Final Reflection

I really enjoyed receiving comments from my peers; I was mainly excited to see what they thought about it and any additional ideas they had. Overall I received positive and constructive comments about what I had written. I was surprised to found that my peer’s experiences in their own centres were similar to mine. I feel that even though I had written slightly different stuff to my peers based on the same area, I was able to learn something different about these areas from their blog and learn about different learning outcomes for children. A number of comments I received were about how children exchanged goods for money (entry 1). Many of my peers did not realise this was a social studies experience and I have to admit that I did not realise this either until I really looked at what was happening for the children. I was amazed myself to what was considered social studies as well as technology. Many areas of children’s everyday play are considered social studies for example economics, community, and transport. Areas of technology really surprised me too for example materials or process technology. I think a great aspect of this assessment was that it is based on REAL children’s events which made it more meaningful as well as insightful. Many comments I received were about how children were involved in real life experiences through their play and believe this made me more aware of other similar learning experiences going on in my centre. I received a few comments about weather one of the children in my entries had experienced going through a toll bridge, he hadn’t actually gone through a toll bridge however I suspect that he knows about them because of all stuff on the news about the new toll motorway up north of Auckland. Overall I found learning about social studies very challenging this was because I found it hard to distinguish the difference between other areas of play/learning and social studies this is when I realised that social studies isn’t its own area, it’s more embedded in everyday normal areas of play. Areas of technology were easier to understand however I found finding the links to learning outcomes for children slightly harder. Again technology is something that is incorporated into our everyday programme however this assessment made me more aware of what was really happening for the children. I also from this assessment became more aware of the value of technology in ECE and the positive influence it has on children’s learning and development.   

Reference list

Day, C. (2007). Environment and Children: Passive lessons from the everyday

     environment. Great Britain: Architectural press.  

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2008).Programming

     and planning early childhood settings (4th Ed.).Victoria, Australia: Thompson.

Mindes, G. (2006). Social studies in kindergarten. In D. F. Gullo (Ed.), K today

     teaching and learning in the kindergarten year. (pp.107-115). Washington,

     D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Mindes , G. (2005). Social studies in today’s early childhood curricula. Young

     children. Vol 84 (1), pp. 1-8.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: Early childhood curriculum. He

     whariki mataranga mo nga mokopuna o Aoteroa. Wellington, New Zealand:

     Learning Media.

Seefeldt, C. (2000). Social studies for the preschool/primary school child.  

     (7^th ed). Upper Saddle river, New Jersey: Merrill prentice hall.

Scholl, M. (2005). Social studies in action. Young Children. Vol 62 (4) pp.1-5.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999

Talay-Ongan, A., & Ap, E. A. (Eds.) (2005). Child development and teaching

     young children. Victoria, Australia: Thompson Social Science Press.                                  

Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003).  Examining some common

     about computer use in the early years. Young Children. Vol 58 (1), pp. 1-9.

Entry 4

Food technology in our centre

7^th October 2010

Food technology is a huge part of our programme at my centre. Weather we are making playdough for play or cookies for afternoon tea the children regularly ask to cook and are involved in the process as well as the finished products. Many of the children have became experts in this area of technology, they show their expertise by being able to mix the ingredients, knowing the steps involved in recipes, levelling off dry ingredients, sharing their knowledge with others, and knowing the names for tools (measuring cup, sieve etc). The children will often ask if we can do some cooking, making playdough is their favourite because they get to pick the colours and play with it right away. We also make with help from the children make messy play recipes such as uncooked finger paint, sand cement, and slime.    

Recognised learning: Smorti (1999) explains how technology is an innovative and focused activity intended to incorporate desires and opportunities by developing products. Smorti (1999) also says talks about the learning involved in cooking by stating

  It is a purposeful activity- to produce food. Children

  use their knowledge about processes and problem

  solving (technology), science, reading, mathematics.

  They use: physical skills (e.g. holding bowls and spoons, mixing),

  social and emotional skills, and language (they can describe

  what they are doing and they talk to each other).

  They also use the resources provided (ingredients,

  implements, process cooking cards, and maybe educato

  rs as a sources of information). (p. 6)

Cooking also involves children using their senses for example touch, scent, and taste. Te Whariki also talks about how children must develop an awareness of and delight in discovering smells and tastes which are different. Te Whariki also suggests children should be able to use all their senses which are extended by using different tools and materials (Ministry of Education, 1996). Day (2007) also talks about how cooking allows children to see the transformation of materials and how cooking shows children how nothing is permanently bound by its structure or appearance. Te Whariki also makes reference to similar processes by explaining how children must have opportunities to experience how things can be changed such as from cold to hot or soft to hard. Te Whariki also suggests that children interact with equipment which allows them to do so for example egg beaters and ovens (Ministry of Education, 1996). 

Entry 3

Our computer

14^th September 2010

Recently our centre invested in a computer along which some educational computer games which focus on numbers, colours, and letter recognition. The first time we turned on the computer the children swarmed to it all wanting a turn. We create some rules around using the computer such as waiting for your turn and not touching the screen. We also create a who’s next chart which the children use to know who’s turn it is next. In addition we also invested in egg timer to indicate that the child’s turn was over, this strategy we have found works really well and also decreases the amount of arguments children have about who’s turn it is.  Through observing the children on the computer I have noticed a number of things, the first being the different levels of competence children have when using the computer. Some of the children know how to use the keyboard letters and keys (for example the spacebar) as well as how to move the mouse around the page and how to click on the icons. This shows some of the children have some sort of prior knowledge of how to use the computer and/or have computers at home. Other children need a little more support when using the computer interestingly most of the support comes from their more knowledgeable peers instruction and telling. Another important aspect i have noticed is the children’s engagement in the computer games. The children focus on playing such games for a sustained period of time in which they are completely engrossed in. 

Recognised learning: Tsantis, Bewick, and, Thouvenelle (2003) talks about how children benefit from having early computer awareness and understanding of how computers can be used before they enter school. Tsantis, Bewick, and, Thouvenelle (2003) also suggests computer software based on their educational content can create learning opportunities that do not exist within the centre.  Vygotsky stresses the importance of children learning and developing within their cultural context. Vygotsky suggested children learnt to use the tools of their culture such as computers in order to achieve a higher level cognitive growth and development. Vygotsky also emphasised the social environment in which children are able to learn from for example through interaction with more knowledgeable peers and adults (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, and Framer, 2008; Talay-Ongan and Ap, 2005). For those more experienced children with computers at home they are able to build on what they already know by using the centres computer. Piaget argued that children recreate ideas based on new information therefore forming these new ideas leads to more knowledge being gained (Talay-Ongan and Ap, 2005). Te Whariki also that talks about different situations children are able to learn in by stating “technology: using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognise that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (p.95).

Entry 2

Looking after our babies:

24^th August 2010

N and R love pretending to care for their babies. Today R and N decided that their babies “wanted to swing”. R started swinging his baby on the swing then N came along with her baby and asked R “can my baby have a turn” R replied “after my baby okay” “okay” said N and she took her baby to the chair to wait. Finally Rs baby was finished on the swing so R took his baby to sit on the chair while Ns baby had a turn. R and N decided that their babies were tied “baby needs a sleep” said N so both of them took their babies inside for a sleep. R and N got the mattresses out and found some blankets for their babies. “Baby hasn’t got any jammys” said N so off she went to look for some pyjamas for her baby. After a while N returned with some pyjamas for her baby. N and R began to settle their babies in bed. N and R make pillows and comfy beds for their babies N says “babies beds pretty”. N grabs a plastic bottle and puts it in her baby’s mouth “baby’s having a drink in bed” said N. N passes the bottle to R and says “can you get baby some more drink” “okay” replied R. N again pretends to give her baby a drink then she finds a syringe and puts it in her baby’s mouth and says “baby needs some medicine”. “My baby’s sick” says R so N passes him the syringe so he can give his baby some medicine too.

Recognised Learning: Social studies involve children developing knowledge and understandings of themselves, others, and the community. Young children (3&4 year olds) are able to act-out roles and responsibilities of others such as parents and teachers; this allows children to understand their world and their own place in it. Dramatic play alongside others showed by N and R in this observation allows them to take on such roles and is an extremely symbolic and cognitive activity (Seefeldt, 2000). Te Whariki also talks about how social studies involve children developing an awareness of the physical and social worlds, knowledge of people’s responsibilities and roles as well as knowledge of families and culture (Ministry of Education, 1996).   Mindes (2005) suggests that children develop civic responsibility through exploration of subjects such as clothing, shelter, food, communication, and family living; from this children represent their understandings in ways that are meaningful to them.

Entry 1

3^rd August 2010

Pay your toll

Five boys sat around the blocks, they began to put the blocks together. Each one started placing blocks in a particular area. D said to J "this can be our bridge" holding up an arch wooden block. J replied "okay then we can make it a toll bridge where the cars can go under". Once the other three boys realised what D and J were making they also wanted to play so they grabbed some small cars and moved over to the "toll bridge". One by one the boys moved their cars under the bridge with J at the other end saying "pay your toll before you go pass" and they did. D came with a truck and said "I am the rubbish truck collecting your rubbish J” J replied “ok. You don’t have to pay then”. As their conversation went on their play caught the other children’s attention and many gathered to watch.

Recognised learning: Pre-school social studies topics are hugely related to ideas about the community, self, and family. These ideas include areas such as transport for example how we get around the community. This observation demonstrates these understandings as well as understandings of other social studies concepts such as economics (Mindes, 2005; Seefeldt, 2000). Developing economic concepts involves children understanding that money can be exchanged for services. This also involves children themselves pretending to provide and/or produce services for others (Seefeldt, 2000). For example when J asked the other children to “pay the toll” before they went pass he was exchanging a service which allowed the children to pass if they paid. Te Whariki also talks about how children must develop the ability to explore, generate, and adapt their own theories about the real world alongside others (Ministry of Education, 1996). Community concepts are also explored in experience because the children are talking about the rubbish truck; children often act-out understandings of the world around them in order to gain a sense of knowledge and understanding (Seefeldt, 2000).Another important aspect of social studies expressed by the children in this observation is the way they worked in co-operation with each other. The co-operation shown by the children involved listening to each other, discussing solutions, expressing preferences, collaborating, taking turns, and participating in discussion and activities (Mindes, 2006). Te Whariki also talks about collaboration in social sciences by stating “working together helps children develop confidence in their ability to develop relationships with others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, pg.94).   

People, Places, Things, and Events

Welcome to my blog. This blog will reflect on the significance of people, places, things, and events on the childrens learning and development. These reflections will be based on my observations of children and be focus on the the area of social sicences and technology.