LEARNING ABOUT MY LEARNING

Visual Learner

Creativity

Thinking outside the box

I am a visual spatial learner I like to use creative ways to teach Children think differently and if you follow their

interests we can work out problems

Professional Development

Professionalism works when we work together to achieve our goals Critically reflect

Ministry of Education (2011)

EDUCATIONAL THEORIES Bronfenbrenner

Starts with the child The environment affects how the child

will learn I am part of that environment that will

determine what influences that child and the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whariki is based on this theory (Ministry of Education, 1996)

The video shows how each environment affects how the child learns

Vygotsky

Vygotsky’s Theory of Zone of Proximal Development shows how the child learns from the environment and is pushed beyond their current knowledge.

There will be stages when the child needs support to further their thinking, this can be achieved through my teaching or other peers

Scaffolding is evident when someone that has more knowledge such as teacher or another child can support the child to move to the next level; this facilitates shared learning

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

EDUCATIONAL THINKERS Montessori had the desire for children to be independent leaders

(Feez, 2010) Brownlee (1991, 2010) revealed teachers can work alongside

children rather than do for children, she also saw how culture was important to a child’s learning

Bredekamp (2011) has contributed a lot of study to the early childhood profession

Each of these educational thinkers have brought to me a new dimension of thinking when teaching young children

HOW BRAIN INFLUENCESDEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING

Harvard University (n.d.) supports how infants need a healthy lifestyle with little stress, healthy diet, and a caring and safe environment for brain development

Baby’s brain starts developing before they are born but the greatest development starts after when the neurons starts to make connections (Elliot, 1999)

Research shows that infants need social and emotional attention from family and caregivers for the brain to develop (Tsiaras, 2010; Bredekamp, 2011)

HOW I PLAN TO USE WHAT I LEARNED

I want to be a motived beginner teacher with a passion for children to gain a curiosity of learning through self-understanding, self-esteem, and self-reliance by following their interests. This will enable them to become effective learners, and enjoy respectful and productive relationships with their peers, other teachers, and others in their lives. At the core of my teaching philosophy I want to expose children to experiences where they can question and test their understanding of information, ideas, and concepts on existing capabilities and extending on new capabilities. I support three key practice principles which are collaboration with family, teacher and children; respective and responsive relationships to integrate teaching and learning approaches; reflective practice. I am also committed to proactively manage relationships with tamariki, whānau, and the wider community. I would hope to become a trusted and useful colleague to other teachers and support staff. Language is part of a child’s identity and I am passionate that children can utilise their culture in their learning. Each of us learn on what is our identity.

MY PHILOSOPHY

Referencesbcb724, 2012. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BX2ynEqLL4 [Accessed 11 May 2015].Bredekamp, S., 2011. Effective practices in early childhood education: Building a foundation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc..Brownlee, P., 1991. Magic places: The adults guide to young children's creative art work. Christchurch: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.Brownlee, P., 2010. Dance with me in the heart: The adults' guide to great infant-parent partnerships. New Lynn, New Zealand: Playcentre.Brownlee, P., 2012. Possums or possibilities: Pondering children, culture, and cultural imports. The First Years: Nga Tau Tuatahi, New Zealand Journal, 14(1), pp. 24-27.cyberapprenstissage, 2012. The socioculutral approach: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Approach. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emm63kn0F28 [Accessed 10 May 2015].Elliot, L., 1999. What's going on in there? How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life. New York: Bantom.Feez, S., 2010. Montessori and early childhood. London, England: Sage.Harvard University, n.d. Centre on the developing child. [Online] Available at: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/resources/multimedia/videos/inbrief_series/inbrief__the_foundations_of_lifelong_health/ [Accessed 10 May 2015].Ministry of Education, 1996. Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.Minsitry of Education, 2007. Effective pedagogy. [Online] Available at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Effective-pedagogy [Accessed 10 May 2015].Mooney, C., 2000. Theories of childhood: An introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.