EDEC461: Pedagogy of Relationships in Early Childhood Assessment

Assessment Task 1

Essay exploring and reflecting on the pedagogy of relationships as presented through National and /or State curriculum and policy documents

‘A letter to an employer’ An employer has asked you to present a written statement that outlines your ethical and professional responsibilities in the relationships with diverse families. The job description requires from candidates to foster collaborative partnerships with families and communities, and the employer wants you to elaborate on this, with a particular emphasis on your knowledge of the National and state policies. The employer understands that it is your first job, and you may not have enough work experience, but wants to know what ethical and value-based considerations you have made so far, and how you have arrived at them. The centre welcomes children who live with a disability. The centre is in the area that attracts first generation immigrants. The position is for an Early childhood Teacher. The employer wants you to expand on your ethical professional (emerging) position, which refers to principles of communication as well. The employer wants to know how you see yourself in partnerships the centre has developed and future partnerships the centre might gain. The employer wants a personalised statement but well informed, and with evidence of what reflective work you have done to be where you are now.

Assessment Task 2

Professional Relationship based scenario

• Analysis - drawing on relevant literature and elements of national and/or State curriculum and policy documents

• Identify and reflect on implications for practice –i.e. pedagogy, teaching strategies, available resources, environments and interactions with children, colleagues, families, and communities, communication strategies 

Present an analysis of the scenario: the scenario is the case of one of the avatar children. The case will be assigned by your tutor. You will have to reflect on the child’s journey through time and EC settings, and if necessary, analyse the child’s situation.

The task is to:

• identify and justify the needs for establishing or strengthening ethical partnership and effective communication with families and communities. Explain and argue for what has to happen and why. Present a detailed account of what relationships with families and communities will look like. Explain what the role of the teacher will be, and what will have to happen at an institutional, community and local government (or and state) levels.

• explain what pedagogies should be used on an everyday basis with an emphasis on how these pedagogies lead or contribute to the relationships with families and communities. This should demonstrate your awareness of the resources available at institutional, local and broader community. Suggested pedagogies should reflect ethical considerations of the child’s situation which promotes social inclusion and sensitivity the child’s developmental and social needs.

The presentation should include:

1. An outline of the day in the life of the avatar child with a detailed with an emphasis of pedagogies for relationships.

2. A drama presentation of an interaction between a child’s carer and teacher. This should be enacted during the presentation. The script should be prepared by all members of the team. The ‘scene’ can include more than one carer and more than one teacher or other professional.

3. A written proposal for possible community partnerships which will benefit the relationships with the child’s families. This can be a mind map or a table or any other visual/graphic presentation. The proposal should be used within the presentation as the basis for the explanation of the partnerships.

4. References to all key literature sources studied in the unit.

5. Each member of the team will submit a written reflection (of 300 words) about what they have learnt from working on this assessment.

This written piece will be assessed as pass or fail and will not affect the overall grade for the presentation, but if not submitted or not passed, it may lead to a NN grade for the whole presentation. The pass or fail of this piece depends on whether you have addressed the following: o Explain your contribution to the presentation. What were you responsible for in particular? o Outline the key learning points and explain why these have become ‘key’ points.

•  Explain how the participation in the unit has changed you as a professional;
• what challenges you had to work on and what professional strengths you have discovered.