 (Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE], 2022) 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” (AGDE, 2022, p. 25).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
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 of your choice, eg Wiki, Wix, Weebly. You must ensure that you make your website private - however, you need to ensure that the lecturer/s have access if you have it password protected.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI)Within this assessment, the use of Microsoft Copilot, Chat GPT or other Gen AI agents is as follows: No Gen AI can be used at any point during this assessment.

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.
NOTE: This assessment task provides opportunities for reflection on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and teachers' responsibility for creating supportive learning environments. The task provides evidence for demonstrating aspects of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas 6.1 and 7.

 
Assessment Due Date

The ePortfolio is due one week after the completion of the placement

 
Return Date to Students

Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided via the criteria sheet following moderation and certification of grades.

 
Weighting

Pass/Fail

 
Minimum mark or grade

Pass

 
Assessment Criteria

1. Justification for planning decisions and teaching strategies that align with the relevant learning framework
2. Evaluation of the appropriateness of formative assessment techniques for monitoring student learning
3. Knowledge and understanding of teaching and classroom management strategies/guiding behaviour for creating positive and supportive learning environments
4. Understanding of the need to respond to the learning needs of diverse student groups
5. Reflection on feedback to identify teaching strengths and set professional learning goals