EARLY YEARSPHILOSOPHY/CHARTER

PRAYERHeavenly Father

Fill us with your spirit and courageSo that we might bring our talents and

gifts to this important work.

Open our minds to the task at hand.Open our ears to each other.Open our hearts to your will.

We make this prayer in your name.Amen

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

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OUTLINE OF THE SESSION

What is a charter/philosophy? Why do we need one?

How is it beneficial to our school? How long will it take? Who is involved in writing it?

Finding common ground The research Where do we start?

Who are we writing it for? What is involved? What do we include? Four key focus areas Some examples

DEFINITIONS:

A charter is A document developed in a group setting that

clarifies team direction while establishing boundaries

A philosophy Informs educators practice and guides the work

educators do with families. It underpins everything we do as educators. It shows how we think about children and how we think about ourselves as educators (QA 7: Standard 7.2)

WHY DO WE NEED A PHILOSOPHY/CHARTER?

So all stakeholders (e.g. principals, teachers, TA’s) are aware of each other’s beliefs and can come to some understanding of other’s views (EYLF p.11)

To enable education within the ECEC team as well as educating others e.g. parents, administration staff

It will serve as a common philosophy across the early years (Pre-K to yr2) for all current and future team members enabling them to identify the direction for the whole team based on research

To enable all staff to recognise and understand the impact the theories they follow have on their every day teaching style e.g. Bronfenbrenner; Vygotsky

Practices, priorities, policies and procedures link back to this common philosophy within the charter

It fulfils a number of NQS requirements and becomes part of your QIP (e.g. Element 7.2.1: to guide all aspects of the teaching and learning)

BENEFITS TO THE SCHOOL

Continuity between year levels and classes becomes clearer for all stakeholders (teachers, children & parents) and is made more transparent

It can be used to inform parents of the importance of early years pedagogy and practice

It promotes a more collaborative approach to teaching rather than working in isolation (QA1)

Consistency across the early years contributes to children’s sense security (QA5)

Enables teachers to work towards quality in the NQS (e.g. element 1.1.3; 5.1.3) and writing a QIP

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO WE NEED TO USE?

Mandate Section 9: Harmony with God, themselves, each other and creation; Section 19: A good school: growth of the whole person; students

are capable of free choice; Section 36: A spirit of family; Section 66: Curriculum is centred on the student: individual needs,

integrated personal development that relates to real life situations; Section 70: using an integrated approach – faith, life and culture; DIOCESAN FUNCTIONS: 1.22 – Ensure curricula are consistent with

requirements of state education authorities

Catholic Education Commission of WA Early Years Position Statement (2009)

EYLF/NQS/AC

ECE theorists

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

This is a long term plan that will take time to develop as it needs time for discussion, thought and agreement

Change takes time See this as a working document that needs

to be read and updated regularly It could take 1-2 years depending on what

point you are already at Do you already have a charter/philosophy? Who wrote

it? Do other people need to be consulted and their views added? Does it need reviewing?

We don’t have one at all so where do we start?

WHO IS INVOLVED

All staff from Pre-K to Year 2 : including TA’s Including OHSC or a childcare service if you

have them attached to your school (how would they be included)

Principal/admin team

Qualifications Audit…This will help you find some common ground

FINDING COMMON GROUND

To achieve quality in the NQS staff from Pre-K to yr.2 need to be working with a common philosophy.

Staff need to identify and discuss: What is quality? What is ‘play’ and how does it differ in each year level? What is likely to happen if the team is not in sync with one

another concerning quality, pedagogy and/or play? What if some people’s idea of quality was spending time

cleaning and tidying as opposed to staff spending time interacting with children? How do we go about discussing this?

How do we achieve shared ownership? How do we value and respect the different points of view

of families e.g. child rearing practices?

This diagram shows the importance of how theories and current research will influence

practice and philosophy Also showing the need to constantly update our

ideas with new research e.g. neuroscience; nurturing relationships

Theoretical perspectivesNew research

Our own beliefs

Principles of the EYLFNQS

Your philosophy statement

“The EYLF outlines best practice and reflects contemporary early childhood research and theory…”

“The EYLF encourages everyone who worked with young children to see themselves as pedagogical leaders.”

(The Educators Guide to the EYLF p 6)

WHICH DOCUMENT WILL HELP THIS PROCESS?

All practitioners need a good understanding of the EYLF.

The EYLF

However most practitioners jump straight into the outcomes without looking at the pedagogy, principles and practice

PLEASE NOTE: The EYLF is aligned with the NQS

A QUESTION OF PEDAGOGY?

So what is Pedagogy? What is yours? Which theorist influences you most?

Pedagogy: involves professional judgements; creativity,

intuition and imagination.

incorporates different learning theories.

is an early childhood educator’s professional practice, especially those aspects that involve building and nurturing relationships, curriculum decision making, teaching and learning.

A QUESTION OF PEDAGOGY? EYLF

ECE TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO USE THE PEDAGOGY, PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF THE

EYLF •Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships

•Partnerships

•High expectations and equity

•Respect for diversity

•Ongoing learning and reflective practice

•Use a holistic approach (all aspects of children’s wellbeing)

•Ensure responsiveness to children

•Learning through play

•Intentional teaching

•Learning environments

•Cultural competence

•Continuity of learning and transitions

•Assessment for learning

A QUESTION OF PEDAGOGY? AC

The Australian Curriculum stresses: Foundation to year 2 Scope is clear that “children

construct and review their learning through interactions with others, experimentation, scaffolding, explicit teaching, practice and play”

(The Shape of the Australian Curriculum (p.11)

Remember: Teachers can choose how to introduce concepts

and processes A discipline based curriculum should allow for

cross-disciplinary learning “The Australian Curriculum is aligned with the

EYLF and builds on its key outcomes”

RESEARCH SUGGESTS

Involvement and wellbeing have been cited as two of the most important and reliable indicators of quality for educational settings and processes essential for child’s learning (Laevers, 1999; Raspa, McWilliam, Ridley & Ridley, 2001) Pascal, 1999; Rogers, 1983; Vygotsky, 1978)

Wellbeing is a prerequisite for involvement (Laevers, 2000) and for successful social functioning (Mayr & Ulich, 1999)

This focus on children’s wellbeing and involvement places the onus for the outcomes for children on the adults, making a judgement about the context, rather than the child.

Reflect, Respect, Relate (observation scales, 2008, Dept. of SA)

WHERE DO WE START?Suggestions: Look at your current statement of philosophy

Does it reflect what is actually happening? Is it used to guide everyday practice? Are their links to the EYLF/NQS/AC? Is it clear?

Discuss which theorists influence practice Review developmental theories: strengths, cautions and beliefs Read and discuss questions on handout 4

Review the pedagogy, principles and practices of the EYLF (RIPL pack) and understand its relationship to the AC

Self assess: Where do I sit in my practice? Do I practice what I preach? Linking theoretical perspectives

Use reflective practice for improvement Use your NQS self assessments

KEY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

When you enter an ECE classroom – what do you expect the children to be doing? Teachers’? TA’s?

Is there a difference in your expectation in Pre-K to PP to Year 1 & 2?

How would the children be learning? What does the EYLF/NQS/AC say? What strengths do you see? What weaknesses do you see? What do you NOT want to see?

Who are you writing this document for? Audience …Teachers? Parents?

FOUR KEY AREAS TO FOCUS ON Curriculum

What is mandated for each year level? NQS, EYLF, AC, AC – general capabilities, and new WA curriculum

Pedagogy What does it look like? What would you see? What would the environment look like? Should it be different in Year 1&2? How different? Parent education?

Assessment –Formative/Summative: What can you do? How do you do it? How do you know what each child has achieved?

School organisation – What is your school focus? How can principals’ support their staff? e.g. Timetabling;

Time to write the philosophy /charter; TA/EA support

ASSESS THE FOUR KEY AREAS AS A TEAM

1. What are we doing well? How do we do this?2. What issues arose? What are the major

areas that need work? e.g. parents, playground

3. Categorise these under the four key areas4. Diagnose which is the weakest area5. Identify the biggest need from a whole

school perspective6. Clearly identify what play looks like in each

ECE classroom: Pre-k/K/PP/Yr1/Yr27. Decide which area to focus on first – start

with the positive

EXAMPLES:

Positives What you will and wont see Some make links to the school vision Most list the EYLF principals/some list the

practices Discuss general programming practices K-2 Some list the curriculum requirements Play

based learning definitions – problem solving, based on research

Expectations of ECEC staff ECEC pedagogy Defining roles: what is an educator? What can families do to help in each EYLF

outcome area

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Currently most charters/philosophies are written only by the Kindy staff.

Does this document need administration or policy item e.g. medication; homework policy

Why Diana Rigg checklists? How are they used?

Does it need some collaboration with parents? As just ‘being on roster’ may not be collaborative

See NQS QA6 Many state outcomes that are limiting e.g.

1:1 to 10, rote counting to 20, writing numbers to 9

SUGGESTIONS:

Don’t reinvent the wheel! Types of assessment – formative/summative Literacy and oral language development –

what will it look like? Make explicit links. List References and further readings EYLF/NQS/AC/AC-GC – could be an

appendices Make outcomes open-ended: rather than

limiting – 1:1 counting, patterning, writing numbers

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