EDUC07037 2022 ECEC Practice Placement Year 3

Embody the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and principles to support and lead the health, wellbeing, care, learning and development of young children through evidence-informed care and pedagogical practices including play.

Analyse the view of the child and childhood that underpins student practices and develop an understanding of the child as a co-constructor of their lived experiences.

Demonstrate an evolving professional identity as leaders in reflective, ethical, flexible and autonomous practice working within the regulatory and wider Irish ELC context.

Evaluate and lead effective strategies to communicate with others to build inclusive relationships and partnerships with children, families and communities from diverse environments.

Apply a leading role in supporting the individual identities of children and demonstrate cultural competence.

Evaluate interdisciplinary working and lead communities of practice with peers and professionals from multiple disciplines.

Support children, families, peers and colleagues through the demonstration of leadership practices.

Students must attend mandatory placement preparation provision. Students will be immersed in a practice placement for a period of 12 weeks. Their work in settings will be underpinned by Aistear, Siolta and the Early Years Services Regulations.

Visiting Tutor Visit: Students will receive 2 visits from a tutor from the teaching team at IT Sligo. These visits will be structured around a set of questions that the students will have prior knowledge of and will cover the learning objectives for the module. This is formative and summative assessment.

Portfolio: Students will complete a number of practice tasks which will be written up in their portfolio. They will make explicit links between theory and their understanding, practices and values. Portfolio is a summative assessment.

Review: Students will reflect on their placement experience with peers and the development of their knowledge, practices and values throughout. Review is a summative assessment. 

Community of Practice: Students will engage in 2 community of practice sessions facilitated by a VT and  2 peer-facilitated sessions. Community of practice is tutor and peer formative assessment and feedback of placement process and summative assessments.

Students must pass all elements of the placement assessment. 

There is only 1 repeat attempt at placement. 

This module has components passes. Only one repeat attempt of each component allowed. Failed components may require a repeat placement.

LO 1) Embody the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and principles to support and lead the health, wellbeing, care, learning and development of young children through evidence-informed care and pedagogical practices.

Students will take into account children’s needs in order to promote their full potential and their participation in the life of ELC institutions. They will adopt a holistic vision of education that encompasses learning, care and upbringing. Additionally, students should develop, implement and regularly evaluate, routines and procedures consistently promoting children’s physical, social and emotional security, together with their learning, wellbeing and development to ensure high quality systems are in place. They will lead the delivery of quality practice and development of procedures in relation to the safety, health and wellbeing of babies, toddlers and young children. They will also develop tailored strategies underpinned by theory to support children's play, transitions, emergent language, literacy, digital literacy, numeracy, creativity and problem-solving skills, STEAM and digital learning and co-construct the learning process with children across a wide range of activities engaging in sustained shared thinking. Additionally, they will build, maintain and advocate for highly reciprocal, responsive and highly respectful relationships with babies, toddlers and young children and foster the development of peer relationships whilst promoting a holistic, child-centred approach to early learning and care in partnership with children

LO 2) Analyse the view of the child and childhood that underpins student practices and develop an understanding of the child as a co-constructor of their lived experiences.

Students will consider the historical, social, cultural and political constructs of childhood that impact on their practices. They will promote children’s full potential, agency and participation at their early learning and care environments and adopt a rights-based approach to ELC in which children’s right to citizenship encompasses their full participation in the social and cultural life of their community. Students will adopt a child-centred approach that views children as competent, active agents and as protagonists of their own learning. They will build, maintain and advocate for highly reciprocal, responsive and highly respectful relationships with babies, toddlers and young children and foster the development of peer relationships. Additionally, they will promote a holistic, child-centred approach to early learning and care in partnership with children.

LO 3)  Demonstrate the evolving professional identity as reflective, ethical and autonomous professionals within the Irish ELC context.

Students will apply knowledge of reflective practice theories to engage in regular self-reflection and group reflection and support others in this. They will also continuously review and evaluate practices individually and collectively to improve early learning care and provision. They will promote democracy, solidarity, active citizenship, creativity and personal fulfilment and adopt a democratic and critically reflective approach to the education of young children. Students will demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development as a core attribute of the professional Early Childhood Educator. They will also engage with and ensure continuous compliance with current legislation, regulations and frameworks relevant to early childhood.

LO 4) Evaluate and choose effective strategies to communicate with others to build inclusive relationships and partnerships with children from diverse environments.

Students will demonstrate high level interpersonal, intrapersonal and self-awareness skills in all interactions with a wide variety of stakeholders. They will lead a democratic, inclusive and anti-bias approach to education and care of children and families and promote ethical, rights-based, inclusive and participatory practice, ensuring the voice of the child is heard, listened to and acted upon. they will build inclusive relationships through modelling leadership in innovative practice and utilise democratic learning theories, practices, ethics and a rights based approach. Additionally, they will adopt a democratic and inclusive approach that values diversity whilst utilising effective communication with all stakeholders and partners in the learning well-being and development of children. they will establish partnership relationships with parents based on mutual understanding, trust and cooperation and build and maintain reciprocal, responsive and respectful relationships with babies, toddlers and young children throughout the placement. 

LO 5) Support the individual identities of children and demonstrate cultural competence.

Students will develop and implement purposeful strategies that foster children’s sense of identity and belonging by applying theory to practice - theories of children’s development, of learning and play, socio cultural theories. They will show understanding of the significance to practice, of family, social, cultural and environmental factors on child development, well-being, identity and learning. Students will develop inclusive practices that facilitate the socialisation of children and families within a plurality of value systems and proactively address discrimination and demonstrate and apply knowledge of working in contexts of diversity such as anti-biased approaches, intercultural dialogue, and identity.

LO 6) Evaluate interdisciplinary working and with communities of practice with peers and professionals from multiple disciplines.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of team working including interpersonal communication and group-work dynamics. They will maintain a culture of accountability of practice with children, families and other relevant professionals and professional organisations. They will adopt proactive approaches to ensure meaningful and participatory relationships with relevant stakeholders. Students will communicate information effectively, transfer one’s knowledge and skills, and justify decisions, to specialists and non-specialists. they will engage with other professionals and professional organisations in support of children’s learning, well-being and development and establish collaborative relationships with other professionals (e.g. health and social services).

LO 7) Support children, families, peers and colleagues through the demonstration of leadership.

Students will lead enquiry based pedagogical practice that is highly responsive to individual children’s strengths, interests, dispositions and needs. they will manage complex professional activities or projects, taking responsibility for decision-making and decisions in unpredictable work or study contexts. They will act effectively in team roles and take responsibility for supporting individuals and groups. they will lead the development of the community of practice. Students will demonstrate and apply knowledge of leadership in Early Childhood Education and Care through ethical, democratic leadership that promotes sustainable development. They will adopt a rights-based approach to ELC that promotes children’s and families’ active citizenship, solidarity and lifelong learning and lead the development of policies, procedures and organisational documentation in early years’ settings.