This praxis inquiry unit provides an opportunity for pre-service teachers to work with mentor teachers in kindergartens to build on the experience of investigating the systematic processes by which teachers work together to engage children in learning. It also provides an opportunity for pre-service teachers to commence the final stage of their preparation to enter the early childhood teacher profession by orienting themselves to the practices of the activist, reflective practitioner. With a focus on the changing nature of education, learning, curriculum, early childhood services and teaching, students systematically explore how teachers can express commitment to social justice in education as they take increased responsibility for facilitating the child learning program during their final year project partnership. At the end of this unit, pre-service teachers are required to demonstrate that they are ready to enter the early childhood teaching profession.

Unit details

Location:
St Albans
Study level:
Postgraduate
Credit points:
24
Unit code:
EED6017

Prerequisites

AEG5115 - Early Childhood Development, Learning and Teaching 1 AEG5116 - Early Childhood Development, Learning and Teaching 2

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Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. Compose and refine a personal educational and child learning philosophy and discuss how it informs their teaching identity, pedagogy and curriculum design as they enter the profession;  
  2. Establish a successful relationship, based on a professional discourse about teaching and learning, with a mentor teacher;  
  3. Evaluate and critically reflect upon the planning and implementation of the full educational program, using the VEYLDF for both the whole group and small groups of 0-6 year old children;  
  4. Identify, interpret, analyse and evaluate specific teaching strategies for a range of individual children's learning styles and abilities, such as giftedness and additional needs, including the investigation of practical approaches to managing challenging behaviour with reference to specific theories of learning and development and the Australian learning frameworks; and  
  5. Demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the assigned mentor teacher(s) and designated university personnel, their readiness to teach by meeting the Graduate Standards of the Preschool Teacher Validation System as articulated by the Department of Education and Early childhood Development.  

Assessment

Assessment type Description Grade
Journal Praxis Inquiry Logs (equivalent to 2400 words) 30%
Other Practical demonstration of implementing an experience (equivalent to 800 words 10%
Portfolio Professional Portfolio (equivalent to 4800 words) 60%
Total effective word limit 8000 words for the graded assessment.

Required reading

Building capacity: strategic professional development for early childhood practitioners,
Raban, B, Nolan, A, Waniganayake, M, Ure, C, Brown R, Deans, J 2007,
Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, VIC.

Further links to recommended readings and resources for this unit will be provided to students via the Learning Management System (VU Collaborate)

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