The following lists the sub outcomes, examples of evidence when children can achieve each sub outcome and how educators can promote and help children to achieve MTOP Learning Outcome 1: Children Have A Strong Sense Of Identity.
In school-age care settings children develop a sense of belonging when they feel accepted, and are able to establish and maintain relationships with their peers and educators. Children’s sense of competence, confidence and motivation to achieve to the best of one’s ability is heavily influenced by the opinions of others. Children actively engage with the task of developing their self-identity while they are interacting with others. When children feel safe, secure and supported they grow in confidence to
explore and learn.
Learning Outcome 1: Children Have A Strong Sense Of Identity
1.1 - Children feel safe, secure, and supported
This is evident when children:
- establish and maintain respectful, trusting relationships with other children and educators
- use effective routines to make predicted transitions
- sense and respond to a feeling of belonging
- openly express their feelings and ideas in their interactions with others
- respond to ideas and suggestions from others
- initiate interactions and conversations with trusted educators
- confidently explore and engage with social and physical environments through relationships and play
- initiate and join in play and leisure activities
Educators promote this learning by:
- spend time interacting and conversing with children, listening and responding sensitively as they express their ideas and needs
- support children’s attachment through consistent and warm nurturing relationships
- support children in times of change and bridge the gap between the familiar and the unfamiliar
- recognise that feelings of distress, fear of discomfort may take some time to resolve
- acknowledge each child’s uniqueness in positive ways
- support the development of children’s friendships
- acknowledge the importance of opportunities for children to relax through play and leisure
1.2 - Children develop their autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency
This is evident when children:
- participate in a range of freely chosen play and leisure opportunities
- demonstrate awareness of the needs and rights of others
- are open to new challenges and discoveries
- demonstrate awareness of the opinions of others about their efforts
- increasingly co-operate and work collaboratively with others
- take a considered risk in their decision-making and cope with the unexpected
- recognise their individual achievements and the achievements of others
- demonstrate a capacity for self-regulation, negotiating and sharing behaviours
- persist when faced with challenges and when first attempts are not successful
- display a willingness to achieve to the best of one’s ability
Educators promote this learning by:
- encourage children to make choices and decisions
- encourage children to collaborate with peers and educators to plan programs
- provide children with strategies to make informed choices about their behaviours
- promote children’s sense of belonging, connectedness and wellbeing
- maintain high expectations of each child’s capabilities
- mediate and assist children to negotiate their rights in relation to the rights of others
- display encouragement and enthusiasm for children’s attempts
- motivate and encourage children to succeed when they are faced with challenges
- provide time and environment for children to engage in both individual and collaborative pursuits
1.3 - Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities.
This is evident when children:
- feel recognised and respected for who they are
- explore different identities and points of view in play and discussions
- develop a wider sense of the diverse values and beliefs held by others
- share aspects of their culture with the other children and educators
- use their home language to construct meaning
- develop strong foundations in both the culture and language/s of their family and of the broader community without compromising their cultural identities
- develop their social and cultural heritage through engagement with Elders and community members
- reach out and communicate for comfort, assistance and companionship
- celebrate and share their contributions and achievements with others
Educators promote this learning by:
- listen to and learn about children’s understandings of themselves, who they are and their connectedness to others – a shared identity as Australians ensure all children experience pride and confidence in their achievements
- share children’s successes with families
- show respect for and a deep understanding of diversity, acknowledging the varying approaches of children, families, communities and cultures
- acknowledge and understand that children construct meaning in many different ways
- maintain and build on the knowledge, languages and understandings that children bring
- talk with children in respectful ways about similarities and differences in people, identities and culture
- provide rich and diverse resources that reflect children’s social worlds
1.4 - Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect
This is evident when children:
- show interest in other children and being part of a group
- spend a large proportion of their time with peers
- establish and maintain relationships with peers
- engage in and contribute to play and leisure experiences
- express a wide range of emotions, thoughts and views constructively
- empathise with and express concern for others
- display awareness of and respect for others’ perspectives
- reflect on their actions and consider consequences for others
- learn to control strong emotions and impulses
Educators promote this learning by:
- organise environments and spaces in ways that promote small and large group interactions and meaningful play and leisure
- model care, empathy and respect for children, staff and families
- initiate one-to-one interactions with children
- model explicit communication strategies to support children to sustain productive relationships with other children in play and social experiences
- acknowledge children’s complex relationships and sensitively intervene in ways that promote consideration of alternative perspectives and social inclusion
References:
MTOP Learning Outcomes, Aussie Childcare Network -
How Children Can Achieve MTOP Learning Outcomes, Aussie Childcare Network
How Educators Can Promote MTOP Learning Outcomes, Aussie Childcare Network