Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hello
I am new to this forum. I am studying my diploma of early childhood education and care. I have completed 26 units. Only 2 more units left. Can I please ask some questions. Can anyone please help me. I am overwhelmed with this two units. I have done all on my own without support from college.

This task requires you to complete sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the attached Operational/Work Plan for Blue Bay Early Learning Centre.
Read parts 1-4 of the Blue Bay Early Learning Centre Operational Work Plan which documents the problem, goals, objectives, barriers/constraints identified by the service in relation to school readiness. Use this information to complete the services Operational/Work Plan.
Section 5: Key Strategies
Identify the practical strategies that could be put into place to address the problem.
Section 6: Resources
Based on your strategies identify the resources that will be required to implement the plan. Resources may include staff, (release from face-to-face teaching or time-in-lieu), printing, refreshments, cost of guest speaker etc.)
Section 7: Who will be involved? (Roles/responsibilities)
Assign key tasks to individuals.
Section 8: What is the timeframe?
Think about how you might sequence your strategies – what would you do first? How would you follow-up?
Section 9: How will progress be monitored?
Identify how you would monitor each strategy to determine if the stated goals and objectives are being met.
Section 10: How will the plan be evaluated?
Identify how you would evaluate the plan to determine what worked, what might have been improved, how barriers could have been overcome?


1. What are the key issues or problems to be addressed? (background details)
• It is August and a number of parents (25%) whose 4-5 year-old children are enrolled in the centre have expressed concern about the validity of a play-based program.
• Parents have asked why the centre does not have formal learning programs to prepare children for school.
• Parents have expressed a desire for programs such as literacy and numeracy i.e. reading, writing, number recognition, counting, as well as knowledge of shapes and colours.
• There is growing tension between educators and parents around the value of play as learning. Educators also believe that many parents do not understand the importance of self-regulation as a key indicator of school readiness and later academic success.

2. What are the goals? (Link to QIP/NQS)
To listen and respond to parent’s concerns in a positive manner by sharing information about school readiness and play-based learning.
Work with parents to share key indicators of school readiness as identified by current research.
Link to QIP/NQS
1.1.1 Curriculum decision making contributes to each child’s learning and development outcomes in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators.
1.2 Educators and co-ordinators are focused, active and reflective in designing and delivering the program for each child.
6.2.1 The expertise of families is recognised and they share in decision making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.

3. What are the objectives?
Develop a school readiness program in collaboration with parents.

4. What are the barriers or constraints?
• The underpinning principles of the EYLF may be unfamiliar to parents.
• The concept of play as learning is not generally well understood by those without specialist early childhood pedagogical knowledge.
• The acquisition of skills such as literacy, numeracy are generally regarded as key markers of academic achievement.


5. What are the key strategies? (How the plan will be put into action?)

6. What resources will be required?

7. Who will be involved? (Roles/Responsibilities)

8. What is the timeframe?

9. How will progress be monitored?

10. How will the plan be evaluated?

I don't know how to answer this. There is no Blue bay elc operational/workplan

Dear Lorina,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I have attempted the question. Could you please check if my responses are right and if anything needs to be added or changed.

5. What are the key strategies? (How the plan will be put into action?)
- Literacy and numeracy is introduced through play.
- The early childhood educators share with families examples of the pasting table or the block corner and how much numeracy and literacy is happening though those experiences and interactions.
- Actively promote the terms literacy and numeracy in the program and then provide practical examples such as – Numeracy = classifying = use of leaves to sort and group
Literacy = recognition of symbols = a shop in the dramatic play area
- Using posters and pamphlets around the service that provide examples of where the literacy and numeracy is in the program both indoor and outdoors.
- Include literacy and numeracy in the program through play both indoors and outdoor
For example, in the dramatic play area, children write letters, talking about what they might want to say or who they might wish to write to, collecting and sorting stamps, using pretend money, making a list of what to buy, cooking, mixing and measuring ingredients
Outdoor literacy and numeracy can include – Obstacle course – This provides opportunities for oral language, gross motor and fine motor skills as well as modelling what is known as positional language – words such as under, over, through, between, inside, outside, up, down, across
Gardening – There are many opportunities for literacy from creating signs for newly planted seedlings to descriptive language about plants and for numeracy from placing one seed per hole to measuring plant growth over time.

6. What resources will be required?
Resources are easily available at the service for children. Educators can provide books, pens for writing letters, dotted alphabet boards for children to practice writing skills, stamps, pretend money, cooking activity for making a salad. Obstacle course is usually set up at the service during outdoor play. The educators can also provide children with gardening experience. This might require children to dig holes, place number of seeds in each hole, water the plants as required.

7. Who will be involved? (Roles/Responsibilities)
The educators and the parents are involved.
The educators plan and implement a program involving activities that help children gain more knowledge about literacy and numeracy
The parents can assist children at home like reading books, developing literacy and numeracy in first language, involve them in small house hold work that relates to literacy and numeracy such as making shopping list, counting number of fruits and vegetables in the fridge, etc.

8. What is the timeframe?
Children are quick learners but the time they take to learn is different from each child. The program can be implemented for the remaining time of the year so that the children are school ready by the end of the year. The educator makes goals for the children with each activity.

9. How will progress be monitored?
The educators make observations and document it for each child. This can be viewed by the parents at any time. The educators and parents can work in partnership regarding the progress and any changes or addition to the program can be proposed.

10 How will the plan be evaluated?



Awaiting your response,
Thank you once again.