PRACTICUM DIARY

ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DIARY

This assessment relates to the following learning outcomes:
1. Define curriculum and explain the value of play
2. Demonstrate understanding of children’s learning and the teacher’s role in facilitating children’s learning across a range of learning spaces in an early childhood setting
3. Demonstrate beginning ability to meet selected and contextualised Graduating Teacher Standards.

Task information:
The practicum diary is a collection of reflective entries showing evidence of your growing understanding, knowledge and skills gained from practical experience, class learning and consolidating reading into practice during your Teaching Practicum. Each entry is based on learning outcomes and the Graduating Teacher Standards relevant to this course. The Practicum Diary is given formative feedback by your visiting lecturer during your observation visit. It is summatively assessed on the completion of the Teaching Practicum by your visiting lecturer.

As a reflective practitioner, you commit to learn continuously about your teaching, by teaching and then thinking about what you’ve done, what others did, and what happened during the process. You think critically about your practice and identify what you do well, your strengths, and build on these and what you don’t do so well, your weaknesses, to try to overcome these (O’Connor & Diggins, 2002, p. 9).

Your practicum diary consists of three entries;

Prior to your assessment visit you are required to have completed the first two reflections using the reflective process discussed in class:
1. One reflective entry (750 words)

Reflect on a situation where you have observed play. Identify the type of play and discuss the value of this play situation with reference to course readings and links to Te Whāriki.

2. One reflective entry (750 words)

Facilitate one learning experience that supports children’s exploration and play. Ensure your reflection covers the following:

o Provide a definition for the term ‘curriculum’
o Discussion with your associate teacher about the experience that you plan to facilitate.
THE EXPERIENCE I PLAN TO FACILITATE IS COLLAGE MAKING >> https://www.education.govt.nz/early-childhood/teaching-and-learning/learning-tools-and-resources/play-ideas/collage/

Description of the learning experience you set up including the resources you provided. Include photographic evidence of this set up.
o Description of how you interacted effectively with children in this space, and the teaching techniques you used to facilitate their learning. USE THE BOOK TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING YOUNG CHILDREN: CHOICES IN THEORY AND PRACTICE, MACNAUGHTON, G. & WILLIAMS, G.
o Description of what you think children learnt from this experience
o Description of how you ensured safety in the learning space
o Discussion with your AT about how your learning experience went. Reflect on this discussion. What worked well and not work so well? What would you do differently next time?
o Link to published literature and Te Whāriki to back up your entry.