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.