Scheduling is making a plan of what should be done throughout the day and how long time should be spent on these activities.

The purpose of scheduling is to organise the day to ensure it is balanced, productive and fun. This will allow the  children’s learning to be enhanced carefully through the use of time.

This technique is used by staff to consider how to plan time for key events such as arrivals, departures, meal times and nap times while also trying to add other activities in.

While most Centre’s plan a schedule in advance, there are times they also need to be flexible.

 

·      Mac Naughton and Williams suggest that there are some issues and debates about the implementation of this technique, what is discussed?

1.     Flexibility versus schedules: 

 A long term debate where some argue for tight scheduling of the day while some for flexible and open-ended schedules.

2.     Full day programmes verus sessional experiences: 

 Debates on how much time yound children should have in early childhood programmes.

 

·      What are the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of the teaching technique scheduling?

 Staff need to develop a plan for how they can best use their time to enrich and extend children’s learning. To do this they need to organise time to:

1.     Maximise enjoyment and a sense of wellbeing in the children, parents and staff.

2.     Ensure that children gain a feeling of security and competence in their learning environment.

3.     Support children’s differing learning styles and patterns.

4.     Support equity of access and participatiion.

 

 

·      From your reading provide some examples of how you have seen this technique used 

At my Centre we have specific times for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Play and mat times are scheduled but flexible depending on how the children are doing during this time. For example, we normally have mat time before having kai but if the children are enjoying themselves during play we allow them more time with their activities and then do mat time after having kai.

Scheduling is like a timetable for the day. This is designed to organise when specific things will happen eg meal or mat times as well as sleep times. But this should be flexible to vacate for children's needs. It is used to encourage positive interactions between tamariki and kaiako. 

The main purpose of this technique is to plan the day, what is going to happen and when. This encourages positive interactions and a fun environment for the children. 

This technique is used by adults in advance to the day they are planning to organise events such as sleep, meal, mat and play times. 

Developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique is age, if you are in an infant room then you would need to consider their needs for sleep compared to preschool or toddlers. 

There are debates with but not limited to; Flexibility versus schedule and new materials and experience disturbing the ebb and flow of the day. 

Organising time for children and staff’s sense of enjoyment and wellbeing, organising time to support children’s differing learning styles and patterns, and organising time for children’s sense of surcirty and competence. 

At my field-based practice setting we have specific times for morning kai, lunch and afternoon kai. However, there are some flexibility with this as if the children are playing well and happily then they are able to play a little bit longer before mat time. For example, we normally have mat time before having kai but if the children are enjoying themselves and playing happily together then they are allowed an extra 5-10 minutes before they must come inside to have mat time. Usually if this happens the teachers will just have a shorter mat time than usual. 

Scheduling is like a plan to get the work done in certain way so that everything gets done.

It is a plan to organise someones day to ensure there day is balanced, productive and pleasing momentum.  So staff need 

It is used to plan your day in advance such as meal times, bed time, play etc

That is still flexible and not run exactly to time as plans with children will never happen on time.  You also need to be aware of the sleepy state, the calm/alert state, the active/alert state.

1.     Flexibility versus schedules – some argue for a tight schedules during the day others more flexible and open-ended scheduling 

2.     Full day programs versus sessional experiences – how much time young children should have in early childhood programs.

Staff need to develop a plan to enrich and extend the children's learning.  This can be achieved by:

·     Maximise enjoyment and a sense of wellbeing in the children, parents and staff 

·     Ensure that children gain a feeling of security and competence in their learning environment 

·     Support children's differing learning styles and patterns 

·     Support equity of access to and participation in the program for all children 

In my centre we use a schedule however we are very flexible with it, we have ruff times set for meal times.  However all the children know the routine in which we go by, such as after before lunch we have a story or dance then wash their hand, they then know to go to the mat for our karakia, we have lunch and then they its bed time.

describe specific situations when the technique is used
In my centre we have scheduling for our morning tea that the children and teacher share and this is done twice so that all the children get a chance to have some they are also welcome to eat whenever they want through out the day. We then have last call for kai which is done just before tidy up time and then it is mat time where we do our breathing and have a story before the children are picked up.

 

Scheduling is a teaching technique which involves planning and organising interactions such as those between people and materials.  

The main purpose of this technique is to enhance the child's learning through purposeful use of time resulting in a productive and pleasing momentum throughout the day.

This technique is used by adults to plan a child's day including nap time, kai time and interactions. It is also used for adults to plan out their own day including meal times and interactions with not only the children but other adults. 

The developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique are the three different states of being for children. These states need to be considered when timing your interactions with children as it helps you tune into their needs and better their learning experiences and support their wellbeing.

One of the issues and debates about the implementation of this technique is flexibility vs schedule as people have different theoretical perspectives on how children learn best. Another issue and debate is full day programs vs sessional experiences. Studies show full day children progress further academically than half day children during the year. However there isn't strong evidence that this persists beyond first grade.

-organising time for staff and children's and staff enjoyment and sense of wellbeing.
- Organisng time for children's sense of security and competence.
-Organising time to support children's differing learning styles and patterns.
-Organising time to support equity of access and participation.

I have seen this technique used within my field based practice setting. Meal times are loosely planned and one teacher is designated to make sure every child has eaten. The teachers are flexible and often the children decide for themselves when they would like to eat before the teacher asks if they are hungry. The children are free to help themselves to kai at anytime of the day so they do some of their own planning when they say they will eat it later. Scheduling is also used in the form of a staff timetable which dictates the staffs hours.

What is the main purpose of the technique?
To organise the daily routine to ensure that children’s learning and interactions are balanced and flow easily from one transition to the next.

When is this technique used by adults or children? 
Adults can use scheduling to form a timetable to help transition children into the centre or new room within the centre.  It can be used to support equity within the program for all children.

What are the developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique?
In infants there needs to be consideration of when they are sleepy, calm and active.  There scheduling needs to meet the individual needs as all the infants won’t be in these stages at the same time.

Toddler’s needs time to master skills and become independent their routines and experiences need to reflect this.

Preschool children need to have a plan that allows for in depth and more focused learning.  The plan should cater for increased capability and concentration.

MacNaughton and Williams suggest that there are some issues and debates about the implementation of this technique what are they discuss them?
Flexibility versus Schedules – Different theoretical views will depend on how a centre manages its time for young children.  Some will have specific times that programmes will be run, others like to be open ended and flexible.

Full Day Programs versus Sessional Experiences – The debate here is whether children benefit from being in a full day program and how long term those benefits are compared to children who attend less hours.  The scheduling would be different to cater for the greater length of time full day children attend.

New materials and experiences disrupting the ebb and flow of the day – Kaiako need to understand how the new material can be used effectively so that they can model and teach the children how to get meaningful experiences from it and where they are positioned in the room.

Giving equal importance to the celebrations of diverse cultural groups – When scheduling celebrations centres need to ideally choose the ones that are of relevance to the centre’s community and families including those in minority groups.

Reflecting on the politics of regulating young children – Kaiako need to be aware that over scheduling a timetable may lead to children being dependant on being told what to do and how to do, a day needs to be organised to empower children to become independent and to have a say in how their day is formed.

What are the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of teaching technique scheduling? 
Organisation of time during the day i.e. the timetable

Organising time for children’s and staff’s sense of enjoyment and wellbeing

Organising time for children’s sense of security and competence

Organising time to support children’s differing learning styles and patterns.

Organising time to support equity of access and participation

From your reading provide some examples of how you have seen this technique used.  Describe specific situations when the technique is used.
At morning tea and afternoon tea there is a dedicated teacher that makes sure that every child has been offered the chance to come and eat.  If the child is busy the teacher comes back later to see if they are finished and offers it then.  Children have the right to decide if they want to eat, the teacher will make sure that food is offered again during that time.  

There are scheduled times that morning tea and afternoon tea start but these are flexible depending on what is happening within the centre.  Lunch time is at a set time of day and every child sits at a table to eat together; this is followed by sleep time for those that require it.  Children get to choose where they play and learn for the rest of the day, while teachers are timetabled to work in specific areas. 

·        What is the main purpose of the technique? 

The main purpose is for teachers to use their time wisely to enhance the child’s learning and to be productive.    

·        When is this technique used by adults or children? 

Teachers use it to plan for when children are arriving, leaving, meals times and transiting from one room in the centre to another or even transitioning to school. 

·        What are the developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique?

For infants every infant is at different stages, they all go to sleep at different times, some may be asleep during meal times which means they need to be feed later on when the teachers may have planned to do something else that is one reason it needs to be flexible. 

·        MacNaughton and Williams suggest that there are some issues and debates about the implementation of this technique what are they discuss them?

They said some argue for tight scheduling of the day, others for more flexibility and open-ended scheduling of children’s time. They debate about how best to schedule young children’s learning generally rest on different theoretical perspectives on how young children learn. 

·        What are the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of teaching technique scheduling? 

Organisation of time during the day: timetable 

Organising time for children’s and staff’s sense of enjoyment and well-being 

Organising time for children’s sense of security and competence 

Organising time to support children’s differing learning styles and patterns 

Organising time to support equity of access and participation  

·        From your reading  provide some examples of how you have seen this technique used  

·        describe specific situations when the technique is used

In my centre we have specific meal times for morning tea, Lunch and afternoon tea, every child is offered food at every meal and if they don’t want it, we save it for them and try again later. Also, when we have meals there are sometimes children asleep, so we save their meals for them and they get it after they wake up. This is where teachers need to be flexible as when some children are asleep it does mean they need to have time in their schedule to ensure those children are feed later.  

The purpose is organising the day, to ensure that the day is productive, and that the children’s learning is enhanced in a positive environment, through careful use of time. 

When is this technique used by adults or children?
This technique is used by adults or children throughout the day to ensure that there is a balanced, productive flow to the day and that the children’s learning is enhanced through careful use of time. 

What are the developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique? 
The developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique are -

·       Babies need to be taken into consideration with their differing patterns of sleep, eating and toileting. 

·       Toddlers don’t like being rushed and require enough time in their program to complete their task in a positive and learning environment. 

·       Big Kids have increased competence and concentration. More need for focused and in-depth work is critical to create learning challenges for this age group. 

MacNaughton and Williams suggest that there are some issues and debates about the implementation of this technique what are they discuss them? 
Flexibility verses schedules – whether it is more beneficial for the children to have tight scheduling for the day or more flexible and open-ended scheduling. 

Full day program verses sessional – Debate in regard to how much time a child should have in an early childhood program. 

What are the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of teaching technique scheduling?
Consideration needs to be implemented to ensure a rich learning environment which is inclusive to everyone regardless of race and culture, disabilities and additional needs, different learning needs and patterns. It needs to consider equity of access and participation. 

From your reading provide some examples of how you have seen this technique used and describe specific situations when the technique is used. 
In my centre we have set times for our meals, however these are loosely fitting and depend on the day and birthdays. The toddlers have mat time after morning tea but again this depends on the day and if the toddlers are engaged. The big kids go on bush walks Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, depending on the day and weather. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they have kapa haka in the morning. In the afternoon the children have set sleep/rest times however, those that are close to going to school have stay up time. This is where they might do preparation for school or they will do art activities, or research a topic that has interested them etc. All the children come together after sleep and there is always planned activities available for the children to do as well as free play. 

 

 

Scheduling means to plan and organise for an event or class. 

 

So that children and staff feel comfortable and secure in what happens that day. This helps so that everyone knows what’s going on and how they can help. 

To plan a well thought out day with meaningful activities planed for learning. Making sure everyone is on the same page. 

The timing of some events like food and sleep. Babies need a nap during the day so to work around it. Children will be on different timetables so consider the best times and still anticipate for so children at a latter or earlier time. Making sure each child has quality time and is well understood. Understanding that not every child will enjoy the same activity.

One factor is a rigged structure vs a flexible one. Also the pros and cons of full time children vs part time. With it suggesting that full time potently do better academically. 

Organizing the timetable

Organizing time for senses of enjoyment and wellbeing

Organizing time for sense of security and competence

Organizing time to support children’s different learning styles and patterns

Organizing time to support equity of access and participation

 

in my centre meals are around the same time each day, this does not ably to everyone as some babies sleep at this time. Nap time is also loosely around the same time each day as this is round about the time everyone gets tired. But if some need to nap earlier this is easily done. We have the doors open most of the day but typically have the  closed for nap time so that as children go to sleep or wake up it’s a quite time. 

 

Scheduling is the design of the day, the way the day might look according to the needs of the children, families and kaiako.
What is the main purpose of the technique? 

To provide an environment that feels ‘organised’, to placate relievers or new staff that might be unsure of the usual happenings of the day, and to ensure there is time to support children surrounding meal times and care moments, to ensure the space feels somewhat predictable to alleviate any worries or stress for children entering the space.
When is this technique used by adults or children?

Teachers use scheduling to dictate break times and inform when children might be feeling hungry, tired or need support around toileting. In some centres they might inform mat times, ‘activities’ or specific moments within the day that the centre deems necessary to disrupt free play.
Children use scheduling to understand rhythms of their day, drop off is usually closely followed by morning tea and so on, this supports children to be able to understand and predict how their day might look. 
What are the developmental considerations that need to be considered when implementing this technique?

All children are at different stages developmentally and require individualised support for this, rather than a one size fits all approach. Babies especially have specific cues that teachers must, through their relationship with the child, come to understand and know how to best respond.
MacNaughton and Williams suggest that there are some issues and debates about the implementation of this technique what are they discuss them?

Allowing equal opportunity to celebrate cultural events and moments within the day that hold specific value to the diversity of the room, showing children that the are valued. Providing a flexible, ‘open ended’ environment. Introducing new materials/experiences, disrupting the flow of the space and interrupting the rhythm of the day. The scheduling of a day being a regulating tool, or management tool to ensure productivity and status quo.
What are the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of teaching technique scheduling? 

Organisation of
 -Time for children/staff to experience sense of enjoyment/well-being
 -Time for children's sense of security/competence
 -Time to support diverse learning styles/patterns
 -Time to ensure equity of access/participation
From your reading provide some examples of how you have seen this technique used 

In my centre we follow rhythm and ritual over routine, which is still a schedule of course, while also adhering to a schedule in terms of breaks and rosters. Our schedule rarely interferes with children at play. Meals roll into one another; food is always available, and children are encouraged to follow the cues of their own bodies rather than be ordered to eat at a specific time because that is what is convenient for the teacher. Sleeping is much the same. Activities is a bit of a taboo word; children are not expected to engage in teacher lead activities that fail to speak to their interests and eliminate all creative process. However, a teacher might decide for the morning they are going to set themselves up in the carpentry area and work alongside children which might be part of that particular teachers ‘schedule’ of sorts. Another time that scheduling might be more visible in the traditional sense is when engaging in any type of preparing of food, which requires time and support from other teachers to make possible. Teachers need to be on the ball when responding to the room and the needs of children, allowing children the time and space they require to go about their play. All that being said, at Tamariki o te Ngahere, which is our forest school and ‘before school’ programme, there the schedule is more present. We arrive, sit on our mat, discuss hazards, say karakia, have our kai, then we play for a few hours, coming back again to the mat, sharing out discoveries and challenges from the day one by one, sharing kai, saying karakia and walking out. These are our morning and afternoon Ngahere rituals that support tamariki to understand where we are at in the day and what’s next.