Part 3: Final Reflection

My learning has improved in the ways I respond to children in my centres interests and how I can expand their interests. I have learnt from the other teachers in my centre and how they expand the interests of the children including discussing with the children what they want to do, researching different ways to expand the interests, talking to parents about the interests at home and talking to other teachers about previous activities they may have done. I have learnt from the feedback I have received was that when I use the iPad again with the children I with the children I will download a different rang of puzzle games for the children to choose from rather than picking one app for them to use. This way they can choose their own skill level and type of puzzle they want to play. The reason I picked the app for the child to use was so that they could expand their interest on sorting. I would also like to do my own sorting game by sorting different colour items into different containers.

Questioning is very important to me and I often ask the children questions when I am doing an activity with the children. When I am with the children doing an activity I will often ask the children question starting with either what, who, when, why, and how. This way I can understand what they are doing and often they can understand what they are doing as well.

I like that my centre has access to iPads but at the same time I don’t like them. They are a great way for the older children to do their own research on their interests. But I think that iPads can become used more as babysitters rather than the children actually playing with toys or using their imagination. I enjoy using the iPad when I’m doing music and movement because it means if we don’t have a song on our iPad I can look it up on YouTube.

Overall I am not a big fan of the over use of technology in centres especially iPads, tablets and computers. I think they have their time and place within early childhood. Researchers believe that using iPads and smartphones can be detrimental to their social-development (Walters, 2015). Lots of people use iPads to help calm their children so by doing this it prevents children from being able to self-regulate their own feelings and emotions (Walters, 2015). I try to use the iPad in a way that multiple children are able to interact with it as well as with each other. I often to use it to play YouTube videos and music to dance with. Overexposure to iPad games can prevent children from being able to build blocks, and make puzzles due to being use to the 2D nature of an iPad (Knapton, 2015). I think cracking down on using iPads to calm down children is important. We need to use iPads as a way to extend the children’s learning rather than being the only way they learn. 

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Journal Entry 5

I noticed that one of the boys in my class was interested in sorting and using the iPads so I decided to get some apps on the iPad for him to use that involve sorting. I download a few different aps that ranged in different degrees of difficulty but would still be at a level that he would be able to complete. I asked him he wanted to sit down with me and play on the iPad.  I opened the first app for him and showed all the different choices he had. He choose to sort between stars and circles. He started to sort through the different stars and circles. Making sure to put them in the right hole. Once he had finished with that he chose another sorting game to do which involved sorting cars onto the road and things that fly into the sky. He was very careful with this one again making sure he did it right and looking very intensely at the different vehicles and whether they went in the sky or on the road. After a while he decided he was finished and that he was ready to go and play with his friends.

When children have access to a range of technologies and popular culture and an active role in their own learning suggest the line between childhood and adulthood is a random one. Technology such as iPads give children the independence to access information and entertainment, as well as accessing adult knowledge, challenges the way we look at children as incompetent and dependent on us (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, & Farmer, 1993). The thing with our iPads in the centre is we have put certain restrictions on them but that doesn’t stop the children from using the different applications and the independence to learn on their own. This is why I choose to use the iPad with the boy rather then that laptop we have access too as well. He was able to actively learn by himself. Picking his own sorting game and being able to learn from any mistake he made when the game would correct him gave him his own independence to learn (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, & Farmer, 1993). The results of this planned provocation is that the boy has confidence to use the iPad and was able to develop his skills in using the iPad further e.g. swiping, keeping finger on the iPad long enough and holding down long enough. This development will be useful when he is able to use the iPad again and revisit these skills he has developed in games that may be more difficult and require more finger skills. Another result is that he was able to do different type of sorting game than the normal colour sorting we have. One of the games was able to match with one of his other interests which is cars and aeroplanes. From this interest he was able to establish when he started the car and plane sorting game that cars drive on the road and planes are in the sky.

References

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (1993). Programing and Planning in Early Childhood Education (5th ed). South Melbourne, Australia: Harcourt Australia. 

Journal Entry 4

In my centre we have iPads in each of our 3 classrooms for the teacher and children to use. I work in our toddler room, which has children from 18 months to 3 and half years, and one of the main things we use the iPads for is for music and dancing. We use a lot of YouTube because the children are able to request a song that they like and can either watch the video of it or dance to the song. One of the children asked me if they could do some dancing one day and I asked them what music they wanted. Wheels on the bus was requested and I typed it into YouTube. I gave the iPad to the girl who had requested it to pick which video she liked best. She picked the third video down which had a bright thumbnail. The video started playing and other children gathered round her to watch as well. All of a sudden the video stopped playing. “It’s loooading” said one of the other children who had come to watch. I asked the children what we could do. One of our older children said that we should pause it. So I showed the girl who was holding the iPad where the pause button was and she pressed it. Once they had noticed that some of the video had loaded, looking at the white bit being longer then the red bit, they pressed play. The children continued watching the video and when it was finished they passed it around and all got to pick another video that was next to the one they had just played.

The children were able to solve the problem of the loading video by remembering what they had seen us teachers do or maybe what they had seen their parents do at home. They had seen us teachers deal with YouTube videos not loading before and seen what we had done. So when the video stopped loading rather than taking over I thought I would ask them what they thought they could do. I think as teachers we underestimate children abilities sometimes, especially young children. The children were able to use previous experience to solve the problem and can now use this experience to fix the problem if it should happen again.  From this the children are developing problem solving skills.

Journal Entry 3

Children are impacted almost every day by as society starts integrating technology into almost everything we do and making life ‘simpler’ for us. Infants watch an average of 2.5 hours of television a day and 25% have a television in their bedroom (Rowan, 2010). While 3 and 4 year olds are watch an average of 3 and 4 year olds are watching an average of 4.5 hours of television a day. Children also have access to other forms of “entertainment technology” (Rowan, 2010) and spend an average of 7.5 hours per day using technology (Rowan, 2010) such as iPads, smartphones, laptops, computers and televisions. “Entertainment technology (TV, Internet, video games, iPads, and cell phones) has advanced so rapidly, that families have scarcely noticed the significant impact and changes to their family structure and lifestyles (Rowan, 2013).” Children are constantly being impacted and influenced by the technology around them and with more and more ece centres using iPads and computers they rarely get a break.

Children are physically impacted by the use of too much technology through development delays. One of development delays of children using too much technology are that “30% of children entering kindergarten are “developmentally vulnerable” - lacking in those basic skills they need to thrive in school and in the future (Rowan, 2010).” Biologically children’s developing sensory, motor and attachment systems have not evolved to adapt to the constant use of today’s technology (Rowan, 2013). Rapidly advancing technology impact on the developing child has created an increase of diagnosed physical, psychological and behaviour disorders that education and health systems are only just able to detect, let alone understand.

Technology can also quickens and supplements basic skills. Students who have more access to technology can become engrossed quickly into the data, and are able to absorb more knowledge faster (Hatch, 2011). Children can also improve “visual-spatial capabilities, increase attentional ability, reaction times, and the capacity to identify details among clutter (Taylor, 2012).” Technology helps make children different rather than making them stupid (Taylor, 2012).

 For me personally I am not a big fan of children using technology constantly and believe that under 5’s don’t need to being using tablets, iPads or computers. I think children are better off doing something out and active. If a child needs to do a puzzle they can always use a really physical puzzle rather than one of an iPad that automatically fits the pieces in when they swipe it over the top. 

References

Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. USA: University of Rhode Isaland.

Rowan, C. (2010). A research review regarding the impact of technology on child development, behavior, and academic performance. USA.

Rowan, C. (2013, 07 29). The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child. Huffington Post.

Taylor, J. (2012, 12 04). How Technology is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201212/how-technology-is-changing-the-way-children-think-and-focus

Journal Entry 2

Way that I support children’s learning within my teaching is by using lots of questioning when I am interacting with the children. I work with toddlers and they use lots of problem solving at our centre as well encourage them to figure out any problems they have before we step in to help them. By doing this children are able to problem solve and make their own decisions in many areas of their life (Ministry of Education, 2007). At my centre we are encouraged as teachers to allow the toddlers to problem solve when they are having an issue with another children or are trying to do something new. This links to Te Whariki essential skills when “children are encouraged to identify and describe problems and helped to make connections and relationships to solve them.” (Minstry Of Education, 1996). I believe in allowing children to problem solve themselves or they will not know how to problem solve when they are older.

Another way I support the children in my centre learning in the area of social science is by visiting local areas in our local community. We visit the park quite often and depending on the children’s current focus we visit local places that match their interests. By visiting the local fruit store the children learn about how the teachers participate in “economic activities and about the consumption, production, and distribution of goods and services (Ministry of Education, 2007).” We have also visited the local hair dressers and the children have had the chance to watch one of the teachers get a small haircut.

We also have family days at our centre so children are able to have their family come and visit. We do mother’s day and father’s day morning tea, fish and chip night, and events on the weekend. We do this so that children feel connected at centre and so that families feel welcome. Children are able to have an understanding of themselves as part of their family and community is affirmed when they know that their culture and family have a place in the centre and they are respected (Minstry Of Education, 1996). I enjoy talking to parents when we have our special events and getting to know them better. These events are a great way for us teachers to get to know parents better when they don’t have to rush and go to work. 

References

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. New Zealand: Ministry of Education.

Minstry Of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He Whariki mataurange mo nga mokopuna o Aoteroa: Ealry childhood cirriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Journal Entry 1

People, Places, Things and Events are significant in a child’s life as it shapes them and influences their lives. Children are influenced by their people, primarily their parents and family, from birth. Parents influence children in three ways “direct interaction, identification, and transmission of family stories.” (Kagan, 1999). Direct interactions with a children involve praising a child for behaving themselves or the loss of a privilege by a father for not behaving, or a parent naming an animal in a book a child is not familiar with. Events like this that happen every day that involve rewards or actions that are ‘good’, discipline of actions that are deemed ‘bad’ and knowledge that is transferred from the parents to the child (Kagan, 1999).  These actions influence a child to learn what is wrong and right and help them to gain knowledge from the people around them. Emotional identification is when a parent or both parents are afraid of something so that child takes on the fear. For example a mother is afraid of spiders so her daughter seeing her mother is afraid takes on that fear herself (Kagan, 1999). This is another way parents and people influence children. The third influence is telling family stories to children about relatives, such as aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins who have accomplished achievements in some domains (Kagan, 1999). Children start to feel pride in these stories and can feel important that they are related to someone who has done something important. They may also notice they are similar to that person and want to achieve similar goals as they have (Kagan, 1999). People all around as are influencing us but the main people who influence us as young children are our parents. For myself I have grown up in household where I have been influenced by my parent’s beliefs and adopted them as my own beliefs. My mother believe highly in further education after school and that she wants my sister and I do get our degrees first before we do anything. From this belief I have also gain a similar belief as I wish to complete my degree as well as my future children having the opportunity to complete tertiary education.

Places influences children depending on the area they live in, high economical or low economical, the type of house they live in, country they live and whether they live in a suburban area, city area or in the country. Children who live in bigger homes and have parents with a higher income their parents are more likely to spend more money on food, eating out and vehicles. Parents are also more likely to spend money on luxury goods that are more child-specific such as computers, better schools, private lessons, travel, and higher quality housing in better (Mayer, 2002). Children who have parents who have a low-income “develop values, norms, and behaviours that are “dysfunctional” for success in the dominant culture.” (Mayer, 2002). Children then adopt these “dysfunctional” behaviours from their parents and as a result the child’s own chances of success decline (Mayer, 2002). Poverty amount parents can cause dysfunctional behaviours by parents, “such as tardiness, laziness, and sloth, with origins unrelated to their poverty” (Mayer, 2002). “If children model their behaviour on their parents they too will develop behaviours that are dysfunctional for escaping poverty” (Mayer, 2002). Children who live in a places that is influenced by poverty it can influence how they feel and can affect them in the long run. If they have parents who don’t display “dysfunctional” behaviours they are more likely to succeed in life.

Things like technology influences children in such a huge way. Especially with how much technology is around us. Children are constantly bombarded with new technology all the time, such as computers, iPads, tablets, mp3 players, and televisions. My personal beliefs is young children already spend too much time on technology such as iPads and their parents smartphones. I think belief has come from my own childhood where my family never owned a computer even though most around us own one. Using a computer was a special treat for my sister and I and we only got to use it when we went to my grandparents’ house as they had always owned one. I personally believe in limited use of technology such as iPads and smartphones with children until they are old enough to buy one themselves. A study found that children who are 2-10 in age a wide range of technology they had access to, such as high speed internet, video game console, smartphones, and educational gaming. While children who are under the age of 5 and have access to the internet at home use it at least once a week. Mostly to play games on a mobile device such as a laptop, tablet, and smartphones. Almost two-thirds of children ages 4-7 use iPhones to play games (Given, et al., 2014). With technology all around them it is difficult for it to be avoided and is a hugely significant part of almost every young child’s life. With technology constant improving and growing we will soon be completely consumed by technology.

Children have certain events or milestones that are typical of them meeting and once they meet them they are able to do new things. Such as walking for the first time which can mean the end of crawling or turning 5 which means starting school. When a young child has a major traumatic event in their life they are unlikely to feel like they have no protection, they are more likely to become “passive and quiet, easily alarmed and less secure about being provided with protection (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.a).

Overall People, Places, Things and Events affect and influence children in so many ways. Certain people and they beliefs can either create a new beliefs when a child grows old or confirm a belief they have grown up with. Places can affect children with how easily access to certain things have and how poverty can influence their family which in turn influences them. Things such as technology is around us and will always be here so children are growing in their skills and are using in more and more every day. Events can affect a child mentally as well their future and how they grow. If they have been affected by a traumatic event such as falling from a great height, they may try to avoid that growing up because of the trauma it has caused.

References

Given, L. M., Cantrell Winkler, D., Willson, R., Davidson, C., Danby, S., & Thorpe, K. (2014). Documenting Young Children’s Technology Use: Observations in the Home. Australia: Queensland University of Technology.

Kagan, J. (1999, July). The Role of Parents in Children’s Psychological Development. Pediatrics, 104, 164-167.

Mayer, S. E. (2002). Rasing Children In New Zealand. New Zealand: Social Development.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.a). Understanding Child Traumatic Stress. Retrieved from National Child Traumatic Stress Network: http://www.nctsn.org/resources/audiences/parents-caregivers/understanding-child-traumatic-stress