iPads bridge kindy generation gap

iPads bridge kindy generation gap

By Amelia Wade

9:26 AM Saturday Aug 25, 2012

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Four-year-olds (from left) Harry Ward, Alice Egerton, Emma Dickson and Ted Henderson all use iPads at the Kelburn Little School in Wellington. Photo / Marty Melville

Preschool pupils outclass teachers with their grasp of new technology.

Kristiana Denford-Deck is meant to be the one teaching preschoolers, but these days she often finds the roles reversed, with her young pupils showing her how to use her centre's iPads.

"They're the new generation and they know more about them than I do - they tutor me," the Little School teacher said.

"Because touch and feel is something so important in those early years, it's something they pick up really quickly. It's something that's practical and easy for them to do."

Tablets are becoming increasingly common in early childhood centres as learning tools that help teach kids maths, literacy, sharing and motor skills.

At four of the five Little School centres around New Zealand, the iPads are used as tools for learning rather than play. (The fifth, in Auckland, doesn't have them yet.)

The private preschool chain decided to purchase five iPads for each centre because the owners said children were surrounded by technology so it made sense to incorporate it into their education.

The children have been using the iPads for six weeks and the results are already apparent.

Throughout the day, the young students are taken into a separate room in small groups and use the tablets in pairs, playing interactive games that help their mathematics and language skills.

Children are also taught the tools' value as well as how to look after and use the iPads.

"You get amazing amounts of communication and lots of teamwork happening," Ms Denford-Deck said.

A Christchurch centre for preschool-aged children with disabilities has also been using iPads as a tool to assist learning and help children's cognitive development.

Champion Centre director Susan Foster-Cohen said the staff were amazed at some of the barriers the children had broken through with the help of the technology.

"We're finding that with some children, they're able to tell us what they know through an iPad in a way that they're not able to tell us through verbal language," Dr Foster-Cohen said.

"For example, if they've got to make a choice between items or they've got to show us that they understand the difference between same and different."

The centre doesn't own any of its own iPads - but a staff member and a number of parents have the gadgets.

Dr Foster-Cohen said staff at the centre made sure the children knew the tablets were used as one of many tools to help them learn and didn't replace physical and verbal interaction.

iPads were particularly helpful for children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and autism.

"Because it's a machine it's sometimes easier for [the children on the autistic spectrum] to engage with.

"They can often find interacting with humans overwhelming," she said.

"It's an exciting new addition to our tool kit."

But not all parents are pleased about iPads creeping into early childcare education - one Nelson mother said she would be concerned if her 4-year-old son came home singing the tablet's praises.

Angela Cox, a kindergarten teacher herself at a different centre, said it was important for youngsters to be exposed to technology, but that was a parent's responsibility not the school's.

"I send my son to kindergarten so he can develop social skills and I don't think an iPad does that ... . I don't think they have a place in early childhood centres."

By Amelia Wade | Email Amelia

Playdough

Playdough use offends some

JOELLE DALLY

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/Fairfax NZ

HAVING FUN: Aoife-May Crosby, 2, left, and Max Newcombe-Maule enjoy using playdough at Cherry’s Early Learning Centre in Beckenham. Some centres no longer use playdough because it is considered culturally insensitive to use food for play.

macaroni necklaces and potato prints at kindergarten are quickly becoming a thing of the past - and playdough may be the next to go.

Many early-learning centres are banning, or at least restricting, the use of food as a play tool because it is deemed culturally insensitive, or "bad tikanga".

Some Maori centres have even stopped using playdough because it is made from edible ingredients.

Last week, Amy Clark, Christchurch-based director of early learning centre website My Child New Zealand, posted on the group's Facebook page an activity using the unwanted end of a celery stick to paint a rose. The post sparked a heated online debate.

"Someone questioned whether it was OK to do that," she said.

Clark said there appeared to be a "general consensus" only food unfit for consumption could be used in art, although one mother posted: "I would still go ahead to use my vegetables to paint".

Titoki Black, from the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust said some of their rural and Auckland centres did not use playdough.

The trust has several Maori early childhood centres across New Zealand, including in Christchurch.

"Because it is made from flour and water, which is used to make bread, Maori are not comfortable about using playdough and having it thrown around, turning it into beads and wearing it around your neck," she said.

"Anything from the land. Clay, leaves, that's what we are encouraging. It's not that all kohanga reo are banning [playdough], it's just that it's Maori practice that you do not play with food."

Christchurch pre-schools The Press spoke to had not banned playdough but were careful about food use.

Kimihia Early Learning Centre manager Maureen Holden said they had a policy not to use food as a teaching tool. The centre still allowed the use of playdough but would look at a change if an alternative was available.

"You'd be hard pressed to find a pre-school or kindergarten that uses food. Food is for eating," she said.

"It's bad tikanga and there's families out there that are lacking food."

Cherry's Early Learning Centre manager Gill White said they viewed it as disrespectful to play with food when people in the world were starving.

In the past they had used fruit and potatoes for printing and macaroni for pasting and threading, but "the thinking has shifted".

The centre had no plans to ban playdough, but was likely to review its use of wheat seeds and cornflour, she said.

An-Nur Muslim childcare centre manager Maysoon Salama said they followed Islamic philosophy to avoid using food for play as much as possible.

College of Education early childhood co-ordinator Glynne Mackey said most pre-schools banned the use of dried macaroni and potato for this reason.

"Generally speaking, if it is an edible food, you don't play with it. But then you get down to the question of playdough. Centres make up their own mind around those kind of issues."

Christchurch teacher Sally Foley, who works at Cherry's Early Learning Centre, said banning playdough would be political correctness gone "crazy".

The Education Ministry regulations do not address using food at early learning centres.

- © Fairfax NZ News

T.R. Criteria 2

Practice fairness, kindness and safety.

Fire drills, earthquake drills, safety checks in diary Respect forchildrenandtheirindividual requirements, Allergies.

Have open dialogue with parents with regard to their aspirations for their child Positive modeling of behavior by teaches Signup to magazines, & online newsletters.

Keep professional and private life separate.

Keep children's e portfolios up to date.

T.R. Criteria 1

Ways we meet Criteria 1 Teachers Meeting August 2012

Centre blog,open ended questions, listen to others. Respecting other people's point of view. Greeting people in their language. Listen to what parents want from the centre, do they want children to speak English or Mandarin.

Use other teachers as a resource, share information from the community.

Lorraine connects to Kauri Park School and Kindergrten, Pauline connections at Kauri Park. Louise connected to Verran School, Birkenhead School, Birkdale Intermediate, Birkenhead College, Madeline Verran Rd School, Kath Verran School.

We keep up relationships with Hearing and Vision, Fire dept, other centers.

Support each other with planning help Louise with Garden Challenge.

More interesting questions to reflect on:

• Can you tell the story of your ECE environment?
• Where do I go to for ideas/inspiration for planning and teaching?
• What strategies/ words/ activities do I use to foster trust, respect and co-operation?
• What questions do I use to prompt âkonga to talk about new information and ideas?
• How do I change my teaching practice to meet individual and group needs?
• How effectively do I read other adult’s body language as a way of improving my communication? (Te Whaariki)
• What strategies do I use to extend conversations with children and how effective are my conversations. Do I stop to listen? Do I take time? (Te Whaariki)

Please comment.

Teacher Registration Part 1 & 2

1.   Professional relationships and professional values Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga Engaging in ethical, respectful, positive and collaborative professional relationships with: •    Ākonga •    Teaching colleagues, support staff and other professional at my centre •    Whānau and other carers of ākonga •    Agencies, groups and individuals in the community
Self-assessment:
Manager’s assessment:	Level:
2.   Demonstrate a commitment to promoting the well-being of all ākonga •    Take all reasonable steps to provide and maintain a teaching and learning environment that is physically, socially and emotionally safe •    Acknowledge and respect the languages, heritages and cultures of all ākonga •    Comply with all relevant regulatory and statutory requirements
Self-assessment:
Manager’s assessment:	Level:

100% Qualified Teachers

Qualified Teachers 100% - NZCA Study

Sunday, 29 July 2012 13:53


New research from the New Zealand Childcare Association suggests children are better off in early childhood centres that have 100 percent qualified teachers within ratios and explicitly deploy qualified teachers to work with and ensure continuity of caregiving for under 2s.



The research studied 10 randomly selected centres, half of which were wholly staffed by qualified teachers and the other half had between 50 and 79 percent of teachers qualified.



The study included observing children, talking to parents and teachers, and assessments of some four-year-old children by teachers focusing on social skills, skills including maths and reading and te reo.



The study found that children in 100% centres were more likely to hold conversations with teachers and to take part in complex play.



As would be expected, teacher training made a difference to teachers’ behaviours with children. Qualified teachers were “intentional” about the children’s learning and spent more time planning and passing information on to parents. They were also more likely to initiate conversations and help children to form and develop concepts. These things are highlighted in international research as being predictive of children’s academic success later.



Centres with 100% qualified staff were also found to have more continuous care for under-2s.



Parent-teacher interaction was also greater in these centres with teachers talking more about the child’s learning and their teaching practices and philosophies, rather than chatting informally with the parent.



However, 100% centres did not score well in all areas, being rated as below average in offering maths experiences. The inclusion of Maori culture and te reo was also found to be related more to individual teacher’s cultural knowledge than whether they held a teaching qualification. These things highlight possible gaps in the quality of current teacher education.



The move to have all ECE centres staffed 100% by qualified teachers was shelved by the National Government. The government has now set a target of 80% qualified staff and has changed the funding accordingly. Many groups within New Zealand’s ECE sector have been lobbying for a return to the 100% target, but this does not seem likely in the short-term. As at July 2012 the Government is yet to publicly confirm its target of 80% qualified teachers - to be reached by 2012.







Read More: http://www.childforum.com/blogs.html#ixzz22uOUK3aL