Beginnings
– How I view my practice at the start of my current training –
This practitioner has not chosen to share this information at this time.
I love that every day is new and exciting for children, I love their curiosity and exploration of the environment and resources around them.
My role is to lead the early years team within my establishment, to be a good role model and to facilitate and support children's learning experiences.
My practice is most child centred when I get the opportunity to be with them. Sometimes this is the case and when I get to be back on the floor with the children it reminds me why I started working in early years. I love being able to facilitate child led learning and exploration.
Our environment is set up with consultation and consideration of the children using it. The children are consulted with when the budget and have the opportunity to give their opinion on buying new resources. Children are able to self-select resources and have the opportunity to choose from resources that are stored away in cupboards. We have a large range of loose parts both indoors and outdoors. Children have the opportunity to spend time inside and out when they choose. There are some time restraints though and these include set lunch times as we are in a school and have to share the lunch hall.
I think this ties in with my thoughts above. The children do not actively participate in the setting of the policies or procedures with our establishment.
After completing the Froebel in Childhood Practice course I realised that I was a Froebelian practitioner I just didn’t know it at the time. Through my learning journey I have helped to change practice and thoughts of practitioners within my establishment.
I am currently attending UWS completing my BA and I feel that this course is really making me aware of the social justice impact of the children and families who use our service. I am trying hard to not jump to conclusions about people and not to judge.
I am hopeful that this project will give me more strength to lead the team and develop more Froebelian practice within our establishment.
I need the support of the team , that we are all on the same page. To be honest I am lucky that the changes I have implemented over the last couple of years have been fully supported. It has taken a long while to change mind-sets and opinions but it is happening and I am hopeful it will continue.