I am Runze Li and you can also call me Rollin, who is a Chinese girl. This Portfolio documents the education and skills I have gained during mytime as an Early Childhood Education student at Fanshawe College.

I have two experience working with children at child care center in London till April, 2024.

The first location is at Arbour Glen Day Nursery, and I worked with infants. This is my first time learning how to be an educator from real practice and I got lots of real experience and skills. The second location is at London Bridge-Rowntree Park where I worked with Toddlers. I learned more from there, including how to create for children learning activities connecting their routines and interests to developmental needs, communicate with my mentor frequently to share ideas, and document in greater depth. I see more potential in the children because they are a little older.

I can feel that I am transitioning from an internship to a professional teaching role, as now I am graduating and finishing the third internship at YMCA, where I have been professional through practices.

At the age 21, I have embarked on a journey to augment my passion for fostering the holistic development of young minds by pursuing a two-year academic endeavor.Although most of the people in this field are senior and more experienced, I still have the confidence and professional attitude to face my job.

1. In-Class Reflections (January, 2024)

2. Open-Ended Paper (March, 2024)

Courses:

1. ECED-3038-Child Development 3-6 Years 

2. ECED-3038-Child Development 3-6 Years

INTRODUCTION

I often do self-reflection after class so that I can absorb the most new content or knowledge from class. It is a good method for me to get knowledge and remember it while doing reflections on course content. Also, it is a good chance for me to do self-evaluation when I do reflections, from which I can feel what aspects I still don't grasp and what content I already understand.

From the course of child development3-6 years, I reviewed many cases related to different topics in child development, such as epigenetic, cultural impacts, language development, from those cases I recognize how wrong behaviors and values could impact children negatively and leave children with a irreversible loss in the rest of their lives, for instance, the impact of war to children’s psychological wellbeing. I learned how important to create an inclusive, equal and warm learning environment for the children, as well as how to role model in front of children and pass them with right and respectful values that can shape who they will be in the future.

This document highlights my immediate reflections generated from class and the process of personal critical thinking.

I reflected on various topics such as trauma-informed care, cultural impacts, epigenetics, and language development, demonstrating my understanding of how these concepts apply to my role as an educator.

The document includes themes such as self-reflection and trauma-informed care.

Armed conflict can inflict profound and often irreversible damage on the physical and psychological well-being of children. For instance, the war in Syria, has devastated countless families and left many children suffering from severe and long-lasting trauma. As early childhood educators, it is essential that we foster in young children an awareness of peaceful coexistence, a respect for cultural diversity, and a deep appreciation for inclusivity. In working with children from refugee backgrounds, we must be especially attentive, offering them additional support, understanding, and compassion to help them feel safe, valued, and included in their new environment.

1. Outdoor Play Plan (November, 2023)

2. Car-Painting (January, 2025)

3. Pouring Water between Cups (February, 2025)

Courses:

1. ECED1076-Curriculum & Pedagogy: 0-3 Years

2. FLDP-3024-Field Practicum: 0-12 Years

3. FLDP-3024-Field Practicum: 0-12 Years

INTRODUCTION

They are plans designed for curriculum and pedagogy based on children's level, interests, developmental needs, and overall well-being. These activities encompass the developmental needs of children across a wide range of ages, and they are designed to help children develop holistically, from physical development to logical growth.

The Outdoor Play is around the season change and encourages children to do outdoor activities, enhancing children's physical development and connecting them with the natural environment. Based on the view, I can come up with related activities at different seasons. For example, in the winter, I can encourage children to slide on the snow by packing a snowy slide. Children can engage in different seasonal activities so that they can better feel the seasons and know the magic of nature.

From the other two activities that happened indoors, I set up the activities based on children's interests and developmental needs. Compared to my first planning activity for children, I can practice with more confidence and experience. I remembered the first failing of activity play, where children were not fully complete and engaged in the play. I felt anxious and disappointed, and I wondered why children couldn't engage; however, I realized that the purpose of planning activities is not letting every child get a perfect outcome that I imagine, instead of learning and exploring the way by themselves, so they can try and fail many times, and there is always something they can learn from each trial.

It is mainly around the theme: Exploring Autumn, implementing play with leaves, such as observing the leaves color changes and shapes and lying on piles of leaves, which encourages children to step into the natural world and practice children's eye-hand ability, observation, and logical thinking, and stimulates their open-minded questioning ability.

This activity also helps to cultivate children's mindset of protecting the environment and living in harmony with nature.

References supply for the pdf

Hanscom, A. J. (2016), Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children, New Harbinger Publications, https://books.google.ca/books?id=WaK0CwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Early Learning for Every Child Today, Excerpts from “ELECT”. (2007), https://preschoolcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ELECT_compressed.pdf

Play Wales, (2016), Play: Health and Wellbeing, https://play.wales/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Play-health-and-wellbeing_2023.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2014). How does learning happen? Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-how-does-learning-happen-en-2021-03-23.pdf

The play experience was implemented in a straightforward and accessible way that is easy for children to access, compared with using brushes. Setting up the paper on the table with the green tape border likely provided a clear work area for the children, which helped them focus on the activity.

According to the found, some children are learning to feed themselves at lunchtime; however, kids cannot hold and use spoons very well. Additionally, they are interested in water play, so I provided materials for them to practice gross motor skills and strengthen palm and finger ability.

1. Family Interview Assignment & Reflection (November, 2023)

2. Curriculum Resource Progress-Case Study (November , 2023)

Courses:

1. ECED-3022-Partnerships with Families

2. ECED-3022 Partnerships with Families

INTRODUCTION:

They are reflections based on my personal experience working with parents or case studies where I learned how to collaborate with families through communication and inquiry and how to provide information for families based on individuals and their specific needs. Working with families and building up good relationships with parents is an important process in early childhood education.

I felt nervous and worried about it before the interview, afraid that no one would like to take the interview, but the mother was willing and eager to.

It is my first time working and connecting with parents that influenced me a lot and helped me a lot. Overall, it is a successful work and gave me confidence to collaborate with parents in the future career.

1. Nurturing Nourishment-Reflection (January, 2024)

2. Epigenetics-Reflection (January, 2024)

3. Heathy Problem on Children-Report

Assignment (December, 2023)

4.Reflection on Residential Schools

Courses:

1. ECED-3038-Child Development 3-6Years

2. ECED-3038-Child Development 3-6Years

3. COMM-3082-Community of Communication

4.SOCI- Canadian Families Change & Diversity

INTRODUCTION

Those are reflections and reports related to children's overall health problems, nutrition, and environmental elements, which could lead to negative impacts on children.

From these artifacts, we can learn how to set a positive and supportive environment for children and prevent harmful elements from damaging children.

Those problems/facts caused a very bad impact on children's physical development and mental well-being, and it is valuable to be presented to the public, not only to RECEs and workers related to children's projects. Creating a safe and nutritious growing environment requires the world efforts.

A good diet helps with weight, school performance, and mental health. Lack of nutrients can cause problems, and too much nutrition can lead to obesity and heart issues, like from sugary, oily fast food.

At a child center, teachers can serve healthy meals, observe children's eating habits, encourage trying veggies, limit bad substances, and communicate with parents about childern's diets.

It shows that a child's environment and experiences can change how genes work. Genes aren't fixed; they're influenced by nurture. Children inherit traits from parents, but the environment also impacts development. Good environments help them grow well, while bad ones can cause lasting harm.

Educators, knowing this, should make a positive space for kids to play and learn. A homelike classroom can calm children. Teachers should be friendly when teaching. Also, talking to parents about the environment's role helps them support their children better.

Since children are unable to prepare their own food, parents and guardians need to understand their dietary needs and support a healthy diet for proper physical and physiological development.

It also reminds us of the harm of cultural imperialism and the need for global action to protect marginalized groups.

As RECEs, we should show respect to all cultures and educate children to be comprehensive and respectful to different cultures.

1. London Public Library-resource (March, 2024)

2. New Final Case Study (December, 2023)

Courses:

1. ECED3038-Child Development 3-6 Years

2. ECED3022-Partnerships with Families

INTRODUCTION

They contains institutions of public benefit that can support children and families. It is important for educators to know about these institutions because some families face challenges that they are not familiar with the institutions where they can get help. The role of an early childhood educator is not only to help children but also to support their families.

In the document, we can find three main roles that RECEs take place in: creating an inclusive environment, identifying family needs, and offering holistic child support.

2. Theorist Reflection-Erik Erikson (March, 2024)

3. Theorist Reflection-Berry Mayall (March, 2024)

Courses

1. ECED 3041 Understanding Child Abuse & Neglect

2. ECED 3003-Educational Perspectives

3. ECED 3003-Educational Perspectives

INTRODUCTION

Researching and reflecting are crucial methods for educators to learn how to be critical and professional. We can learn from being taught, but it is more important to initiate research and output our own points of view, which is beneficial to both our ability to think critically and the future education program.

It also reflects on a case study that children are abused by fights between parents and are taken away to a safe environment, who got emotional trauma and some social problems.

The idea that play is crucial for healthy development, fostering initiative and creativity, is a fundamental principle in educational programs.Educators and caregivers need to understand each child's individuality and meet their diverse needs.

During a pinecone-coloring activity with a child named B., exploring on his own even when his actions didn't match the original plan. This was done because children think differently from adults, and allowing them to try things their way helps educators understand their skills and interests.