Assessment Item 1: My Learning Story

7771EDN-Professional Experience and Practice ECE1

Semester 1 2014 Online

Introduction
Hello my name is Amanda Wilkinson I have been in the childcare industry for over 11 years and in my time of growing from a trainee
to a director I have come across many situations and experiences that has made me a wiser person and supporter for children and
families.

This learning story will be a written reflection on my development as an early childhood educator and the experience and knowledge
I gained in teaching and fostering my existing knowledge as an early childhood educator. This learning story was created as a
reflection on my learning experiences over the last 9 weeks while working in my daily job as a Kindergarten teacher and my
placement experience in a prep classroom at a private school.

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Observations
Why take observations?
There are many type of Observations that can be gathered to assess a childs
interest or behavior. Taking observations in the early years of childhood allows
educators to help provide children with the foundations of learning and provide
awareness of effective assessment.
John Dewey said, Observation alone is not enough. We have to understand the
significance of what we see, hear, and touch. This significance consists of the
consequences that will result when what is seen is acted upon (1938, p. 68).
Effective assessment requires both knowledge of what children are doing and
insights about meaning. Effective assessment goes beyond educators seeing and
hearing to include deep thinking and making sense of what they observe, then using
what they understand to enrich and extend childrens learning (DEEWR 2009).
I experienced taking many types of observations whilst on placement as a pre service
teacher, this included many forms of observations and learning to actually observe
the classroom, children and teachers.

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Types of observations

Learning stories

Anecdotal

Sociograms

Developmental checklists

Various checklists

ACARA assessment

Behavioral notes

Tools for Observations

Howard Gardner

How will I cater for the different learning

preferences of the students?

Blooms Taxonomy
Australian Curriculum and The Early years learning framework

Body/Kinaesthetic (Body Smart)

Musical/Rhythmic (Music Smart)

Interpersonal (People Smart)

Verbal/Linguistic (Word Smart)

Naturalistic (Natural World Smart)

Logical/Mathematical (Number Smart)

Intrapersonal (Self Smart)

Visual/Spatial (Picture Smart)

The Australian Curriculum shares the EYLFs view that effective

teaching practice (pedagogy) is the key to achieving improved
educational outcomes. The Early Years Learning Framework
focuses on the initial years of a childs learning journey(birth to 5).
The Australian Curriculum is aligned with the Early Years Learning
Framework and builds on its key learning outcomes.

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Blooms Taxonomy was an interesting

and informative concept to learn whilst
on my placement. I was able to refer to
questions within education to the
classification of the different objectives
that teachers set for students. By
knowing the three domains was able me
to focus on all aspects of a child through
a different perspective. Blooms
taxonomy was a goal to motivate
educators to focus on all three domains,
creating a more holistic form of
education.

Reflecting
Dewey (1933) explains that reflective thinking is to apply the name of thought that involves, a state of doubt, hesitation,
perplexity, mental difficulty, in which it originates. He also refers to reflective thinking of an act of searching, hunting, inquiring, to
find material that will resolve doubt, settle and dispose of perplexity.
Week 1 in my dairy entries reflects on the beginning of my journey as I began to learn about what requirements were needed for
my placement to start in a few weeks. This was a very hard week as my work requirements were very demanding which made
in difficult to concentrate on the big picture that I was going to be a pre service teacher at a school. Once getting organising I
learnt how to reflect on my weekly encounters and the emotional feelings that I felt during the process of this learning story. I
learnt how to reflect my findings through using the 5rs . By showing reflections on a daily basis was gave me a way to reflect on
my teaching practices and how my future teaching strategies will benefit.
It is a very important factor in reflecting our practices as a teacher as it continually receives attention from both the curriculum
and research in how we teach.

Planning
There is so many different planning and templates that you can choose from and I felt like I was
thrown in the deep end with spontaneous planning on the day or the night before in my early
weeks of beginning there. I felt confident in planning but placing it on paper was a different story. I
used planning sheets from the Griffith online study materials and also googled some as well. I
was also supported by another teacher at the school who gave me some template. I am still
exploring this factor.

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Date/s: 24th- 28th March

Task/s Undertaken:
Observing classroom as a pre-service teacher.
Findings & Outcomes from discussions, observations, and other activities (Report)

Room was well organised with lots of resources and artwork from children
Teachers were inviting and communication was good and friendly
Children were very exceptive of my presence and asked lots of questions
Parents were very friendly and loved my poster in front of the window
Supervising teacher explain routine and where things were
Supervising teacher gave me a roster and routine of the week
Observing teacher and childrens behaviours were interesting to watch as I was watching from the other side which is different on what I am used to.
Preparing an activity on the first week

Reflection (Respond/Relate/Reason)
On observing the room throughout the week, I was able to relate to my own teaching practices that I place in practice now. I was able to build trusting relationships with children in the
short amount of time were children were able to approach me if needed if they needed assistance. I was then able to observe certain behaviours and children to assist with my
observations and ask for parent permission if needed and to check with supervising teacher. Children that I picked were 5 children who have particular behaviours and social
behaviours that I felt needed to be observed. The supervising teacher agreed with my choices being reassuring in the children that I have chosen.
Activity that I did a lesson plan on the story and letter of the week was approved by supervising teacher and was placed in lesson for the day.

Reflection (Reconstruct)
Reflecting on my first week I have noticed how a classroom works and the routine on which my classroom and students work in. I am now built relationships with children that now I
feel confident enough to observe confidently and assisting the supervising teacher with the daily routine and discussions on lessons and planning. Doing up an activity on my first week
was a bit daunting and scary but felt proud of the achievement and children enjoyed the activity. More planning needs to be involved next time as I felt rushed and nervous.
Discussions with supervising teacher after the activity were positive.

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Class room management and behaviors

To provide an engaging environment for children teachers need to reflect on the following settings to get the full involvement with the
child. By providing a consistent curriculum with goals and the students needs to select appropriate tasks. A teacher needs to diagnose
children's needs and understandings. By providing feedback and to support children's progress and note behaviours that contribute to
children's success.
By helping to scaffold childrens strengths and weaknesses, teachers must provide an environment to enhance these opportunities.
These environments help support for a successful classroom which helps with children who have difficulty settling into the new class
surroundings. In an early childhood setting we refer to Being, Becoming, Belonging and follow the Early Years Learning Framework in
providing that safe and secure environment.
The Australian curriculum links with these frameworks but I found that in my reflective notes that teachers are very black and white with
children that are disturbing the class or misbehaving, This was quiet different from coming from an early childhood setting as we have to
positively guide children's behaviours in a redirecting way we are trying to not discriminate against the other children. In a class room
setting evaluating a behaviour is difficult of the subjective nature of identifying a typical child behaviour versus a problem behaviour.
Whether a behaviour is identified as a problem depends on the degree of tolerance as well as the actual behaviour (Book & Skeen /
1987), a problem for one teacher may be minor problem by a different teacher.

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Key learning concepts

7771EDN
ACTION PLAN

Key Concepts
Identity

Goals

Proposed Actions
Positive phrases and redirection

Connection

Nature student wellbeing by encouraging

right decisions
Recognize rights of others

Well Being

Recognize and regulate emotions

Creating a social learning environment

Learning

Learn to generate and evaluate, Knowledge, MAS

possibilities, and ideas
Elimination draw
Develop skills and communicate confidently Handwriting skills
Show and tell

Communication

Social Play

In broad terms the Australian Curriculum sets out what will be taught, what students need to
learn and the expected quality of that learning. Both documents emphasise the necessity of a
broad array of teaching strategies if students are to fully engage with their
Learning ( Acara, 2014).

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Personal Reflection
In the early years of a child developing their foundation skills, supporting these skills is the most important role an early childhood
educator could have. Whilst on placement I was able to see the changes within the schooling system from pre prep to prep and the
emotional and academic abilities children had to abstain to be satisfactory in the Australian curriculum. The kindergarten Guidelines
which are linked to the early years learning framework corresponded to the Australian Curriculum but in my experience as a pre
service teacher I found that the kindergarten guidelines are not able to meet the strong requirements the Australian curriculum
holds.
I also learnt to grow as a pre service teacher as I reflected my learning experience and learnt about how a school runs and
functions behind the scenes and the hard work and dedication teachers have to put in and the requirements they need to achieve
for students.
It was a big change from going from a kindergarten room to a private school setting and it was very difficult to establish my feet as it
felt so different then whet I was used too.
I am excited for the new journeys I will undertaking and reflecting on what I have all ready have learnt I have felt that I have grown
already, I still feel I have a lot to learn and I think that my personal reflections and resources will be able to assist in achieving my
end goal.

Amanda Wilkinson s2820947 7771EDN

References

Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., & Bloom, B. S. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of
Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Allyn & Bacon.

Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2009). Belonging, being and
becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved 20 th May 2014, from
http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Policy_Agenda/Quality/Documents/A09-057%20EYLF%20Framework%20Report
%20WEB.pdf.

Book, R. M. and Skeen, J. A. (1987), Behavioural observations of disruptive behaviours with referred and no referred elementary
school students. Psychol. Schs.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educational process. Lexington, MA:
Heath.

Retrieved 20th May 2014, from http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-5/optimize.htm4

Retrieved 17th May 2014, from http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/curriculum.html

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Appendices
Week 1
My first week on keeping reflections and dairy entries feels
weird as I am writing and reflecting on the week. This week I
am reflecting on my time at work here were I am a
Kindergarten Teacher in a long day care service. This week
involves behaviour management strategies and meeting with
a local organisation for social emotional behavioural
management for a few children in my class.
This week was difficult as I was trying to organise my
placement, get an idea on what requirements for this
semester of uni and trying to organise my room and assist
with an open day at my centre were we are raising money for
a family in our centre that has cancer. A lot of work was
involved as I was the main organiser who rallied local
communities together to as much money as possible. The
mother to this family is also a friend of mine who I went to
school with and her story touches many people and brings it
close to home as we would never wish for anything to
happen to anyone in our own family. As I was in and out of
my room for most of the week organising this event, I noticed
the change of behaviours and routine within my kindergarten
room.
The charity event is this weekend and we have a lot of
families and local organisations coming to support us so
hopefully the event goes well. I have also organised for our
centre to do the worlds greatest have the week after as staff
and families are shaving their heads to raise more money.
Fingers crossed all goes well!

Amanda Wilkinson s2820947 7771EDN

Week 2
Charity event went well with lots of money raised
with a fantastic turnout with local communities and
even the local mayor coming down to open the
event. Again I was in and out of my room so it was
very hard to reflect on my practices but I am still
taking observations and programming on extending
childrens learnings from play base activities.
Shave for a cure went very well as lots of family
showed up with raffles and donations handed to
the family as well as half the money we raised
going to the family and half going to the world
greatest shave.
Not a lot to reflect this week only that it was
stressful and hard and have to catch up on Uni
work already and get prepared for my first week of
Placement and to organise my room for the rest of
the week coming.

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Week 3
Wow, what an interesting week. First time at a school, (besides my own childrens school) and what a big jump from the
Kindergarten program to achieving the standards of the Australian Curriculum. I took a lot of time interacting with children and
making the feel comfortable with my presence on being in their classroom. I think this went well and it took a while for the name
Mrs Wilkinson to kick in but I loved it. So much to take in and reflect on .. I think that the structure of the room and the
resources that the school has were fantastic. Sitting in my first Music class and observing I took so much in and can take so
much with me. I feel that I have a lot to still know and cannot wait to learn more.
The first morning I started off observing like a hawk and tried to get as much in as I could. The Morning for the Preps started at
8:30am, Supervising teacher meeting children outside as we sung Good Morning Supervising Teacher introduced me to the
class and I swung back. Supervising teacher they told the children about the number of the day and talked about some of the
activities planned for the day. The number of the week was the number 7. Supervising Teacher had set up an obstacle course
for children to do and this was called Learning Connections. There were 7 activities set up for children to do. After every activity
supervising teacher would clap her hands in a rhythm for children to stop and clap back. I thought it was a great idea as children
responded well to this. The day went on as we went inside for fruit break, and then sat on the mat to discuss the letter of the
week.
Children had a responsibility this week to look after a plane and to achieve as many stamps as possible on their plane
throughout the week.
Throughout the day as children returning on and off the mat teacher reminded children about their bodies and whole body
listening. The supervising teacher was engaged in all children questions and responded well to any behavioural issues. I noticed
that supervising teacher only did short mat times and using different tones in her voice to engage children when needed. I also
took notice on the support and hard work the teacher aides have to work and for them to be organised with any activities on the
lesson plan sheet for the week. Teacher aides had to also check and write in diary books on a daily basis and also assist with
activities and observations. A lot more than what I thought a teachers aide would do.
Interactive smart board was used at meal times to settle children with educational shows on the focus of the week.
Observing the classroom and children I picked out 5 children to observe, I then ran this past the supervising teacher and the
process that I would go through. My supervising teacher said that no permission is needed and if I take photos it would not go
on social media and only for study purposes. I assured her that this would be the case and I would only photograph the
activities and not the childrens faces. She was very pleases with this. The children I had picked she was also pleased with
saying that I nailed the children behaviours and personalities on the head. This made me feel very proud of myself and the
week that I had. I also ran a group with rotation activities and had to come up with an idea from the Pinkalicious Book for P
Week.

Lesson Plan:
Lesson Plan: Collaging Cupcakes from the
story Pinkalicious
Date: March
Class: Prep L
Time: 12.30-1.00
Curriculum Area: Language Development and
Health and Physical learning fine motor
Relationship to current Unit: This weeks
letter of the Week p
Aim:
To enhance the children understands of making
meanings in contexts,
For children to use language systems
Children to manipulate materials using fine
motor and creativity skills.
Objectives:
During the lesson children will:
-Work in small groups to achieve a task given
-Use fine Motor skills to manipulate small pieces
of crepe paper to make small balls using thumb
and index finger
- Apply their knowledge of the story read of
Pinkalicious and apply this to a task
-For children to use imagination and creativity
skills
Resources:
Large cupcakes of pink and purple cardboard cut
outs, pieces of crepe paper, and glue
Activity:
Ask the children to retell the story of
Pinkalicious and ask them to recall what
happens. Explain the activity and place the task
on group Table. Show an example and instruct

Week 4
Today I took some observations on the children that I had picked out from observing them through my first week at school. It was
hard as Tuesdays at the school are full of extra curriculum activities and children having their swimming carnival for half the day, I
was lucky that I got half the observations in the previous week. I also found it difficult going back to my kindergarten room and the
fear for my Kindergarten children going to prep next year and the work load that these poor little children are going to have. This
made me reflect on my own practices and the kindergarten guidelines and trying to find the medium to support play base learning
and incorporate school readiness. This is a work in program but I am determined to make my kindergarten program the best for the
children and their needs. I stayed behind today as my supervising teacher allowed me to go through her own teaching resources
and to photocopying any that I felt relevant to my teaching practices. She had a lot of resources and felt a bit unaccomplished as I
did not have hardly any resources; this made me excited as I was now preparing for my own resources. I also began to do my
resource folders for Uni. I also found and read about Blooms Taxonomy and I am going to try to incorporate into my observations
and lesson plans when I begin to create some.
Whilst observing I still find I am observing like I do at kindergarten and recording in that way and referring to early years framework
and tools. In am also trying to use Howard Gardners multiple intelligences to understand the students personality. I have also
begun reading the Australian curriculum.. wow it is big!
I am finding it hard to reflect in my diary entries as the work load from work, Prac and family life has begun to take its toll, late night
and a very distracted and tired Amanda.

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Week 5

Week 6 and 7
After trying to catch up on Uni through
the weekend I have reflected on the
Class room and class room
management. We did not have any
placement this week so I started to
reflect on my own reflection on how I do
things, my set up of the room and my
curriculum that I provide. Still trying to
read the Australian curriculum foundation
years and catch up on observations as I
had taken lots of notes.

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This week is the same as I did much catch up and reflections

on my own practice and getting the curriculum to a standard
that meets both school readiness and the Kindergarten
guidelines, I also involved parents and asked them for goals for
their children and what they would like to receive out of the
curriculum. I had lots of positive responses which helped me
create a better curriculum that I put in place this week which
involved rotation groups. This worked so well with positive
behaviours and lots of parent comments about the new
curriculum that I had created. Trying to catch up on my own
work load within my centre my reflections and practices
become more in depth as I began using the 5rs in my practice.
I also kept in contact with my supervising teacher on the plans
for when I return for my next lead in days. She had emailed me
some plans and asked if I could come up with an idea for
rotation groups, a fine motor activity to connect with their focus
on A Rhyme any old time. She also suggested for me to look
over the Australian Curriculum and the staff handbook over the
holiday break which I had already started. I began reading and
discovering the expectations for prep children. I then was also
busy trying to think of a rotation group to teach the prep class
about a rhyming book. I also looked back on the first week of
observations on the classroom surroundings and the behaviour
management used within the classroom to help me decide on
an appropriate activity. I came up with the idea of Green Eggs
and Ham and googled some activities. I then discovered that
the internet has a lot of support with some lessons plans on
different themes and books.
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Week 8
So today another lead in day and felt unaccomplished as my activity and lesson plan I had created was not that
appropriate to what the focus was as the focus was nursery rhymes were I interrupted as rhyming words. I still continued
with my activity as the teacher insisted but felt embarrasses and silly. We watched Green eggs and ham on the
interactive smart board and I explained the 2 activities I had created for the groups.
The first activity was a plate with Sam hold Knife and Fork. Children had to create food made out of green play dough
and place it on the place. The second activity was cutting, colouring and pasting green eggs and ham on to a paper
plate. This was a great learning experience and can reflect on this process. I did find that trying to plan activities whilst on
lead in days in extremely difficult and I need to be a bit more careful on activity choices as the concept of cutting and
using fine motor skills were there. Supervising teacher asked for me to again plan for the rotation groups as she still said
what I planned was fantastic and the children enjoyed it. Planning more and more but more spontaneous planning.
Supervising teacher will give me things on the spot to plan for or the day before so its a little stressful, and I am still trying
to get to know the planning side of it. Again lots of reading and preparing feeling the stress and pressure now. Feeling
unwell .Working full time plus my 3 children feeling exhausted!!

Week 9
Another week and I am feeling very stressed with no energy but determined to succeed in this weeks
learning and reflecting. The week started with a 10hr day at work followed by sick children. I had organised
my materials for my rotation groups the week before which was lucky. Another Lead in day but I came to
school earlier to prepare and help for the day. I start off with helping to organise the room and setting up
activities. I then look over the lesson plan for the week and ask any questions if needed. I also had a visit
from the university liaison today, I asked if she was able to come back and explain the process that I have to
go through and what the university wants. She agreed to come back and help as she understands the stress
I was going through. After I returned from the office I assisted with group time and organising for rotation
groups. I then assisted with supervising outside, again the teachers aides do a lot of work in preparing and
communicating and supervising with students. My activity that I prepared for nursery rhymes was creating
flowers with using cutting skills to create a flower and using tweezers to place seeds in the middle of a doily
for the inside of the flower and to create a pattern with the seeds. The next activity I had made out of egg
cartons I made flowers that stuck on the outside of the carton with numbers on it. The task was to place the
seeds in Marys garden placing the right amount of seeds with the corresponding number. Both activities
went well and learning concepts were achieved. Teachers were very impressed with this and ask next week if
I could take over some activities next week. Feeling the pressure again this week as I leave my kindergarten
room children with an educator not knowing the curriculum or children so having to work double time to get
my room prepared so it is organised for the next month.

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Activities I have prepared for the children

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Activities I have prepared for the children

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Activities I have prepared for the children

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