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My placement has come to the end, I reviewed back and realized how much I have been through and done starting from the first week. I still remember the day when I paid a visit to the center. I was nervous and unsure about what would it be like and if I would do well. However, now I feel much more confident I know I am already being a part of the centre. I know the daily routines better, and the children were getting familiar with me, they know my name better than some teachers even haha, which is really impressive. What's better is that they liked me a lot too.

What went well was how successful I built relationships with the children within 6 days in the center. As many of them got used to call my name, ask me to join their play by holding my hand and taking me somewhere or come to me ask for help. As a result, helping them on the swing or in the sandpit had became my favorite, and the best way to build rapport. I also learned to read their feelings better through their body language and tone, not just their words which I was also getting better at understanding.

On the other hand, the hardest part for me was communication. As we know, English is not my first language, and many of the children are still on their ways of learning to talk too. Which means sometimes we could not reach mutual understanding at once, therefore I observed carefully and learned from the kaiako around me. This relates to Our Code, Our Standards (Education Council, 2017), which reminds teachers to show respect, and build rapports with learners and their whānau. The other thing is I felt blacked out when children were having disagreements and want me to get involved. Those are the moments when I realized that good communication is not only about speaking, it is also about listening, noticing and problem-solving.

If there would be a next placement, I would like to plan more before each day by thinking about what I want to work on and how should I achieve my target. Also, I would try to use more te reo Māori in greetings and play. What's more, I also want to give children more space to do things on their own before helping them.

This placement taught me that being a good teacher means more than being kind. Since I had noticed kaiako with experience would always remind the children with rules and regulation. And showing that you are not happy of their misbehaving. Furthermore, always be reflective, and keep learning would be crucial for this profession. And my biggest learning here is that relationships come first. When children feel you are good to them, they are safe and respected around you, everything else would follows.

My goals for next placement are first, improve my skills to understand children’s non-verbal cues. Then, try to cultivate children’s independence before helping. Third, learn and use more te reo Māori in daily interactions.

Reference

Education Council. (2017). Our code, our standards: Code of professional responsibility and standards for the teaching profession. Author.

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Understanding of Te Tiriti Informed (bicultural) education

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Understanding of Te Tiriti Informed (bicultural) education

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Treaty of Waitangi, the founding document of New Zealand that was signed in 1840 between Māori chiefs and the British Crown to keep Maori authority on their lands. As for the education context, this means teacher must respect Māori learners and include Māori language, ideas, and values in daily teaching with the principles of, Partnership, Protection, and Participation.

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During the 5th week of my placement, I focused on observing how the centre uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) through bicultural practice. Based on what I could see in the center, the center and its kaiakos have provided an environment that respects Māori language, culture, and values. For instance, before morning and afternoon tea and lunch, they would say a karakia (prayer) to show gratitude to the food the nature provided. Moreover, something really impressed me was the way children take turns, two at a time, to stand at the front and lead the karakia before meal times. A great chance that allows them to take responsibility and feel proud of what they are doing.

The centre educators also applies Māori greetings and expressions like kia ora (hello) and Kai pai( good) regularly throughout the day. As for the mat time, teachers sometimes sing waiata (songs) in te reo Māori and read storybooks that introduce Māori and other cultures. I remember Caroline-my center supporting kaiako, showing a book that talked about Māori, and Indian culture and their landscapes, which helped children learn about both similarities and differences, and simultaneously getting learners with Indian background involved in the conversation. This phenomenon reveals that the centre values not only biculturalism but also multiculturalism, creating a space or a big family rather, where every child feels seen and included. All of those above reminded me of the importance of Tangata Whenuatanga from Tātaiako (Education Council, 2011), which encourages teachers to affirm Māori learners their culture and identity.

Later on I initiated a conversation with a kaiako to discuss this topic, where I asked about Te Tiriti-informed practice, she said it is a fundamental building block of early childhood education in New Zealand. And she also implied that to be a qualified educator, it is not just about knowing the daily routines in the center but also about understanding and upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi as an obligation. Her ideas helped me realize that being biculturally aware is compulsory as it's part of being a responsible teacher in this country.

On the other hand, I still have a long way to go in this area. It's because of my minimal understanding of bicultural practice, especially applying that idea practically. Since I didn’t grow up surrounded by Māori influence, therefore, it takes time to master such skill. In my own practice I will keep learning from my mentors (lecturers and teachers), observing how they implement bicultural methods in their teaching, and slowly building my own confidence in using them.

References

Education Council. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners. Ministry of Education.

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On the forth week of the placement, I reflect more on how I engage and build friendly relationships with the children. Every time if I would like to join them, I usually start by kneeling down to their level so they feel comfortable instead of fearing the height, and know that I am also interested. If the children do not mind me being there, I would operate the next step. I ask them some simple questions about what they are doing, what they are working on, do they need any assistant and do they mind if I join the play. After getting a positive answer, I slowly join their play. I found all these steps necessary because each one of them work as a little segment of the process for me to build rapport gradually. By starting with showing respect, then starting a conversation, and finally becoming part of their game and play. However, if they happen to need privacy on their play I would always respect that and walk off.

Out of all these steps, I find joining their play worked the best for me. It helps me build trust much faster. For example, many children often come to me asking for help with the swing, and that has become my best way to connect with them. While pushing them on the swing, I often take the chance to talk with them, sing the songs that they are familiar with, or ask them funny questions. I notice they always respond with excitement and laughter. After that, children often invite me to join them in other play areas too. It feels awesome to witness that the children are starting to see me as part of their group and that we are building connections with each other.

However, the speaking part can be a challenge for me as a student teacher. Since English is not my first language, and the age of children in the centre are three to five years old. Meaning that a lot of them don’t talk too clearly yet, therefore, sometimes it is hard for me to understand what they need and what they are trying to say. When that happens, I could only try to observe their facial expressions and actions carefully to guess their meaning. But sometimes I could still not follow. I take that as lacking of work experience in ECE context. And because of that, I want to improve my interpretation ability for children by asking teachers how they interpret children’s non-verbal communication, learning from their experience and applying those tips to every practicum day.

In conclusion, communication is not only about talking, it is reciprocal action that requires teachers to listen, observe, and respond to children’s feelings and actions. Our Code, Our Standards (Education Council, 2017) covered the importance of building positive and respectful relationships with learners and their communities, and showing respect and care in all interactions. I believe if I keep reflecting, learning, and practicing the tips and experience shared by the other center kiakos, I will continue to grow into a more confident and effective educator.

Reference

Education Council. (2017). Our code, our standards: Code of professional responsibility and standards for the teaching profession. Author.

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During the week of my placement. I had my check-in talk with my support teacher in the center, and it turned out to be really helpful. First of all, I told her how much I enjoy the play-based atmosphere of the center and, as a student teacher, being able to engage with the children playfully. Also, I love applying my power to help them on the swing or in the sandpit, as I could see myself fitting in flowlessly. I feel I’ve been doing well at building rapport because more children now know my name, ask me for help, and invite me to play. That made me feel like I’m becoming part of their little community.

Caroline, my guide teacher, said she was happy with my performance in the center so far. She said that my punctuality had improved dramatically since the first day of the placement, when I was late. She thought I was not serious about the placement, but now that concern was off her back, as being on time is a part of this profession. She also mentioned that many children like me and include me naturally in their play, which shows that my relationship-building is very strong. Hearing this made me feel proud and more confident about my growth.

For next steps, she encouraged me to learn more about Te Ao Māori through my studies because it’s an integral part of teaching in New Zealand. Also, something I hadn’t really thought about is that sometimes I help children too directly. I did not quite follow them because I felt that helping them when they needed it was my duty. Therefore, she explained further that it’s good to support them, but it’s also essential to offer them the chance to try first so they can learn to do things for themselves. Without the process of hands-on practice, they would never learn. After hearing her logic, I realized she’s right. I’ve seen kaiako do this often—standing close, ready to help, but letting children climb the small ladder or tidy up by themselves first. This really motivates children to believe in their capabilities.

At our center, teachers always give children small daily jobs like setting the dining tables or cleaning certain areas with name tags, putting them beside each task. This will promote responsibility; when they finish, the kaiako always praise them. You can see how proud the children feel. It builds their confidence and shows their contributions and efforts matter, which means the room would not be tidied up so fast without their assistance. That reminds me of Te Whāriki’s (Ministry of Education, 2017) strand Mana Tangata – Contribution, which talks about children learning that their efforts are valued.

Overall, this conversation was truly constructive. Thanks to the chance of reflection, I felt supported and guided, and I know what I need to keep working on to advance. If I keep being reflective, learning from others, and trusting children’s abilities, I will grow into a better educator.

Reference

Ministry of Education. (2017). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa – Early childhood curriculum. Author.

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This week, during my placement, I spent the morning mostly observing and engaging with children in the sandpit area. The space offered a range of play options to choose from such as shovels, buckets, toy trucks, diggers and even pots! Which were supposed to be at the mini kitchen area nearby and the children seemed to decide to use them as digging tools which I found very amusing! By the time I was there watching, there were around five children deeply engaged, some of them play with peers, collaborating on what they called a “construction project.” While the others explored more independently by digging, feeling, shaping and testing the sand to see how deep they could go with hands. The sandpit environment triggered creativity because it provided materials that could be used in a lot of ways, letting children imagine, construct, and communicate freely.

While I was watching, a little girl whom I had previously helped on the swing recognized me and invited me to join her. I squatted to her level and asked how was her day, can I have her name. She was trying to build a volcano and asked for my help. I took this as a sign that a sense of whanaungatanga that was forming between us. Since I did not really expect her to remember our earlier shared experience since my stereotypical mindset could be children tend to forget than to remember, which I was so wrong about! I believed she trusted me enough to include me in her play. I asked her questions about volcano, if she likes volcano a lot in particular, then I encouraged her to describe what she imagined it might look like when we are done. This experience helped me realize that how play could offers children opportunities to develop ideas and strengthen social and emotional connections with other students and kaiako.

Later, I discussed with one of the kaiako in the center about how play-based environments, for instance, the sandpit especially, support learning. She told me that children enjoy this kind of play because it pushes their imagination into creativity. It puts the thoughts into further actions and practices. Without such opportunities, children may keep their ideas only in their minds, unable to express or test them in anyways. Then she said that a rich play environment provides the tools and space for their thoughts to become visible and shared. This aligns with Te Whāriki’s (Ministry of Education, 2017) strand of Mana Aotūroa – Exploration, which emphasizes learning through active exploration of the environment.

In terms of self referencing, I can feel how my own participation is developing. From mostly observing to interacting and supporting learning through questioning and rapport building. Cherrington (2018) took reflection as connecting belief with action, allowing teachers to respond thoughtfully to children's cues. By remaining responsive and reciprocal relationships, I was not only assisting the child's creative thinking, but also learning about the importance of meaningful relationships and the role of the environment in play-based learning.

References

Cherrington, S. (2018). Early childhood teachers’ thinking and reflection: A model of current practice in New Zealand. Early Years, 38(3), 316–332.

Ministry of Education. (2017). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa – Early childhood curriculum. Author.

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I have to be 100% honest about it, but the start of the first day was not pleasant since I was late(or too right on time a little). This was the mistake I had asked myself not to make again, as it did not demonstrate professionalism (Definitely something I should work on).

Later, my Partner Monique and I started our day in the center. The children were divided into group tables to have their morning tea. When I sat with one of the groups by the table, almost everyone started to stare at me, which I could tell was nothing hostile. However, as the newcomer student teacher with no ECE experience, I sometimes looked down at the ground or away to avoid their sight. In brief, I was nervous and even started questioning whether I was the right person for this job.

Luckily, I was a natural regarding yard time. I imagined myself as the children's safety officer, which is part of my honorable duty in the first place. One thing I had noticed was that some children love climbing high. This has something to do with the risk-taking mentality. Therefore, whenever I saw children climbing high, I would come forward to watch and remind them to be careful and keep my arms ready for their safety, as well as anyone who wanted to get down safely.

Moreover, I had also assisted some children with the swing; they were amazed that I could make it higher. Afterward, they told me with their angel voices, "We had so much fun!" And that was a moment I felt myself glowing, and being 10/10 proud of my job. If you ask me, it did not just come in handy. When I stopped the swing, a young girl started to weep for a reason I did not yet know. I immediately lowered my level to her, first to make sure I could hear her clearly, second to let her know I was willing to listen. She hugged me by my neck, and said,"shins, my shins." As a result, I realized she was trying to stop the swing by her feet as it started to slow down. And the existing momentum transferred from the ground to her feet and shins. I had a similar experience taking care of my younger brother, so I knew one method was to twist the feet to relax the deeper shin muscles from the momentum. I told her to do so by doing it myself as an example, then I held her shoulder so she wouldn't fall. Later, she recovered and stopped weeping. I applied verbal and body language to deliver the message not to touch the ground until the swing fully stops. But of course, in a different communication style informed by the child's age and the context of the situation. I used simple words like feet, no, no, ground (by pointing at the ground). I handled it well for the first time.

In conclusion, here is my reflection on my first week in the center. This includes what I did well, how I felt at different times of the day, what I had realized and noticed, various methods of delivering communication in the special situation and environment, and the aspect I need to keep improving on. I have to be 100% honest about it, but the start of the first day was not pleasant since I was late(or too right on time a little). This was the mistake I had asked myself not to make again, as it did not demonstrate professionalism (Definitely something I should work on).

Later, my Partner Monique and I started our day in the center. The children were divided into group tables to have their morning tea. When I sat with one of the groups by the table, almost everyone started to stare at me, which I could tell was nothing hostile. However, as the newcomer student teacher with no ECE experience, I sometimes looked down at the ground or away to avoid their sight. In brief, I was nervous and even started questioning whether I was the right person for this job.

Luckily, I was a natural regarding yard time. I imagined myself as the children's safety officer, which is part of my honorable duty in the first place. One thing I had noticed was that some children love climbing high. This has something to do with the risk-taking mentality. Therefore, whenever I saw children climbing high, I would come forward to watch and remind them to be careful and keep my arms ready for their safety, as well as anyone who wanted to get down safely.

Moreover, I had also assisted some children with the swing; they were amazed that I could make it higher. Afterward, they told me with their angel voices, "We had so much fun!" And that was a moment I felt myself glowing, and being 10/10 proud of my job. If you ask me, it did not just come in handy. When I stopped the swing, a young girl started to weep for a reason I did not yet know. I immediately lowered my level to her, first to make sure I could hear her clearly, second to let her know I was willing to listen. She hugged me by my neck, and said,"shins, my shins." As a result, I realized she was trying to stop the swing by her feet as it started to slow down. And the existing momentum transferred from the ground to her feet and shins. I had a similar experience taking care of my younger brother, so I knew one method was to twist the feet to relax the deeper shin muscles from the momentum. I told her to do so by doing it myself as an example, then I held her shoulder so she wouldn't fall. Later, she recovered and stopped weeping. I applied verbal and body language to deliver the message not to touch the ground until the swing fully stops. But of course, in a different communication style informed by the child's age and the context of the situation. I used simple words like feet, no, no, ground (by pointing at the ground). I handled it well for the first time.

In conclusion, here is my reflection on my first week in the center. This includes what I did well, how I felt at different times of the day, what I had realized and noticed, various methods of delivering communication in the special situation and environment, and the aspect I need to keep improving on. Last but not least, I learned the importance of manaakitanga (care) and whanaungatanga (building relationships) according to in Our Code, Our Standards (Education Council, 2017).

Reference

Education Council. (2017). Our code, our standards: Code of professional responsibility and standards for the teaching profession. Author.

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No standing on it

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This is Jerome Qin. I'm here because I do like the program and i'm willing to learn more about it, so that one day i could be a qualified ECE educator.

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Letters of the parents' complement to the center.

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Mat time participation boost