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1. How do early childhood professionals foster creative development and aesthetic awareness in children?
2. How can creative experiences stimulate children’s curiosity and learning?
3. What are the characteristics of high quality learning environments?
4. Many early childhood professionals believe that children should be given the opportunity to throw their creations away at the end of the experience. What do you think of this statement and how does it relate to the value of creative experience?
5. How do we scaffold children’s creative experiences?
6. How does dramatic play enhance children’s social development?
7. What does an inviting space look like to a child?
8. Many early childhood professionals avoid the use of printed materials ( e.g. stencils). Why?
9. What is the role of the adult in the environment?
Scenario 1
If a set of blocks are placed on a mat which has clear boundaries, most children will maintain the block play within the confines of the mat.
Why does this happen?
How can you use this information when setting up play areas for groups of children?
Scenario 2
Holly has bought some glass ball paperweights for the Centre. They are clear and inside each one is a different a
ay of colour and design. Holly has decided to display these in the toddler room and use them for sensory play.
How will these balls enhance the toddler’s aesthetic appreciation?
What will they learn when handling them?
How will Holly scaffold their experience?
Scenario 3
Dramatic play helps children to make sense of their world.
Discuss this statement in relation to the play environments that you establish in your preschool room.
How can you enhance this play?
Scenario 4
The children at Crooked Corner Early learning Centre have been playing with a large tent in the outdoor area. It began as a camping experience for the preschool children and they built imaginary fires, slept in sleeping bags and explored what it was like to camp out doors. Yesterday the play in the tent changed as one of the boys set up a table and
ought in some plastic animals who performed for the other children. The staffs have evaluated the observations from the day before and have decided to modify the play in the tent.
What could they do?
How will this extend the play?
What opportunities do the changes allow?
How should the children be involved in the changes?
Scenario 5
Gumala childcare centre is in a small rural town. The centre’s major fundraiser each year is an art show. The night is a formal affair with snacks and a glass of wine. The majority of the small community attend. Art work is displayed and available for purchase. A number of large group produced works are auctioned at the end of the evening. The unique thing about this art show is the artist are the children who attend the child care centre and range in age from 18 months to 5 years.
How would this event impact on the Centre’s aesthetic and creative development program?
Task 1
1) The environment can play a very important role in the achievements of children. There has historically been conversation relating to a child learning to talk in a “ language rich” environment.
a) What is a “ language rich” environment?
) Discuss what impact you believe the environment has on children’s development
2) Create a portfolio by choosing one of the following age groups:
· Infants, toddlers
· Pre-schoolers
· School age children.
You need to include in your portfolio for your age group:
· Two story books, at least one of which support cultural diversity. (Name, author and description. You may like to photocopy the front and back of the books)
· Two poems or rhymes, atleast one of which enhances concept development.
· Three fairy tales reflecting different cultures.
· Using one of your chosen fairytales plan and implement one experience, Your experience needs to be based on the senses smell and touch and should enrich dramatic experience. Give a
ief account of your experience, implementation and evaluation.
Make sure that you note all details of your resources.
Task 2
Plan a series of three visual arts activities that are linked and that you feel would be appropriate for a group of 3-5 years olds.
Use the planning sheets attached
Once you have planned the activities you will need to implement them and answer the following questions:
1. Explain how your activities are linked.
2. How has your experience supported creative development?
3. Did any of the children participating in the play area experience frustration? How did you help them deal with this?
4. Describe how the experience created opportunities for children to develop and practice a wide range of skills as well as developing independence and autonomy.
5. Write a
ief evaluation of your experiences centres. What worked? What didn’t?
6. Describe two ways in which you could improve this experience for next time.
7. You must provide photos of the implementation of all three activities.
Play area type:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planned by:--------------------------- XXXXXXXXXXDate:----------------- XXXXXXXXXXTime:------------------
Age of child:----- XXXXXXXXXXLocation---------------------------: ---------------------------------------------------
Safety considerations:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
Description
Caregiver Instructions / interactions
2.
1. What does “ duty of care” mean? Give an example of how you fulfil your duty of care responsibilities.
2. Explain what you understand the National quality Framework to be, and its purpose.
3. Outline the steps you would take if your suspected a child in your service was being abused. Include in your answer: Where/ who would you seek guidance from in this instance?
4. How does your service / centre protect the confidentiality of the children and families it cares for?
5. What is ethical behaviour? Describe an ethical dilemma you may face in the role of child care assistant. What would your actions be in response to this dilemma?
6. What procedure would be followed if a parent wished to make a complaint?
7. List 3 Advocacy Services ( support services) you could refer parent to.
Scenario 1
Your room, leader often leaves you alone in the room with the children. There are more than twenty preschool aged children in the room.
Why is this appropriate?
Does this action
each any regulations, service/ centre policies or procedures – if so which ones?
Who would you talk to about this issue?
Scenario 2
Three year old Sebastion wear nappies and has had a fright on a change table outside your service. His mother Miran has told you that Sebastian is very afraid of change tables and screams when required to use one. Miran would rather you use another area as hopes to toilet train Sebastion soon and wants to build a more positive environment around toileting.
How will you change Sebastion’s nappies and still observe hygiene regulations, WHS requirements and high quality care requirements?
How does the method support Sebastion’s emotional development?
How does the method meet the needs of the parent?
Scenario 3
When supervising the toddlers’ sleep time you forgot to check Sarah’s record. The result is that Sarah has slept for two hours. Sarah’s parents have requested that she not be allowed to sleep longer than one hour while at the centre.
What will you do?
What should Sarah’s parents be told?
How could you ensure this does not happen again?
Scenario 4
A staff member is sick and you have been asked to help in a room you do not usually work in. It is time for lunch and then the children will transition to sleep. It is important that the children’s routine is familiar to them and all appropriate occur.
How do you determine what procedures should occur?
How would you ensure procedure happen in accordance with the Centre/ Room’s routine?
Who could you ask for support/ advice?
Scenario 5
Javier’s father Raul has asked to look at another child’s portfolio. Raul would like to compare Javier’s progress with another child of the same age. Raul would like to see if other children draw as well as Javier can at this age.
What do you do?
What do you say to Raul?
How could you provide Raul with relevant information?
Task 1
Consider this case study and answer the questions that follow.
You are an unqualified staff member in a child care centre. When Evan ( 4 yrs) and Rebecca (2 yrs) first came to your centre a year ago their parents were both very involved with their children and both signed the enrolment form. Since then, the parents have separated. They care very much for the children and have drawn up a formal parenting plan which list both parents as eligible carers.
One day the mother confides in you that she is in a new relationship. Her new partner cares about her and the children and wants them to become a stable family unit. She asks you don’t allow children’s father to pick them up from care, but to only let the children go with her or the new partner. She explains that she feels that this is in the best interest of the children as it will prevent them from being confused about their new family situation and will help them adjust to the recent changes in their lives.
Rebecca has not obviously reacted to the situation with the new partner but Evan’s behaviour indicates he is extremely distressed. His mother says that he is having bad dreams and wakes up crying and calling for daddy. He avoid contact with the new partner and clings to the mother at home. At day care he is displaying aggressive behaviour with other children. He pushes the other children, yells and occasionally bites them. He has also reverted to tantrums when angry or frustrated, throwing himself to the floor or ground while crying and kicking.
Rebecca and Evan’s father continues to buy expensive toys for his children because he wants them to know that he loves them even though he can’t see them every day. Evan insists on
inging lots of these toys to the centre. He uses them to gather friends around him, to exclude some children and to have the other children competing for a chance to become his friend and get to play with toys. His mother wants this practice to continue, as she believes having toys with him makes Evan feel secure.
You are really concerned about this situation which is becoming increasingly difficult to mange. You are not sure what to do because you have limited experience as a worker and have only just started studying your Diploma.
One of the workers at your centre is friends with this mother outside of work. The other workers are not aware of the situation and can’t work out why Evan’s behaviour has changed. They are becoming increasingly frustrated and angry with him. You are unsure of whether to share the information the mother has told you. You want to respect confidentiality, but you also feel that you need to talk to someone about the situation. You want to be fair to the children, your c0- workers and the parents.
1. Provide a short statement outlining what a