Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hello everyone,

I am currently studying my graduate diploma in Early Childhood and will be starting my next placement soon. The reason I ask for advice is because I am unsure on what to do or how to interact during placement with staff and children. During my last placement during my first semester, I could not really learn much and ended up being more confused. Long story short, I undertook my placement in a centre and was required to engage with children, set up activities based on STEM and of course be involved in the routines. I did all of those things but the mentor I had said it was not enough and started to bully me and forbid me from speaking with parents and ask questions. She even forbid me from putting my hands in my pockets, saying that's a sign that I dislike being there, and said that saying things like "can you please help me with...?" is offensive and I must say instead "do you mind...?"; which confused me more and that point I did not even know what words to use during placement. Close to the end, most of the requirements from my report were met but, on the last day, she changed everything and put it as unmet and ended up failing me, arguing that I failed because I was not able to lead the staff and lead all the routines, saying that if a staff member has started the routine, I was not meant to take initiative to ask if I could join and try, that I should instantly know what is missing and do it.

For these reasons, I ended up not knowing if I am going on the right or the wrong track or how to improve. Because of this experience, I am worried something similar would happen on my next placement. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone could give me advice about how students should behave during placement. I want to learn and develop meaningful relationships with children and my mentor but I am afraid that I won't be able to. Perhaps the way I did things on my previous placements were really bad? I spoke with other students and none of them encountered these issues so I thought I might have been a really bad student. Any help would be appreciate it as I really want to become a teacher that can ensure growth and development on children's skills.

I hope I managed to explain myself, sorry if it is confusing.

Hi Lorina,

Thanks for your reply. So far, my placement has been going great and my mentor is willing to help me as much as she can. Whilst I am still afraid and worried of failing or not being able to meet my mentor's expectations during my placement, I feel I am able to learn here and hope everything goes well. I still have pressure from my university and previous placement. However, my mentor and staff are giving their best to support me and lead me towards the right path to becoming a great teacher. For the first time since I started this course, I look forward to my placement and, slowly, I believe I am getting back the confidence that my previous placement crushed.

On a side note, do you have any tips when leading group time with the whole class? I sometimes struggle to make all the children listen to me and would love to develop the confidence to lead this kind of activities.