Reflection three: Non digital activity:

Much can be gained when children are engage playing with non digital activities such as blocks, matching card games and puzzles. It is very important for children to be given the freedom to freely choose which activity they want to play with. According to The Ministry of Education (1998, p. 17), “Educators should enhance children’s learning and development through respecting children’s preferences and involving children in decisions about their participation in activities.”

In my home centre, children love to play with blocks, painting, play dough and especially puzzles. Children will some time spend the entire morning working on the puzzle when their parents or caregiver drop them off. The centre always makes sure they setup an area for children to do puzzles. There was this one particular day I came to school, a child came running to me with tears on her eyes saying, “Mama Mele, I can’t fit on the puzzle table. As I looked over to the puzzle table there were already too many children sitting and standing by the puzzle table trying to do the puzzle. I lean forward to this very upset child and said, “Come, Mama Mele will put her bag away and I will help you get a space at the puzzle table. I took this child over to the puzzle area and work way for children to take turn doing puzzles so everyone can have a turn. Some children were very hard to share and take turn while others were glad to share and let their friend have a turn. As I watched the children I notice the interaction, and the social connection children develop as they share and engage with the puzzles. Children develop cognitive skills as they work out where the puzzle pieces goes. The older children will go through the entire puzzles that have been setup for them in minimum time whereas the younger children will take some time. Some of the children that master the puzzles will see how their friend is struggling doing the puzzle will communicate and help them figure out the puzzles. This particular activity enhance children’s learning and development as it challenge the children’s hand co-ordination when trying to fit little pieces on the puzzle. As stated by The Ministry of Education (1998, p. 21), “Educators should enhance children’s learning and development through educators providing opportunities for children to choose their own challenges and learning opportunities.”

The next day I approach my head teacher if I can setup up the puzzle area. As I setup the puzzle area I decided to put the puzzles on the floor instead of the table for all children to have access without having to give up their turn for others. Children did not take any notice to the changes but gladly just went on doing the puzzles. They were on the floor moving from one puzzle to another once they finished. According to Feeney, Christensen, & Moravick (2007, p. 294), “Children need to play. Play supports the development of the whole child-a person able to sense, move, think, relate to others, communicate, and create.”

After examining this situation, I notice the learning and development opportunities that children gained through doing activities such as puzzles. Through technology, children are limit to what they use and do whereas doing things the old fashion ways still brings in amazing results. As children use technology such as the computers they only use their hands and eyes coordination where as doing things on their own encourage them to use variety of strategies work things out. As stated by The Ministry of Education (1996, p. 88), “Children develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively with all the senses.”

References:

Feeney, S., Christensen, D., & Moravick, E. Feeney, (2007). Understanding and supporting play. In S. Feeney, D. Christensen & E. Moravick (Eds.), Who am I in the lives of children? (pp. 283-308). New Jersey, USA: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Ministry of Education. (1998). Quality in Action. Te mahi whai hua. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki early childhood curriculum: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Reflection two: Children with nature:

Even thou it seems like technology is very important to implement in children’s learning as it will prepare them for the future. However nothing can compare to what they gain in connecting and learning through to what outdoor and nature can offer. Nature offer spaces for children to explore, create and make discoveries as they develop a sense of belonging to their environment. The Ministry of Education (1996, p. 90) claimed, “Children develop a relationship with the natural environment and a knowledge of their own place in the environment.”  

As I observe the outside area in the centre, I was very impressed at how much nature and open area there are for children to freely explore themselves. The centre provides an environment where natural, social physical and material worlds are involved; when children are outside they enjoy not just playing with what is already set up for them but also what nature offers them. As the centre encourages free play throughout the day to explore outside, they allow spaces for children to express their ideas and engage in learning and enjoy each other’s company. According to Frankel and Hobart (2009, p. 112), “A safe outdoor play area allows children freedom to investigate and explore their environment with little adult restriction.”

At my home centre, there is a tree outside that has been fallen cost by the unfortunate weather happening in the last few weeks. Once the weather cleared up, I approach the head teacher for permission to take the children outside for some fresh air and outdoor playing. The children went straight to have a look at this fallen tree. “Mama Mele...look what happen to the tree.” As I came close to the tree, some of the children were already climbing on the tree. “What happen to the tree mama Mele?”asked the children.  “I think the strong wind and heavy rain made the tree fall down,” I answer. The children were very surprise and curious as they started touching the leaves, barks and climbing through this tree. The centre allows the children to explore this tree as an opportunity to do something different to what they normally use outside with supervision to avoid any accidents or harm to the children. As I watched the children along side other teachers, I notice how the children were very interested playing around this tree rather than playing in the sandpit, climbing frames or other equipments outside. According to The Ministry of Education (1996, p. 82), “All aspects of the environment – the natural, social, physical, and material worlds – are part of the context of learning.”

Through this experience I learned the importance of nature to children’s learning and development. When children are given the opportunity to be outside, they feel free to challenge their physical ability as they are not restricted to what they can do when they are inside. Children explore their creativity as they make up their own pretend play with their friends imitating what they see and learn from home. They contribute ideas to each others pretend play not limited to one particular event or occasion. As children explore their natural environment they gained knowledge on how to care and respect for nature. Children are also made aware that this is natural for trees and other sources to be damage through natural disaster and weather. They are taught how to care for their environment and how important the environment it is to us. Much can be gained in providing activities that will enhance children’s learning on how trees start from seed before developing into a full grown tree.

Frankel, J., & Hobart, C. (2009). A practical guide to activities for young children (4^th Edition). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes Ltd.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki early childhood curriculum: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media

Reflecting one: Computers use in the centre:

In these modern days, technology plays a big part in our daily lives such as using ATM or eftpost, fax machine and many more. Technology has been increasingly updated over the years to help make things a lot easier for many purposes. So it is fair to say that children are interested when are given opportunity to experience learning how to use computers. As stated by Tsantis, Bewick and Thouvenelle (2003, p. 8), “As educators we need to understand how modern technologies can help us better meet the social, physical, and learning needs of young children.”

At the centre, there is an area where the teachers have setup two computers for the children to use as part of their learning. The purpose for these two computers is for children to use as a revisit of a special occasion, field trip or simply everyday play at the centre. The teachers will upload videos or photos of a recent trip or event for the children to watch and revisit that special moment that has been capture on camera. As I enter the centre on this one particular day, the teachers have put on photos of the children playing at the centre. One child came up to me and said, “Look mama Mele, I’m in the computer playing.” As I look at the child she had this big smile and excitement seeing her photos as well as her friends on the computer. So as I sat there with the children, they knew exactly which button to press to move the pictures. “Do you have a computer at home?” I asked the child. “Yes, I know how to turn the computer off and on,” she pointed out as she explained.  My own personal experience using computer is not really advanced as I hope to be. So seeing the children as they use simple function on the computer at this age is amazing. Tsanti, Bewick and Thouvenelle explained (2003, p. 4), “Children are intuitively computer competent and have an inexplicable, innate ability to use the computer and learn new software.”

As I observe this particular situation, I notice the anticipation and excitement as children taking turns flipping through photos in the computer. Most of the children were more advanced than others as they probably given access to either computer or labtop at home. They use their cognitive skills to refer back and remember how someone at home uses the computer or laptop. This is what Piaget refers to as schema, when a child learned something new and adds new information every time he/she revisits that memory. Claiborne and Drewery (2010, p. 12) stated, “Schema is a group of cognitive structures and processes that are used in understanding, and which help to organise our actions.” Children also use their fine motor skills as they are pressing the buttons on the computer trying out the bigger button as well as smaller buttons.

Reflecting back on this experience and how the centre introduce technology to children I was near satisfy. The centre design this area for children to use and have access to the computers for one purpose and that is to revisit and recall an event. However, much can be gained with children doing more than viewing video and photos of themselves. In these modern days there are plenty of programmes designed to enhance children with recognising letters, numbers and other learning activities. The centre believes that children colouring with crayons on paper is prefer as it enhance children’s body movement and hand coordination. However, the same result can be achieved when children are using the computer to paint or other things they normally do by hands. When they use the computer, children learn how to control their hands as they hold the mouse firmly and drag to how they want it. As explained by The Ministry of Education (1996, p. 98), “Children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world.” 

References:

Claiborne, L. B., & Drewery, W. (2010). Human development family, place, culture. NSW, Australia: McGraw-Hill Australia Pty.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki early childhood curriculum: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Tsantis, A. L., Bewick, J. C., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early years. J.L. Wright & D. Shade. Wahsington, DC: NAEYC.