Short Answer 1:
Time management, reading, researching and writing are a variety of skills that can be used together to help achieve the best outcome of study. SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review) is a strategy I intend on implementing into my study when reading and researching into a variety of material (Study Guide and Strategies, n.d.). This will encourage me to explore relevant information during the process of my research. By implementing this strategy, I will be able to raise questions I need answered with the opportunity to extend these questions with the assistance of the tasks provided from the course. By raising questions will lead to only pulling out specific information needed that relates to the course content. When reading, the SQ3R strategy will assist me in gathering research by highlighting or underlining helpful and relevant information. To support my writing skills, I will use complete paragraphs and engage the reader by including detail that carefully describes information in relation to the main idea. I will make sure the evidence used connects to the main idea and all the evidence used is appropriately referenced. The use of a weekly planner will be implemented into my study, as every week is different. Implementing a weekly planner will ensure that I have an objective of each study session, what I want to achieve by the end of the session and how much time I have to study overall during the week. Also by implementing a yearly planner I will be able to have my assignments, field practices and block courses written out to ensure that I manage my time around these factors. I hope that implementing these effective strategies will help me achieve the best outcome in my study.
Short Answer 2:
As a ākonga kaiako I have the responsibility of implementing policies in my early childhood centre. As apart of my role and responsibilities, I will implement a Health and Safety Policy relating to the Licence Criteria HS31 (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2016). HS31 that relates to the protection of children. The safety and well-being of the tamariki are top priority. It is my role to ensure that our tamariki are protected at all times during the time in care. It is my responsibility to ensure that visitors other than family, whānau and work colleagues must sign in and have good reason to be on the premises. It is my role as a kaiako to politely approach whomever is collecting the child and ensure that the child is being collected by an authorized adult on their enrolment form. I am responsible for the protection of all tamariki in my facility. I understand the importance of communicating suspected concerns in relation to protecting a child in our care to leadership staff. In regards to sharing concerns as a kaiako my responsibility is to maintain the respect for our children and families to keep concerns and information shared confidential. The health and safety is priority of the tamariki and staff. Having a child protection policy in place helps to support the safety of tamariki and staff.
Another Health and Safety policy I have a role in implementing in my centre is the Child Health Policy (Omanu Preschool, 2018). Child Health Policy relates to licensing criteria HS3 –The procedure for nappy changing, HS30 – Washing children when soiled and HS27 – Medical assistance and managing incidents (MoE, 2016). As a teacher in the centre it is important to provide a healthy and safe environment, where the health of the children who attend is promoted. It is my responsibility that my first aid certificate is kept up to date. As having my first aid certificate I will be able to provide assistance to children with any injuries or illnesses. It is my role as a teacher to communicate with other work colleagues if there are any concerns that the parents and whānau have about their children feeling unwell. As a teacher I am needing to be alert of these concerns and signs of children that may seem unwell, and be able to respond to the children and their needs effectively. It is my role to record all illnesses and injuries of our children in the accident register, whether it may be minor or major, making sure that the parents and whānau are made aware of the incident or illness, which is signed by myself and the parent or a family member of the child involved. In the centre it is important as kaiako to promote healthy food choices for our tamariki, by providing nutritious kai. Having this policy in place, ensures that the health of the children, staff, family and visitors in the centre is promoted.
Short Answer 3:
As stated by Graduating Teaching Standards (Ministry of Education, [MoE], 2017), teachers should develop deep and meaningful relationships with the community of learners but I also think it is so important to build relationships with the family and whānau of our learners. As a teacher, an important value to me is having a big heart. Being able to open up my heart as a teacher is important in an early childhood setting. By opening my heart to the community of learners, family and whānau, enables my true passion to flourish. With my true passion flowing, it enables our learners to feel empowered, safe and nurtured. As a teacher it is important in my practice to stay professional. Establishing and engaging in professional relationships with family and whānau members of the child in care is crucial, as for me if I don’t have relationship with the child, the parents, whānau, and the community there is no base that has been establish, there is nothing for me to build from. Making a commitment to building and maintaining relationships is responsibility I have. It is important to be able to reflect on your role as a teacher in your own professional practice, whether it maybe positive or the reflection bought out something that needs to change. Being able to reflect is so important, as there are many different variables that can change. Everyday is never the same in early childhood, what worked for you on a quiet Friday afternoon may not work for you on a busy Monday afternoon. As long as we are able to stop, and think about what is going on and be flexible to change our practice is going to be more effective and enjoyable for everyone involved. Being a student teacher, I am sure to gain more responsibilities and be in different roles as my professional practices continues.