Early Years Learning Framework / Principle 5
Ongoing learning and reflective practice.
Curriculum evaluation and reflection
There are 3 steps to evaluate. These are:
1. Adding up the symbols
2. Quick Daily Evaluation
3. Question boxes and extension ideas
Curriculum input for the weekSymbols / Total symbols / Percent
! / Child Input / 15 / 15/29x100
Step 3 / 52%
/ Family Input / 8 / 8/29x100
Step 3 / 27%
/ Staff Input / 6 / 6/29x100
Step 3 / 21%
Count the symbols on your program, add and divide by the total to get the %
Full instructions are on the sheets.
Lizzie from Lane Cove’s Farran St Quality Care’s curriculum is running at 70% family input.
What does this mean? Lizzie says it’s built better relationships with the parents; children are actively engaged in activities, even the babies, because it’s relevant to their lives. We always thought we knew parents, but we don’t.
This system allows us to know our families intimately and provide clear links between a child’s home and centre life. Therefore, we are achieving better and more authentic learning outcomes for the children. We have better conversations with families about their lives through the weekend sheets. So much better than how much did they eat, how many poos did they do? This is creating the best family partnership.
Roxburgh Park Early Learning Centre – Melbourne.
Shabnam Nuhuman
The symbols guide us, for example we can easily see if we are lacking parent input or child input and try harder. Interesting things are being observed.
When we were directing the curriculum we would pack away and change the room regularly because we thought parents wouldn’t like to see the same old activities out every day.
When we ask the children what they want to play with and they get the same activity out for weeks on end a different picture emerges.
The children are more actively engaged, spend longer amounts of time on activities and what has amazed us the most is the level of detail the children are achieving because they are getting more practice with what they want to do. The construction sets are become more incredible daily.
How do we do it?
“In the morning we sit in group time and ask them what they want to do. If it isn’t set up the children help set up. Children are very mindful on how to set it up. They do a pretty good job”. Says Shabnam Nuhuman
Example
Eight weeks on and we are continuing with our supermarket extension we built after week 1. This was an activity extended upon when we answered the question:
“Describe the best thing that happened this week with the children.”
We did a cooking experience one day. It was great and lots of fun. It wasn’t on our program when we were programming the old way. We have extended with scales and in the sand pit we added measuring scopes and buckets. All started from a shopping list, which went to cooking, scales and shopping baskets. Cooking is still continuing.
We began collecting empty food containers. We made a supermarket. This extended into a large shopping trolley. We made it from a broken bike, a box, tape, paper and paint. Next week we made small shopping trolley and 3 baskets.
8 weeks still going strong.
Last week a cash register was added along with fruit and vegies, scales and china tea set and we are progressing into an outdoor cafe.
It was real china... only 2 pieces left. Woops onto a second set. I love placing real china and real objects out for the children. The children love it too. Shabnam Nuhuman Roxburgh Park Early Learning Centre – Melbourne.
Reflection
We direct far too much. Asking the children to co-create the curriculum is more fun with more amazing experiences developing. Having a flow curriculum (no boxes) and looking for the learning outcome after the event creates a wonderful freedom as you don’t say to yourself “only 3 boxes to fill, what can I add here?”. Co-creating the curriculum with children is a great way to go.
Quick Daily Evaluation Tool.
Step 1 Think of your best ever day in childcareStep 2 Rate today compared with your best ever day.
Monday
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Worst day Best ever day
Tuesday
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Worst day Best ever day
Wednesday
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Worst day Best ever day
Thursday
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Worst day Best ever day
Friday
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Worst day Best ever day
Think about the best day you have had in childcare.
Not just a day this week, we are talking about the best ever day in childcare. This day may have occurred 10 years ago when all the children were having so much fun, goop everywhere, no routines followed as the day went from good to great to fantastic to amazing.
Imagine how much fun work would be if we were always working at a +4 or +5.
The 6 self reflection questions/ boxes
1. What teaching strategies have I used this week?
2. Which children are advantaged when I work in this way? Which children are disadvantaged?
3. What areas have children excelled at and shown their competency?
4. Describe the best thing that happened this week with the children.
5. What am I curious about when working with other staff/educators?
6. In what ways do society, culture, family background and media affect the experience with the children?
These areas of evaluation come from the EYLF document. The first 4 are the same each week and the last 2 rotate through a cycle of 10 weeks.