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 2: Children Are Connected With And Contribute To Their World.
School-age children are increasingly involved in a wide range of communities. These might include families, schools, school-age care settings or local communities. As children participate in these communities they develop their capacity for independence and self-direction.
Learning Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
2.1 - Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation
This is evident when children:
- recognise that they have a right to belong to many communities
- cooperate with others and negotiate roles and relationships in play and leisure experiences
- take action to assist other children to participate in social groups
- broaden their understanding of the world in which they live
- express an opinion in matters that affect them
- build on their own social experiences to explore other ways of being
- learn to ‘read’ the behaviours of others and respond appropriately
- understand different ways of contributing through play and meaningful projects
- respond positively to others, reaching out for company and friendship
- contribute to fair decision-making about matters that affect them
Educators promote this learning by:
- promote a sense of community within the school-age care setting
- build connections between the school-age care setting, schools and the local community
provide opportunities for children to investigate ideas, complex concepts and ethical issues that are relevant to their lives and their local communities - model language and actions that children can use to express ideas, negotiate roles and collaborate to achieve goals
- scaffold children’s opportunities to participate and contribute to group activities
- plan opportunities for children to participate in significant ways in group discussions and shared decision-making about rules and expectations and activities
2.2 - Children respond to diversity with respect
This is evident when children:
- use opportunities to develop understandings
- about the diversity of culture, heritage,
- background and tradition
- demonstrate awareness of connections, similarities and differences between people and react in positive ways
- listen to others’ ideas and respect different ways of being and doing
- practise inclusive ways of achieving coexistence
Educators promote this learning by:
- plan experiences and provide resources that broaden children’s perspectives and encourage appreciation of diversity
- engage in interactions with children that promote respect for diversity and value distinctiveness
- expose children to different languages and dialects and encourage appreciation of linguistic diversity
- encourage children to listen to others and to respect diverse perspectives
- demonstrate positive responses to diversity in their own behaviour
- explore the culture, heritage, backgrounds and traditions of children within the context of their community
2.3 - Children become aware of fairness
This is evident when children:
- become aware of the ways in which people are included or excluded from physical and social environments
- develop the ability to recognise unfairness and bias and the capacity to act with compassion and kindness
- are empowered to make choices and problem-solve to meet their needs in particular contexts
- think critically about fair and unfair behaviour
- understand and evaluate ways in which texts and media construct identities and create stereotypes
Educators promote this learning by:
- notice and listen carefully to children’ concerns and discuss diverse perspectives on issues of inclusion and exclusion and fair and unfair behaviour
- engage children in discussions about respectful and equal relations such as when a child dominates in the use of resources
- analyse and discuss with children ways in which stereotypes are portrayed
- draw children’s attention to issues of fairness relevant to them in the school-age care setting and community
2.4 - Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment
This is evident when children:
- demonstrate an increasing knowledge of, and respect for natural and constructed environments
- demonstrate an awareness of the impact of human activity on environments and the interdependence of living things
- participate with others to solve problems and contribute to group outcomes
- explore, infer, predict and hypothesise in order to develop an increased understanding of the interdependence between land, people, plants and animals
- show appreciation and care for natural and constructed environments
- act with moral and ethical integrity
- appreciate social, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity
Educators promote this learning by:
- embed sustainability in daily routines and practices
- discuss the ways the life and health of living things are interconnected
- collaborate to develop daily routines and practices that embrace sustainability
- work together with children to show respect, care and appreciation for the natural environment
- provide children with access to a range of natural materials in their environment
- enable children to care for and learn from the land
- discuss the nature of children’s connectedness to the land and demonstrate respect for community protocols
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