I. Part 1: Introduction
Purpose of the Report: This report will focus on the learning phase of the child and teaching practices in a daycare/kindergarten. Child development is being supported by physical development that guides them to develop their bones and muscles through physical exercise. Social development is being facilitated that guides children to go outside so that they can make new friends and work together. In daycare/kindergarten, emotional, cognitive and language development are being focused which guides children to communicate by including reading, writing and talking which helps to convey their ideas within a time frame in a clear manner.
Context of Teaching Practice: In a teaching setting, the culture of teaching and learning are being focused guides to focus on real-world scenarios and establishes a link of teaching with it. Situation clarification is being focused on teaching with the inclusion of active-learning techniques.
Focus Child Profile: In this report, the age of the focus child profile is 4 years and his gender is male. He belongs to a middle-class family. This child is an average student and he focuses on his study continuously. Behavioural traits of this child are that he enjoys spending time with his friends by playing and mood swings are being experienced by him. He is emotional and imaginative.
II. Part 2: Child and Learning
Developmental Characteristics: Piaget’s Theory states that a child's learning and development are affected by family as what type of parenting is being provided to them and how much time parents are spending with them. The environment also affects child development as it includes a physical and social environment that guides to analysis of the approach as to how the child is engaging with it (Shah, 2019). The standard of housing and other facilities also affect their development and learning as good housing establishes an engagement of the child with his studies within a time frame. Accessibility of children towards healthcare and recreational facilities guides their parents to decide whether they will keep their child within a particular locality for education or not.
The physical, intelligence and mental growth of a child are affected by genetics that guide that if their parents are dull then there is a fair chance that the child may also be dull (Wahyuningsih et al., 2020). With respect to Piaget's theory, it is being analysed that physical development is facilitated by a child of years who walks and down steps, bounces and catches the ball.
Cognitive development is being facilitated by the utilisation of symbols for describing words, images and ideas. Emotional development is being facilitated by making them aware of their demand, perspectives and feelings. They need to be sensitive so that they can understand the requirements of others when they feel happy or upset. Social development is facilitated by playing with other children which will establish a phase of cooperation and help to mitigate conflicts.
Observation Analysis: A checklist is being utilised for observing learning preferences behaviour and challenges that are being faced by children. The checklist helps to perform assessment and diagnosis as it guides to provide a picture of a child that highlights its physical and cognitive functionality. It is an effective tool as it also recognizes information that may not be evaluated by other techniques or other techniques may overlook multiple criteria but the checklist provides a detailed analysis (Garvis et al., 2018).
The Behavior of this 4-year-old child is that he enjoys a phase of active play that includes jumping and running. Creativity is shown in him as he focuses on playing the role of multiple characters including characters from movies and cartoons. Social interaction is facilitated by him by sharing his toys with their friends. Emotions of happiness, sadness and anger are shown by him which guides them to integrate effective strategies for managing multiple situations.
The learning preferences of this child are that he focuses on the utilisation of visual learning, storytelling and social learning that guides him to establish a sense of engagement with their coursework (Papadakis et al., 2021). Encouragement is being responded to by him that guides him to engage in effective strategies that will guide him to develop his cognitive skills.
Challenges associated with the development of effective motor skills are being faced by him. He faces difficulties associated with buttoning clothes and utilisation of utensils at regular intervals. Emotions are not being regulated by him which results in a phase of frustration.
Next Steps for Learning and Development: Piaget’s stages of cognitive development guide that this 4-year-old child focuses on symbolic play as he has creative thinking and ideas are being represented by him through his play. His creative thinking guides us to imagine characters in movies and cartoons. Egocentrism tendency is being facilitated by him as the thoughts of others are not being understood by him when he is in playing mode. He shows characteristics of animism and centration (Barry, 2023). These behaviours are linked with cognitive development as they facilitate the development of skills such as jumping, running, sharing toys with friends and showing emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger.
On the basis of ACECQA guidelines, play-based learning needs to be utilised to enhance the standard of problem-solving and creativity. Sustained shared thinking needs to be encouraged by the inclusion of open-ended questions. Scaffolding can be facilitated which will help to establish a sense of responsibility within a child that will establish a phase of competency within them (Cilliers et al., 2020). Responsive teaching can be facilitated by observing the interests of children and analysing their development phase. Culturally diverse learning environments and storytelling can be utilised that enhance the standard of child learning and their understanding.
III. Part 3: Discussion
Learning and Teaching Issues: The focus male child of 4 years has faced difficulties in his learning phase due to the inclusion of multiple distractions, limited attention span and difficulties in understanding instructions of teachers with respect to their subjects. He has not learned in an effective manner due to distractibility such as noises, visual cues and movements that are being facilitated by him during learning sessions (Paseka & Schwab, 2020). Directions of instructions that are being given by their teacher become misinterpreted by them.
Poor engagement is being facilitated due to a lack of effective interaction with their tutors as he does not ask questions from their tutors if he has doubts. Assignments are not being completed by him on time due to multiple distractions. His academic performance is low and he has faced difficulties in the learning phase due to the implementation of diagnoses such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Sensory processing issues and lack of support affect his learning phase. In the learning and teaching phase, challenges associated with classroom management, different learning styles, communication and time management are being faced in this case.
Educational Practices: The design of curriculum and pedagogical methods that were being employed for this 4-year-old child is play-based learning being facilitated that guides in teaching and development of motor skills that will enhance his engagement (Gweon, 2021). Colours, numbers and alphabets need to be taught through the implementation of game sessions that will encourage his collaboration. Collaborative learning can be facilitated that guides to perform tasks associated with group projects and discussion.
Inquiry-based learning is being facilitated to enhance the standard of their understanding level. Culturally responsive teaching can be facilitated in this curriculum that guides students to establish links with their contemporary and ancestral cultures. Personalised learning is being facilitated by them which guides teachers to teach children on the basis of strengths and weaknesses. Child development is being supported by the implementation of these educational practices that guide the provision of education on the basis of age and individual abilities. It facilitates a holistic approach to mitigate social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development issues. Positive interactions and engaging activities are being integrated by the development of an appropriate curriculum. Implementation of play-based learning will help to develop their critical skills and collaborative learning is being facilitated for the development of effective bonds between students and teachers.
Developmental Strengths and Interests: The strengths of this 4-year-old child are that he has good language skills and concepts associated with before and after are being understood by him. He can create stories and focuses on learning new things (Parker, Thomsen & Berry, 2022). Social interactions are facilitated by him which guides him to express his emotions by sharing toys. The interests of this child are storytime, music, outdoor play, building and creating. He also has a core interest in arts and crafts.
The Area for growth of this child is that he has to focus on developing motor skills that include buttoning clothes and using scissors. Self-regulation needs to be developed by him which will help him to manage frustration within a time frame. He can focus on understanding concepts associated with yesterday, today and tomorrow (Ferreira, Martinson & Talić, 2020). Spatial concepts associated with up, down, over and under need to be understood by him. He can focus on improving his problem-solving skills associated with critical thinking which will help to address critical problems within a time frame. He can focus on developing his social skills which include sharing and conflict resolution. Literacy skills can be developed by him that will guide him to identify letters and reading comprehension in an appropriate manner.
IV. Part 4: Conclusion
Reflection as a Teacher: As a teacher, I will focus on child development and learning by developing a supportive culture by establishing interactive learning. I will focus on developing their curiosity and providing opportunities to them for their continuous development. While teaching this 4-year-old child, I have analysed that he is curious and performs imaginative play. Social development is being focused on by this child as he facilitates peer interaction, and emotional expression and follows guidelines. Language development can be focused on the utilisation of storytelling techniques. Active learning is being focused on him.
Learning and Teaching Challenges: Challenges associated with the recognition of individual differences at an early phase are being faced. Differentiated instructions can be implemented and progress rates can be tracked by the inclusion of formative assessments. Challenges of developmental delays and disabilities are being faced. It can be mitigated by the implementation of screening tools and integration with speech therapists. Socio-emotional challenges are being faced by them including behavioural issues such as anxiety. It can be mitigated by establishing a positive classroom culture and performing counselling on a regular basis.
Professional Growth: This learning experience will guide me to develop my career as a professional teacher as it will facilitate me to acquire new knowledge and skills such as subject-matter expertise, pedagogical techniques and classroom management strategies (Piasta et al., 2020). Reflective practice is being developed within me with the inclusion of self-assessment of teaching experience on the basis of peer observations and students' feedback. Collaboration and shared learning are being facilitated within me by engagement with peer coaching, professional learning communities and mentorship. I focus on staying aligned with new educational trends such as emerging technologies, research-based practices and policy updates. It will guide me to improve student engagement, make informed decisions and align with new educational demands.