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In a hurry? Here's the quick run-down:
Some external courses are necessary for learning new knowledge and skills, for example, mandatory safeguarding training. However, there are also plenty of ways to improve your practice, in-house too. The easiest? Reflective practice.
You don't need anything new to begin engaging in models of reflective practice in early childhood settings. Think about a recent learning experience. You can pick out what you learned, what you'd change, and what you plan to do better next time. It's as simple as that.
So what about your nursery management software or Early Childhood Platform? Well, while we mostly use these apps to record the children's learning, you can also utilise them as your own learning journey. How? Let's get into it...
When you first started working with young children, you were probably also new to writing observations and assessments. Each Early Years setting can choose how to do observations and assessments of children, but they must be accurate and useful. And, like most things you learn, writing observations and assessments is a skill you develop with experience and reflection.
So where does your nursery management software fit in? Well, that's where you're recording what you've written. Consider it your learning journal to see how you've honed your observation and assessment skills over time.
If you're using Famly's Sidekick to check the spelling, grammar, and tone of your observations, you're being given suggestions for improvements all the time. This in-the-moment support allows you to record better observations and gradually teaches you to reflect on improvements you could make on your own.
Not only that, if your observations have an approval process, you can reflect on the feedback you've been given by your colleagues.
"My team have just got better and better at it. I often walk into their workspace and hear them supporting each other or having a chat about their observations, which they didn't do before. Now they're able to look at each other's and say, 'Oh, you could say this, or you could be saying that.' It's much quicker. They've got much more snappy about their observations."
Michele Barrett, Head Teacher, Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre
It's not just about how you write observations - it's what happened to make you write one. Think about each time you write up an observation of a child. You note down:
This is a perfect starting point for reflection as you have accurately captured the teaching and learning that's happening. Of course, the point is the child's learning and development but you have a record of yours too. Use these observations to reflect on:
What did I do?
What did I learn from this to develop my practice?
Of course, this isn't an exhaustive list but some points to get you started when reflecting on areas for improvement.
In the Early Years, there's nothing more important than keeping children safe and being a reflective practitioner can help here too. Once again, we're going to dive into your nursery management software for help.
Take a look at the last few accident reports from your Early Years setting. Are there some places where accidents happen more than others? Are there some activities that tend to result in more accidents than others? Patterns and trends allow you to make decisions about how to make your setting safer, just by looking back on the data you already have.
The same applies to incidents or "near misses". Reflect on:
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.
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