Teaching Practice for Early Childhood: A Guide for Students

by Perry,Rosemary

• ISBN13: 9780415331098
• ISBN10: 0415331099
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer

Summary

This fully updated new edition ofTeaching Practice for Early Childhoodwill help new and trainee early childhood teachers to make the most of their teaching in a variety of early years' settings. Chapters cover vital topics such as ways of knowing and relating to children, the early childhood curriculum, and working collaboratively with colleagues and parents. In addition, this new edition takes into account changes in the early childhood curriculum, including fresh material on: the importance of social and emotional development; the role of observation in assessing children's learning and growing; and the use of documentation as a form of accountability and teacher research, and the importance of socially responsive learning environments.

Table of Contents

Illustrations	x
Foreword	xi
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xvii
Teaching practice in early childhood settings	1	(23)
What teaching practice is	2	(1)
Professional attributes of early childhood teachers	3	(14)
Opportunities for learning in teaching practice	17	(2)
Preparing for teaching practice	19	(2)
Summary	21	(1)
Suggested activities	22	(2)
Ways of knowing and understanding children	24	(30)
Teachers and children: building relationships	24	(6)
The nature of observation	30	(2)
What can be observed when getting to know children?	32	(10)
Using observations in curriculum decision-making	42	(3)
Some questions about observations	45	(4)
The role of observation in assessing children's learning	49	(3)
Summary	52	(1)
Suggested activities	53	(1)
Early childhood curriculum	54	(30)
The nature of curriculum	54	(2)
Examples of curriculum work	56	(4)
How curriculum is embedded in a set of beliefs	60	(1)
Developing knowledge and beliefs about children, learning and teaching	61	(2)
Factors influencing early childhood curriculum	63	(8)
Acheiving curriculum goals	71	(10)
A framework for decision making	81	(1)
Summary	82	(1)
Suggested activities	82	(2)
Creating physical environments for learning and teaching	84	(20)
Organizing the physical environment: what is involved?	84	(6)
Considering the messages and effects of the physical organization	90	(6)
Linking beliefs about learning and teaching with organizational decisions	96	(2)
Being prepared	98	(3)
Summary	101	(1)
Suggested activities	102	(2)
Creating socially secure environments for learning and teaching	104	(20)
Welcoming and celebrating cultural diversity	105	(2)
Building caring and cooperative relationships	107	(4)
Promoting independence and a sense of responsibility	111	(3)
Engendering a sense of fairness	114	(2)
Fostering problem solving and conflict resolution	116	(2)
Guiding behaviour	118	(3)
Summary	121	(1)
Suggested activities	122	(2)
Becoming a teacher and a researcher of teaching	124	(24)
Developing your own knowledge about teaching	124	(12)
Acquiring and refining your practical skills	136	(4)
Using research to grow as a teacher	140	(5)
Summary	145	(1)
Suggested activities	146	(2)
Gaining the most from the teaching practice experience	148	(30)
Building effective working relationships	148	(9)
Becoming familiar with organizational structures, roles and relationships	157	(8)
Promoting partnerships with families	165	(5)
Setting personal goals	170	(3)
Developing professionalism	173	(2)
Summary	175	(1)
Suggested activities	176	(2)
Stories from beginning teachers: what is the reality?	178	(26)
Kylie's story: `Working in a community-based centre is really for me	179	(3)
Janine's story: `That first day I realized I was totally responsible'	182	(3)
Suzanne's story: `A major high for me was that I survived!'	185	(4)
Amy's story: `We are like a prep class so there is emphasis on to school'	189	(3)
Kate's story: `What I learnt most about this year was how to work with other people'	192	(3)
Brittany's story: `Five years down the track I might be where I want to be -- at a place where my philosphy and practice meet'	195	(5)
Summary	200	(2)
Conclusion	202	(1)
Suggested activities	203	(1)
References	204	(7)
Index	211