Victorian Framework - Practice Principles for Children's Learning and Development
8 PRINCIPLES - WHAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK OF WHEN EDUCATING CHILDREN
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REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
This means thinking about our teaching and learning. We think about what went well and what could be done better. We talk about our teaching and the children's learning with our colleagues and children's families. We also talk to the children about what they think. We use our reflections to help us plan for learning.
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Task: Can you think of a time when you reflected (thought about) something that happened at kinder with one of your colleagues and worked out what went well and what could have gone better? Write about it on your whiteboard or your laptop.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES
We create relationships with families and we understand and respect that they are the child's first teacher. We might not always agree with families and that is OK. We get information form families about the children and this helps us to teach children what they are interested in. We also get information from families that might explain how a child behaves or difficulties they might have.
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Task: Can you remember a time when Angela got some information from a family that helped you teach a child? Maybe Ranov or Robbie? Can you voice record yourself talking about this?
HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF EVERY CHILD
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That means that every child should have the same opportunities and we should not exclude children from activities or from kinder even if they are poor or have a disability. We understand that children are capable of making choices and decisions from birth. We should avoid assuming what a child can or cannot do just because they are a certain age.
Task: Remember the photo of the African baby using a sharp knife to chop a melon under Barbara Rogoff under the section on Influencers. We focus on children's strengths rather than their challenges. Do you still think that the baby should not use the knife? Talk to your mum about why you think that.
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RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIVE ENGAGEMENT
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This means having two way, kind relationships with children where we treat people how we would like to be treated. We help children feel safe and trust us. We listen to children and respect their decisions and ideas. We make sure we support children's learning.
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Task: Can you think of some examples of when you have had a respectful relationship with a child? How did you show them respect? Write down a list of points that shows the respect.
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EQUITY AND DIVERSITY
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We respect people's differences like different cultures, different abilities, different experiences. We help children understand other cultures especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander ways of knowing and being. We make sure that children have equal access to resources (equipment and materials) and have the chance to show their learning to us even if they can't speak.
Reflection: Remember the conversation we had about the 100 languages of children poem. Think of the different ways children can show us what they think? Talk to your mum about this.
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ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
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When we assess learning we discover what children know, understand and can do. This can be done by OBSERVING the children playing and watching how they move and regulate themselves, by asking QUESTIONS, by looking at their work like their paintings, writing, drawings. You can also assess children's learning by talking to their family, to the child themselves or other people that work with them like their speech therapist or OT. Your assessments should show a whole picture of the child and help to plan for future learning.
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Task: Write down a list of ways that you can record what you observe (see, hear, notice) about the children and their play
HINT: One thing you could do is take photos. What else could you do?
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INTEGRATED TEACHING AND LEARNING APPROACHES
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When educators teach children they use a mix of approaches. Sometimes the educator leads the learning by teaching the children about a topic. Sometimes the educator shows the children what to do or gives them the right equipment and then the children keep learning by themselves. Sometimes the children lead the play and the learning. All these happen all at once sometimes like in the above diagram from the VEYLDF.
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TASK: Can you give an example of adult led learning where you have taught the children something? Can you give an example of child led learning where the children have started a game or started making something by themselves that ended up being a learning experience? Can you give an example of guided learning where you have shown the children how to do something or use something and then they have gone ahead and played by themselves? Make a voice recording or video of you talking about these things on your phone.
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