My Top 3 Influences As An Educational Practitioner
Sometimes we come across a person, an idea, or a piece of content that affects the choices we make and the path we follow. I recently created a YouTube video on the JPS Family Day Care Advisers channel (that you can check out here) where I discussed my top 3 influences as an educational practitioner. In the video, I talk about my history as an educator and how each of these influences shaped my career.
I wanted to write a blog post to link you to each of them because I think they could all really help you too . So, whether you are a service owner, part of the leadership team, or an educator, here are my top 3 influences as an educational practitioner:
1) EPPE: The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project was the first major European longitudinal study to investigate the effects of pre-school education. The study looked at a sample of 3000 children between the ages of 3 and 7 years. The findings were that children had better social and intellectual outcomes if they were cared for in a warm interactive environment, and solidified the importance of home learning.
This EPPE project fueled my passion for helping educators and service providers, because I wholeheartedly believe family day care gives children the best start in life possible.
2) Reciprocal Relationships. Once I learnt more about reciprocal relationships, and embedded those learnings into my practice, I became a much better educational practitioner.
Why? Because understanding these principles enabled me to build relationships based on respect, equity, and fairness with families and children. Subsequently, I was also helping children to build meaningful interactions and social competence.
This guide from ACECQA outlines how reciprocal relationships align with Quality Area 5 and gives you tips to build a foundation for reciprocal relationships into your practice.
3) The Education Paradigm: This TED talk, by Sir Ken Robinson, explains how our current industrial educational system was developed before the radical changes we’ve seen in technology, and how it does not allow for our children to be able to cope with thinking at a higher level. In other words, rather than being taught how to think, children are being taught what to think.
Robinson argues that our archaic educational structure, which was developed in the 19th century, is too standardised and has a clear focus on conformity. He suggests that in order to keep students engaged, we must stimulate divergent thinking and create unique and customised learning to enable each individual to thrive.
The Education Paradigm has such a powerful message, and really challenges us as practitioners to think about the difference we can make if we embrace the opportunities we are now presented with as education becomes more globalised and inclusive. Watch it here.
I’d love to know what influences you’ve had on your journey. What inspires you to be a better family day care provider?
Jodie
P..S. You can watch my video on this topic here:
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