Course: Working With Babies
This module explores the importance of working with babies in the Early Years settings. There have been significant changes in the ways baby practice has been viewed over recent years. The first 1001 days have been enshrined as one of the most important times for Early Education and Care and coupled with a wider understanding of child development and neuroscience, working with babies has gained a greater profile. It is important to consider the differences required from staging the environment to professional practice with the youngest children. This module will allow you to explore how working with babies is structured and how theory, the environment and routines are used to support child development. You will be encouraged to carry out an observation on a baby practice and to discuss professional practice with your colleagues. This module will also encourage you to think holistically about transitions and child development and the importance of attachment theory. On completion of this module you will have gained a wider understanding of professional practice with babies and the requirements of baby room practitioners.
Description
This module aims to give a knowledgeable insight into play provision and pedagogy in early years settings. The learning outcomes aim to enable you to develop a reflective and evaluative approach to current play provision. This will include evaluating the different historical and contemporary perspectives of play, with a focus on educational and therapeutic perspectives. The module will make links to some different global influences on the current EYFS curriculum principles such as Forest
Schools or Reggio Emilia. Key themes include the role of the key worker and broader themes such as inclusion, observation, assessing and how to provide quality play provision in their settings. A planned visit to the forest school facilities of the University will be included please note this may not be available or practical for Partners (subject to weather conditions).
Outline Syllabus & Teaching & Learning Methods
These sessions will include lectures on:
* play perspectives,
* The developmental value of play,
* Cross reference to global play models and the current curriculum,
* Group discussions on the challenges and dilemmas of providing quality play provision and pedagogy in relation to the key principles of inclusion, observing, planning the assessment and monitoring development.
Furthermore academic writing styles and presenting information appropriately (ICT, verbal, and written) will be explored.
Learning Strategy The focus will be on helping students to identify, share and develop their existing knowledge. Teaching and learning strategies will include reflecting and recording aspects of workplace and professional practice and thereby gaining confidence in their ability to become a ‘change agent’ in their early years setting. Teaching and learning strategies in taught sessions will include lectures, electronic sources, selected readings, research and peer presentations which may be used to introduce and discuss aspects of academic and theoretical perspectives. Peer group discussions will provide opportunity for further learning and reflection on their own professional practice.
Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module you will be able to:
* LO1 Outline the various perspectives of play through the study of play pioneers both historically and contemporary with a focus on the educational pedagogy and developmental value of play in Early Years settings.
* LO2 Evaluate the cultural influence of global learning approaches within the UK Early Years Curriculum’s pedagogical principles.
* LO3 Discuss the challenges and dilemmas for the Early Years practitioner in relationship to inclusion, observation and planning play, assessing and providing quality play for holistic development of young children.
* LO4 Detect meaningful patterns in play, behaviour and experience