My Portfolio
Week 4 (Day 1) (06/03/2025)
📍 Only About Children Alexandria
👶 Nursery Room
Key Experiences
This Day I worked from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM today. I engaged in encouraging creativity, communication, and positive social interaction during group time, drawing, and outdoor play. I also applied new strategies to support quieter/shy children more successfully and promote inclusive participation.
Story and Movement: We read "Time for Bed" using animal puppets. The children engaged by mimicking animal sounds and actions. This supported symbolic thinking and oral language growth (EYLF V2.0, Learning Outcome 5.2; DEEWR, 2022).Creative Drawing: The children drew the animals we discussed with crayons. The visual association between the toys and drawing helped build their fine motor skills and imaginative thinking (Learning Outcome 4.2).
New Strategy – Visual Prompts: In contrast to Week 3, where I used verbal cues mainly, today I utilized visual aids (movement and toy animals) in order to engage children. This supported diverse learning styles and asked children to engage based on shared meaning (Vygotsky, 1978).
Parallel Play with a Shy Child: One of the children, M, refused to participate. I sat beside her and engaged in the same play quietly until she slowly joined in. Parallel play was employed to build trust and emotional safety (EYLF V2.0, Outcome 1.1; Gordon et al., 2020).
Exploring Sensory Play: Another exciting activity we explored was sensory play with oil, flour, and various shaped materials. The children enjoyed mixing the flour and oil with their hands, feeling the different textures and experimenting with how they changed. They used the shaped materials to press, mold, and explore, helping to strengthen their fine motor skills. This experience encouraged language development as they described what they felt, supported creativity, and provided a calming, open-ended play opportunity being curious (Learning Outcome 4.1; Edwards, 2017)..
Mixed-Age Grouping: During outdoor play, children (age group above 1 year) communicated with younger children (4 months and 7 months). I encouraged their communication by role-modelling gentle speech and expression. This encouraged inclusion and respect (Learning Outcome 2.1).2. Challenges & Strategies Getting Quiet Children Involved: I noted that some children were resistant in group settings. To interact, I used parallel play and gentle visual cues rather than just verbal comfort (as opposed to Week 3). Such methods caused children to feel more confident and emotionally secure (Powell et al., 2014). Staying on Task During Group Time: Some children lost interest when listening to the story. To keep them engaged, I incorporated animal props and body language, making the session interactive and fun.3. Key Learnings & Professional GrowthI understood that visual and sensory materials can be implemented in enhancing focus and learning.Parallel play can be a great tool to utilize for shy or hesitant children.Storytime can be more effective if done interactively and in a playful manner.Child-led and interest-based learning promotes more active participation. Plans for Next WeekImplement a visual routine board to support children's transition.Use parallel play and non-verbal strategies for those who need time to warm up.Create more sensory-enriched outdoor activities to support cognitive and creative learning. ReflectionThe experience today showed me how minor changes in my approach can make a big difference in how children feel and engage. Through parallel play, I was able to subtly incorporate a shy child without forcing her to engage. I also realized how powerful movement and pictures can be to convey stories, it created a fun environment for children while making learning enjoyable and meaningful. I feel more confident now in employing a range of strategies and look forward to building better relationships and delivering more personalized assistance to each child's needs.
Week 4, Day 2 (07/03/2025)
📍 Only About Children Alexandria
👶 Nursery Room
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1. Key Experience This Day
On my second day of Week 4, I worked closely with our educational leader, Miss Pooja, to implement a visual routine for the babies in the Possum Room. This experience deepened my understanding of how clear, predictable structures can support young children’s sense of agency and emotional security (EYLF V2.0, Practice: Responsiveness to children). During group time, we discussed the routine with the children, using visuals to support understanding. I observed how Miss Pooja used calm tone, eye-level communication, and repetition to guide children, particularly those with emerging language skills. Her approach reflected inclusive pedagogy and a deep awareness of individual developmental needs, reinforcing the importance of responsive interactions and visual cues to support all learners, including those with exceptionalities (MacBlain, 2021). I learned how consistent routines and visual aids can reduce anxiety, promote positive behaviour, and enhance children’s understanding of transitions, aligning with the Circle of Security principles and guided behaviour strategies (Powell et al., 2014). This experience also tied into sustainability practices as we explored creative art using recycled materials and engaged children in discussions about reusing and rethinking everyday resources, supporting their early understanding of environmental responsibility (Davis, 2015; EYLF V2.0, Learning Outcome 2.4).
2. Challenges & Strategies
• Adapting Cause-and-Effect Learning for Young Children: Some children struggled to engage with the floating and sinking activity. To address this, I scaffolded their play by demonstrating how to gently place the objects in the water and ask open-ended questions like “What do you think will happen?” This aligns with constructivist approaches and supports Sub-outcome 4.2: Children engage in play-based learning and inquiry (EYLF V2.0).
• Supporting Diverse Abilities and Attention Spans: Not all children remained focused during group time. I observed how Miss Pooja gently redirected children’s attention using visual cues and sensory prompts. Inspired by this, I used soft verbal cues and gestures, helping maintain engagement without pressures, supporting children with emerging attention regulation skills and those with exceptionalities.
3. Key Learnings & Professional Growth
• Embedding Sustainability: The recycled art activity highlighted how sustainability can be meaningfully embedded in everyday learning. I now see how reused materials can spark creativity while fostering environmental awareness from a young age (Davis, 2015).
• The Power of Visual Routines: Observing Miss Pooja using visual routines showed me how these tools build consistency, support children’s independence, and are an inclusive teaching strategy—especially beneficial for children with additional needs (EYLF V2.0; MacBlain, 2021).
• Guided Behaviour and Consistent Teaching: By applying Circle of Security concepts such as ‘being bigger, stronger, wiser and kind,’ I learned to guide behaviour through calm, consistent strategies instead of correction alone (Powell et al., 2014).
4. Connection to EYLF, Theoretical Perspectives, Pedagogy & NQS
• Outcome 1.1 – Children feel safe, secure, and supported: Visual routines and predictable structures supported children’s emotional security.
• Outcome 2.4 – Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment: The recycled art activity promoted early awareness of sustainable practices.
• Outcome 3.2 – Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and wellbeing: Through guided exploration of cause and effect activities, children developed focus and motor control.
• Outcome 4.2 – Children engage in play-based learning and inquiry: Cause-and-effect activities encouraged curiosity, inquiry, and testing hypotheses.
• Practice – Responsiveness to children: Interactions were based on observing and adapting to children’s needs and capabilities (EYLF V2.0).
• Theoretical Influence – Constructivism: Activities were grounded in Vygotsky’s idea that learning occurs through active exploration and guided interaction (Vygotsky, 1978).
• NQS QA1, QA5: Curriculum and relationships were responsive and inclusive, supporting all children to engage meaningfully.
5. Goals for Next Week
• Plan an intentional experience embedding cause-and-effect learning through sensory materials.
• Explore new ways to promote sustainable thinking through everyday play.
• Develop more confidence in using visual aids as inclusive tools for guiding transitions and behaviour.
6. Reflection
Today was a valuable learning experience that expanded my understanding of how theoretical knowledge translates into daily practice. Partnering with Miss Pooja gave me the opportunity to observe expert strategies that support all children, particularly those with diverse needs. I’ve grown more aware of how visual routines and sustainable practices can be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, and how intentional teaching and guided behaviour strategies create a calm, supportive learning environment.