Pedagogy: The Scholars Group Curriculum Newsletter - Feb 2023

PEDAGOGY

CHANGES TO THE NQF

By Susan Cooper

An exciting time for our industry, some key updates to our Learning Frameworks

What's new?

We now have 3 new additional principles, moving from 5 principles to now 8 principles

6. Sustainability

7 Critical reflection and ongoing professional learning

8 Collaborative leadership and teamwork

Some key components to explore and unpack and a strong focus to critical reflection and some new language and concepts to adopt and the need to become culturally responsive There has been change to the language to the following principles,

3 Respect for diversity

4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

5 Equity, inclusion and high expectations

So, what does this mean?

When reviewing the new principles, it is practice that we are already embedding, so now that it is in print version, we can now strengthen it and showcase what it looks like in our everyday practice

IN THIS ISSUE:

CHANGES TO THE NQF

NEW PRINCIPLE: SUSTAINABILITY

PLANNING WITH INTENTIONALITY

STARTING POINTS TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE

The Scholars Group Curriculum Newsletter

Children's understanding to sustainability

To provide young children with access to the topic of sustainability, we need to apply the pedagogical approach through a drawing-telling approach. This approach involves asking children a question and then giving them the opportunity to respond with a drawing and an explanation, or just an explanation.

(Wright,

2007)

This approach has three main benefits:

1 provides children with two ways to share their understandings, verbally and written

2 uses drawing which is a familiar activity

3 is not limited by verbal ability or drawing capability

When educators engage children through guided conversation, applying open-ended questioning, this will see the children as ' experts' and support collaborative learning Children's responses are often largely actionorientated and will describe actions supporting program planning, research, exploration and investigation

Sustainability

Exploring one of the new principles, let's reflect upon supporting early childhood education for sustainability

How do we find out children’s broader understandings of sustainability that incorporates more than just the environment We know young children are competent and capable at being involved in discussion and problem-solving complex topics, but how do we provide children with access to these topics?

TO EXPLORE THE BROAD CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY, ASK CHILDREN THE FOLLOWING OPEN-ENDED QUESTION:

'IF YOU WERE THE BOSS OF THE WORLD, WHAT CHOICES WOULD YOU MAKE TO HELP THE WORLD BECOME A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERY LIVING THING FOREVER?'

Starting Point- Planning with intentionality

It is important to observe what children are interested in, and to build upon these ideas and strengths around their concerns to empower them to take informed action Investigations should have a focus on the responsibility of children and cultivate the perception they can personally contribute to efforts made in addressing sustainability problems alongside others Children are to be seen as valued problem solvers, transformational thinkers, and effective communicators

It is acknowledged the early childhood years are a significant period for human development, a period when children develop their understandings of their place in the world. When we provide young children the opportunity to be in, with and take action for nature, they develop a long-term importance toward the environment There is great benefit involving children in critical discussions that go beyond developing a connectedness to nature

Starting points to sustainable practice

Nadine McCrea (2015, p 64), suggests the following sustainable practices as starting points

create edible gardens for sharing and/or cooking produce

practise green cleaning be active citizens for sustainability in local community projects collect natural materials for play ethically, only taking a few and using respectfully (be aware of choking and allergen risks)

reuse and repurposing materials for play create a second-hand children’s book or clothing exchange for families investigate local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander environmental knowledge ·think about, where possible, purchasing local products with minimised packaging

CHILD ILLUSTRATION: INNOVATING

I WILL SEND SCUBA DIVERS TO CHECK THE SEAS TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RUBBISH AND IF THERE IS THEY SHOULD COLLECT IT AND PUT THIS INTO PUT THIS INTO A SPECIAL BAG SO THAT IT DOESN’T HURT ANYONE

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN TO GO BEYOND THE WORM FARM AND COMPOST BIN?

HOW CAN YOU ACCESS CHILDREN’S UNDERSTANDINGS AROUND COMPLEX TOPICS?

WHAT POSITIVE EXAMPLES OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED?