The present work analyses the findings of an interview to a practitioner, with the purpose to find out How do Early Childhood Practitioners use research techniques to develop their understanding of children’s needs and development.
The practitioner interviewed is an Assistant Teacher in a nursery. She is working with children 3 to 4 years old. She has Level 2 and 3 In Early Childhood Studies and another courses that complete her education. Currently she is studying level 4 and 5 part time in the University of East London with the aim to get promotion in the future.
There is no relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee, apart from a conversation of few minutes at the beginning of the course as a classmate.
The main roles of Practitioner A is to follow EYFS, that consist in seven points of learning and seven areas. Support the planning and implementation of activities with children, promoting effective teaching and learning. Provide a purposeful, stimulating environment, rich in learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors and promote the inclusion of all children. Also the interaction with each other and support the nursery’s commitment on safeguarding children in all aspect of the nursery service.
The main purpose of this interview was to find answers to the main research questions of this study: How do Early Childhood Practitioners use research techniques to develop their understanding of children’s needs and development. According to Marshall (1997:65)
The rationale for this choice was that the authors clinical background is health visiting and therefore has prior knowledge of good practice in child and family settings, an understanding of child development stages and experience of supporting children with complex needs and their families. Additionally, the author has previously been involved in shadowing opportunities within their own organisation and knows service areas well. By choosing an area unfamiliar to the author, a fresh eyes approach could be pursued and limited the potential for bias.
Practitioner’s expectations should be to become a valuable practitioner, to be reliable and build good relationships with children and parent carers, encouraging play whilst learning, and by having children’s best interests e.g. physical activities, outings, this would help them to enjoy their growth in knowledge and assist in enhancing their development as a whole. Also practitioners should work as a team with other staff members and parent/carers in order to support the children to promote the children’s initial learning so that the children will feel confident and would be able boost up their self-esteem, and this will also help them in their future, and prepare them in further education when they move onto school. Also the
It is very important to recognise that parents and practitioners have different kinds of relationships with the children in their care. Practitioners need to develop consistent, warm and affectionate relationships with children especially babies but they should not seek to replace the parents. Babies need to be with the same people each and every day to develop social relationships. This is why the EYFS requires all early years settings and schools to implement a key person system. Parents and practitioners have one thing in common that is very important: they all want the best for the child. The roles involved are not the same yet they are complementary. Parents know their own child best. Practitioners have knowledge of general child development.
Throughout my years as a childcare practitioner, I have accumulated a wide range of experience working with children aged 3 – 11. However, the majority of my experience is with children aged 3-5. Through
My responsibilities as a trainee nursery practioner include: providing physical and emotion support and care for the
‘Early years practitioners have a key role to play in working with parents to support their young children. This should include identifying learning needs and responding quickly to any difficulties. Wherever appropriate, practitioners should work together with professionals from other
A practitioner’s role in meeting children’s learning needs are to understand and work with each and every child’s learning needs. They can do this by providing different opportunities to individual children because each child is unique and learns differently. The practitioners’ role would therefore be to plan and resource an environment that is challenging and helps children learn in many different areas of their learning.
I am of the opinion that as a child practitioner an essential part of our work role will involve actively seeking to evolve and where apt build relationships. Consequently having a significant impact on children and young people’s lives.
By studying a child and early year practitioner can spot any issues that may be present and make sure that the child is given the best support should this require.
This helps practitioner’s work together for the welfare of children. It promotes the Every Child Matters outcomes to reinforcing how important it is for all child careers to work together.
Theories of development and frameworks to support development are incredibly important to us working with children and young people. They help us to understand children, how they react to things/situations, their behaviour and the ways they learn. Different theories and ways of working with children have come together to provide frameworks for children’s care, such as Early year’s foundation stage (EYFS) which is used within all child care settings. This encourages us to work together, help and check the development of babies, children and young people, to keep them healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to
In order to be a successful early years practitioner, they should be able to demonstrate key skills, these include showing that they are patient, considerate, caring, flexible and consistent. What’s more, it is imperative that ‘every practitioner working with young children needs a sound and thorough
In order to apply theories and models of child development to support children’s development we must get to know each individual child by building a good relationship with the children through play, communication and answering to their personal needs. Observation and assessment is also key so that we know what each child is capable of and what they are working towards/could be encouraged towards. Good communication with parents is also beneficial as it helps the carer to see what the child is doing at home and to identify if there are things they do or don’t do at nursery that is different from home. It also helps to work out ways of encouraging development at home and at nursery.
As a practitioner it’s your duty to observe and maintain correct procedures to ensure that the children are offered a stimulating environment which will further allow optimum possibilities for development. All those who work with or amongst children and young people have a crucial role to play in helping not only to shape aspects of their lives, but to also aid in enhancing their future development. Therefore it can be stated that how we set up our own working practices can affect children and young people’s development, as will be identified by this essay; below are areas where one should concentrate in order to further
As child practitioners we must work on our skills in communicating with children because the way we communicate with them is important not only for their communication and language development, but also the development of our relationship with them. Young children often aren't able to express their thoughts and feelings in words, or express them poorly. Because of this, it's important that child practitioners can listen carefully and help children to learn how to express themselves and also provide what they need.